Chapter 14 Contemporary Trends: A Maturing Art Form.

Chapter 14

Contemporary Trends:

A Maturing Art Form

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 2

1990s to the present

• Neoclassical school– A historically conscious movement– Traced its history through the African American jazz

legacy

• Jazz as an art form is now defined as a blending of African and Western European traditions

• Musicians are now more aware of the historic perspective

• Consensus in the jazz community of its “Art Form” status


The Jazz Canon

• Many prominent contemporary players now look back more than forward

• Jazz now finds itself on the concert stage, having evolved from the street and dance hall

• An identified heritage of players and music now makes up the mainstream

• Jazz has survived efforts to dilute and redirect it


The Young Lions

• Fresh young players who support a revival of earlier eras– Younger groups are now products of formal,

institutional jazz training• Must earn the respect of older masters who are still

active players


Wynton Marsalis (b. 1961)

• Stellar jazz and classical trumpeter• Articulate spokesman for traditional jazz styles;

critic of non-traditional jazz • Has taken jazz to the bastions of European

tradition e.g. Lincoln Center• Those with similar views may inhibit the natural

evolution of jazz

Listen to “Hackensack” CD2, track 13


Trumpet legacy

• Terence Blanchard (b. 1962)– Accomplished trumpeter,

film score composer,

and businessman

• Nicholas Payton (b. 1973) Blanchard

– Looks beyond bop to Louis Armstrong for inspiration

• Roy Hargrove (b. 1969)– Hard bop and Cuban influences


Trumpet legacy-continued-

• Jon Faddis (b. 1953)– Disciple and protégé of Dizzy Gillespie– Conductor, band leader

• Wallace Roney (b. 1960)– Introspective style more reminiscent of Miles


Saxophone legacy

• Joe Lovano (b. 1952)– Played for Woody Herman in the 70s– Gained prominence in the 90s in small group

settings– Wide influence from Coleman Hawkins to

Ornette Coleman


Saxophone legacy-continued-

• Jane Ira Bloom (b. 1955)– Soprano saxophonist– Bridges the jazz gender gap– Blends many styles and world music

Listen to “Cagney” CD 3, track 6

• Kenny Garrett (b. 1960)– Played with Miles in the 90s– Blends mainstream with other elements


Saxophone legacy-continued-

• Joshua Redman (b.1969)– Son of free jazz tenor player, Dewey Redman– Virtuosic player in the Coltrane,

Rollins tradition

• James Carter (b. 1969)– Equally strong on all saxes– Broad pallet of influences

Carter


Piano legacy

• Piano has been a leading historic marker throughout the history of jazz– Able to simultaneously play melody and

harmony– As a solo, trio, and ensemble instrument, piano

has had a rich legacy of historic composers, performers, and pioneers


Piano legacy-continued-

• Ahmad Jamal (b. 1930) – Connects bop and contemporary players– influenced by Miles and Gil Evans

• Herbie Hancock (b. 1940)– Crossover commercial success in addition to solid

mainstream playing– Film and television credits– R&B hits “Rockit”– Adapted rock and R&B into straight ahead format


Piano legacy-continued-

• Keith Jarrett (b. 1945)– A master of solo, modern trio, large scale improvisation– Veteran of the Miles Davis group from the late 60s

Listen to “Bop-Be (Take 2)” CD 3, track 7

• Brad Mehldau (b. 1970)– Most direct extension of Bill Evans introspective style– Prefers trio format


Evolving mainstream

• New players descending from the Coltrane, avant-garde legacy

• John Zorn (b. 1953) saxophonist, composer– Cuts across boundaries with tributes to Ornette Coleman

and others

• Dave Douglas (b. 1963) trumpeter, composer– Hybrid electronic sounds ala Weather Report

• The Bad Plus– Redefines the modern trio– Hybrid styles connecting freer styles with fusion


Big Band Legacy

• Continuous part of the jazz scene since the 1920s– Consistent instrumentation makes it a fixed

genre for composers

• Reflects all of the historic evolution of composed jazz

• Ghost bands carry on and sometimes expand the original leaders trademarks


Contemporary large bands

• Many maintain close ties with older styles, while some exhibit new ideas

• Toshiko Akiyoshi (b. 1929) piano, band leader– Compositions feature a

blend of traditional and culture-crossing style

– Carefully crafted arrangements expand the idiom


Contemporary large bands-continued-

• Don Ellis (1934-1978) trumpet, composer– Used Indian ragas,

rhythms, and meters– Mixed in elements of

gospel and fusion– Devised and used a

quarter tone trumpet


Contemporary large bands-continued-

• Maria Schneider (b. 1960) composer– Began as assistant to Gil Evans– Multiple Grammy nominations

Listen to “Wyrgly” CD 3, track 1


Vocal legacy

• Betty Carter (1926-1998)– Influenced by bop instrumentalists– Important straight ahead vocalist

Listen to “You’re Driving Me Crazy” CD 3, track 8

• Sheila Jordan (b. 1928)– Also influenced by bop– Also sang with prominent white players– Sometimes sang in trio setting without piano


Vocal legacy-continued-

• Cassandra Wilson (b. 1955)– Following the Betty Carter tradition– Responsible for new original material– Crossed over to incorporate other styles

• Bobby McFerrin (b. 1950)– Pioneering vocalist – Often performs solo, recreating essential musical parts

and percussive sounds – Grammy winner and frequent collaborator with other

artists


Vocal legacy-continued-

• Harry Connick Jr. (b. 1967) pianist, singer– In the style of the crooners of the 1940s ala

Frank Sinatra– Popularity is broad and sometimes outside the

jazz community

• Diana Krall (b. 1964) pianist, singer– Also more popular outside the jazz community

Listen to “As Long as I Live” CD3, track 9


Vocal jazz groups

• Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross - 1950s• Manhattan Transfer - 1970s• New York Voices - 1980s• Take 6 - 1980’s

– Historic tradition of precise, closely harmonized vocal groups

– A cappella style

Listen to “Top Secret” CD 3, track 10

Chapter 14 Contemporary Trends: A Maturing Art Form.

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