Cool, Hard Bop, and Modal Jazz

1.

if Bebop was a reaction to Swing, and Cool was a reaction to the reaction, then Hard Bop may have been a reaction to the reaction of the reaction 

a.

Cool was generally a slow paced, subdued, less emotional, soft, controlled, “cool” style of jazz 

b.

Hard Bop represented a return to the fast-paced, emotionally charged, energetic, “hot” style of bebop but with more sophistication and control 

2.

Hard Bop was heavily dominated by young African Americans disenchanted with Cool’s white domination, de-emphasis of the blues, and sublimation of the emotional and rhythmic components of the music 

3.

Hard Bop was centered mainly in Northern cities with a large black population, i.e., New York, Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Indianapolis  

shared characteristics between the two substyles: 

1.

both came out of bebop 

2.

many of the same artists were active and important in both (e.g., Horace Silver, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Cannonball Adderley) 

3.

both display the successful integration of composition, arrangement, and improvisation 

4.

the instrumentation was generally two or three horns plus rhythm section (piano and/or guitar, bass, and drums); however, trios and quartets performed in this genre as well  

5.

groups came to prominence on the labels of small independent record companies that surfaced in the late 1940s and ‘50s, e.g., Prestige, Blue Note, and Savoy  

differences between the two substyles: 

1.

Tune Sources 

a.

Hard Bop: blues, standards, bebop tunes, originals, and contrafacts¹² 

b.

Funky: more limited than in hard bop; most funky jazz tunes were extant blues tunes or heavily blues and/or gospel influenced original compositions  

2.

Forms¹³ 

a.

Hard Bop: often unorthodox, varied, and complex 

b.

Funky: simple (e.g., 12-bar blues, 16 bar tune, etc.) 

3.

Harmony¹⁴ 

a.

Hard Bop: often complex and unorthodox 

b.

Funky: simple harmonies (often just two or three chords) 

4.

Melody 

a.

Hard Bop: heads and solos often employed complex scales 

b.

Funky: heads and solos utilized simple scales, mostly related to the blues 

5.

Rhythm 

a.

Hard Bop: sophisticated and subtle 

b.

Funky: simple and explicitly stated (strong influence of gospel and R&B)  

6.

Sophistication 

a.

Hard Bop: cerebral (however, not void of emotion) 

b.

Funky: “earthy,” “down-home” 

1.

Cannonball Adderley, alto sax (1928-1975)

Video of Cannonball Adderley performing "Work Song" 

2.

Art Blakey, drums (1919-1990)

Video of Art Blakey performing "A Night in Tunisia"(1961) 

3.

Clifford Brown, trumpet (1930-1956)

Video of Clifford Brown performing "Oh Lady Be Good" and "Memories of You" (1956) 

4.

John Coltrane, tenor and soprano saxophones (1926-1967)

Video of John Coltrane performing "On Green Dolphin Street"(1960) 

5.

Miles Davis, trumpet (1926-1991)

Video of Miles Davis performing "Bye Bye Blackbird" (1958) 

6.

Jimmy Heath, tenor saxophone (1926-2020)

Jimmy Heath playing "Gingerbread Boy" (1964) 

7.

The Jazz Messengers, Groups Led by Art Blakey (1955-1990)

Video of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers performing "Moanin'" (1959) 

8.

Wes Montgomery, guitar (1923-1968)

Video of Wes Montgomery performing "Four on Six" (1965) 

9.

Sonny Rollins, tenor saxophone (1930 -)

Video of Sonny Rollins performing "St. Thomas" (1968) 

10.

Horace Silver, piano (1926-2014)

Video of Horace Silver performing "Senior Blues" (1959) 

1.

Hard Bop: "Nica’s Dream," Horace Silver Quintet (IHJ), and/or "Walkin’," Miles Davis (JIA), and/or "St. Thomas" Sonny Rollins (JIA), and/or "Giant Steps," John Coltrane (JIA) 

2.

Funky: "Moanin’," Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers (IHJ) and/or "Song for My Father," Horace Silver (JIA) 

3.

to hear "Song for My Father" and see the arrangement sheet, click here