big-band jazz

Big-band is a style of jazz marked by its instrumentation. It was more flexible than symphonic jazz, but still more organized than New Orleans jazz.

Hallmarks

• the head is notated, with exceptions like Count Basie (whose band used “head arrangements”)
• instrumentation
  • horns
    • trumptes
    • trombones
    • saxophones
  • rhythm
    • guitar
    • piano
    • double bass
    • drums

Famous Band Leaders

• Fletcher Henderson
  • theme - solo - breaks - solo - solo - soli - theme
• Count Basie
• Duke Ellington