Bebop

Bebop (or bop) is a form of jazz characterised by fast tempos and improvisation based on harmonic structure rather than melody. It was developed in the early and mid 1940 and first surfaced in musicians' argot some time during the first two years of the Second World War.

Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era with its fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers. The music itself seemed jarringly different to the ears of the public, who were used to the bouncy, organised and danceable tunes of Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller during the swing era. Instead, bebop appeared to sound racing, nervous and often fragmented. However to jazz musicians and jazz music lovers, bebop was an exciting and beautiful revolution in the art of jazz.

More recently, hip-hop artists such as A Tribe Called Quest and Guru have cited bebop as an influence on their rapping and rhythmic style. Bassist Ron Carter even collaborated with A Tribe Called Quest on “The Low End Theory” (1991), and vibraphonist Roy Ayers and trumpeter Donald Byrd were featured on “Jazzmatazz” by Guru in the same year. Bebop samples, especially bass lines, ride cymbal swing clips, and horn and piano riffs are found throughout the hip-hop compendium.

The anime series Cowboy Bebop is named for its tracks of Bebop music.

This description is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses materials from the Wikipedia article "Bebop".