Chicago Jazz

Morton, Bechet, Armstrong, and Beiderbeck

New Instrumentation
1. Frontline
a. Trumpet replaces cornet
b. Still clarinet but some sax
c. Still trombone
2. Backline
a. Upright bass replaces tuba and bari sax
b. guitar replaces banjo
c. still piano
d. still drums
3. still use collective improvisation
4. still use stop-time
5. feel starts to even out and swing more (less umpa feel)
6. now have soloists as well as collective improv (-makes for Chicago style
1923/24)
7. tunes become more arranged (more written parts)
8. more of a mix of homophony (chords/vertical) vs.
9. polyphony (melodic lines horizontal)

The Innovators
1. Ferdinand LaMothe aka Jelly Roll Morton
a. Creole from New Orleans
b. Pianist, composer, arranger, singer, dancer, braggart, and hustler
c. Got his start in Storyville
d. Left New Orleans and traveled around the country including (LA, Chicago,
and New York)
e. Claimed to invent jazz, but did do a lot to develop a balance between early
jazz ensemble writing and improvisation
f. Did first ever mixed race recording with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings
(all white ensemble)
 g. His band was called the Red Hot Peppers
Grandpa's Spells

2. Sidney Bechet (18971959)

a. A child prodigy
b. Bechet was the first jazz musician to achieve fame with the soprano
sax, though he also played the clarinet
c. His sax playing produced a rich and heavy vibrato and was known for
his blues. Bechet moved to Chicago, as did other well-known
musicians and bands, and later lived in New York and traveled to
Europe to perform and eventually to live.
d. Sidney Bechet rivaled Armstrong as one of the important solo
improvisers from New Orleans. Cakewalkin' Babies from Home not really
Chicago jazzmore New Orleans style, but here to support the discussion
of Sidney.

3. Louis Satchmo Armstrong (New Orleans)

a. Great high range (considered an instrumental virtuoso
b. Big brassy sound
c. simple harmony, but well developed and exciting solos
d. great wing feel (one of the first)
e. used terminal vibrato (apply at the end of the note)
f. First to Scat sing (use of nonsense syllables) Heebie Jeebies
g. Highly influenced by Joe King Olivers Creole Jazz Band
h. Best work in the mid to late 20s , still on cornet but changing to
trumptet with the Hot Five and eventually with the Hot Seven West
End Blues
i. Did musical Hello Dolly and was in several movies/great entertainer
4. Leon Bix Beiderbeck (Davenport, IA)
a. More Midrange than Louis Armstrong
b. Rounder/less brassy sound
c. Harmonically more sophisticated (upper chord extensions 9ths
13ths)
d. didnt swing as hard as Louis
e. Less vibrato
f. Classically influenced (Debussy/Impressionism) composer
g. First band was the Wolverines/Gene Goldkette Orchestra
h. Played jazz chair in the Paul Whiteman Orchestra
i. Played with Frankie Trumbauer Singing the Blues