All of us know what jazz is when we hear it, but trying to define it is a different matter. With so many variant styles, coming up with an accurate definition of jazz is difficult if not impossible.
But I suppose that an article on jazz really ought to attempt to define the term “jazz.” My Thorndike-Barnhart Dictionary defines jazz like this:
*jazz (jaz), noun. 1. American music with the accents falling at unusual places; syncopated music. 2. Slang, liveliness – adj. of or like jazz: a jazz band.
Besides not telling us very much, it is also obviously false. I think immediately of ballads played by jazz musicians, such as Thelonious Monk’s ‘Round Midnight and Bill Evan’s Peace Piece, and countless other examples. They are based on neither syncopation nor liveliness; they are slow, extremely thoughtful, and the antithesis of “jazzy.” Yet they are considered by both jazz musicians and jazz critics alike to be well within the mainstream of jazz.
Let’s try A New Dictionary of Music and see if we can get closer to the essence of jazz:
*jazz, a term used at least from 1914 for a type of American popular music originating among blacks of New Orleans and taken over also by whites; also used generally for various types of dance music indebted to this (though purists reserve the term for such music as retains the original flavor and the original basis of improvisation.) The jazz idiom, characterized by certain syncopations over strongly reiterated rhythms, has influenced e.g. Lambert, Stravinsky, and Milhaud, as well as many American composers.
That’s better than the Thorndike-Barnhart definition, but it still leans heavily toward defining jazz in terms of rhythm alone: “characterized by certain syncopations over strongly reiterated rhythms.” I think again of ballads, but also of much contemporary jazz which is not characterized by “certain syncopations,: such as the work of pianists Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea.
What then is jazz? If the general dictionaries and musical dictionaries can’t satisfactorily answer the question, what hope is there for us?
Ask a hundred jazz musicians what jazz is, and you’ll get a hundred different answers (I know – I’ve asked at least a dozen and gotten as many different responses.)
I would like to suggest that the answer may lie, not in music, but in semantics.
I think it is entirely possible that we are lumping together widely disparate types of music, and labeling them all with the term “jazz,” then wondering why we can’t come up with a lexical definition of the term. Maybe we should abandon the word “jazz,” and use terms such as “improvised fast syncopated music,” or “improvised slow non-syncopated music.” Maybe we should, but we won’t. So we are stuck with the non-definable term “jazz.”
So let’s not define jazz.
We all know what it is, more or less. We would disagree mainly in the “grey” areas, such as ballads, some contemporary works, and so forth. But let’s agree not to disagree, and just enjoy it.
The following articles in this series will deal with the various styles we find in jazz, from ragtime to fusion.
So stay tuned.
By: Duane Shinn
Jazz guitar talk is generally focused around one thing – sound. The tone of your instrument will play a huge role in the sound that you achieve. If you are engaging in live performances, and jam sessions, no doubt you will be using an amplifier too. Finding a good amp for playing jazz guitar is just as important as finding a good guitar. Let us avoid discussing which amps are “better” than others, and get down to the important issues you need to focus on when you are looking for a good amp for playing jazz guitar.
Traditional Jazz
Players who are concentrating on developing a traditional jazz sound are going to be looking for just one thing in a guitar amp – a clean sound. If you want a traditional, clean jazz sound, then you will commonly gravitate toward a solid state amp or a tube amp. Solid state amps are easier to care for than tube amps, they are less prone to damage and most importantly they deliver clean, distortion free sounds on a regular basis. This is what makes them extremely popular among jazz guitarists. The biggest complaint about solid state amps is that they tend to sound “flat” and elicit little life from the tone of the instrument. Tube amps, on the other hand, are believed to deliver a much warmer tone, and some players insist that their sound is more alive when they use a tube amp. Unfortunately, tube amps are prone to distortion, typically something traditional jazz guitarists want to avoid at all costs. Despite their expensive maintenance bills and extreme weight on the move, tube amps are exceptionally popular, for those who favor the clean, traditional sounds of jazz as well.
Contemporary & Modern Jazz
For the more modern and contemporary jazz guitarist, a good amp may come in many shapes, sizes and forms. Players who are looking for a more mixed up and funky modern vibe in their sound will regularly employ effects and alterations. They might be more inclined to own and perform on a solid body electric, and may gravitate toward amps with more bells and whistles. Digital amps are increasingly popular for modern jazz. Modern jazz guitarists may also be dabbling in other genres, and digital amps are extremely effective in other arenas of music as well, thus it is a very practical choice. These players are going to want a lot of on-board effects at their fingertips, and a digital amp provides just that.
Industry Standards
Within the world of jazz, there are several amps that have emerged as industry standards. This includes the Fender Pro, often heralded as a good amp for playing jazz guitar due to its extremely clean sounds and lack of distortion.
It is unfortunate that manufacturers do not produce amps that are labeled “jazz guitar amps”. This means you will need to spend a lot of time listening to others, and trying out amps in order to find your own signature sound.
By: David Smithe