A History of Swing Music: Main Songs Essay

Fletcher Henderson was a successful pianist, composer, and bandleader in the mid-20^th century. He is known as the Architect of Swing because he created a rhythm section consisting of piano, guitar, drums, and wind instruments (Bengtson & Fultonberg, 2020). “Wrappin’ It Up” features a fast tempo and this rhythm section.

James P. Johnson was a virtuous piano player who significantly impacted the development of music. He invented the elements of early jazz and incorporated them into ragtime. “Carolina Shout” is an energetic melody that is an example of stride piano.

Duke Ellington was a prominent composer, pianist, and leader of a jazz orchestra. He received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his musical performance and the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his social activity. “Caravan” is one of the most famous compositions, and it is a combination of multiple instruments to create a major tonality. The cohesive group sound and alternating rhythmic surprises create the Jazz Swing feel. “Harlem Airshaft” is a medium-tempo melody relying on the use of piano, guitar, drums, and wind instruments. In “Take the ‘A’ Train,” Ellington relied on the same instruments to establish a high spirit, fast tempo, and major tonality. “Sepia Panorama” is a perfect match of a piano, wind instruments, string instruments, and drums, which contributes to the groove.

Art Tatum is one of the best piano musicians in American history. He became famous in the 1930s-1940s because of his improvisations and innovations that he brought into the music. “Willow Weep for Me” is a solo piano composition featuring a mainly constant tempo accompanied by a few rhythmic changes.

Coleman Hawkins succeeded because he completely understood intricate chord progressions, which allowed him to influence music and many musicians. In “Body & Soul,” Hawkins skillfully combined a piano and drums with his exceptional saxophone play. Consequently, there emerged a melody in a low tempo and minor tonality.

Ella Fitzgerald is a famous jazz singer who is sometimes called the Queen of Jazz. She became famous because of her technically perfect voice in terms of diction, tonal quality, and timing (Bengtson & Fultonberg, 2020). In “A-Tisket, A-Tasket,” wind instruments prevail and establish a fast tempo, while Ella’s voice acts as a decoration. “It Don’t Mean a Thing” was a collaboration of Fitzgerald and Ellington, where they managed to establish a groove through a powerful voice and energetic music. In “Shiny Stockings,” a piano and drums are accompanied by a saxophone to create a romantic melody, and Ellington’s voice makes the song a masterpiece.

Bennie Moten was a famous jazz pianist who unexpectedly in 1935. His “Moten Swing” is remarkable because he utilized an unusual strategy. Moten rejected tradition in that multiple instruments played various melodies simultaneously and ensured that different instrument groups played bits of melody one by one (Bengtson & Fultonberg, 2020).

Count Basie was a jazz icon and one of the greatest bandleaders. He earned the King of Swing title because he successfully fused jazz and blues to create swing and make it popular among people. “One O’clock Jump” is a lively melody with a fast tempo. Drums, a piano, and wind instruments form a background for a powerful saxophone solo. The same description applies to “April in Paris,” but this composition seems more majestic and has a stronger rhythm section.

Billie Holiday was a famous singer who influenced jazz and swing in an innovative way. Her style was vocal, she manipulated tempo and phrasing, and succeeded in improvisation. “Strange Fruit” demonstrates that Holiday had a powerful voice, followed a broken rhythm, and accentuated phrases unusually. “Good Morning Heartache” is in a minor tonality, and the Jazz Swing feel is achieved because of alternating rhythmic surprises. In “Willow Weep for Me,” a saxophone, piano, and bass create a suitable background for Holiday’s vocal. She is distinct from other jazz singers because she does not raise her voice to place accents.

Bennie Goodman is among the best clarinetist in American history. His success relied on Fletcher Henderson, who was his arranger (Bengtson & Fultonberg, 2020). “Flying Home” is an evident example of a jazz song where multiple instruments are combined. There, a clarinet solo establishes the mood of the composition. In “Sing, Sing, Sing,” drums are used to create a constant tempo, while saxophones and clarinets bring alternating rhythmic surprises. “Stompin’ at the Savoy” presents the standard blend of musical instruments, and this composition was created to honor the Savoy Ballroom that sponsored jazz band competitions in the 1920s.

Glen Miller earned popularity because he managed to combine a clarinet and tenor saxophone with other instruments (Bengtson & Fultonberg, 2020). “In the Mood” is a fast tempo and high spirit melody that combines multiple instruments and creates harmony. Miller joined the military and mysteriously disappeared during World War II.

Woody Herman was a famous clarinetist, saxophonist, and jazz singer in the mid-20^th century. “Woodchopper’s Ball” is a lively tune that represents the up-tempo blues and is considered a jazz standard. In “Apple Honey,” Herman used the chords from George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” and reworked them, and this experiment became successful.

Stan Kenton was a successful pianist and bandleader who became famous thanks to his innovative approaches and promotion of jazz education. Kenton wanted to make jazz something more than dance music. That is why he arranged Ernesto Lecuona’s tune “Maleguena” and enriched it with jazz elements. As a result, Spanish and Latin musical forms were combined with wind instruments, alternating rhythm, and groove.

Reference

Bengtson, M., & Fultonberg, L. (2020). A (brief) history of swing music in 9 songs. Boulder Swing Dance. Web.