The received wisdom of popular jazz history is that the era of the big band was the 1930s and ’40s, when swing was at its height. But as practicing jazz musicians know, even though big bands lost the spotlight once the bebop era began, they never really disappeared.
Making the Scene challenges conventional jazz historiography by demonstrating the vital role of big bands in the ongoing development of jazz. Alex Stewart describes how jazz musicians have found big bands valuable. He explores the rich ‘rehearsal band’ scene in New York and the rise of repertory orchestras.
Making the Scene combines historical research, ethnography, and participant observation with musical analysis, ethnic studies, and gender theory, dismantling stereotypical views of the big band.
Tabella dei contenuti
List of Illustrations
List of Tables
Preface
Author’s Note
Intro
1. New York City Big Band Scenes
2. Behind the Scenes: Training, Rehearsals, and Gigs
3. The Rise of Repertory Orchestras
4. On the Inside: The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
5. Making It Work: Leaders and Musical Direction
6. New Directions in Jazz Composition: Three Portraits
7. On the Edge: Sue Mingus and the Mingus Big Band
8. ‘In the Crack’ to ‘Totally Outside’: Avant-Garde Bands
9. Jazz and Clave: Latin Big Bands
10. Going for It: All-Women Bands
11. Blood on the Fields: Wynton Marsalis and the Transformation of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra
Outro
Appendix: Some New York City Big Bands Active in 1997–1998
Notes
Sources
Discography
Credits
Index
Circa l’autore
Alex Stewart, a former freelance jazz musician, is Associate Professor of Music at the University of Vermont.
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