What is Jazz?

Dr. Douglas Walter, Professor, College of Music, The University of Colorado, Boulder, gives his definition of jazz to his Jazz History Class as, "Music performed within the jazz tradition and includes both improvisation and swing rhythm." 

Improvisation:  Musicians compose music while they perform.

Swing:  Music that has a constant tempo and is performed with lilt and spirit and has a continuous rising and falling motion in the melody line. 

Swing Rhythm:  Makes listeners want to clap their hands, dance, tap their feet, has steady beat and conveys a lilting feeling.

How did The Polite Jazz Quartet get its name?

This naming may partially be attributed to Dr. Walter, as well.  He describes, in his jazz history class, the music performed by The George Shearing Quintet as "polite bop".    Since "Bop" (bebop) was the term used in the 1940's to describe music performed by musicians such as trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, alto saxophonist Charlie (Bird) Parker and pianist Thelonious Monk , "Bop" probably isn't widely known today.  So, the word "jazz" was substituted for "bop" in the naming of The Polite Jazz Quarter.  Polite jazz describes the type of jazz music our quartet plays.

Bebop:  As opposed to Swing, bebop is performed more often by small combos rather than big bands.  The tempo is faster, the clarinet was used rarely and instrumental virtuosity is a high priority for bebop players.  In stylistic respects, melodies and harmonies are more complex, rhythms are more varied, comping (accompanying) replaced on-the-beat chording, timekeeping rhythms by drummers are played primarily on suspended cymbals rather than the snare drum, high-hat or bass drum, phrases in tunes are sometimes left suspended or unresolved, the style is more agitated than swing and the improvisations are more complex.  Surprise is more highly valued in bebop.

Vibraphone History
Herman Winterhoff, of the Leedy Manufacturing Company, began experiments around 1916 to create a vox humana or tremolo effect on the company’s steel marimbaphone.  After initial attempts that raised and lowered the resonator banks, oscillating fans inserted inside the tubes proved successful, and the vibraphone was born.  Driven by an electric motor and two drive belts, the rotating fans opened and closed the resonating chamber creating the desired vibrato effect. 

This instrument was marketed under the trademark ‘Vibraphone’ in a limited production of about 25 instruments from 1924 to 1929.  It has a range of three octaves, F to F, with graduated steel bars ¼-inch thick . . .  In 1929 the catalog price for the three-octave instrument was $250.

Of note is the fact that this early instrument has no damping mechanism and has a metal retaining bar on top of the bars to keep them in place.  The pedal damping mechanism was invented in 1927 by William D. ‘Billy’ Gladstone who was using the instrument at the Capitol Theatre for broadcasts of the Major Bowes’ Family Hour show over radio station WEAF.  The mechanism was first available as an add-on to the instrument, which clamped into place.  The vibraphone was available with natural finished wood and steel bars . . . or could be specially ordered with the frame in either Black or White Duco enamel finish and a ‘Nobby Gold’ finish for the bars and other metal parts.

By 1928 the J.C. Deagan Company had developed a competing instrument, the ‘Vibraharp,’ with a permanent pedal (patented) and bars made of aluminum.  Due to the competition from the Deagan Vibraharp, the Leedy Vibraphone was entirely retooled with aluminum bars and attached pedal in 1929.

Printed in part with permission of the Percussive Arts Society, 701 NW Ferris Avenue, Lawton, OK 73507-5442.  See “Links” for a direct link to The Percussive Arts Society.

The Deluxe Neo Classic Concert Grand Vibraphone was designed and built by Clair Omar Musser around 1941 for competition in the International Paris Musical Instrument Exhibition. It is the only one ever built and remains in excellent condition, including the bars, which are still perfectly in tune.

This three-octave FÐF vibraphone has the narrow steel bars used frequently by early vibraphone makers. The bars are longer than standard bars to allow for 'incomparable sostenuto' (longer ring). Though the gold-colored plating is common now, it was less common when Musser made this instrument.

The ten lowest natural bars have holes or indentations drilled in them to accommodate the posts that hold the accidental bars. This was necessary because of the combination of the unique twin damper design and the need to have the accidental bars overlap the natural bars. The modern vibraphone is dampened by a single dampener bar because the accidentals are flush (or flat) with the naturals. The Neo Classic vibraphone has one dampener for each row of bars.

Musser advertised the Neo Classic as being an 'ultra-modern design, black and gold with simulated white leather ends.' The instrument was designed to be very portable. It breaks down into two parts: the bars and resonators housed in the top portion of the frame, and the supporting, lower portion of the frame. The front grill panel hinges backward and locks to the main part of the frame.

Perhaps the most unique feature of the Neo Classic is its resonator design. The resonators for the lowest six accidentals and nine naturals are made of metal and are bent at right angles to keep the vibraphone as compact as possible. The upper resonators are made of heavy-duty cardboard tubes, possibly to keep the instrument lighter in weight.

The instrument was donated to the PAS Museum by Joel Leach.