Experiencing Jazz, Third Edition is an integrated textbook, website, and audio anthology for jazz appreciation and history courses. Through readings, illustrations, timelines, listening guides, and a playlist of tracks and performances, Experiencing Jazz journeys through the history of jazz and places the music within larger cultural and historical contexts. Designed for the jazz novice, this textbook introduces the reader to prominent artists, covers the evolution of styles, and makes stylistic comparisons to current trends and developments.
New to the third edition:
- Richard J. Lawn is joined by new co-author Justin G. Binek
- Expanded coverage of artists, particularly important vocalists and prominent women in jazz, including Bobby McFerrin, Kurt Elling, The Manhattan Transfer, and Terri Lyne Carrington
- A dynamic, web-exclusive bonus chapter—Chapter 14.5: The Story Continues—exploring contemporary jazz artists who push the boundaries of jazz by creating new stylistic fusions and who utilize new media to create, collaborate, and share their artistry
- A re-worked companion website featuring new recordings, a more comprehensive audio anthology, and a major revision of The Elements of Jazz section
- Condensed musician biographies and updated content reflecting jazz’s global impact
- Revised listening guides for spotlighted recordings highlighting key moments worthy of closer listening and analysis
Comprehensive and immersive, the third edition of Experiencing Jazz provides a foundational understanding of the history of the genre.
CONTENTS
List of Photos
List of Examples
List of Figures
Preface to the Third Edition of Experiencing Jazz
Acknowledgements
PART I: UNDERSTANDING JAZZ
Chapter 1 The Nature of Jazz
Experiencing Music … Experiencing Jazz
That Four-Letter Word
Defining Jazz
Chapter Summary
Study Questions
Chapter 2 Listening to Jazz
Performance Practice
The Drum Set and Swing
Orchestration and Instrumentation
The Arrangement
Instrumental Techniques and Special Effects
Special Effects—The Sounds of Jazz
Jazz Singing
Understanding Jazz Improvisation
Understanding the Whole Performance
Describing the Performance
Video Blues
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Study Questions
Chapter 3 The Roots of Jazz
Jazz in Perspective
The Significance of African Music to Jazz
African Musical Aesthetic
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Bamaaya”
African Music as a Means of Communication
The Afro-Latin and Caribbean Tinge
Background
Early Fusions
Early American Vocal Music
The Innovators: Getting the Blues
Robert Johnson (1911-1938)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Ramblin’ on my Mind”
Bessie Smith (1984-1937)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Lost Your Head Blues”
W.C. Handy—“Father of the Blues” (1873-1958)
Ragtime
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “St. Louis Blues”
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Maple Leaf Rag”
Brass and Military Bands
Chronicle of Historic Events
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Study Questions
PART II: CLASSIC JAZZ
Chapter 4 Jazz Takes Root
Jazz in Perspective
The Reception of Early Jazz
New Orleans—The Birthplace of Jazz
New Orleans Jazz Band Instrumentation
The Innovators: Early Jazz
Original Dixieland Jazz Band
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Dixie Jass Band One-Step”
Kid Ory (1890-1973)
Joe “King” Oliver (1885-1938)
Lilian Hardin (1898-1971)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Dippermouth Blues”
Jelly Roll Morton (1890-1941)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Black Bottom Stomp”
Louis Armstrong (1901-1971)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “West End Blues”
Sidney Bechet (1897-1959)
Chronicle of Historic Events
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Study Questions
Chapter 5 The Jazz Age: From Chicago to New York
Jazz in Perspective
On the Other Side of Town
The Chicago Sound
The Innovators: A Few of the Many
New Orleans Rhythm Kings (NORK)
Bix Beiderbecke (1903-1931)
Frankie “Tram” Trumbauer (1901-1956)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Singin’ the Blues”
Paul Whiteman (1890-1967) and Symphonic Jazz
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Mississippi Mud”
Boogie-Woogiue, Eight to the Bar
The Decline of the Chicago Era
New York and the Harlem Renaissance
James P. Johnson (1891-1955)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Carolina Shout”
Marketing Jazz
Chronicle of Historic Events
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Study Questions
Chapter 6 The Swing Era: Jazz at Its Peak
Jazz in Perspective
The Depths of the Depression
The Country Recovers
The Anatomy of the Swing Era Jazz Band
Instrumentation
Repertoire and Arrangement
The Innovators: Swing on the East Coast
Fletcher Henderson (1897-1952)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “The Stampede”
Coleman Hawkins (1904-1969): “The Father of Jazz Tenor Saxophone”
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Body and Soul”
Duke Ellington (1899-1974): Music Was His Mistress
