University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Texas tenors; Arnett Cobb, Illinois Jacquet: Historical context and comparative analysis of their style and influence from 1941-1947

Lautenbach, Andrew Arthur

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/108395

Description

Title
Texas tenors; Arnett Cobb, Illinois Jacquet: Historical context and comparative analysis of their style and influence from 1941-1947
Author(s)
Lautenbach, Andrew Arthur
Issue Date
2020
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
McNeill, Charles
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
McNeill, Charles
Committee Member(s)
  • Carrillo, Tito
  • Lund, Erik
  • Solis, Gabriel
Department of Study
School of Music
Discipline
Music
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
A.Mus.D. (doctoral)
Keyword(s)
  • Illinois Jacquet
  • Arnett Cobb
  • Texas Tenor(s)
  • Tenor Saxophone
  • Southwestern Jazz
  • Texas Jazz
Language
en
Abstract
Arnett Cobb and Illinois Jacquet represent the epitome of the ‘Texas Tenor’ saxophone style, known for its extremes of register, one-note riff repetitions, vocal blues-based call-and-response structures, and non-Western tone colors derived from West African vocal technique. The vocal quality of the saxophone made it the perfect instrument for expressing, and even exaggerating, the sounds that were previously only part of West African-derived vocal traditions in America. The Texas tenor style belongs to a musical landscape shaped not only by the contributions of the early Afro-American church, the Delta blues vocalists, and the territory bands of the Southwest, but also the early innovators of the tenor saxophone such as Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Herschel Evans, and Ben Webster. Cobb and Jacquet achieved national recognition during their time with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra with their highly influential solos on ‘Flying Home,’ forming the stylistic bedrock for later generations of jazz, R&B, blues, rock, soul, funk, and gospel tenor saxophonists. Jacquet joined Hampton in 1940 and began recording in 1941, then recorded his ‘Flying Home’ solo in 1942. He left Hampton the same year to form his own group and was replaced by Cobb, who recorded his own version of ‘Flying Home’ in 1944, remaining with the band until 1947. The years from 1941 to 1947 represent appropriate beginning and ending points to discuss the early maturity of their style, and the improvisational output heard on recorded material with Hampton serves as the basis for comparing their earliest work outside of the band.
Type of Resource
  • text
  • still image
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/108395
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2020 Andrew Lautenbach

Owning Collections

Doctoral Project Theses [Option 2] - Music PRIMARY