Jazz-style periods have their beginning in the early 1920s. If we divide their history into different eras, the adjacent style periods of Bebop and cool are the 3rd and 4th eras that range from 1945-1950 and 1950-1955 respectively. To dig into comparisons and contrasts, a few considerable points are discussed below which show the difference between each style in detail.
Bebop was considered hot, loud, exciting, and freestyle whereas cool was considered a soft and more restricted version of jazz. While Bebop was limited to four players and instruments restricted only to saxophone and trumpet, Cool band varied in the number of players, from three to nine, and had a more flexible choice in the selection of instruments. Moreover, Bebop concentrated on one melodic line at a time but Cool consisted of two melodic lines simultaneously. Also, Bebop concentrated on improvisation and Cool jazz included both pre-arranged music as well as improvised melodies. Bebop had the reaction of separating jazz from the mainstream of popular music whereas opposite Cool jazz familiarized jazz and brought it back into the mainstream of popular music. Furthermore, the history of Bebop was totally black invention and Cool jazz was racial make-up and it included mostly young white players from different bands. Location wise Bebop was centralized in New York City and Cool jazz was located Mostly on the east coast and west coast.
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These music styles came into significance in different eras in African American communities in the United States. Bebop jazz became famous from 1945 to 1950. On the other hand, cool jazz had its origin in 1927’s work of Bix Beiderbecke and Frank Trumbauer. Cool jazz music became famous from 1950 to 1955 in the United States of America. Both styles of jazz music had unalike characteristics and were very famous to the general public.
As said both forms of jazz music had different characteristics. Bebop is spontaneous and is characterized by fast speed, intricate harmonies, and rhythm that are difficult to foretell. Bebop is actually focused on the art of music which can be listened to instead of enjoyment and dancing. Also, the piano became the center of the expression in the Bebop. On the other end, cool jazz that rose after world war two is characterized by calmness. Its approach towards change in composition was relatively slower. Cool jazz includes tune-oriented, simple singable lines, diatonic lines, and plain rhythm with a tone that is less harsh and less intense. It can be more or less referred to as soft music.
There were many famous figures in both styles. Charlie Parker was the leading artist in bop jazz music and the leading figure in the development of Bebop. He was popularly known as Yardbird and Bird and was a saxophonist and composer by profession. Also, Dizzy Gillespie who was considered as the joint founder of Bebop along with Charlie Parker was famous for pushing The Limits of Jazz Trumpet. Roy Haynes and Kenny Clarke were also of important figures in the Bebop style. They both were regarded as the top Bebop drummers. Other influential bop artists were Bud Powell famous for playing the piano, Thelonious Monk famous for composing and playing the piano, Max Roach known for drums as well as many other famous artists that had contributed to this style. On the other end, Miles Davis was the first and foremost famous artist of cool jazz music.
Miles Davis played the trumpet and the “Birth of the cool” album by Miles Davis made him popular throughout the globe. Other artists of cool jazz included Dave Brubeck, a player of the piano as well as composer, Paul Desmond alto saxophonist player, Gerry Mulligan player and composer, Stan Getz who was famous for playing the saxophone and many others were also there.
As the trend of Jazz spread, it started influencing the masses and the local, regional as well as interstate consumers within New Orleans as well as other states communities of African-Americans. The consumers began to receive this music and adapt the differences to their cultures.
The jazz of Bebop and Cool really impacted what was going on in the United States of America at that time. Long linear melodies of cool music impacted a calmer way of behavior while on the other hand, free jazz also known as bop jazz music raised the feelings with its speed and intensity.
Overall, there are few events that reflect and symbolize what the music was all about in the jazz of Bebop and cool. Both are styles of jazz and have many differences in history that have served jazz music in general. Bebop jazz emerged right after the end of World War II, an era of political changes on international levels. In this era, structural changes and the intensity of Bop jazz contributed to and reflected the events that were happening around. Cool jazz emerged in the early 1950s an era of relative peace and calmness which is also reflected in the coolness of jazz music that popularized the music into its original calmness again.
Work Cited:
- “BeBop, Cool Jazz, and Hard Bop.” Jazz in America, www.jazzinamerica.org/LessonPlan/8/6/210.
- The Birth of the Cool 1927, www.redhotjazz.com/coolarticle.html.
- “The Social Effects of Jazz.” York College / CUNY, 31 Mar. 2017, www.york.cuny.edu/academics/writing-program/the-york-scholar-1/volume-6.1-fall-2009/the-social-effects-of-jazz.
- Verity, Michael. “What Is Bebop?” LiveAbout, LiveAbout, 24 May 2019, www.liveabout.com/what-is-bebop-2039578.
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