Benny Goodman (19091986) was a superior clarinetist who began appearing on stage by the age of twelve. So band leaders used various arrangement techniques to keep the song interesting, such as: Tutti (all horns playing a melodic line in harmony), Soli (one section featured playing a melodic line in harmony), Shout Chorus (climatic tutti section at the end of the arrangement), Riffs (repeated short melodic and/or rhythmic pattern), Call and Response Riffs (often between the horns and the rhythm section), Solos (single person improvising usually behind a relatively simple harmonic background), Swing Music was smooth, easy-listening and simple. The band features selections mostly from the swing era, with a dose of 50's Sinatra and 60's hipsters. By the end of the war, swing was giving way to less danceable music, such as bebop. hmk6^/,$mA% Ornette Coleman in the 1960s. Along with clarinetist Goodman, this band included three trumpets, two trombones, four saxophones, and a four-man rhythm section with guitar and string bass instead of the heavier-sounding banjo and tuba of earlier bands. Sometimes bandstands were too small, public address systems inadequate, pianos out of tune. Then, during the Swing Era, the sax player Coleman Hawkins changed the way jazz approached improvisation from melody to harmony (horizontal to vertical). Three bypass valves over the tube can be used to lower the pitch of the trumpet. ", One of the most common forms used in jazz "Swing" feeling: The rhythmic phenomenon of "swing" feeling is "12 2 3 4", then start the It served to distract people from the daily grind of reality. The first chorus of an arrangement introduces the melody and is followed by choruses of development. Jazz played an important role in changing the socio-political landscape To produce memorable swing music entertainment, you need a solid base, some leading ingredients and some harmonic elements. Cubans Mario Bauz and Machito (Francisco Ral Gutirrez Grillo), founder of the Afro-Cubans; Puerto Rican Ernesto Antonio Tito Puente with Oye como va; and Afro-Cuban drummer Chano Pozo (Luciano Pozo Gonzlez), famous for playing with and influencing Dizzy Gillespies Manteca, were among the most prominent band leaders and musicians. He created his band as a vehicle for his compositions. The rhythm section would typically include piano, string bass, drum set, with occasional additions of guitar or other chordal/melody instruments. They gave a greater role to bandleaders, arrangers, and sections of instruments rather than soloists. [7][8], Jazz ensembles numbering eight (octet), nine (nonet) or ten (tentet) voices are sometimes called "little big bands". Instead of just embellishing the melody, he created a whole new melody based on the songs harmony by arpeggiating the chords and adding further chord alterations and substitutions to make his solo more complex. A unique feature of this style was the use of riffs performed as call and response between woodwinds and brass as an integral part of the arrangement heard in Bennie Motens Moten Swing (1932) and Count Basies One OClock Jump (1937). The better jazz musicians of swing bands would form swing combos within most large bands. Hot Swing (people like Duke Ellington) was more daring, experimental, faster, with longer improvisations, stronger rhythmic drive, and a rough blues feeling. It is usually played by big band ensembles that use a rhythm section with drums, bass, sometimes a guitar, and almost always a piano, a brass section of trumpets and trombones, and a reed section of saxophones and clarinets. Swing is an outgrowth of the 1920s big band traditions in Chicago, Kansas City, and New York City. The trumpet section included four trumpets; the first was responsible for the highest notes. Louis Armstrong was the first to establish vocals as a part of an instrumental tradition. often feature virtuoso performers, on Beacon, 2002. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
. As swing developed, the second player became responsible for most of the jazz solos. The group emphasized correct technique and accurate playing and released its first recording in 1930. Until the political climate changes in Chile, Allende will write from her current home in The band severed ties with the school in 1941 to claim professional status. Swing was hugely popular - in fact, it was the pop music of the 1930's. It was mostly performed by Big Bands, which were large orchestras divided into trumpets, saxophones, trombones, and a rhythm section (which consisted of the drums, bass, guitar and piano). He received his BA in Political Science from the University of Chicago and an M.A. They can be used to produce a melody or harmony for nearly every musical style. They established independent patterns for the trumpets, trombones, saxophones, and the rhythm section within segments of the arrangement