MUS 307 FINAL EXAM REVIEW GUIDE SPRING 2017

Specific features of Early Jazz, Swing, Bebop, Cool, Hard Bop, Free, Modal,
Fusion, and Neoclassical Erasavoid descriptors that can be applied to more than
one style such as medium tempos; or comparative descriptors such as more
relaxed without a second style listed

Minimum number of features to know from eras studied: Early Jazz (3); Swing
(3); Bebop (2); Cool Jazz (2); Hard Bop (2); Modal (1); Free (2); Fusion (3);
Neoclassical (1)

Instrumentation of the following eras (this can be one feature out of the minimum
number of features to know):

Early Jazz: sometimes banjo and tuba; front line of trumpet, clarinet, trombone
Swing Era: big band (5 saxophones, 4-5 trumpets; 4-5 trombones, rhythm section)
Bebop: front line of alto saxophone and trumpet; piano, bass, and drums
Hard Bop: front line of tenor saxophone and trumpet; piano, bass, and drums
Fusion: electronic instruments including electric guitar, electric bass, Fender
Rhodes electric piano, and synthesizer
Neoclassical: acoustic instruments

All jazz styles in chronological order; decade(s) associated with each style (see
headings of musician lists below)

Terms:

Improvisation immediate creation of a melody

Melody series of single pitches (jazz slang is head)
Chord three or more pitches sounded at the same time
Harmony order of chords in a song (jazz slang is changes)
Form overall structure of a piece of music
Blues Form: twelve measures; 3 four-measure phrases; statement,
repetition, commentary
AABA Form: 32 measures; 4 eight-measure phrases; A sections are the
same while B section is contrasting
Chorus once through the form of a song
Swing rhythmic feel walking bass; drums play swing rhythmic pattern; uneven
eighth notes
Even-8th rhythmic feel repetitive bass; even eighth notes in drums and other
instruments
Cross-rhythm one rhythmic grouping placed on top of another (i.e., three over
two)
Sheets of Sound rapid scales and arpeggios used by John Coltrane
Collective improvisation everyone improvises at the same time; know
differences between collective improvisation in Early Jazz and Free Jazz
Break rhythm section stops and soloist continues
All-Time Jazz Greats (know in chronological order):

Louis Armstrong trumpet Early Jazz

Duke Ellington piano/composer Swing Era
Charlie Parker (Bird) alto saxophone Bebop
Miles Davis trumpet leader in multiple eras
John Coltrane tenor saxophone Modal/Free

Deeper knowledge about Ellington, Davis, Coltrane as follows:

Duke Ellington: Four categories of recordings: name and briefly describegive

an example of an album or song title that fits in each category (i.e., Mood Music =
Mood Indigo)

Miles Davis: describe characteristics of his improvisation (less is more, harmon

mute, motivic development)
Five categories of recordings: name and briefly describegive an example of an
album or song title that fits in each category
Important collaborators: Bill Evans (piano)
Important arranger: Gil Evans (Cool Era recordings)
Know at least one song or album title for each category

John Coltrane: describe characteristics of his improvisation (technical virtuosity,

powerful sound, sheets of sound)
Three categories of recordings: name and briefly describegive an example of an
album or song title that fits in each category (in the Modal category, know two
titles)
Know the category and importance of these titles/albums: Giant Steps, A Love
Supreme, Ascension

For each musician listed below, know instrument, primary style (if one can be
determined), and major contribution to jazz:

Early Jazz (1920s)

Jelly Roll Morton piano, first jazz arranger

Swing Era (1930s)

Duke Ellington piano/composer see above
Benny Goodman clarinet/bandleader brought jazz to Carnegie Hall; integrated
the jazz band
Count Basie piano big band leader
Vocalists: Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Joe Williams
Bebop (1940s)
Charlie Parker Bird alto saxophone great virtuosity; tragic lifestyle
Dizzy Gillespie trumpet virtuosity; sense of humor; Afro-Cuban rhythms into
jazz; educator

Cool Jazz (early 1950s)

Dave Brubeck piano/composer unusual meters Take Five
Paul Desmond alto saxophonist with Brubeck lyrical sound
Stan Getz tenor saxophone brought bossa nova to jazz Girl From Ipanema
Miles Davis Birth of the Cool band Gil Evans, arranger
Chet Baker trumpeter/vocalist natural, lyrical musician; tragic lifestyle

Hard Bop (late 1950s)

Art Blakey drums Jazz Messengers; farm team for future leaders; blues +
bebop
Horace Silver piano/composer repetitive comping; wrote standards
Cannonball Adderley alto saxophone soul jazz
Clifford Brown trumpet virtuoso
Sonny Rollins tenor saxophone motivic development
Miles Davis First Great Quintet (Prestige records band)

Modal Jazz (1960s)

Miles Davis Kind of Blue (relaxed)
John Coltrane Impressions (tense, energetic); A Love Supreme (spiritual)

Artists without era category:

Charles Mingus bass/composer used several eras; organized chaos; strong
personality
Thelonious Monk piano/composer combination of logic and surprise; motivic
development
Bill Evans pianist on Kind of Blue led interactive trio
Keith Jarrett piano solo concerts and interactive trio

Fusion (1970s)
Chick Corea fusion pioneer, keyboards/piano, Spanish influence
Herbie Hancock fusion pioneer, keyboards/piano, Chameleon
Joe Zawinul fusion pioneer, keyboards/piano, Weather Report
John McLaughlin fusion pioneer, guitar, heavy rock influence
Michael Brecker saxophone/EWI
Pat Metheny guitar/synthesizer/composer World music influence
Snarky Puppy modern fusion band

Neoclassical (1980s)
Wynton Marsalis trumpet return to acoustic roots; recreate Swing Era music
Stars of Today (no decade)
Kenny Garrett alto saxophone Coltrane of alto saxophone
Esperanza Spalding bass/vocals multiple genre influences; Grammy for Best
New Artist
Chris Potter tenor saxophone virtuoso, extended range of instrument
Maria Schneider composer modern big band, Gil Evans influence
Other artists discussed during week of May 2

EXAM FORMAT

Multiple choice questions taken through the quiz platform, same procedure as in-
class quizzes

Short answer and essay questionsanswers are uploaded in one .doc file to
Canvas.

Short answers: you will choose from numerous prompts (approximately seven
answers required). Typical short answer questions are as follows:

Name three features of the Swing Era.

Name three features of the Cool Jazz Era.

Briefly describe Thelonious Monks music.

Name the jazz eras in chronological order, and give the decade that each era
began.

Essay questions: you will choose from numerous prompts (two answers
required):

Name the five categories of Miles Davis music as discussed in class. Briefly
describe each category, and give a representative song title for each category.

Name the three categories of John Coltranes music as discussed in class. Briefly
describe each category. Give a representative song title for each category; except
for the category discussed most extensively in class. For that category, give a
minimum of two representative song titles, and discuss the significance of those
titles.
Describe a particular jazz musician that either like or dislike and give specific
musical reasons that support your opinion.

Describe a particular jazz style (era) that you either like or dislike and give
specific musical reasons that support your opinion.

Discuss the relationship between American society and jazz in the context of at
least two different jazz eras. Give at least one representative song title, with artist,
in each era that you discuss.