The History of Jazz

& Jazz Singing

Blues

The Blues is at the core of Jazz, and familiarity with

Blues techniques is essential to jazz singing.

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The Swing Era

During the Swing Era, approximately 1935 to 1945, the basic repertoire and techniques of jazz singing were established.

Be-Bop

Bebop added additional harmonic complexity to Jazz and much of Jazz singing's scat style developed during this period.

Hard Bop

Hard Bop added gospel, more

basic blues, and hard swinging.

Modal

Modalism developed in the late 1950's as a reaction against the increasing harmonic complexity of Jazz and as a say to play more freely. Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" album is a good example.

Avant Garde

Avant Garde Jazz has developed in many different directions from freely improvised pieces that sound like 20th century European Classical music to polyphonic free blowing improvisation that returns to the African roots of Jazz.