MUS 307 FINAL EXAM REVIEW GUIDE – FALL 2018
Specific features of Early Jazz, Swing, Bebop, Cool, Hard Bop, Free, Modal,
Fusion, and Neoclassical Eras—avoid descriptors that can be applied to more than
one style such as “medium tempos”; or comparative descriptors such as “more
relaxed” without a second style listed
Early Jazz: collective improvisation in the frontline, clarinet, banjo, tuba
Swing: music for dancing, most popular era, big band instrumentation
Bebop: complicated language using fast arpeggios and scales, tension in
improvisation, social fabric included similar language, dress, and often drug use
Cool: restrained solos, passive rhythm section
Hard Bop: blues and bebop, influenced by gospel and R&B genres, trumpet, tenor
saxophone, piano, bass, and drums
Free Jazz: collective improvisation in all instruments, missing musical elements
such as tempo, harmony, form
Modal: one chord for a long period of time
Fusion: electric instruments and electric effects, rhythmic rock grooves, 1970s
Neoclassical Eras: return to acoustic roots with emphasis on early jazz styles
Minimum number of features to know from eras studied: Early Jazz (3); Swing
(3); Bebop (2); Cool Jazz (2); Hard Bop (2); Modal (1); Free (2); Fusion (3);
Neoclassical (1)
Instrumentation of the following eras (this can be one feature out of the minimum
number of features to know):
Early Jazz: sometimes banjo and tuba; front line of trumpet, clarinet, trombone
Swing Era: big band (5 saxophones, 4-5 trumpets; 4-5 trombones, rhythm
section)
Bebop: front line of alto saxophone and trumpet; piano, bass, and drums
Hard Bop: front line of tenor saxophone and trumpet; piano, bass, and drums
Fusion: electronic instruments including electric guitar, electric bass, Fender
Rhodes electric piano, and synthesizer
Neoclassical: acoustic instruments
All jazz styles in chronological order; decade(s) associated with each style (see
headings of musician lists below)
Early Jazz – 1920s
Swing – 1930s
Bebop – 1940s
Cool – 1950s
Hard Bop – late 1950s
Free Jazz – 1960s
Modal – 1960s
Fusion – 1970s
Neoclassical – 1980s
Terms:
Improvisation – immediate creation of a melody
Melody – series of single pitches (jazz slang is “head”)
Chord – three or more pitches sounded at the same time
Harmony – order of chords in a song (jazz slang is “changes”)
Form – overall structure of a piece of music
Blues Form: twelve measures; 3 four-measure phrases; statement,
repetition, commentary
AABA Form: 32 measures; 4 eight-measure phrases; A sections are the
same while B section is contrasting
Chorus – once through the form of a song
Swing rhythmic feel – walking bass; drums play swing rhythmic pattern; uneven
eighth notes
Even-8th rhythmic feel – repetitive bass; even eighth notes in drums and other
instruments
Cross-rhythm – one rhythmic grouping placed on top of another (i.e., three over
two)
“Sheets of Sound” – rapid scales and arpeggios used by John Coltrane
Collective improvisation – everyone improvises at the same time; know
differences between collective improvisation in Early Jazz and Free Jazz
“Break” – rhythm section stops and soloist continues
All-Time Jazz Greats (know in chronological order):
Louis Armstrong – trumpet – Early Jazz
Duke Ellington – piano/composer – Swing Era
Charlie Parker (“Bird”) – alto saxophone – Bebop
Miles Davis – trumpet – leader in multiple eras
John Coltrane – tenor saxophone – Modal/Free
Deeper knowledge about Ellington, Davis, Coltrane as follows:
Duke Ellington: Four categories of recordings: name and briefly describe—
give an example of an album or song title that fits in each category (i.e.,
Mood Music = “Mood Indigo”)
1. Mood Music - "Mood Indigo":
-Dreamy, tranquil atmosphere; slow tempos
-"Writing across the sections"
-Many textures through various combinations of instruments, mutes, and other
arranging devices
-Ellington "dreaming"
2. Jungle Music - "Ko-Ko"
-Growling sounds in brass (plungers)
-Low sounds - tom-toms; baritone saxophone
-Cotton Club
3. Standards - "Take the 'A' Train"
-Danceable
-Often AABA or Blues forms
-Popular
-Supported other Ellington endeavors
4. Extended Form - "Far East Suite"
-Lengthy works about a particular subject or theme
Miles Davis: describe characteristics of his improvisation (“less is more,”
harmon mute, motivic development)
-Harmon mute often used
-"Less is more" - spaces between phrases
-Repetition/Motivic Development
Five categories of recordings: name and briefly describe—give an example of an
album or song title that fits in each category
