BEING JAZZED

A Journey through the

History of Jazz
13 September 2023
Jao Tim Kuala Lumpur
Early Jazz/Dixieland
1900-1920s
During the decade between 1910 and 1920, the seeds of
jazz began to take root. New Orleans, the vibrant and
chromatic port city in which ragtime was based, was
home to a number of budding musicians and a new style.
• Important Musicians/Composers:
• Blues
• Louis Armstrong
• W.C. Handy
• Ragtime/Stride Piano
• Scott Joplin
• James P. Johnson
The first jazz recording ever was made in 1917. The
Original Dixieland Jazz Band, led by cornetist Nick
LaRocca, recorded “Livery Stable Blues.” The music is not
thought to be the best-executed jazz of the time, but it
became a hit and helped light the fuse that led to the jazz
craze.
St. Louis Blues (W.C. Handy)
 Swing Era
1930s-1940s
Swing brought big bands to the forefront, with a
strong emphasis on danceable rhythms and solo
improvisations. During this period, artists
developed styles that influenced later musicians
and subsets of jazz, from bebop and beyond.
•Most influential musicians:
•Fletcher Henderson
•Duke Ellington
•Coleman Hawkins
•Count Basie
•Johnny Hodges
•Art Tatum
•Ben Webster
•Benny Goodman
•Lester Young
•Roy Eldridge
It Don’t Mean A Thing If You Ain’t Got That Swing
(Duke Ellington, Irving Mills), vocal
Moonlight Serenade (Glenn Miller)

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

Bebop
1940s
Bebop is characterized by its focus on
improvisation. Borrowing from swing, and rooted
in the blues, bebop is the foundation on which
modern jazz was built.
• These ten musicians are partly responsible for
bebop's creation and development.
• Charlie Parker
• Dizzy Gillespie
• Max Roach
• Roy Hanes
• Kenny Clarke
• Ray Brown
• Hank Jones
• Bud Powell
• J.J. Johnson
• Sonny Stitt

A Night In Tunisia (Dizzy Gillespie), vocal

Au Privave/Donna Lee (Charlie Parker/Miles Davis) Charlie Parker
 Cool Jazz
1950s
Cool jazz featured a more laid-back and relaxed
approach, with a focus on intricate
arrangements and a cooler tone.

• Notable Performers
• Miles Davis

• Dave Brubeck

• Chet Baker

• Example Songs
• "So What" (Miles Davis)

• "Take Five" (Dave Brubeck)

• "My Funny Valentine" (Chet Baker)

Take Five (Paul Desmond)

My Funny Valentine, vocal
Dave Brubeck
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
Hard Bop
late 1950s-early 1960s
Hard bop blended bebop with elements
of R&B and gospel, resulting in a soulful
and groove-oriented style.

• Notable Performers
• Art Blakey and the Jazz
Messengers
• Horace Silver, Lee Morgan

• Example Songs
• "Moanin'" (Art Blakey and the
Jazz Messengers)
• "Song for My Father" (Horace
Silver)
• "The Sidewinder" (Lee Morgan)

Moanin’ (Bobby Timmons)

Modal Jazz
late 1950s-1960s
Modal Jazz emphasized improvisation
over specific chord progressions, focusing
on musical modes instead.

• Notable Performers:
• Miles Davis
• John Coltrane
• Herbie Hancock

• Example Songs:
• "Kind of Blue" (Miles Davis)
• "Giant Steps" (John Coltrane)
• "Maiden Voyage" (Herbie
Hancock).

So What/Impressions
(Miles Davis/John Coltrane)

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

 Bossa Nova
late 1950s-1960s
Bossa Nova originated in Brazil, blending
samba rhythms with jazz harmonies, and
gained popularity in the United States with
the collaboration between Brazilian
musicians and American jazz artists.
• Notable Performers:
• João Gilberto
• Antônio Carlos Jobim
• Stan Getz
• Example Songs:
• "The Girl from Ipanema" (Astrud
Gilberto, João Gilberto, and Stan
Getz)
• "Desafinado" (Stan Getz and
Charlie Byrd)
• "Águas de Março" (Elis Regina and
Antônio Carlos Jobim)
Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto
Live at Berlin Jazz Festival Rosa Morena (Dorival Caymmi), vocal
Corcovado (Antonio Carlos Jobim)

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

 Free Jazz
1960s
Free jazz pushed the boundaries of
improvisation and structure, often
featuring collective improvisations and
experimental approaches.

• Notable Performers:
• Ornette Coleman
• Cecil Taylor
• Albert Ayler

• Example Songs:
• "Lonely Woman" (Ornette
Coleman)
• "Conquistador" (Cecil Taylor)
• "Spiritual Unity" (Albert Ayler)

Rambling’ (Ornette Coleman)

Ornette Coleman

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

Fusion
1970s-1980s
Fusion combined jazz with elements of rock,
funk, and electronic music, resulting in a
more electrified and diverse sound.

• Notable Performers:
• Miles Davis (electric period)
• Weather Report
• Herbie Hancock (Head Hunters)

• Example Songs:
• "Bitches Brew" (Miles Davis)
• "Birdland" (Weather Report)
• "Chameleon" (Herbie Hancock)

Watermelon Man (Herbie Hancock)

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

 Contemporary Jazz
1990s-present
Contemporary jazz encompasses a wide range of
styles, including smooth jazz, acid jazz, and various
fusions with world music and electronic genres.

• Notable Performers:
• Pat Metheny
• Wynton Marsalis
• Joshua Redman
• Julian Chan Quartet
• Kamasi Washington

• Example Songs:
• "I Know You Know" (Esperanza Spalding)
• "Change of the Guard" (Kamasi
Washington)
• “Happy People" (Kenny Garrett)

Happy People (Kenny Garrett)

Gadis Idaman Ku (A. Soliano), vocal
Love for Sale (Cole Porter), vocal
Kenny Garrett
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC
Greg Tan Julian Chan
Bass Saxophone

Ida Mariana
Vocals

KJ Wong
Drums

With gratitude
for
BEING JAZZED
by
Grace Leong Ida Mariana &
Piano
The Julian Chan Quartet