Questions for TKO Week 3

1. What was the name of the group we saw and where did they perform?

The name of the group we saw perform was the Gotham Jazz Men. They performed at the Bruno Walter auditorium in New York.

2. What was the specific style in which they played?

The Gotham Jazz Men played Jazz in the New Orleans style.

3. How many musicians were in the band and what did they play?

There were six musicians in the band. They played the piano, upright base, cornet, clarinet, and the drums (high-hat, brush, drum sticks, snare drum, and crash symbol)

4. What was unusual about the drummer’s set-up?

Playing without a bass drum and occasionally using brushes are the factors that made the drummer's set-up unusual.

5. What general format did each of the songs take (what happened in each song)?

For each song, they introduced the melody then each musician, except for the upright bass, took turns soloing. Usually, the drummer soloed last.

6. Did the drummer solo on every song?  When the drummer soloed, was it for as long as the other instruments (describe in detail)?

I cannot recall if the drummer soloed on every song, however, I do remember him soloing a majority of them. Whenever the drummer performed his solo, he did not play at the same duration as the other instruments.

7. What did the singer do with his voice when singing?  Who was he imitating?

He distorted his voice to make it sound gravely, in an attempt to imitate Louis Armstrong.

8. What was your favorite song (listed in order below)?

1. Rosetta
2. It’s Wonderful
3. Sometimes I’m Happy
4. Up a Lazy River
5. Sunday
6. Sweet Sue
7. What a Little Moonlight Can Do (Oo-ee-oo)
8. Your Feets Too Big
9. Who’s Sorry Now?
10. When The Saints Go Marching In

9. How did the concert end? Why?

The concert ended with a woman signaling to the musicians that they had to cease playing. She did this because they ran over their designated time.

10.What was your overall reaction to the music?

Overall, I enjoyed the music much more than what we heard at the NY Trinity Church. The jazz the musicians played had a rhythm to it, and it was fun to watch them improvise music on the spot. I liked listening to the pianist's attempt to imitate the voice of Louis Armstrong. And, I learned that drumming does not require a base drum because throughout this musical piece the drummer used his high-hat to set the pace. My favorite song (When the Saints Go Marching In) sadly got cut off toward the end of the performance, however, overall I appreciated their performance.