Important collaborators: Bill Evans (piano)
Important arranger: Gil Evans (Cool Era recordings)
Know at least one song or album title for each category
John Coltrane: describe characteristics of his improvisation (technical virtuosity,
powerful sound, “sheets of sound”)
Three categories of recordings: name and briefly describe—give an example of an
album or song title that fits in each category (in the Modal category, know two
titles)
 Giant Steps
o Rapid, unusual chord changes
o “sheets of sound” develops
o “Coltrane’s sound”
 Modal – “Impressions”
o Minimizes chord changes
 Free – “Ascension”
o Missing musical elements such as melody, form, harmony,
tempo
o Modal jazz minus one chord
Know the category and importance of these titles/albums: Giant Steps, A Love
Supreme, Ascension
 Giant Steps
o Rapid, unusual chord changes
o “sheets of sound” develops
o “Coltrane’s sound”
o Powerful, clear tone, very few rests/spaces
 A love supreme – Modal
o Expresses Coltrane’s views on spirituality
o Spiritual awakening helped him conquer serious drug
addiction
 Ascension – Free
o Large ensemble
o No present melody, chord, progression, form
o Tempo changes; sometimes no steady pulse
o Collective improvisation of all instruments
o Lengthy work - Coltrane was honest about who he was at
this point in his life
o Free Jazz reflected turbulence in American society in the
1960s
o Many characterized it as an attempt to "tear down rules"
o Strong reactions to record - many portions are highly tense
and dissonant
For each musician listed below, know instrument, primary style (if one can be
determined), and major contribution to jazz:
Early Jazz (1920s)
Jelly Roll Morton –piano, first jazz arranger
Swing Era (1930s)
Duke Ellington – piano/composer – see above
Benny Goodman – clarinet/bandleader – brought jazz to Carnegie Hall; integrated
the jazz band, swing era (1930s)
Count Basie – piano – big band leader, Swing Era (1930s)
Vocalists: Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Joe Williams (swing era)
Bebop (1940s)
Charlie Parker “Bird” – alto saxophone – great virtuosity; tragic lifestyle
Dizzy Gillespie – trumpet – virtuosity; sense of humor; Afro-Cuban rhythms into
jazz; educator
Cool Jazz (early 1950s)
Dave Brubeck – piano/composer – unusual meters – “Take Five”
Paul Desmond – alto saxophonist with Brubeck – lyrical sound
Stan Getz – tenor saxophone – brought bossa nova to jazz – “Girl From Ipanema”
Miles Davis – “Birth of the Cool” band – Gil Evans, arranger
Chet Baker – trumpeter/vocalist – natural, lyrical musician; tragic lifestyle
Hard Bop (late 1950s)
Art Blakey – drums – Jazz Messengers; farm team for future leaders; blues +
bebop
Horace Silver – piano/composer – repetitive comping; wrote standards
Cannonball Adderley – alto saxophone – “soul jazz”
Clifford Brown – trumpet – virtuoso
Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone – motivic development
Miles Davis – “First Great Quintet” (Prestige records band)
Modal Jazz (1960s)
Miles Davis – “Kind of Blue” (relaxed)
John Coltrane – “Impressions” (tense, energetic); “A Love Supreme” (spiritual)
Artists without era category:
Charles Mingus – bass/composer – used several eras; “organized chaos”; strong
personality
Thelonious Monk – piano/composer – combination of logic and surprise; motivic
development
Bill Evans – pianist on “Kind of Blue” – led interactive trio
Keith Jarrett – piano – solo concerts and interactive trio
Fusion (1970s)
Chick Corea – fusion pioneer, keyboards/piano, Spanish influence
Herbie Hancock – fusion pioneer, keyboards/piano, “Chameleon”
Joe Zawinul – fusion pioneer, keyboards/piano, Weather Report
John McLaughlin – fusion pioneer, guitar, heavy rock influence
Michael Brecker – saxophone/EWI
Pat Metheny – guitar/synthesizer/composer – World music influence
Snarky Puppy – modern fusion band
Neoclassical (1980s)
Wynton Marsalis – trumpet – return to acoustic roots; recreate Swing Era music
Stars of Today (no decade)
Christian McBride – bassist – traditional approach
Kenny Garrett – alto saxophone – “Coltrane of alto saxophone”
Esperanza Spalding – bass/vocals – multiple genre influences; Grammy for “Best
New Artist”
Chris Potter – tenor saxophone – virtuoso, extended range of instrument
Maria Schneider – composer – modern big band, Gil Evans influence
Any other artists discussed in the final three classes
EXAM FORMAT
Multiple choice questions taken through the quiz platform, same procedure as inclass quizzes
Short answer and essay questions—answers are uploaded in one .doc file to
Canvas.
