CHAPTER 2: Jazz Form and Improvisation
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Jazz concepts of form are derived from African music, where improvisation happens within:
a.
a precisely measured amount of clock time
b.
a harmonic sequence
c.
a rhythmic cycle
d.
a carefully notated concert performance
e.
only the rarest or ritual practices
2. How long does an improvised jazz tune last?
a.
until the ensemble plays the melody once
b.
until the conductor signals the group to stop
c.
until the audience applauds
d.
until the melody player runs out of ideas or comes up with a satisfying conclusion
e.
for as long as the ensemble determined before the performance began
3. Which best describes the form of a twelve-bar blues chorus?
a.
three phrases of four measures each
b.
an eight-measure phrase followed by a four-measure phrase
c.
four phrases of three measures each
d.
two six-measure phrases
e.
six two-measure phrases
4. In a traditional blues form, which chord ends each phrase?
a.
subdominant
b.
tonic
c.
dominant
d.
ii
e.
V
5. A repeated fragment of melody is called a:
a.
groove
b.
lick
c.
movement
d.
rhythm section
e.
riff
6. The golden age of American popular songwriting was roughly between the years of:
a.
1890 and 1920
b.
1900 and 1935
c.
1925 and 1960
d.
1940 and 1970
e.
1965 and 1990
7. What is the most common thirty-two-bar song form used by jazz musicians?
a.
AAAA
b.
ABAB
c.
ABAC
d.
AABA
e.
ABCD
8. Which segment of their compositions did golden age composers hope audience members would
leave the theater humming?
a.
chorus
b.
verse
c.
bridge
d.
shout chorus
e.
walking bass
9. On her classic recording of “A Sailboat in the Moonlight,” why does Billie Holiday abbreviate the
third chorus and enter at the bridge rather than the beginning of the thirty-two-bar form?
a.
The third chorus does not include a full set of lyrics.
b.
In order to fit the performance on one side of a 78-rpm disc.
c.
She is competing for space with saxophonist Lester Young.
d.
The thirty-two-bar form always begins with the bridge.
e.
She made a mistake.
10. A change from one key to another is known as a:
a.
bridge
b.
crescendo
c.
verse
d.
ritardando
e.
modulation
11. The bridge of “So What” is marked by a change in which musical element?
a.
melody
b.
rhythm
c.
harmony
d.
dynamics
e.
timbre
12. A characteristic feature of the ABAC popular song form is:
a.
the inclusion of a twelve-bar blues as the C section
b.
the return of the opening theme halfway through the song
c.
the repetition of the opening theme in the second eight-bar section
d.
the return of the opening theme in the last eight-bar section
e.
continuous repetition of a single melody throughout the form
13. Which rhythm section instrument plays the foundational role of sounding the root of each chord
and keeping time with a continuous stream of notes?
a.
bass
b.
trumpet
c.
piano
d.
drums
e.
baritone saxophone
14. Pianists and other chordal instrument players typically vary their accompaniments by doing all of
the following EXCEPT:
a.
using a variety of voicings
b.
using harmonic substitutions
c.
adding a variable rhythmic layer to the accompaniment
d.
playing primarily root position triads
e.
adding harmonic extensions to the prescribed chords
15. Drummers perform the ride pattern, their most consistent rhythmic layer, with their:
a.
left foot
b.
right hand
c.
left hand
d.
right foot
e.
alternating left and right feet
16. If a performer varies the rhythm and phrasing of a melody without obscuring the original source
material, she is exploring:
a.
harmonic improvisation
b.
modal improvisation
c.
melodic paraphrase
d.
free improvisation
e.
theme and variations
17. Harmonic improvisation requires a performer to:
a.
Embellish a composed melody.
b.
Create new melodies that fit over the tune’s chord progression.
c.
Improvise using only a single scale.
d.
Ignore the contributions and suggestions of the accompanists.
e.
Abandon familiar musical elements in order to create something new.
18. Where are the majority of modern big bands found?
a.
jam sessions
b.
talk shows
c.
European resorts
d.
cruise ships
e.
universities
19. Small combos are more prominent than big bands today for all of the following reasons EXCEPT:
a.
They do not release recordings as frequently.
b.
They are less costly to maintain.
c.
They fit in more intimate performance spaces.
d.
They enable fluid and flexible improvisation.
e.
They provide more opportunities for musicians to perform in new configurations.
20. Which type of group is traditionally associated with the jam session?
a.
piano soloist
b.
big band
c.
small combo
d.
vocalist with studio orchestra
e.
guitar-bass duo
21. Which is not true of serious jazz clubs in the United States?
a.
Drinking is permitted in most of them.
b.
They attract a diverse audience.
c.
Attentive listening is encouraged.
d.
The music is treated as aural wallpaper.
e.
The audience applauds after every solo.
1. The minimum length of a chorus is twelve measures.
2. In traditional blues lyrics, the first and second lines are typically the same.
3. A walking bass line features a steady pulse with very little rhythmic variation.
4. In a traditional big band performance, a shout chorus is inserted between each improvised solo.
5. Thirty-two-bar song form is based on a series of four-measure phrases.
6. The chord changes of a popular song are the only part covered by copyright protection.
7. The bass has the most restricted accompanying role of all the rhythm section instruments.
8. Jazz bass lines are not improvised.
9. As a tune’s harmony changes, consonant pitches will sound consonant throughout the tune.
10. Big bands faded in popularity after World War II.
11. Big bands use arrangements because most university students are not seasoned improvisers.
12. Whether private or public, the jam session encourages informal interaction among musicians and
listeners.
SHORT ANSWER
1. In jazz, a repeating rhythmic and harmonic cycle is called a __________.
2. The _____ is the main melody of a jazz tune, usually performed with little variation at the
beginning and end of the performance.
3. In the last two measures of a twelve-bar blues, musicians often play a ___________, a series of
chords that lead back to the beginning of the next chorus.
4. When a pianist is __________, she is accompanying a soloist with a series of rhythmically
unpredictable chords that respond to the soloist’s phrasing.
5. When a bassist establishes a ______ ______, he limits his bass line to a single note even as the
tune’s harmony changes.
6. _______ _________ is the generalized name for the harmonic sequence underlying George
Gershwin’s composition “I Got Rhythm.”
7. A _______ is a complicated rhythmic pattern performed by a drummer as a transition between
phrases.
8. In _______ improvisation, performers limit themselves to exploring the possibilities of a single
chord.
MATCHING
Match each item to the correct description below.
a.
Verse
d.
Head
b.
Chorus
e.
Chart
c.
Bridge
1. A written musical score
2. The main repeating section of a thirty-two-bar song form
3. The contrasting B section of a thirty-two-bar song form
4. A segment of music that helps transition between dialogue and song in musical theater
5. The straight, unembellished melody of a tune
ESSAY
1. Choose two of the tunes presented in Chapter 2 that use the twelve-bar blues form and compare
and contrast them. What elements do they share besides form? How are they different?
2. Why do jazz musicians make such consistent use of repetitious and predictable forms such as the
twelve-bar blues and thirty-two-bar AABA song forms? What are the benefits of these formal
structures, and how do they enable creative improvisational expression?
3. What musical and social functions are served by jam sessions? Why do you think jam sessions
remain an important part of young jazz musicians’ training?