History of Jazz – Lesson 3 Essay Questions 

Required reading: Jazz Styles: History and Analysis, Chapter 9

1. What are the traits of bebop that are heard in the recording of Shaw Nuff ?  Be as descriptive as you can to relate the traits of bebop to what you hear in the recording.

2. In our Jazz Styles textbook Mark Gridley writes, Dizzy Gillespie’s harmonic skills were startling, and he flaunted them. His phrases were full of surprises.   With as much detail as possible, describe what Gillespie did to achieve those surprises.  Listen to and use Gillespie’s solo on Shaw Nuff to illustrate your points. 

3. Briefly describe what you hear in the classic Charlie Parker bebop song, Kim.   List the differences between this bebop music and swing music.

Kim – Charlie Parker Quartet (1952)

4. Listen to and describe the musical activity you notice in the following Thelonious Monk songs:

a)  Evidence

Evidence from the opening of the film Straight No Chaser

b)  Straight, No Chaser (song begins around the 1:50 mark)

Straight, No Chaser – Thelonious Monk Quartet live performance in 1965