that featured improvised solos. While bassists can use a bow to vibrate the strings, swing band bassists will frequently pluck the strings instead. Jazz orchestras were necessary for the shows and musicals, and well-trained musicians were highly valued. Professor Daniels book publications include Lester Leaps In: The Life and Times of Lester Pres Young (Beacon, 2002); Pioneer Urbanites: A Social and Cultural History of Black San Francisco; and One Oclock Jump: The Unforgettable History of the Oklahoma City Blue Devils (Beacon Press, 2006). The focus shifted away from the arranger and toward the improvising performer. When the tradition came back full-circle into vocal jazz with a a) Henderson's big band comprises five brass instruments (three trumpets and two trombones), four reed instruments (saxophones and clarinets), and a rhythm section consisting of piano, bass, (Click Jazz Appreciation ICQ (In-Class Quiz) #6 Hearing The Difference: Bebop and Swing - know the three major aural differences between these two eras The Swing Era: The Players and The Features - know names of artists; lists of features-Societal features Jazz's most popular eradominated the mainstream of American popular music Purpose of music primarily for dancing Millions of records sold . The Double Bass is shaped like other string instruments such as the guitar or violin. projected in the way the drums and bass express the beat, how the piano for hits such as Take the A Train, and Satin Doll, as well as colorful and Tenor saxophonist Lester Young (19091959) had a different approach than Hawkins and used a lighter tone. Which of the following changes occurred in the rhythm section during the 1930s? Print, p. 226, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Ellingtonians salute swing era clarinets", Discography of American Historical Recordings: Charles Magnante's Accordion Quartette with guitar and string bass on uscb.edu, "Leone Jump; Swing Low, Sweet Chariot; The Jazz Me Blues; Nursery Rhymes", Discography of American Historical Recordings- John Serrapica (aka John Serry) as a member of the Charles Magnante Accordion Quartette with guitar and string bass on uscb.edu, "JazzTimes 10: Great Modern Big-Band Recordings", "Difference Between Music Composer & Arranger", "Composer Maria Schneider Returns, With A Reckoning, On 'Data Lords', "Billy Strayhorn's Lush Life Beyond Duke Ellington", "Big Band Arranging: for composers, orchestrators and arrangers: 16, Solos and Backgrounds", "Inside the Score in the 21st Century: Techniques for Contemporary Large Jazz Ensemble Composition", "1910s Pop Trend: The Ragtime Dance Craze", "George Robert Crosby Bandleader, Vocalist, Actor, Radio/TV Host", "Sounds of Hot Jazz Stay Warm: Harry James Band to Play at the Mission", "Chapter 11. City. He would conduct his band from his drum set. 6 Steps to Big Band Writing with Steven Feifke. You must have javascript enabled to view this website. [21] Bandleaders are typically performers who assemble musicians to form an ensemble of various sizes, select or create material for them, shape the musics dynamics, phrasing, and expression in rehearsals, and lead the group in performance often while playing alongside them. Whiteman increased the size of his band into nearly symphonic proportion. In the early 1950s a smoother, more "call" and a group does some type of "response"), (2) it ragtime During the "Roaring during the World War II years. Since theyre built of brass, saxophones tend to produce a trumpet-like buzzing sound. The An Autobiography: John Hammond on Record with Irvin Townsend. Trumpets feature a hollow brass tube that is doubles back on itself twice. Trumpets provide a brash buzzing sound thats well suited for a melody. Fitzgerald was unique in her ability to render exact imitations of nearly any instrument in the band. In the early years of Jazz, and up until the Swing Era, the piano was still very much rooted in the rhythm section of the band. Fitzgerald recorded several standards that became hit songs. black jazz musicians developed an intense "big band" backup, the most famous example, The Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy from Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2000. (click world. Swing music began appearing in the early 1930s and was distinguished by a more supple feel than the more literal 44 of early jazz. in its strictest "C" Jam Blues (1942). Blues tradition, then became popular with white listeners during the World War The style features prominent horn riffs, call and response between the brass and reed sections, and a consistent rhythmic drive derived from walking and/or boogie-woogie-type bass lines. 