Big Band Jazz
Big Band Jazz began in the 1920s with dance ensembles complete with string sections, then evolved in the 30s and 40s to become what we think of the traditional jazz ensemble: no string section, 15 - 25 instruments including a rhythm section and a complement of horns, a leader, written-out charts, and tightly arranged spaces for improvised soloing. Many of jazz's greatest names -- Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington -- fronted their own bands, particularly in Chicago, Kansas City, and New York. The form has proved resilient, with notable big bands performing throughout the 20th century and into the 21st in venues including the world's greatest concert halls. A current example is Wynton Marsalis, who heads up the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
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Karen Berger -
Karen Berger is the author of 15 books. Please click on her name to read her full bio.