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Ko-Ko”
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Isfahan”
Benny Goodman (1909-1986): The “King of Swing”
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Good Enough to Keep”
Popular White Swing Bands
Musical Highlights to Listen for in Artie Shaw’s “Traffic Jam”
The Vocalists’ Rise to Fame
Ongoing Latin Influences
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Study Questions
Chapter 7 Swinging Across the Country: The Bands, Singers, and Pianists
Jazz in Perspective
The Innovators: A Unique Kaycee Style
Bennie Moten (1893-1935)
William “Count” Basie (1904-1984)
Lester Young (1909-1959)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Every Tub”
Territory Bands
Mary Lou Williams (1910-1981)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Mary’s Idea”
The Innovators: A Few of the Swing Era Singers and Pianists
Billie Holiday (1915-1981): “Lady Day”
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Body and Soul”
Ella Fitzgerald (1918-1986): “The First Lady of Swing”
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Honeysuckle Rose”
Art Tatum (1909-1956)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Tea For Two”
Traditional Jazz Revival
Swing Era Success
Chronicle of Historic Events
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Study Questions
PART III: MODERN JAZZ
Chapter 8 The Bebop Revolution
Jazz in Perspective
The Lifestyle and Musical Characteristics
The Birth of Bebop: The First Recordings
Characteristics of the Style
Bebop Performance Practice and Instrumental Roles Defined
The Innovators: Bop Stylists
John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie (1917-1993)
Charlie Parker (1920-1955)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Anthropology”
Dexter Gordon (1923-1990)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Index”
Thelonious Sphere Monk (1917-1982)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Epistrophy”
Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990): “The Divine One”
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Easy Living”
Other Significant Bebop Figures
Bud Powell (1924-1966)
Oscar Pettiford (1922-1960)
Kenny Clarke (1914-1985)
Max Roach (1924-2007)
Tadd Dameron (1917-1965)
Fats Navarro (1923-1950)
J.J. Johnson (1924-2001)
Betty Carter (1930-1998), Carmen McRae (1920-1994), and Anita O’Day (1919-2006)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Frenesi”
Barney Kessel (1923-2004) and Tal Farlow (1921-1998)
Modern Jazz Embraces the Afro-Cuban Spirit
Dizzy Gillespie and the Birth of Cubop
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Manteca”
The Decline of Bebop
Chronicle of Historic Events
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Appendix: table of million selling record albums
Study Questions
Suggested Supplemental Listening
Chapter 9 The 1950s and Early 1960s: Cool, Intellectual, and Abstract Jazz
Jazz in Perspective
Characteristics of Cool Jazz
The Innovators: The Cool Sound on the East and West Coasts
Miles Davis (1926-1991) and Gil Evans (1912-1988): The Birth of the Cool
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Moon Dreams”
Modern Jazz Quartet
Gerry Mulligan (1927-1996) and Chet Baker (1929-1988)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Line for Lyons”
Dave Brubeck (1920-2012)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Blue Rondo á la Turk”
Bill Evans (1929-1980)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Witchcraft”
The Brazilian Bossa Nova
Stan Getz (1927-1991)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “So Danço Samba”
Third-Stream Jazz
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Transformation”
Lennie Tristano (1919-1978)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Intuition”
Who Was Popular
Chronicle of Historic Events
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Study Questions
PART IV: POSTMODERN JAZZ
Chapter 10 Tradition Meets the Avant-Garde: Moderns and Early Postmoderns Coexist
Jazz in Perspective
The Innovators: The Characteristics and Artists of Mainstream Hard Bop
Art Blakey (1919-1990) Carries the Message
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Moanin’”
Other Hard Bop Messengers
Horace Silver (1928-2014)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Strollin’”
Clifford Brown (1930-1956) and Sonny Rollins (1930-)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Pent Up House”
More About Funky, Soul Jazz and the 1950s and 1960s
Organ Trios and the Guitar
Wes Montgomery (1923-1968)
Jimmy Smith (1925-2005)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “OGD”
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross and the Vocal Groups of the 1950s and 1960s
Everlasting Big Bands
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “La Suerte de los Tontos”
Defining Postmodernism
Ornette Coleman (1930-2015) and his Disciples
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Congeniality”
The Innovators: Postmodern Jazz Comes of Age
Charles Mingus (1922-1979) – The Underdog
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Boogie Stop Shuffle”