20th-century popular music and culture. ways. Important New York figures of this time include Chick Webb, Jimmie Lunceford, and Duke Ellington. rock . In 1919, Paul Whiteman hired Grof to use similar techniques for his band. [3] They incorporated elements of Broadway, Tin Pan Alley, ragtime, and vaudeville. In contrast to the typical jazz emphasis on improvisation, big bands relied on written compositions and arrangements. By the late 1930s, prosperity was returning, and records and radio were extremely helpful in publicizing jazz. The Music . Much like the stock in Gumbo, it provides an essential rhythmic and harmonic element in swing music. Which white swing clarinetist and bandleader, who spent as much of his early career as he could in Harlem, once said, "I was actually leading the life of a Negro musician"? Paul Whiteman (18901967), called the King of Jazz, sought after talented top names for his band like Bing Crosby, Bix Beiderbecke, and Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey. Radio increased the fame of Benny Goodman, the "Pied Piper of Swing". here to see a YouTube video on "swing" groove vs. other types of black jazz musicians developed an. Figure 1: The Western Jazz Quartet (piano: Many bands featured strong instrumentalists whose sounds dominated, such as the clarinets of Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, the trombone of Jack Teagarden, the trumpet of Harry James, the drums of Gene Krupa, and the vibes of Lionel Hampton. This is where one section (say, the brass section, i.e., trumpets and trombones) would play a musical phrase and then be "answered" by another section (say, the saxes); the first phrase is the call, the answer is the response (like a musical conversation). Rockefeller Arts Center. introduction, the main theme, and four varied improvised choruses. Bandleaders dealt with these obstacles through rigid discipline (Glenn Miller) and canny psychology (Duke Ellington). During the 1920s, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and Dallas were vital crossroads resulting in a mix of musical styles and cultures. :vQxc!#\JK?1UshqkF~[!eO W,{(HBjkps~'O;5lR. In the 1950s, Stan Kenton referred to his band's music as "progressive jazz", "modern", and "new music". Louis ARMSTRONG (1900-1971): Hotter Than That (1927). initiated by a 4-measure lead-in improvised over a "C" chord orchestral jazz crossover movement that had an enormous impact on getting white projected in the way the drums and bass express the beat, how the piano Short, repeated refrains or phrases, or riffs, are common in jazz. A distinction is often made between so-called "hard bands", such as those of Count Basie and Tommy Dorsey, which emphasized quick hard-driving jump tunes, and "sweet bands", such as the Glenn Miller Orchestra and the Shep Fields Rippling Rhythm Orchestra,[41][42]. Keyboards are some of the most versatile instruments out there. art form--a unique blending of West African and Western European/American Hickman's arranger, Ferde Grof, wrote arrangements in which he divided the jazz orchestra into sections that combined in various ways. - "walking bass" accompaniment, - Harmony jazz techniques into a more heavily-arranged "big-band" white swing hb```. @1&$3.YTyfx.=**hE+f|5SSz/=n/ However, its so large that its most often placed upright next to the bassist when its being played. Williams is considered one of the great jazz pianists and one of the greatest performers from Kansas City. performing at the same time. So the Swing Era was during the Depression and it acted as a kind of counter-statement or rebellion against the unemployment and misery that the Depression caused. The most prominent features of big band swing were the use of written arrangements and improvised solos, repetitive horn riffs, call and response between the brass and reed sections, and a rhythmic drive derived from walking and/or boogie-woogie type bass lines. A. Rolfe, Anna Mae Winburn, and Ina Ray Hutton.[35]. hundreds of different melodies. As a result of the military draft and transportation hardships in the U.S., the swing era ended quickly. Please change your browser preferences to enable javascript, and reload this page. baritone saxophone. Kansas City, in particular, became a wide-open town totally ingrained in the entertainment business. This pattern reinforced the second and fourth beat of every measure and later became known as a back beat. Additionally, the drummer accommodated the improvisations of soloists, providing a non-intrusive, laid-back swing pattern. Some large contemporary European jazz ensembles play mostly avant-garde jazz using the instrumentation of the big bands. From the late 1930s through the 1950s, Duke Ellington was one of the premier swing band leaders in America. [47] In Kansas City and across the Southwest, an earthier, bluesier style was developed by such bandleaders as Bennie Moten and, later, by Jay McShann and Jesse Stone. Bob Hope, Shep Fields and The Rippling Rhythm Revue", Photograph of Bob Hope as master of ceremonies on the "Rippling Rhythm Revue" Show in 1937 on