RE: Be-bop and Hard bop

["Chris Michalek" <chris@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Its really hard to put this stuff in harmonica terms nobody except
Howard Levy is capable enough to play jazz on the diatonic. The best
example I can think of is Howard Levy (be-bop) vs Jeff Grossberg
(hard bop)

The general concensus is hard bop is less ornate and more aggressive
than bop. If a bop tune had a turnaround like Cmaj7 A7#5 Dm7
G7, a hard bop tune might just play C6 and G7(#5) simply, a
more streamlined approach that facilitates free-er soloing.

The early work of musicians like Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk,
Dizzy Gillespie and Bud Powell should be your bop gauge.  Repeated
listening to these players will make it impossible to not recognize
bop from earlier and later jazz forms, and to hear it in the playing
of others from this period that I don't have room to name.

When I think of hard bop, I think of the music of Ramsey Lewis the
chords and melodies appear simple and are easy to listen to.  There
are obvious derivitives of blues, gospel and r&b. On many od the hard
bob tunes I've heard, the drums don't really swing so much as they
rock, stressing beats 2 and 4 instead of 1 and 3.

A good reference site that describes many of the popular jazz styles:
http://www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/DATABASES/TRA/Clarifying_labels.ht
ml


Hope this help with your quest.

Chris Michalek

>
>
>
>---- Original Message ----
>From: dr.alters-wizardsway@xxxxxxx
>To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx (Harp-L)
>Subject: RE: Be-bop and Hard bop
>Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 02:39:23 +0000
>
>>
>>Hi,
>>
>>I want to refine my understanding of these two musical entities. 
>Would appreciate some recommendations.  Would also appreciate some
>recommendations of harmonica playrers who have explored this
>territory.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Doc
>>
>>--
>>Dennis "Doc" Alters
>>
>>Harp and Vocals
>>The Alternators
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