[Dixielandjazz] The "Groove" in Jazz

[Steve Barbone]

"Ken Gates" <kwg28 at sbcglobal.net>

> Although I'm at a lower end of the skill pyramid, I have at times participated
> where that combination of tempo, syncopation, acoustics, and who knows what
> else has produced that wonderful feeling sometimes called "the groove".
> 
> Here are some questions----
> ..Can the musicians involved do anything to make "the groove" more likely to
> occur--or is it simply a "happening"?
> ..Does "the groove" occur more frequently with groups that play often
> together--or with jam sessions of compatible musicians?

Depends what you mean by groove. "Groove" is a can of worms. :-) VBG

Fifty years ago the term was hijacked by the "soul Jazz" advocates. They
adapted what jazz musicians called groovy and/or funky to their own styles
of music while many other musicians downplayed the importance of the groove
in the older styles of jazz. First see what the groove has become, and then
I'll try and answer your questions as best I can.

Jazz History - Groove Jazz as defined by Verve Music Group.

begin snip:

"'Groove' is inclusive of various jazz styles ranging from the early 1960s
to current musical trends. The singular musical characteristic that ties
these styles together is the importance of the underlying and continuous
funky backbeat. Included in this category may be elements of hard bop, soul
jazz, R&B, funk, fusion, rap, hip-hop, and acid jazz. During the 1960s,
groove styles were labeled soul jazz. The combination of popular soul and
gospel tinged, dance-oriented music ‹ fused with improvisation ‹ offered an
accessible approach to jazz, which broadened its appeal to a wider audience.
Less cerebral than the avant garde and hard bop styles, soul jazz drew from
and reacted to the rich cultural experience that defines the
African-American culture. Soul music laid the rhythmic groove and emotional
foundation for this style including influences by Wilson Pickett, Otis
Redding, Ray Charles, James Brown, and Aretha Franklin. Musicians like
saxophonist King Curtis and Hammond organist Jimmy Smith often portrayed the
experiences of African-Americans by tying their music to cultural themes.
Song titles alone could offer a context for the music. Smith's recordings
including "Back at the Chicken Shack", "The Sermon", and Curtis's "Memphis
Soul Stew" helped to convey earthy and down home images of the
African-American lifestyle of the 1960s. Smith's grooving style has been
influential to new generations of organ players including Barbara
Dennerlein, Larry Goldings, and John Medeski. Jazz musicians spawned from
hard bop styles often ventured into soul jazz. Artists including guitarist
Wes Montgomery, multi-reed player Roland Kirk, tenor saxophonist Hank
Mobley, and alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, developed styles based on
the groove of soul music. In 1966 Eddie Harris developed a funky approach to
jazz, incorporating the electrified tenor saxophone. Joining Les McCann's
soul jazz group in 1969, Harris would later record with rock musicians Steve
Winwood, Jeff Beck, and post-fusion guitarist John Scofield. Scofield has
continued to explore funk in a recent collaboration with organ-groove trio
Medeski, Martin & Wood. Influenced by funk groups including George Clinton
and Parliament, keyboardist Herbie Hancock released the album Headhunters in
1973, marking the beginning of his exploration of more commercial types of
music. This culminated in his 1980s MTV-driven video for the hit song
"Rockit." The 1980s and '90s witnessed new approaches incorporating the
groove style. Rap and hip-hop began influencing jazz artists including
saxophonists Maceo Parker and Courtney Pine, while acid jazz combined
"techno" aspects of the music controlled by DJs incorporating looped music
samples along with live improvisations."
. . . (end snip)

The "groove" or predominant rhythm in soul jazz, or smooth jazz, is what
makes it so popular compared with other jazz forms among the mass audience.
The audience is turned on by the beat that makes their whole bodies sway.

Relating that to what I think you mean by a groove in OKOM, IMO the groove
is that state of swinging that occurs when "swinging" musicians get together
either in a set band (Count Basie) or at a jam session.

Question One: What can musicians do to make the groove happen? IMO you start
with musicians who know how to swing instinctively. Then make sure the
rhythm section is tight . . . holds a steady beat, back beats are fine, and
allows the others in the band to alter their time within the beat (or
groove) which makes it easy to get funky. To me, the rhythm section is the
most important ingredient in making the groove possible.

Question Two: Does it occur more frequently in set bands, or in groups of
compatible musicians at jam sessions. The answer IMO lies with question one.
Is the rhythm section keeping time like Freddie Green? Are all of the
musicians swingers? (in philosophy, not style) Do they think alike
musically? If so, it occurs with equal frequency at a jam session, or in a
set piece band. 

As I see it, some musicians are groovy, some will never be groovy. If the
group is composed of the former, the groove will be almost automatic unless
someone in the rhythm section is having a bad time day.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone