Rundown of different jazz styles?

[sonofabass]

Originally Posted by puddin tame

I'm getting a lot of downtalk here. I'd just like to say I've been playing for 12 years and jazz for half of it, but I have picked up my stylistic abilities by ear and listening. I could play a bass line to a Latin track, but could not explain in academic terms how it differs to say, a bossa nova.

This response is bound to tick you off but that isn't my intention. Here goes- you posted a question that someone who has seriously played "for 12 years and jazz for half of it" wouldn't have. I say this respectfully to you. I would certainly have a keen understanding of these stylistic nuances before trying to teach them to someone else although I think your aim is simply to have a clearer understanding for yourself.

[sonofabass]

Originally Posted by puddin tame

Awesome, i will try to check out that book.

As far as the chicken comment, one can not learn to be a chicken. I am trying to learn to be a teacher.

I stand corrected. The key to being a teacher , a good teacher, is first being a good student. Read through some of your responses. You'll see what I mean.

[mambo4]

I think the best approach to understanding Jazz Styles is to look at it as a historical continuum.
In the case of bass, for example, learning about the origins 2 beat Tuba lines in early 19th century second line marching bands
and how they transitioned into 4 beat walking lines on upright bass.

Marc Sabatella's Jazz Improv Primer site has a good 'rundown' of Jazz stylistic history:
http://www.outsideshore.com/primer/p...-primer-2.html

As for Latin stuff, while there is overlap, I'd treat is not as a sub category of jazz but a subject unto itself, equally deep with historical evolution.
The True Cuban Bass and The Latin Bass Book are good for starts.

Paul Westwood's Bass Bible contians some useful basic "style X use rythms like this" examples.

I think each genre has its important rhythmic ideas, but when explained they usually tend to be oversimplified, if only by lack of context.
To really support a style you need to accumulate a feel for where it came from, and internalize a sense of what everyone in the ensemble is doing and be able to play off of that.
In my experience (with Cuban music) there was a long path of study and playing between having a style's basic rhythm explained and executed,
and actually having a solid fel for the style. This is the kind of thing Ed Fuqua was hinting at.

[Groove Doctor]

^ very nicely put.

[elshunko]

Originally Posted by mambo4

I think the best approach to understanding Jazz Styles is to look at it as a historical continuum.
In the case of bass, for example, learning about the origins 2 beat Tuba lines in early 19th century second line marching bands
and how they transitioned into 4 beat walking lines on upright bass.

Marc Sabatella's Jazz Improv Primer site has a good 'rundown' of Jazz stylistic history:
http://www.outsideshore.com/primer/p...-primer-2.html

As for Latin stuff, while there is overlap, I'd treat is not as a sub category of jazz but a subject unto itself, equally deep with historical evolution.
The True Cuban Bass and The Latin Bass Book are good for starts.

Paul Westwood's Bass Bible contians some useful basic "style X use rythms like this" examples.

I think each genre has its important rhythmic ideas, but when explained they usually tend to be oversimplified, if only by lack of context.
To really support a style you need to accumulate a feel for where it came from, and internalize a sense of what everyone in the ensemble is doing and be able to play off of that.
In my experience (with Cuban music) there was a long path of study and playing between having a style's basic rhythm explained and executed,
and actually having a solid fel for the style. This is the kind of thing Ed Fuqua was hinting at.

This reminds me of the time when I was listening to a Wynton album at a coffee shop (Quietly I might add). A guy approached me and said "Listening to jazz huh". I was already annoyed and saw it coming, but still replied "Yep; Wynton". Then he said "There hasn't been any 'Jazz' since Miles". Supper annoyed I replied "Miles who"? That poor hipster walked off unable to show me the light. Now we were both annoyed.

What I really wanted to say "If your 'Jazz' doesn't have a tuba, then it's not jazz. You like bebop". Although that's not entirely true.

The point is it is complicated and people disagree.

And for the record (I see the comments coming), yes, I do like Wynton.

[Anonymatt]

Man, that last Ken Burns episode sets me OFF!! I mean, how little does Ken know about the Civil War for that matter?? And I never saw any Baseball, but how bad do I want to joke about that? You know what I'm talking about!

Wynton is cool, though. I even read his book.

Tame, there's this "Calle 55" documentary on netflix. From what I remember, it's kind of a survey of latin styles. There's a few things on netflix. From what I can tell, though, documentary filmmakers don't barely know **** about jazz. Ya know, I think you're just going to have to listen to all of it yourself.

[Ed Fuqua]

For Mithra's freaking sake, listen to the freaking records and stop trying to reduce music to simple formulas.

[sonofabass]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

For Mithra's freaking sake, listen to the freaking records and stop trying to reduce music to simple formulas.

^ that's it, in a nutshell.

The "answer" isn't on talk bass