Jazz Research Task - Big Band

The term "Big Band" simply refers to a large jazz ensemble, usually consisting of over 10 people, which is typically associated with the swing genre. However, there are exceptions, with genres such as bebop, jazz-rock fusion, and more. The Big Band era was seen as the beginning of the Swing Era.

 

Big Band came about in the 1910s, and peaked in popularity in the early 1940s, ending in 1946, but large orchestras still continue to be used in jazz. The style originated as music to dance to, and it stood out from other jazz styles because of its lack of emphasis on improvisation; big bands tended to follow written arrangements much more closely than other jazz styles. Solos utilising improvisation were still written into arrangements, though they were controlled in location and duration.

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Some characteristics of Big Band include the following:

   - 10 or more musicians, with trumpet, trombone, saxophone, and rhythm (often piano, guitar, bass, and drums) sections

   - Typically in the style of swing

   - Upbeat and danceable

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Some influences that helped shape the sound of the Big Band era include:

   - Swing jazz music

   - The Great Depression; during the depression in America, more musicians were looking for work, lowering wages and therefore increasing the number of spots for musicians to be hired in bands with the same budget as beforehand.

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Count Basie Orchestra

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The Count Basie Orchestra is a Missouri based big band formed in 1935 by Count Basie and is one of the most well-known bands of the swing era. The count passed away in 1984, but the band continued to play together. Today, it consists of 18 people, with a trumpet section, trombone section, saxophone section, and rhythm section, as well as one vocalist. The band has been together for 84 years, and in that time they collaborated with other jazz icons such as Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.

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The musical example that I have chosen to analyse is April in Paris.

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Duration

   - The piece is allegro and is roughly 135bpm.

   - Short grace notes are used to make rhythms of longer notes more interesting.

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Pitch

   - Pitches played by accompaniment are almost always different and therefore harmonising, which allows for complex techniques to be used such as jazz chord progressions.