|
The Music of Jazzfest
Brass Bands
New Orleans brass bands of old dressed and marched with militaristic discipline, performing hymns and dirges for funerals an up-tempo jazz for parades. They let individual horns improvise wild off-shots of the melody. Today's young brass bands wear casual T-shirts and caps and sound closer to R&B. Horns blasting in tight unison have replaced the melodic free-for-all.
Instruments: Sousaphone, Trumpet, Trombone, Saxophone, Snare drum and Bass drum
Cajun and Zydeco
Both come from French-speaking southwest Louisiana, use bouncing two-step rhythms and are danced to in pairs. Zydeco is the hard-driving, rhythm 'n' blues influenced style with speed tempos and a rock band's instrumentation. Cajun is more minimalist, folksier and has more waltzes. Both are definitely about dancing.
Instruments: (Z) Keyboard accordian and Rub board. (C) Button accordian, Fiddle and Triangle
Afro-Caribbean
Roots music from Africa and its progeny in the Americas take many forms: a lone singer from Gambia strumming a harp-like kora, the bouncy modern sway of South African township jive, the percussive assault of Brazilian samba, the socially conscious skank of Jamaican reggae or myriad other styles. Uniting them is an emphasis on interlocking rhythms.
Intruments: Drums, Stringed instruments, Thumb piano and Electric instruments
Modern Jazz
Instead of the pure melody of traditional New Orleans jazz or the wqaves of harmony of big bands - both of which are dancers' delights - the modern jazz pioneered in the 1950's focuses on virtuosity, harmonic complexity and improvisation. Beyond speed and dexterity, listen for memorable melodies, warmth and personality.
Instruments: Saxophone, Trumpet, Piano, Trombone, Bass and Drums
The Blues
Raw emotional power sets a great blues artist apart from the average. Whether it's heard in the acoustic Delta setting, with electric instruments, or vocally, listen for real life stories and the spirit with which they are delivered. Technical virtuosity helps, but more important is true grit.
Instruments: Guitar, Voice, Harmonica and Hammond B-3 organ
Gospel
Since the early days of spirituals and jubilees, most gospel artists have sung with conviction; what separates them is vocal mastery and the ability to move a crowd. Some favor contemplative hymns. Others go for foot-stomping gusto. Listen for purity of voice and dynamic presence. If you feel a shot of redemption, it's good gospel.
Instruments: Vocal groups, Hammond B-3 organ, Rhythm section and Tambourine
Traditional Jazz
Today, most traditional bands trade solos in the middle of songs. In the old days it was strictly ensemble playing. You can still hear it at the beginnings and ends of songs, when the band members improvise simultaneously, creating something more than swing: a unified whole woven from individual expressionn. This free-wheeling bustle, plus blues and soul, transformed ragtime into New Orleans style jazz.
Instruments: Trumpet, Clarinet, Trombone, Bass, Guitar, Banjo, piano and Drums
Back to the Jazz Fest Basics Page
Back to the Jazz Fest Top Page
Back to the VNO Home Page
This World Wide Web document is provided as a public service by Yatcom Communications, Inc. Yatcom Communications is a consulting/public relations company dedicated to using computer technology to promote the City of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
Copyright © 1995, Yatcom Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Original page courtesy of Jeff Becklehimer, beck@abyss.nrlssc.navy.mil.
Comments are welcome: e-mail to vno@yatcom.com |