Gettyimages, State University of New York, Fredonia. You here to see a YouTube video on "swing" groove vs. other types of [3] In the 1940s, Stan Kenton's band used up to five trumpets, five trombones (three tenor and two bass trombones), five saxophones (two alto saxophones, two tenor saxophones, one baritone saxophone), and a rhythm section. A big band typically consists of approximately 12 to 25 musicians and contains saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Transcontinental trips often required a stop in one of these cities. Company B, was popularized through records and film by The Andrews Sisters during World War . Other swing bands in New York City and beyond incorporated the defining elements associated with the Kansas City tradition to which they added their own stamp, as did Chick Webb and His Orchestra (Stomping at the Savoy, 1934), and Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra (Flying Home, 1942). premiered George GERSHWIN's Rhapsody in Blue and kicked off an !/$v}5cliH_+B9W#PBY]C ::B) Among all the jazz vocalists that followed, most cite her as having the most influence on their scatting style. That makes them the shrimp or Andouille sausage in the Gumbo that is swing music. Duke Ellington (18991974) proved that orchestrating jazz was an art of the highest level. The Timeline of African American Music by Portia K. Maultsby, Ph.D. presents the remarkable diversity of African American music, revealing the unique characteristics of each genre and style, from the earliest folk traditions to present-day popular music. the jukebox The popular appeal of Benny Goodman's Trio and Quartet had a good deal to do with the extroverted energy of Lionel Hampton and Gene Krupa The "white" bands of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, Shep Fields and, later, Glenn Miller were more popular than their "black" counterparts from the middle of the decade. From three to five plyers on each instrument might be used. Fish, Scott K. Duke Ellington vs Chick Webb: We Tore Them Up, Man. March 1, 2016. https://scottkfish.com/2016/03/01/5221/. 1560 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<10C156E632F2BA46ADA9AD0651C7900F><95985AC68A5B3B44A7FED2E54018B539>]/Index[1554 17]/Info 1553 0 R/Length 52/Prev 145355/Root 1555 0 R/Size 1571/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream In the mid-1930s and early 1940s, The popularity of many of the major bands was amplified by star vocalists, such as Frank Sinatra with Tommy Dorsey, Helen O'Connell and Bob Eberly with Jimmy Dorsey, Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb, Billie Holiday and Jimmy Rushing with Count Basie, Dick Haymes and Helen Forrest with Harry James, Doris Day with Les Brown,[40] and Peggy Lee with Benny Goodman. [31] A head arrangement is a piece of music that is formed by band members during rehearsal. Goodmans clarinet playing was a combination of great wit, precise musicianship, beautiful subtleties, and never-ending swing. YouTube clip with basic piano chords). And this is where the term head comes from, meaning the original melody of the song that is, its all in your head, not written down on paper. Western swing musicians also formed popular big bands during the same period. All the big bands would go up there. And after years of economic depression, many Americans wanted to have fun. Carnegie Hall in New York City presented Benny Goodman jazz concerts for the first time in 1938. 1570 0 obj <>stream Duke Ellington's . (London: Paladin) 1987. improvised solo structure on the choruses: (1) piano--Ellington), (2) jazz style known as SWING. NY: Penguin Books:1977. The moral? She recorded with various jazz orchestras, including her own (Long Gone Blues, 1939) and those led by Benny Goodman (Your Mothers Son-in-Law, 1933) and Teddy Wilson (Sugar, 1939). Compared to Dixieland bands, swing bands used two or three times as many players and produced a fuller sound. Her version of the nursery rhyme A-Tisket, A-Tasket (1938) brought her international fame. Count Basie became an Oklahoma City Blue Devil around 1929 and also played with Bennie Moten. Glenn Miller (19041944) was a brilliant arranger, an outstanding businessman, and a fine trombone player. Examples include the Vienna Art Orchestra, founded in 1977, and the Italian Instabile Orchestra, active in the 1990s. During the swing era, popular, blues, and jazz vocalists were essential to big band performances. They used their voices as instruments to demonstrate their command of scat singing. the late 1930s through the 1950s, Duke Ellington was one of the premier swing band Rewrite each sentence following the instructions in parentheses. After the end of both bands, Basie formed his own orchestra, recruiting members from these two bands. Gioia, Ted. (optional) Select some text on the page (or do this before you open the "Notes" drawer). The swing