Home » Jazz Articles » What is Jazz? » Why Hard Bop?
Why Hard Bop?
When trying to investigate jazz, all the classifications and categories can be a bit confusing. What do they mean when they say "hard bop?" How is it different from other types of jazz? Although a definition of the music may not necessarily enhance your listening enjoyment a little historical perceptive may be helpful for the jazz collector.
The term hard bop, like many classifications in the arts, was created by the critics. It describes the new stylistic development evolving from bebop by urban black jazz musicians who were coming into prominence in the mid-fifties. The music also incorporated the roots of jazz and African-American music, especially the blues and the music of the church. The major proponents of hard bop were
Art Blakey
drums1919 - 1990
Clifford Brown
trumpetb.1930
Horace Silver
piano1928 - 2014
Max Roach
drums1925 - 2007
Cannonball Adderley
saxophone1928 - 1975
Lee Morgan
trumpet1938 - 1972
Hank Mobley
saxophone, tenor1930 - 1986
The instrumentation of hard bop became very standardized taking the form of 
Charlie Parker
saxophone, alto1920 - 1955
Freddie Hubbard
trumpet1938 - 2008
Jackie McLean
saxophone, alto1932 - 2006
Paul Chambers
bass, acoustic1935 - 1969
Also like bebop there is a great emphasis placed on composition. However the hard bop musicians brought the compositional complexity to a new level. As the bebop musicians were known for harmonic substitution and alteration of standard chordal structures and popular song the hard bop musicians were more fond of creating new and challanging chord structures often with quick key changes upon which the soloist could show their prowess. A good example of this is 
John Coltrane
saxophone1926 - 1967
The hard bop musician wanted to bring back some of the roots of the music to their playing. This was done by using earthy and gritty timbre and pitch bends as mentioned before but in also in the use of compositional structures and motifs common in the music of the church and in blues. The blues, never a stranger to jazz, was given back more of its soul and cry by the hard bop musician. There was also often a more authentic use of the chordal structure of the blues form using just the straight seventh chords without the enhancement of passing chords and alterations common to earlier forms of jazz. Examples of the blues are vastly numerous throughout hard bop. A good one though is Horace Silver's "Doodlin.'" 
Church music and gospel structures and motifs were also very common and the playing again emulated exuberance and soul reminiscent of the preacher and congregation in song. There are several songs which use a call and response structure between the soloist and the rest of the band and the use of the plagal or amen cadence. An example of this is 
Bobby Timmons
piano1935 - 1974
Charles Mingus
bass, acoustic1922 - 1979
Jimmy Smith
organ, Hammond B31925 - 2005
Herbie Hancock
pianob.1940
Nat Adderley
trumpet1931 - 2000
The popularity of the hard bop style continued well into the mid sixties but was somewhat superseded by modal and free jazz in the early sixties and then completely by jazz/rock fusion in the seventies. Not all of the above mentioned aspects of hard bop are in every hard bop recording but generally you will find most artists from that period touching on much of it throughout their careers. Recording was prolific during the hard bop years and lots of great music can be found. Blue Note was the mainstay of hard bop and released many fine recordings, but there is quite a lot to be found on minor labels such as EmArcy, Riverside and Prestige. Here is a short list of the most classic recordings. If you run across a something you think is really great be sure to tell me. Recommended Listening
- Horace Silver, Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers (Blue Note, 1954)
- Clifford Brown/ Max Roach Quintet, Clifford Brown and Max Roach (EmArcy, 1955)
- Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Moanin' (Blue Note, 1958)
- Cannonball Adderley Quintet, In San Francisco (Riverside, 1959)
- John Coltrane, Blue Train (Blue Note, 1957)
- Hank Mobley, Soul Station (Blue Note, 1960)
- Lee Morgan, The Sidewinder (Blue Note, 1963)
Tags
What is Jazz?
Art Blakey
AAJ Staff
Freddie Hubbard
lee morgan
John Coltrane
Hank Mobley
Clifford Brown and Max Roach
Horace Silver And The Jazz Messengers
Comments
PREVIOUS / NEXT
Support All About Jazz
All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.
Buy Now
