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Chapter 7: Bebop to Cool: The 1940s and 1950s
use of the music by radio stations and on jukeboxes. The process took two
years before all the big recording labels met the demands and recording
resumed. Unfortunately, this lapse meant that most of bebop’s important
early performances were never caught on tape.
Some big bands did survive, however. For instance, Count Basie and Duke
Ellington kept their bands going through the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s. But for every
band that managed to keep going, several broke up. Even the King of Swing,
Benny Goodman, redirected his energies to performing in small groups instead
of leading a big band. Eventually, too, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, and other
leaders found ways to bebop with their big bands, as I explain later in this
chapter.
Bebop’s distinct traits emerge
Bebop was revolutionary music that emerged in New York City beginning
around 1940. Whereas big band swing had the faith of the American masses,
bebop went against the grain with its 180-degree shift of priorities.
Some young boppers appreciated the swing of bands led by drummer Chick
Webb or pianist Count Basie but preferred the more innovative music of Duke
Ellington and Artie Shaw’s orchestras. They also studied the music of pianist
Art Tatum and saxophonist Coleman Hawkins who had already explored
advanced harmonies, altered chords, and chord substitution — all hallmarks
of bebop. (I cover all these musicians, and swing in general, in Chapter 6.)
Bebop marked a departure from swing in every essential element. Here are its
characteristics:
� Improvisational: The song’s melody was only stated once at the beginning
and end. Improvisers such as Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie
(whom I cover later in this chapter) traded improvisations, replacing the
battling horn sections of big bands.
� Small-group music: Bebop often utilized a rhythm section of bass,
drums, and piano, plus trumpet, and saxophone.
� Speed: Bebop played at break-neck speeds; even on slow ballads, the
solos sped wildly.
� Brash and harsh: To the unskilled ear, the music sounded this way, even
if it was actually carefully structured.
� Complex rhythms: Musicians improvised rhythmic patterns around the
basic beat and around each other.
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