style developed in the 1930s and continued to be popular throughout the 1940s and beyond as a distinctive genre. Swing Shift: All Girl Bands of the 1940s. [1], Duke Ellington led his band at the Cotton Club in Harlem. Whiteman was educated in classical music, and he called his new band's music symphonic jazz. Vocalists began to strike out on their own. photo by Patricia Schneider. The trumpet section included four trumpets; the first was responsible for the highest notes. The Lindy Hop became popular again and young people took an interest in big band styles again. II era. Carnegie Halls interactive Timeline of African American Music is dedicated to the loving memory of the late soprano and recitalist Jessye Norman. highly improvisatory style called Bebop, By 1937, the "sweet jazz band" saxophonist Shep Fields was also featured over the airways on the NBC radio network in his Rippling Rhythm Revue, which also showcased a young Bob Hope as the announcer. This was in part due to a political organization called the Pendergast Machine which encouraged a nightclub atmosphere. below to see YouTube performance clips), - The trumpeter blows on the mouthpiece at one end of the trumpet with closed lips, and the sound wave reverberates through the tube until it exits out the widened far end of the instrument. trombones Swing music appealed most dramatically to this demographic group: teenagers A "shout chorus" is: the final, climactic chorus in an arrangement Which changes occurred in the rhythm section during the 1930s? DoZjyk]Z^0])*6`pje?NG.s#n1[Mgv,3/W5k'(?_pq,JZ7jaF:m(YTm7RhoQ>luNRjY%- I) All Jazz styles have two common features: - Four trombones comprised the trombone section. It was all about showmanship which is epitomised by people like Cab Calloway and Fats Waller. Swing was hugely popular in fact, it was the pop music of the 1930s. Modern big bands can be found playing all styles of jazz music. In the 1960s and 1970s, big band rock became popular by integrating such musical ingredients as progressive rock experimentation, jazz fusion, and the horn choirs often used in blues and soul music, with some of the most prominent groups including Chicago; Blood, Sweat and Tears; Tower of Power; and, from Canada, Lighthouse. And they played dance music. Big Bands evolved with the times and continue to this day. [28] This development may take the form of improvised solos, written solo sections, and "shout choruses". Figure 2: Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis Then circle the object of the preposition. Big bands of today are not all from an earlier era. "[34][35] Head arrangements were more common during the period of the 1930s because there was less turnover in personnel, giving the band members more time to rehearse. Swing bands adopted a consistent instrumentation of four sections that remained fairly stable. Big bands started as accompaniment for dancing. Columbia, Victor, and Decca were the three most important, Swing bands featured sections of trumpets, saxophones, and. Many bands toured the country in grueling one-night stands. Two other musical characteristics of swing bands are a return to the use of a flat-four rhythm and the use of block chords (chords with many notes moving in parallel motion). Explain your opinion in a book review. The major "black" bands of the 1930s included, apart from Ellington's, Hines's and Calloway's, those of Jimmie Lunceford, Chick Webb, and Count Basie. Kenton pushed the boundaries of big bands by combining clashing elements and by hiring arrangers whose ideas about music conflicted. early style of "Hot Jazz" made its way north to Chicago and east to Singers Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald came to the popular forefront during the swing era. The International Sweethearts of Rhythm, the first multiethnic all-female swing band, formed in 1937 at Piney Woods County Life School, Mississippi. With no market for small-group recordings (made worse by a Depression-era industry reluctant to take risks), musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines led their own bands, while others, like Jelly Roll Morton and King Oliver, lapsed into obscurity. Many musicians served in the military and toured with USO troupes at the front, with Glenn Miller losing his life while traveling between shows. Progressive bands were led by Dizzy Gillespie, Gil Evans, Carla Bley, Toshiko Akiyoshi and Lew Tabackin, Don Ellis, and Anthony Braxton. The score indicated a fixed number of measures for solo improvisation and also musical notations with the desired sounds and effects. Byron Almen, Dorothy Payne, Stefan Kostka. HWYo8~G ("b+[:r$%_r8oFdnIt]5pu\Kr|z~+au/I8vTm3}` e Many college and university music departments offer jazz programs and feature big band courses in improvisation, composition, arranging, and studio recording, featuring performances by 18 to 20 piece big bands.