Timbre
the distinct sound of an instrument
Ostinato
from Italian (meaning obstinate): a repeated pattern over which music occurs
Homophonic
melody+accompaniment (as opposed to polyphonic-counterpoint, monophonic)
Sonata-Allegro Form
A B (the exposition), development, A B (recapitulation).
Classical form directly related to jazz and some rock forms: tune (AB),improv, tune (AB)
Call and Response
performance style where a solo voice performs an idea, echoed by the group or another instrument. Comes from field hollers, work songs, liturgical church services, etc. [i.e. "School Days (Chuck Berry) or "Hi De Ho Man" (Blues Brothers)].
Head
Tune
Changes
Chord progressions
Click Track
Metronome setting played into the headphones for tempo accuracy in recording studios
Bridge
Contrasting middle section of a tune
Shout Chorus
loud full ensemble, closing of most big band charts
Trading Fours
musicians exchanging solos in four bar groups (i.e. trading fours with the drummer)
Comping
chording instruments creating accompaniments for soloists/ accompanying
Pitch
measured in cycles per second (CPS), the vibration of a string at 220 CPS = the pitch A
Improvisation
using material from the tune (rhythms, intervals, melodic gesture) for extemporaneous playing of real-time music.
Arranger
the critically important person in the big band era, the arranger decides who plays what and when in a big band tune. The arranger orchestrates a composition and creates style.
Librettist
Writes the words for American Musical Theater shows
Compser
Writes the music
Lyricist
writes the words for songs
Be-Bop
a highly virtuosic (technically complex) jazz style with a fast harmonic rhythm, complex melodic structure, largely fast tempos. The end product requiring so much neural processing that it often alienated the less sophisticated listeneR, ultimately a retu
Ragtime
originally solo piano music with a syncopated right hand over a steady, march-like "stride" left hand. Scott Joplin is one principle American composer of piano rags (Jelly Roll Morton and a host of other piano players used this style c. 1900-1920). Instru
Dixieland
freer than Ragtime, some of the music was written out, some of it was improvised.
Big Band
these 18-24 pc instrumental ensembles flourished from the Roaring 20's into the late 40's, post WWII, where the band leader was usually an accomplished jazz solo player: Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey.
Blues
particularly popular from 1900-1920,particularly, but IS the main "river" whence comes all popular forms from folk to country to rock n roll. There are 8 bar, 12 bar, 16 bar, 24 bar, and 32 bar blues. 12-bar is the most popular. Ray Charles was largely a
Folk
folk music uses acoustic instruments (guitars, banjos, stand up/double bass, flutes, hand-held percussion) and does not use electronic instruments. The melodies are strophic (repeating), and in simple song form, usually telling a story. Songs are passed l
American Art Song
early American attempts to write light classical music for chamber performance. Requiring trained musicians, the music more complex melodically and harmonically, this music imitates European classical music. Tin Pan Alley is the name given to that area of
Musical Theater
these are plays with songs interspersed to frame and showcase events happening in the story line, accentuating the climactic highs and lows of the theatrical presentation, character development, and overall making plot events memorable. The first musical
Film Score
music written for films and movies. Composers were originally classically trained who studied in European conservatories, immigrated to the US, finding no work as 'serious composers' opted into the world of film composers. Erich Korngold, Dmitri Tiomkin,
Billie Holiday
Jazz singer, promoted by John Hammond (film)
Ella Fitzgerald
Jazz singer, (powerful scat singer) first female band leader, wrote "Tisket A Tasket
Benny Goodman
Jazz clarinet player, band leader
W.C. Handy
Father of the blues
Leonard Bernstein
Composer of the West Side Story, conductor of the New York Philharmonic
Hans Zimmer
Composer of film scores (Power of One)
George Gershwin
composer (with brother Ira- lyricist) of American songs, Musicals, Rhapsody in Blue
Stephen Sondhein
composer/librettist/lyricist- wrote words for songs in the West Side Story
Scott Joplin
ragtime piano composer and performer. Music immortalized in "The Sting
Charlie Christian
jazz guitar player with Benny Goodman- electric guitar
Stephen Foster
American Art Song/ Tin Pan Alley compser
Paul Desmond
Sax player with the Dave Brubeck quartet. Composed "Take Five
Miles Davis
jazz trumpet player, pioneered different styles of jazz music in his lifetime
Charlie "Yardbird" Parker
jazz sax player, with Miles Davis credited for founding BeBop
John Coltrane
jaxx sax player established a distinct style of playing/ unique sound
Jerome Kern
Widely acknowledged as the Father of the American Musical
Irving Berlin
American Musical/ Broadway compser
Andrew Lloyd Webber
British composer of musicals (Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat)
Charles Hart
Librettist for Phantom of the Opera
Bessie Smith
Jazz/blues singer extraordinaire