The End of Modern Jazz Heralded by the Beginning of the Postmoderns
Jazz in Academia
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Study Questions
Chapter 11 Miles and Miles of Miles: Miles Davis and His Sidemen Redefine Postmodern Jazz
Jazz in Perspective
The Music
The Early Miles
The First Great Quintet
Modal Jazz
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “So What”
Miles and Gil
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Summertime”
The Second Great Quintet
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Orbits”
The Electronic Jazz-Rock Fusion Period
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Miles Runs the Voodoo Down”
Davis Sidemen Become Major Forces
John Coltrane (1926-1967)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Giant Steps”
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “My Favorite Things”
Wayne Shorter (1933-2023)
Herbie Hancock (1940-)
Chronicle of Historic Events
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Study Questions
Chapter 12 The 1970s – An Electric Revolution
Jazz in Perspective
The Music
Jazz and Rock: The Two-Way Connection
The Innovators: Living Electric in the Shadow of Miles Davis
Weather Report
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Palladium”
Herbie Hancock and the Head Hunters
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Chameleon”
John McLaughlin (1942-) and the Mahavishnu Orchestra
Chick Corea (1941-2021)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Spain”
Soul and Pop Instrumental Jazz
David Sanborn (1945-)
The Brecker Brothers
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Some Skunk Funk”
Grover Washington, Jr. (1943-1999)
Chuck Mangione (1940-)
The Signs of the Times: New Technologies and Changing Business Models
Chronicle of Historic Events
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Study Questions
Chapter 13 The Eclectic 1970s-1990s
Long Live Acoustic Jazz
The ECM Sound
The Innovators: The Rebirth of Acoustic Jazz
Keith Jarrett (1945-)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “The Windup”
Return of Expatriates Unleashes a Rebirth of Acoustic Jazz
Wynton Marsalis (1961-) and the Young Lions
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Delfeayo’s Dilemma”
Established Artists Set a New Standard
John Scofield (1951-) and Joe Lovano (1952-)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Some Nerve”
Michael Brecker (1949-2007) and Pat Metheny (1954-)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Song for Bilbao”
The Freedom Fighters Take Risks
Cecil Taylor (1929-)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Jitney No. 2”
Jazz/Pop Crossover Vocalists
George Benson (1943-)
Al Jarreau (1940-2017)
Bobby McFerrin (1950-)
Vocal Ensemble Renaissance
The Manhattan Transfer
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Another Night in Tunisia”
Old Bottles, New Wines – Long Live Big Bands
The Changing Jazz Landscape as the Millennium Comes to a Close
Chronicle of Historic Events
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Study Questions
Chapter 14 Jazz for a New Century
Jazz in Perspective
A Note from the Authors
Trends in Contemporary Jazz
Popular Music Influences
Tim Hagans (1954-)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Trumpet Sandwich”
Vocal Renaissance
Esperanza Spalding (1984-)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Cuerpo y Alma”
Kurt Elling (1967-)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Up From New Orleans”
Contemporary Women Emerging as Innovators
Teri Lynne Carrington (1965-)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Mosaic Triad”
Innovation Through Composition
Maria Schneider (1960-)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Hang Gliding”
Afro-Cuban and Latin Jazz
Danilo Pérez (1965-)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Suite for the Americas, Part 1”
Jazz as an International Language
Rudresh Mahanthappa (1971-) and Vijay Iyer (1971-)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “The Shape of Things”
The New Innovators: 21st-Century Emerging Artists
Jason Moran (1975-)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Artists Ought to Be Writing”
Chris Potter (1971-)
Musical Highlights to Listen for in “Firefly”
Closing Thoughts
Chronicle of Historic Events
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Study Questions
Chapter 14.5 The Story Continues
Online Supplement Found at <insert weblink>
Introduction
Selected Innovative Contemporary Artists
Appendix I: Glossary of Terms
Appendix II: Suggested Jazz Videos
Appendix III: Chapter Notes and Additional Sources
Index
Biography
Richard J. Lawn is Professor Emeritus and former Dean of the College of the Performing Arts at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Previously, he served as Director of Jazz Studies and Chair of the Department of Music at The University of Texas at Austin.
Justin G. Binek, DMA, is an Associate Professor of Music Theory and Jazz Studies at Kansas City Kansas Community College. He also serves on the faculties of the Online Jazz Harmony Retreat and the Halewynstichting Jazz Workshop in Belgium.