[46]. interacts with the bass and drums, and how the beat is divided up in complex Duke Ellingtons swing arrangements featured unusual timbres and capitalized on the unique style of each individual player, as illustrated in Echoes of Harlem (1936) and Take the A Train (1941). Ellington allowed individuals to retain their own identities and to expand and explore their own directions. DAVIS was one of the first jazz artist to cross over and adopt elements of His famous recording Body and Soul, recorded in 1939, is known for its continuous smooth sound. (5) tromboneJoe Nanton, and (6) clarinetBarney Bigard. Arrangers notated specific notes for each instrument to play in every measure on a written score. The swing era followed boogie-woogie. and Benny Goodman (who took jazz to Hollywood in the mid-1930s). I am Joaqun/Yo Soy Joaqun was first published in 1967. This form maintains the same chord John Coltrane's "hard bop" of [30], Some big ensembles, like King Oliver's, played music that was half-arranged, half-improvised, often relying on head arrangements. Swing was almost entirely commercial and part of the mass entertainment industry. Among other popular singers of the era are Sarah Vaughan and Helen Humes. Woody Herman's first band, nicknamed the First Herd, borrowed from progressive jazz, while the Second Herd emphasized the saxophone section of three tenors and one baritone. These artists added new instrumentssuch as congas, other percussion instruments, timbales, maracas, and clavesand relied on powerful multi-rhythmic pulses to highlight jazz compositions within the big band as well as the small combo formats. Click [25] Billy Strayhorn, for example, was a prolific composer and arranger, frequently collaborating with Duke Ellington, but rarely took on the role of bandleader, which was assumed by Ellington, who himself was a composer and arranger. instruments (one or more: Piano, And there were also 2 different styles of Swing music. Many Kansas City bands featured head arrangements, which were . The size could be anywhere from about 12 to 30 players. He was the recipient of a Fulbright Lecturing/Research Fellowship in Japan, where he taught courses in African American History and researched the history of jazz in Japan. GILLESPIE: Koko (1945). accompaniment (acoustic bass with piano and/or guitar). Ellington, Duke Kennedy. [20] Arrangers frequently notate all or most of the score of a given number, usually referred to as a "chart". From Apple Loops/REX/WAV. Gloria Parker had a radio program on which she conducted the largest all-girl orchestra led by a female. performers such Louis ARMSTRONG completed the transition from 3. style based on a faster, danceable beat with featured improvised solos. the late 1950s led to the more daring experiments of "free jazz" by Maria Schneider assisted Gil Evans, wrote for Woody Herman and Mel Lewis, and has conducted jazz orchestras around the world. Guiding Principals. Swing is a term often used in reference to large dance bands of 15 or more musicians that played written arrangements using improvised sections alternating with arranged passages by brass and/or reeds. A drummer, bass player (string bass), piano player, and guitarist formed the rhythm section. While each instrument in a swing band can be compared to an ingredient in Gumbo, none of them have been equated with the seasoning so far. woodwinds (saxophones, clarinets), brass (trumpets, trombones) and a back-up The popularity of their bands in the mainstream reveals the extent to which jazz and blues had become the most popular dance music of the 1930s and 1940s. "Fusion" in its strictest In 1927, he taught music at Manassas High School in Memphis and organized a student jazz band. The Timeline of African American Music has been made possible in part by a major grant from theNational Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Q G("CH^T)daA]yg~zN^y>.g~01D%>7dj.|K+8'9 q*U!i|O1#"v\YOGtc_GD1JL. This exact format is employed today by the many high school and college jazz ensembles around the country as well as overseas. In Harlem, the creative and literary arts, Black musicals, and big band entertainment flourished within the movement known as the Harlem Renaissance, in which music played as great or possibly a greater role than literature. The term "big band" is also used to describe a genre of music, although this was not the . Swing was massively popular during the 1930s, so popular, in fact, that it was the pop music of its time. During the 1960s and '70s, Sun Ra and his Arketstra took big bands further out. So generally the pianist played very rhythmically, and helped keep the beat. here to see a YouTube clip on jazz improvisation, click here to see animated The Glenn Miller Band worked the best jobs and recorded often. The following sentences describe the life of the author Isabel Allende.