Essay Sample on Duke Ellington's 1965 Copenhagen Jazz Performance: A Night of Relaxed Excitement

Introduction

The legendary Duke Ellington and his famous orchestra outdid themselves in their live performance at a theatre in Copenhagen in 1965. The excitement from the audience was surreal. The atmosphere was one that was well relaxed and was informal all through. Probably more informal than the atmosphere witnessed at classical concerts such as operas. No diving or rowdy moving or moves were witnessed, just like in any other jazz concert. Quiet conversations were seen to be ongoing, as the audience nodded their heads in satisfaction to the tunes (Byhannahhannika, 2016).

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From the performances, the music was heard to feature three main sections or parts; the percussion, the horns, and the guitar. Percussion instruments are a combination of drums, piano, and bass. A seamless combination of these three provides the rhythm that the audience is so much endeared to. While the drummer always kept a beat that was steady and without fault, the pianist did his best to thrill the audience with his accompaniments.

The pulse of the rhythm is kept by the bassist, who does so by playing the roots of the chords. The guitar occasionally came in as solo and would bring out the melody in the performance. The horns were thrilling and were a combination of trumpets, trombones, saxophones, flutes, violins, and the human voice as well. All these mashed up together brought life to the concert (Byhannahhannika, 2016).

The Concept of Jazz

Ideally, the concept of jazz as a genre in music is a modern-day one. It was conceived in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century and was mostly associated with slaves as they hummed songs and spirituals. In its original nature, jazz features a “call and response” tunes and chords aligned to 7ths. Further, there is a swing and syncopation to it, with an intense, yet smooth addition of blue scales and harmonic advancements of II V I, and bar blues of 12.

Through the years, this original nature has transformed and many distinctive styles. From the big band swing to the bebop, to the West Coast jazz, Latin jazz, smooth jazz, jazz fusion, New Orleans, etc. These advancements point towards a further shift in the future. The fact that jazz is not defined by a single sound but rather several distinct sounds, rhythms, and styles guarantees this progression.

A look at the audience pointed towards a younger generation as the majority. It would appear that they were most enthusiastic regarding jazz. Lately, owing to research presented in 2008, the average age of audiences turning up for jazz concerts was seen to have risen to about 45. This rise in age is a clear indication of jazz appealing to the older generations, probably because the younger generation lacks an understanding of what jazz is, or what it entails.

The musicians are seen to be performing in jeans and blazers over a t-shirt. The audience, as well, is observed to be in a similar outfit. A clear indication of the casual settings within which jazz performances and atmosphere function best. Such is the casual nature of jazz performances such that, even when the performances are to be made at formal setups, the expectation is that the audience would still be in informal to semi-formal dressing (Byhannahhannika, 2016).

Duke Ellington blew the audience away through his solo improvisers. The essence of these solo improvisers is to uplift the music and take it to a platform within which the artist can showcase his techniques on the skillset, or share his feelings into the music or audience. As such, no group performances can be similar. Ellington was complimented by a quiet background accompaniment, after which the audience applauded at the end of the extended solo.

Terminologies

Some of the essential terminologies to grasp and comprehend before partaking to attend a live jazz performance include: alteration which involves augmenting or diminishing the semitones; blow which is the general terminology for playing any instrument; bottom which points at the conclusion of a song; break which involves the lead or soloist playing without any accompaniment; changes which refer to any progressions in the chords; chops refer to one’s technical ability; chord tones refer the root of a chord or its 3rd, 5th and 7th; chord extensions refer to the chord’s 9th, 11th and 13th; chorus refers to an entire cycle of a song; cat generally is the term used to call a jazz musician; accompany whose short form is Comp; combo refers to a group pf three to ten musicians; form refers to the outlay of the music; head is the song’s melody or chorus; lay out means not to play; lick refers to a short pattern; quoting refers to playing a short rhythm from a different song that is popular or doing a recap of something initially played by a member of the band; sides refer to records; tagging refers to tracking back to play a previous line; top refers to the first beat at the start of the song; trading 2s 4s or 8s are alterations between the drummer and soloist; and turnaround which refers to the conclusion of a specific section or chords’ sequence. All these bear essential means that equally determine whether or not one enjoys a live performance (Byhannahhannika, 2016).

Why do people have a preference for attending live performances at the expense of sitting at home and listening to a recording of the same? This question is best answered by the feelings gotten from attending live jazz performance. The aspect of sharing a social experience with the audience, and the prospects of being able to connect with the artist, mainly through the emotions brought out by the music, are clear indications of why the preference is biased.

Through live jazz performances, the musicians are mostly focused on the flow, and that is what resonates with the audience. It is all about the feelings or emotions at present, both from the artist and the audience. It is not all about perfection, unlike in studio recordings. During the performances, songs suggested by the audience were played, much to their delight. It is such minor considerations that bring out the energy in jazz performances; thus, the clapping and appreciations witnessed at the onset of the songs, during the songs, and at the end of the songs. The heart and soul of the live performance are orchestrated by the audience, the venue, and the artists. All three parties play a crucial, yet fundamental role in the success or failure of any live jazz performance.

Conclusion

From Ellington’s performance at Copenhagen, we witness artistry at its absolute finest, a complete understanding and resonance with the audience, and a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment from the audience at the end of it all. Precisely what lives jazz performance should be all about.

References

Byhannahhannika, P. (2016, September 30). How to survive a jazz concert. Retrieved July 8, 2020, from https://pianofortekeys.com/2013/08/01/how-to-survive-a-jazz-concert/