How Pianos Define The Jazz Music?
Jazz is a genre of music that highlights creativity with spontaneity. Both the musician & their instrument have to have a deep connection for effective music. There are many instruments that cover the rich tapestry of jazz music but pianos hold a special defining place among them. From the early days of pianos for ragtime to its connection with modern jazz music; pianos have a unique role in defining jazz.
Today, we will explore the role of pianos in jazz music and how they define this genre. We will track through history to explain those technical elements that make pianos indispensable.
Piano & Jazz Music: Their First Connection
The connection between pianos & Jazz goes as far back as the late 19th century & 20th century. At that time, the hype was all about ragtime; a precursor of Jazz with its lively melodies & syncopated rhythms. The famous pianist at that time includes Scott Joplin; known for his many ragtime compositions. The piano with their ability to work well for harmony & melody made them a superior choice for all performance settings.
Ragtime To Early Jazz
Ragtime continued to evolve and became early Jazz with piano at the center of it all. This transitional era for Jazz music was led by pianists like Jelly Roll Morton & P Johnson. Morton, who is known as the first real jazz music composer was known to use his pianist skills to mix blues with ragtime. As for Johnson, the man known as ‘Father Of Stride Piano’; he gave the world its first left-hand technique. This technique is the one that allows pianists to alternate between chords & bass notes for a rhythmic foundation that jazz musicians use even today.
The Swing Period
The time of the 1930s to 1940s is known as the Swing Era with many big bands rising to the top. Piano had a crucial role in this era with piano as part of the rhythm alongside drums & bass. The big names in this era were pianists such as Count Basie & Duke Ellington. These master pianists were bandleaders. They made use of the piano perfectly to shape the sound of their entire orchestras.
Introduction of Bebop
The 1940s & 1950s saw the rise of Bebop, which was a complex & really fast form of jazz music. The boundaries of Jazz music were pushed by the likes of pianists Bud Powell, Art Tatum, & Thelonious Monk. Bebop was a Jazz style with rhythmic complexities. It required pianists to have a deep understanding of Jazz music theory & deep piano-playing skills. The versatility of the piano contributed to making pianos a right fit for the sudden & fast tempos & melodies of bebop.
Modern Pianos & Jazz
With Jazz continuing to evolve, so did the pianos with it. From the time of the 1960s to beyond, there came pianists such as Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, & Bill Evans. All these men improved the harmonic language of this musical genre by adding elements of other genres like pop, rock, classical music & others. Evans was particularly influential in this era. His lyrical approach for voicing sophisticated music is still a major influence for generations of pianists & jazz musicians. As for Corea & Hancock, these two brought synthesizers & electronic keyboards into the world of jazz music. This led to a better sound palette for piano with jazz.
Technical Elements of Defining Jazz Music
To better know how pianos have redefined jazz music, we offer these technical aspects of jazz pianos.
Improvisation
The heart & soul of jazz music lies in improvisation. This improvisation was given to jazz with the versatility of the piano – an ideal instrument. A pianist can improvise various melodies, rhythms, & harmonies on the spot & at the same time create beautiful compositions.
Swing & Syncopation Of Jazz
All the music in the Jazz genre is about syncopated rhythms & swings. Pianists do these rhythms & swings with off-beats and have a sense of rhythmic freedom. The left hand of the pianist gives a steady bass line whereas the left hand works for chords & melodies.
Comping
Comping is the way by which a pianist plays the rhythms & chords to give support to solo performers. Any pianist has good coping skills with a deep understanding of rhythm & harmony. This is why piano music responds well to jazz music more than any other instrument.
Chord Voicing & Harmony
Pianists playing jazz music make use of chord voicings with harmonies – totally different from traditional piano playing. Common chord voicings include altered dominants, modal interchange, & extended chords such as 9ths, 11ths, & 13ths. Some pianists also make use of a technique called Rootless Voicings, which omits the root of a chord and gives off a richer harmonious texture.
The Role of Iconic Jazz Pianists
There are many great legends when it comes to piano playing & jazz music history. Their influence has inspired countless jazz musicians throughout the evolution of the Jazz genre.
Art Tatum
This pianist is known for his rapid playing technique. He pushed the boundaries of what could be possibly played on a piano. His improvisation ability was top-grade, offering dazzling runs with complex harmonies that jazz pianists still follow to this day.
Thelonious Monk
Monk was known for his unique piano skills like dissonant harmonies, rhythmic shifts, & angular melodies. His premier jazz compositions like Straight, No Chaser & Round Midnight are standard for jazz pianists.
Herbie Hancock
Herbie was the one who started the integration of electronic instruments & other techniques within the world of jazz music. His music includes acoustic jazz, funk, & fusion – showing his forward approach.
Final Thoughts
Piano is certainly among the most defining instruments for jazz. It has shaped Jazz’s sound & evolution through history with various styles. From ragtime to syncopated rhythms to bebop; piano has played an important role in the development of jazz music. Every iconic jazz pianist’s name left an inspirational mark on this genre with their innovative & unique styles.
