Jazz Resource Library

A-H

I-P

Q-Z

Glossary

word	definition
Afro-Cuban rhythms	Beat patterns typical of popul
arrangement	The specific organization or p
arranger	Musician who writes the parts
atonal	Music not based on a particula
autonomous	Not controlled by others or by
autonomy	The condition or quality of be
avant-garde	Jazz (usually atonal) not base
axe	Synonym for instrument.
basic chord symbol	Symbol indicating the fundamen
battle of the bands	Contest between two performing
bebop	A style of jazz identifiable b
big band	A jazz ensemble of 12 to 20 me
Black & Tan	A night club with customers of
blues	A form of music introduced in
bottleneck (AKA slide guitar)<	a method of guitar playing tha
break (AKA stop time)	During a tune this occurs when
cake walk	A dance contest in Congo Squar
call and response	A means whereby instruments or
calliope	A musical instrument consistin
change	Synonym for chord (e.g., the <
changes	Jazz terminology for chords (e
chops	Synonym for technique.
chord	Two or more notes played at th
chorus	One time through the structure
Civil Rights Acts of 1964	A United States law that bans
coda	Optional ending music that com
cognition	The mental process or faculty
cognitive; cognitively	Of, characterized by, involvin
collective improvisation	Concurrent improvisation by th
combo	Same as small band or small en
comp, comping	Rhythmically interesting chord
Congo Square	The area in New Orleans where
contemporary jazz	A somewhat mixed designation t
contrafact	A jazz tune based on an extant
cool jazz	Style of jazz identified by re
cornet	A type of trumpet.
Creole	Louisiana residents with Afric
cutting contest	Musical game of one-upmanship
depression	Decrease in business activity
dissonance	A harsh sound.
Dixieland	Early instrumental jazz band m
dynamic range	The expanse between the softes
early jazz	New Orleans Style Jazz (Dixiel
Emancipation Proclamation	Declaration by President Abrah
embouchure	The position of the mouth in t
ending	Optional music that comes afte
ensemble	A group of musicians commonly
extant	Already in existence; still in
Fair Housing Act	An addition to the Civil Right
fakebook	Book containing lead sheets of
flute	A long slender pipe-like instr
form	Refers to a composition's inte
free jazz	A jazz style in which performe
funk	Straight-eighth, medium tempo
fusion	Originally used to designate l
gig	Synonym for job.
Great Migration	The movement of thousands of A
griot	a member of a class of traveli
Harlem Renaissance	Time in American History (1920
Harlem	The best known African America
harmony	Two or more notes played simul
head	The written melody of a tune (
homophony	Distinguished by a single melo