Episode 4

The Bebop Years Welcome to Ace Jazz Library - Podcast no.3 During the Bebop era of the 1940's jazz rapidly transformed from a fairly rigid method and style of playing, which often accompanied dancing or dining, into a relatively freeform artistic expression. Soloists had hitherto played second fiddle to the band leader who acted as compere for the evenings entertainment. Whether it was wartime frugality, the growing popularity of home radio or a natural development of the expanding New York jazz scene, giving more opportunity to independant and smaller ensembles, new small groups playing bebop rapidly set the tone for the sound of jazz to come and spelled the death of the big band era. Many of the iconic names of jazz gravitated to New York to learn the trade. In the early 1940's upcoming artists began to focus on and copy the virtuosic innovations of pianist Art Tatum, guitarist Charlie Christian and saxophonist Lester Young. These artists played long drawn out improvisations on a theme, where the original tune was heavily improvised around. With bebop the improvisation took an extra step so the original tune often remained only in essence as the key and some chords, around which the players improvised. [Visit <http://www.acejazzlibrary.co.nr> for the full article and lots more links/samples] 0.00 Bean Soup: Coleman Hawkins0.22 Moose the Mooche: Charlie Parker3.15 Over the Rainbow: Bud Powell5.20 Swing to Bop: Charlie Christian13.16 In Walked Bud: Thelonious Monk16.09 The Chase: Fats Navarro18.50 Yardbird Suite: Charlie Parker21.42 Bouncing with Bud: Bud Powell24.43 The Squirrel: Fats Navarro28.01 Ouir Delight: Fats Navarro30.57 Un Poco Loco: Bud Powell35.40 Salt Peanuts: Dizzy Gillespie