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Jazz Music
Jazz music started in New Orleans, USA in the 19th century. In 1808 until 1943 the slave trade started. It was created by the slaves that were traded from West Africa. These slaves sang their songs while working on fields. Jazz music uses a call-and-response pattern and is a monophonic single-line melody. The early jazz rhythms reflected African speech patterns, and the African use of the pentatonic scale led to blue notes in blue and jazz. Scott Joplin1 Scott Joplin was an Afro-American born in Bowie City, Texas on 1868 and died in New York on 1917. He was famous because of his ragtime compositions. He only wrote 44 ragtime pieces. His first composition: Maple Leaf Rag was written when he moved to Sedalia, Missouri, in 1894, while he was working in the fields. There, he earned money as a piano teacher. The majority of his compositions, written for pianos, had disappeared. He suffered a depression because his artistic and economic failure. There he contracted an illness called syphilis and descended into dementia which provoked his death. The most famous song he composed is called The Entertainer.
The Entretainer by Scott Joplin 2

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http://www.scottjoplin.org/biography.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPmruHc4S9Q

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Thomas Fats Waller3

Thomas Wright Fats Waller was born on May 21, 1904 in New York. When he was 15 years old he became a professional pianist and worked at cabarets and theatres. His first piano solos were "Muscle Shoals Blues" and "Birmingham Blues". He became influences by James Johnson4 and by 1920s he became a songwriter. He is also known as a jazz pianist, singer and comedic entertainer. He died on December 15, 1943.

Aint Misbehavin by Fats Waller 5

Song analysis Aint Misbehavin by Fats Waller

Dynamics 1. Starts with an introduction (from start to 1:27) using a moderately quiet volume (mezzo piano mp) with the main part being played by a piano accompanied with some drums. 2. On minute 1:28 the singer starts at also at a mezzo piano volume with the trombone, clarinet, which at 2:07 starts showing a crescendo. 3. At 2:43 a bridge starts which shows improvisation. At this point, the song becomes louder reaching a forte volume starting with the drums as the main instrument, with accompaniment of trombones, bass, clarinet and guitar, and then the piano joins. 4. At the end, the song presents a diminuendo to end the song. Rhythm/Duration 1. The song uses syncopation during the whole song, mainly made by the drums and piano. 2. Aint Misbehavin has a simple time of 4/4. 3. There is repetition in this song. For example, in the introduction from 0:10 to 0:37 there is a pattern that similar from the song from 1:08 to 1:27.

http://www.biography.com/people/fats-waller-9522591

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The founder of the stride school of jazz piano.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97Wwhe9Hx_w

mkoelma@stgeorge.org.ar Structure This song starts with an introduction (from 0:00 to 1:27) and then starts with the verse (in the form of ternary form [ABA]), a bridge full of improvisation, and goes back to the first verse with some variations (A) and ends. Introduction: there is a lot of repetition and phrasing. Some repetitions are varied, that is to say that the main melody is similar but not exact. First verse: uses a lot of repetition in each verse and also uses phrasing but with some variation on the lyrics, the vocal melody stays the same. Improvisation: starts with drums and each time the instruments are adding up to make the song more complete. There is not too much repetition, just in the chords of the piano, the way they are played, is very similar. Last verse: is similar to the first verse but the melody has some variations. Melody The song is very smooth meaning that the notes used are mainly next door notes. Also, mostly in the introduction, the song shows that the notes ascend or descend within the scale. In the introduction also, there is a lot of ostinato meaning the repetition of patterns or phrases. Also, the song, because it is a jazz piece has many sharps to create the dissonant feeling of jazz music. The piano and trumpet notes are highly pitched which contrast with the male voice of Fats Waller because he has a deep low-pitched voice. The melody is accompanied by some drums and a base. There is not a single line melody, there are many melodies but the main one is played by the voice. Also the trumpet in the bridge and the piano also in the bridge and introduction play an important part of the melody when the voice is not speaking. Instrumentation There are instruments in this song from each of the four families. From the string family there is a double bass, from the brass family there is a trumpet and a trombone, from the woodwind there is a clarinet(SAXOPHONE?), and there is a drum from the percussion family. A lot of syncopation is being played in this song. The voice is a tenor male voice. Texture There is only one male voice interpreted by Fats Waller. The instruments forming this jazz band are piano, also played by Waller, the drums, a trumpet, a trombone, a clarinet, a guitar and a bass. Harmony