The Roots of Rock
Ragtime and Jazz
Ragtime• Emerges from mix of influences c. 1880 • Piano style, named for ragged melody line
Ragtime• Emphasis on cross-rhythms
– Left hand establishes steady beat• “walking bass” - primarily arpeggios• “stride bass” - single note on beats 1 and 3, chord on
2 and 4– Right hand plays complex, syncopated melody
Maple Leaf Rag - Scott Joplin• Four strains (= sections), each repeated• A strain returns in middle of piece• Form: A
A B B A C C
D D
Syncopated dance music
• Ragtime spreads to instrumental ensembles• Ex. Copenhagen - Fletcher Henderson
– Syncopated, like ragtime melody– Banjo and tuba alternate between bass note and
backbeat = two-beat rhythm• Popular for fox-trot and other “animal
dances”
New Orleans Jazz
• Solid beat - not “raggy”• Extensive syncopation• Collective improvisation
– Musicians “making up” parts according to carefully defined rules
• Rhythm section: tuba, banjo, percussion
New Orleans Jazz
• Influence from the blues• Blue notes: lowering of certain pitches for
emotional effect– Particularly 3rd, 5th, 7th notes of scale
• four-beat style beat: strong accent on each beat of bar
Dippermouth Blues - King Oliver
• Blue notes• Thick texture• Blues form (but no words)• King Oliver solo: wah-wah mute
Louis Armstrong (1900-1971)
• Most influential jazz trumpeter ever• Also had great impact as singer
– Scat singing: vocalizing on nonsense syllables, singing without words
– Instrumental quality to singing• Ex. - I Got A Right To Sing the Blues
Swing or Big Band Jazz
• Popular c. 1930-1946• Based in ensemble virtuosity, rather than
individual solos• Dense textures• Riff-based
Count Basie, Jumpin’ at the Woodside
• Cymbal clearly states four beat rhythm• Riffs in trombones, trumpets• Syncopated melodies• Number of rhythmic layers
– Cymbal– Riffs– Soloist– Other rhythm instruments
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