A&R (artists and repertoire):

The record company department responsible for discovering and cultivating new musical talent, and finding material for artists to perform.

arranger:

Person who adapts (or arranges) the melody and chords of a song to exploit the capabilities of the instrumental resources of a particular musical ensemble.how

big band:

Popular dance ensemble during the swing era, consisting of brass, reeds, and rhythm sections.

boogie woogie:

Blues piano tradition which sprang up during the early twentieth century in the “southwest territory” states of Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. In boogie-woogie performances, the pianist typically plays a repeated pattern with his left hand, down in the low range of the piano, while improvising polyrhythmic patterns with his right hand.

brass:

In a big band, the section that includes the trumpet and trombones.

call-and-response:

A musical statement by a singer or instrumentalist that is answered by other singers or instrumentalists.

head chart:

Arrangements that evolved during jam sessions and were written down only later, almost as an afterthought.

jam session or cutting session:

An informal gathering that provides musicians the opportunity to improvise and compete with one another.

reeds:

The woodwind section of a big band (saxophones and clarinets).

riff:

A simple, repeating melodic idea or pattern that generated rhythmic momentum.

soli scoring:

A musical passage in which a group of instruments play a melody together, often in harmony.

swing:

Derives from African American English. First used as a verb for the fluid, rocking rhythmic momentum created by well-played music, the term was used by extension to refer to an emotional state characterized by a sense of freedom, vitality, and enjoyment. Swing is a term used to describe a rhythmic feel used in jazz and blues based music. The term is also used to describe a specific period of jazz history from the early 1930s through 1945.

territory bands:

Bands that traveled and performed throughout the United States during the swing era. The most famous territory bands came from the Southwest, especially Kansas City.

western swing

A concatenation of country fiddle music, blues, boogie woogie, and swing music. The genre developed in Texas and accordingly reflected that state’s diverse musical traditions.