Bebop Jazz
Something New
The Late 1940s
Jazz Musicians were tired of playing something that people
would just dance too.
They wanted to create something that would be listened to
seriously!
Differences from Dixieland
Tempo – Fast!
Was for serious listening and not for dancing
Melodies – Less ‘song-like’ sing-able melodies
Chord substitutions and extensions
Instrumentation
Rhythm section: Drums, Bass, Piano, and Guitar
(sometimes)
Only two instruments in the ‘front line’
Normally a trumpet and saxophone!
The trumpet and saxophone would improvise over the
rhythm section
Charlie Parker
Minton’s Playhouse
Harlem, New York
Where Bebop Jazz began
Jam sessions were set up that allowed musicians to
experiment
A creative, positive environment that allowed musicians to
feel comfortable when experimenting
Musicians would come to play late at night (3 a.m.) after
they finished playing their gigs
Thelonious Monk, Howard McGhee, Roy Eldridge, and
Teddy Hill outside of Minton’s Playhouse
Improvisation in Bebop
Played a HUGE roll
Improvised solos were never played the same way twice
The musician improvising would play very complex solos
that used the melody as a small guideline
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4mRaEzwTYo
CHARLIE PARKER – Billie’s Bounce
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukL3TDV6XRg
CHARLIE PARKER – Groovin’ High
Dizzy Gillespie (1917 – 1993)
Dizzy Gillespie
Real Name was John Birks Gillespie
One of the most important trumpet players after Louis
Armstrong
Fast playing
Puffed cheeks
Bent Horn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQYXn1DP38s
A Night In Tunisia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjZa7lyyGlw
Dizzy Gillespie – And Then She Stopped
Teacher
Loved teaching and sharing his mastery of Bebop Jazz with
young musicians
Formed a band and toured overseas to inspire young
musicians around the world
John Coltrane (1926-1967)
John Coltrane
Born in North Carolina
Played Tenor Saxophone
Studied music in Philadelphia
Pushed Jazz to new boundaries
John Coltrane
Practiced 12-14 hours a day
His 1960 album Giant Steps was hailed as a classic
The title track is known for its rapid chord changes and
masterful improvisation by Coltrane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kotK9FNEYU
- Giant Steps
Chord changes are still studied today
A Love Supreme
A Love Supreme
Free Jazz
Tore down what was expected from progressions and rhythm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3L-gL4XmjM
A Love Supreme Opening and Part 3 Drum Solo
Worked with many great Jazz Musicians in his life time
including Miles Davis
John Coltrane
Despite rock gaining popularity in the 1960s John Coltrane
still enjoyed enormous success
Had drug and alcohol problems
Died in 1967 of a liver ailment