Short answers: you will choose from numerous prompts (approximately seven
answers required). Typical short answer questions are as follows:
Name three features of the Swing Era.
 Big band instrumentation
 Most popular era
 Music for dancing
Name three features of the Cool Jazz Era.
 Restrained, polite solos using middle registers
 Passive rhythm section: drum often used brushes, often no piano or
guitar comping
 Influence of classical music, passive use of some bebop vocabulary
 Sometimes called “west coast” jazz
 A number of white musicians and some integrated jazz combos
Briefly describe Thelonious Monk’s music.
 The most prevailing feature is dissonant, "grinding" sounds, "Playful"
or "repetitive" ideas (one statement repeated or slightly changed
numerous times), Use of space between motives, or rests. Particularly
important when Monk engages in longer sections of motivic
development, Monk's use of the "Bebop" two-note phrase ending
Name the jazz eras in chronological order, and give the decade that each era
began.
Early Jazz – 1920s
Swing – 1930s
Bebop – 1940s
Cool – 1950s
Hard Bop – 1950s
Free – 1960s
Modal – 1960s
Fusion – 1970s
Neoclassical – 1980s
Essay questions: you will choose from numerous prompts (two answers
required):
Name the five categories of Miles Davis’ music as discussed in class. Briefly
describe each category, and give a representative song title for each category.
1. Cool - "Summertime"
-Long, dense sounds, muted colors
2. Hard Bop - "Milestones"
-Featured his "First Great Quintet" including tenor saxophonist John
Coltrane, and made four albums on Prestige records
3. Modal - "Kind of Blue"
-Change in improvisational approach where one mode (or scale) is
used for a long period of time
-Harmony is minimized so melody, rhythm, motivic development and
texture become more important
4. Free/Fusion - "Bitches Brew"
-Took elements of Free Jazz from the 1960s and combined those with
the rock rhythms and electric instruments of the Fusion era
-Reaction to this music was deeply divided
-Elements of free jazz combined with elements of fusion
-Using the recording studio as a creative device
5. Post Retirement Fusion - "We Want Miles"
-Returned to music with a much different fusion band
-Miles more gregarious
-Rehearsed and precise
-Trumpet, soprano saxophone, guitar, electric bass, drums, and
percussion
Name the three categories of John Coltrane’s music as discussed in class.
Briefly describe each category. Give a representative song title for each
category; except for the category discussed most extensively in class. For that
category, give a minimum of two representative song titles, and discuss the
significance of those titles.
1. Hard Bop - "Giant Steps”
-Rapid, unusual chord changes
-"Sheets of Sound" develops
-"Coltrane's Sound"
2. Modal - "Impressions"
-Minimizes chord changes
3. Free - "Ascension" - "Alabama"
-Missing musical elements such as melody, form, harmony, tempo
-Modal jazz minus one chord
"Alabama"
Reaction to 1963 bombing of Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama that
killed four young girls
Coltrane wanted the crescendo, where the music gets louder, near the end
of the piece to signify the rising of the civil rights movement
"Ascension"
-Free Jazz reflected turbulence in American society in the 1960s
-Many characterized it as an attempt to "tear down rules"
-challenging of structures resulting in missing musical elements motivated
by societal events - particularly the civil rights movement
Describe a particular jazz musician that either like or dislike and give
specific musical reasons that support your opinion.
A specific jazz musician that I really enjoyed over the course of the semester was
Duke Ellington. I found his songs very upbeat and danceable. Additionally, we
studied songs like “Diminuendo in Crescendo Blue” which I found interesting
because it seemed almost eerie yet still retained its swing feel. Moreover,
Ellington was one of my favorites because he was versatile as he wrote music
specifically designed for the players in the band.
Describe a particular jazz style (era) that you either like or dislike and give
specific musical reasons that support your opinion.
Discuss the relationship between American society and jazz in the context of
at least two different jazz eras. Give at least one representative song title,
with artist, in each era that you discuss.
Swing Era- Billie Holiday's Strange Fruit, Haunting protest against the
inhumanity of racism, Description of lynching, Recorded in 1939, Performed in
darkness, all service stopped, no encore, Columbia Records would not record,
Because Holiday's biggest selling record
Coltrane’s Modal Category- "Alabama" (r. 1963), written as a reaction to 1963
bombing of Baptist church in Birmingham, AL that killed four young girls
Coltrane wanted the crescendo, where the music gets louder, near the end of the
piece to signify the rising of the civil rights movement. Opening section--played
without any steady rhythm, Piano and bass are on the same note, Coltrane
"preaches" plaintively