Orchestral Jazz and here I thought it was DSO

Introduction

My music ethnography will be based around the Lincoln Center Orchestra, but however I will not be focusing just on the orchestra alone as Wynton Marsalis was present during the performance. This includes jazz music which will complicate my analysis though it shouldn’t be too big of an issue since all my research is done, hopefully. What I hope to cover in this music ethnography is how jazz backed by an orchestra creates an interesting research topic.

Methodology

My method of research at first was vague as I expected to deal only with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra alone. In my ignorance, I ignored concert dates and what went on in those concerts until the week before the music ethnography report was due. Thinking quickly and getting back up to speed I purchased a ticket for a Friday show and conducted my field work at the Grand Tier seat which is possibly the farthest seat away from the stage, on the third floor, which made the performers look like ants. So this brings the conflict of my original research, since I did not expect to include the presence of jazz music combined with the Lincoln Center Orchestra. This seems dire but I can work with it because now it is not just about an orchestra, this is an orchestra with jazz. After the concert I had to take a look and see who Wynton Marsalis was, and what he did besides play a trumpet on stage. Overall he is pretty much what I witnessed him on stage; he plays a trumpet and deals with jazz. Though that does not give him justice since according to his official website he also composes music, is an educator, and finally a music director. The biography on his website goes in depth with his personal life and tracks down all his major accomplishments. While this covers only Wynton Marsalis I have yet to cover the Lincoln Center Orchestra since this is after all two music categories smashed into one ethnography report. The Lincoln Center Orchestra also has their own website with a history and numerous biographies. The Lincoln Center Orchestra does not specifically deal with classical music, as their orchestra is comprised of trombones, saxophones, trumpet, bass, drums, clarinet, and piano. This group of instruments can be categorized into membranophones, aerophones, and a chordophone. My understanding of an orchestra was woodwinds, brass, percussions, maybe a keyboard, and string instruments. These categories list too many instruments and are not relevant.

Aspects of this Music-Culture

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra is mainly a culture of music catered towards jazz. While the group also performs some classical pieces, their main focus is dedicated to jazz using their soloists and ensemble players (JALC Biography). The orchestra is versatile in their performances, as they are focused on jazz appreciation to the point that the orchestra will perform arrangements from other orchestral jazz composers such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and several others. The orchestra music playing style is standard. They have not done anything that appears to be special and research seems to indicate this. Although the orchestra has their very own composer, Wynton Marsalis, he has released several albums as he seeks to draw his audience in with his jazz composition. The orchestra spends a third of the year on tour, and I have been a witness to their concert in the Meyerson Symphony Center, which houses the Dallas Symphony Orchestra performances.

Orchestral Jazz was developed in the 1920s and will mainly be played by an orchestra specifically designed for it. What this means is the selection of instruments is vastly different from a classical music orchestra. These performers are professionals and to find the origins of Orchestral Jazz is to look at the jazz genre itself. The origin of jazz is subject to most controversy though through research the birthplace of jazz was agreed upon to be in New Orleans. The controversy is the culture of people that specifically created this but jazz is a genre that has many elements from blues music. However this doesn’t create a barrier from anyone playing it specifically. As long as the performer themselves loves jazz music they’re more than encouraged to try.

Orchestral Jazz fits into a general category of jazz but specifically the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra is specifically orchestral jazz. Orchestral jazz features some lyrics although there wasn’t any during the performance last weekend. Orchestral jazz is composed by many people but in particular for the Lincoln Center Orchestra, the music director Wynton Marsalis, has done many compositions for the group and also performs them alongside the orchestra. The compositions created by Wynton have received awards and they were influenced by the 1920 jazz artists in the JALC biography.

Fieldwork

The information on my fieldwork and its majority can be found in the methodology section. This section will list the interview that accompanies the concert. A music enthusiast friend of mine who has a solid background in music studies attended many concerts before and he also attended the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra concert. My first question to start conversation was about the music culture behind jazz. He tells me that the overall performance had elements of blues, ragtime, and improvisations. My follow up was to talk about the impact of the performance on the audience. The answer was really detailed with the focus of the performance on Wynton Marsalis. Wynton had many soloist moments in each piece of music and he draws the audience in with his techniques on the trumpet. Just as you think he will continue to lead on the orchestra starts up again to harmonize with Wynton and the orchestra supports him.

Conclusion

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis is something completely unexpected. I thought I was going to see some classical music and to give an analysis over that but instead I’m doing one about Orchestral Jazz which turned out to be a new experience.

Works Cited

Marsalis, Wynton. "Jazz at Lincoln Center". Jazz at Lincoln Center. 3-10-2010 . http://www.jalc.org/about/apdf/2009%20General%20JLCO%20Press%20Kit.pdf

Marsalis, Wynton. "Biography - Wynton Marsalis official website". 3-10-2010 . http://www.wyntonmarsalis.org/biography/

Weinstock, Len. "The Origins of Jazz". 3-10-2010 .http://www.redhotjazz.com/originsarticle.html