Instrumentation of
Early Jazz
The Roaring Twenties was
also known as the Jazz age. Jazz as an art form and type of entertainment grew
rapidly. Jazz was a product of African and European cultures; therefore it
inherited some of the instruments commonly used in these cultures. The common instruments
seen in traditional jazz were the trumpet, clarinet, trombone, tuba, banjo, string
bass, drums, and piano. “Usually a group would have either a tuba or a bass but
not both; the same is true of banjo and piano, although it was not as unusual
to see both in an ensemble” (Sabatella). The instrumentation produced a
well-balanced sound; the banjo, piano, tuba, bass, and drums provided the rhythmic
pulse and harmonic foundation, and the other wind instruments provided melody
and more harmony. “The range of pitch, from the lowest notes of the tuba to the
highest of the clarinet or trumpet, provided a rich sound” (Sabatella). Different
players in the group play unique melodic lines simultaneously; resulting in an
even fuller sound than would otherwise be achieved. In the mid to late 1920s, “the
instrumentation of jazz diverged, taking on greater variety. Some of the
instruments introduced during the '20s continue to figure as prime jazz
instruments today, but a few have fallen out of favor” (Axelrod 48). One of the
first jazz groups considered themselves the “original” jazz group; however they
actually covered and simplified the black music. Despite copying the blacks
they named their group the Original Dixieland Jass Band. They were not very
original in their instrumentation they used drums, trombone, cornet, clarinet,
and the piano, very common and standard instruments of any small dance band of
that time. The Original Dixieland Jass Band was the first group to record songs
some being Livery Stable Blues in 1917 and Tiger Rag in 1918. (Axelrod 48).
Axelrod,
Alan. Complete Idiot's Guide To Jazz. n.p.: Alpha Books, 1999. eBook
Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 17 Nov. 2012.
Sabatella,
Marc. "A Jazz Improvisation Almanac." A Jazz Improvisation Almanac.
N.p., 2000. Web. 20 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.outsideshore.com/school/music/almanac/html/index.htm>.
