Music of the Harlem

RenaissanceThe

“New Negro Movement”

Harlem:NYC, north of 96th Street in

Manhattan.

Highly Urban and only three square miles.

Harlem:At the time, it had the highest

concentration of African Americans in the world.

Seething….

Renaissance:Rebirth. Rediscovery.

An exodus of sorts from the South to more racially

tolerant urban areas in the North.

It goes without saying that African Americans and Whites were segregated thanks to Jim

Crow.

However…

There was also a divide between the African Americans living within

Harlem.

What Divides People…?

What is to be done when there is segregation within a

race? Isn’t it obvious that the best

way to survive is to stick together?!?

Low Life vs. Social Elite

Critical Thinking:How can music bring people together?

Take two minutes to write down your thoughts.

Did music play a role in bringing the Low Life & Social Elite together? Lets focus on a specific

instrument that helped to bridge the gap.

Willie “The Lion”

Smith

Piano

The PianoThe piano was played and admired

at the time by everyone, regardless of social class.

It could be said that the piano, thanks to some of the best pianists to come out of this period, brought

people back together. Both classes had something in

common!

Harlem Stride Piano 1The advent of the

"Harlem Stride Style" helped bridge the gap between the "low life"

culture as jazz musicians were perceived and the

black “social elite” living in Harlem.

Harlem Stride Piano 2

WHY and HOW did this happen?The piano was popular with both

sides of the divide. Two things that are important in

this art form were innovation and liveliness. Both were hallmarks of stride piano

players.

Harlem Stride Piano 3•Self-sufficient style because it fills all the

sound space and it is also very visual. •As a real "rhythm box", the left hand

alternates with flexibility between “bass and chord”, while the right hand weaves a series of improvisations and variations

on the empty space of the keyboard. 

Harlem Stride Piano 4Appeared towards the end of 1910.

Jazz was expanding in Harlem. Stride piano offered more freedom with

sounds, more flexibility and featured lots of improvisation.

Challenge: Attempt to keep the steady beat the ENTIRE time through this take on “Joint is

Jumpin” by Andy Razaf and Fats Waller, improvised by Jim

Hession.

Stride Piano(as it was later called)

•Gave wealthy blacks and whites access to jazz.

•The piano was a symbol of affluence, which made it a

perfect “in” for people wanting to hear jazz, but not interested in

“those brass bands” of the South.

•All that was needed were the musicians to perpetuate this

style……

Stride Piano GreatsJames P. Johnson (1894-1955)

Willie “The Lion" Smith (1897-1973)

Thomas "Fats" Waller (1904-1943)

Art Tatum (1909-1956)

Popular dances of the mid 20’s:

The Fox TrotThe Shimmy

The Black Bottom The Varsity

These dances were all sweeping America.

However, one dance in particular epitomized America during this decade and you already know what it is…………

James P. Johnson (1894-1955)

“The Charleston” written by James P. Johnson, the father of stride piano.

Willie “The Lion" Smith (1897-1973)

In 1916, Smith enlisted in the Army, where he became the drum major for his unit. During WWI,

he spent more than a month on the front lines, where he earned his nickname "The Lion" for his

bravery.

Thomas "Fats" Waller (1904-1943)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLKSvqPnwro

Thomas "Fats" Waller (1904-1943)

Took lessons from Johnson

Began his career playing for rent parties….tenants would hire a musician to play and pass the hat to raise money to pay the rent.

Became very popular in Harlem.

His career really took off while playing at one of George Gershwin’s parties and Gershwin

arranged a record deal for Fats.

Two Greats on the piano roll…

Fats Waller and James P

Johnson Duet

What is a Piano Roll?

Fats Waller and James P

Johnson Duet

Why might piano rolls have been popular at the time?

Piano rolls were early versions of…

Art Tatum (1909-1956)

“Yesterday’s”By

Art Tatum

Art Tatum (1909-1956)

Some formal training, but mostly self taught.

Took an early interest in Fats Waller, despite his

piano teachers hopes of a classical prodigy.

Stride Piano Wrap-UpAll jazz pianists prior to the

development of be-bop in the 1940s were initially schooled in the stride

style.

This style remains the most technically challenging of all jazz

keyboard idioms.

Stride Piano Rock Stars:James P. Johnson (1894-1955)

Willie “The Lion" Smith (1897-1973)

Thomas "Fats" Waller (1904-1943)

Art Tatum (1909-1956)

End of Session One