Jazz Band Research Paper

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Jazz Ensemble Jazz is a musical genre which was originated from African Americans. The Jazz ensemble is the musical ensemble of Jazz band to play Jazz music. The most common family instruments used in playing Jazz are Percussion, Brass and Woodwind instruments. The Jazz band can vary from bigger to smaller bands. Jazz bands can vary in size from a big band, to a smaller trio or quartet. “The term jazz trio can refer to a three piece band with a pianist, double bass player and a drummer. Some bands use vocalists, while others are purely instrumental groups. Jazz bands usually have a bandleader. In a big band setting, there is usually more than one player for a type of instrument.” Jazz music is mostly Homophony. The concert I attended was the Jazz Ensemble. The First band consisting of five people played “I Mean You” by Thelonious monk. The song was written by Thelonious Monk and Coleman Hawkins. The instrument used to are Trumpets, two guitars, drum and piano. The music started high register and gradually decreased in tempo and picks up a fast tempo. The trumpists played a solo and then the other instruments accompanied him. The music sounded in …show more content…

“"Oye Como Va" is a song written by Latin jazz and mambo musician Tito Puente in 1963 and popularized by Santana's rendition of the song in 1970 on their album Abraxas.” The same band played this piece starting the song with a dynamic rhythm. The piece was lyrical and was accompanied by Woodwinds, Percussions and Bass. The Trumpet was the mostly heard instrument making it the leading instrument and the other instruments as the accompaniment. Towards half of the piece the piano had a solo and few seconds later was accompanied by the guitar and drum in a low register. I liked this because it had an upbeat to it. The band had a very rhythmical flow as a whole. Major key was more dominant in this piece than minor key because the song was more of an