For
Concise Guide to Jazz
Seventh Edition
By
Mark Gridley
Created by
Judith Porter
Gaston College
, Chapter 1: What is Jazz?
1) Which of the following styles is not a variety of jazz?
a) Swing
b) Dixieland
c) Country
d) Fusion
Answer: c
Page reference: 1; THE WORLD OF JAZZ
2) Which of the following is most true?
a) Jazz is rarely heard outside the concert hall.
b) Jazz is performed all over the world.
c) Jazz music is unsuitable for social occasions.
d) All jazz music is heavy and serious.
Answer: b
Page reference: 2; THE WORLD OF JAZZ
3) All of the following musicians are widely recognized names in jazz except
a) Miles Davis.
b) Duke Ellington.
c) John Coltrane.
d) Elvis Presley.
Answer: d
Page reference: 2; THE WORLD OF JAZZ
4) The confusion about the term jazz is that the music is often defined by
a) the press / critics.
b) each individual listener.
c) the location of the performance.
d) the number of instruments in a jazz ensemble.
Answer: b
Page reference: 2; DEFINING JAZZ
5) According to the text, the two essential aspects of jazz are
a) swing and improvisation.
b) a saxophone and improvisation.
c) a drum kit and a trumpet.
d) lyrical melodies and danceable rhythms.
,Answer: a
Page reference: 2; DEFINING JAZZ
6) The art of simultaneously composing and performing music is called
a. syncopation.
b. improvisation.
c. comping.
d. swing feel.
Answer: b
Page Reference: 2; DEFINING JAZZ
7) When performing a jazz tune, jazz musicians base their improvisations on the
a) mood of the audience.
b) tune's chord progression.
c) number of musicians in the group.
d) chord changes of another tune.
Answer: d
Page Reference: 2; DEFINING JAZZ
8) When jazz musicians gather to play, they very first thing they do is
a) determine the order of the soloists.
b) select a tune everyone knows.
c) establish the groove and tempo.
d) coordinate their wardrobes.
Answer: b
Page Reference: 2; DEFINING JAZZ
9) In a jazz ensemble, the role of accompanists are primarily assigned to the
a) saxophone and trumpet.
b) clarinet and trombone.
c) piano and bass.
d) saxophone and piano.
Answer: c
Page Reference: 2; DEFINING JAZZ
10) What is the typical performance routine of a jazz ensemble when performing a tune
they all know?
a) Improvisation, main melody, improvisation
b) Main melody, improvisation, main melody
c) Main melody throughout the performance with slight changes
d) There isn't an established routine that jazz musicians follow
Answer: b
Page reference: 2; DEFINING JAZZ
11) Written arrangements are commonly used by
a) large jazz bands.
, b) piano soloists.
c) soloists when improvising.
d) the audience / listeners.
Answer: a
Page Reference: 3; DEFINING JAZZ
12) The general feel of 'swing' is
a) unique to the various styles of jazz music.
b) unique to the various styles of classical music.
c) rarely found in any style of music.
d) found in various styles of music.
Answer: d
Page reference: 3; DEFINING JAZZ
13) Which of the following is essential to creating that 'swing' feeling?
a) A recurring melody with complex harmonies.
b) A steady tempo played with spirit and feeling.
c) A dramatic change in dynamics by the horns.
d) A series of fluctuating tempos from the piano and bass.
Answer: b
Page Reference: 4; DEFINING JAZZ
14) The ' swing' feeling is also created by
a) alternating tension with relaxation in the rhythm and melodic line.
b) limiting the number of solo improvisations.
c) eliminating the piano and bass from the jazz ensemble.
d) avoiding a steady tempo that creates a groove.
Answer: a
Page Reference: 3-4; DEFINING JAZZ
15) Which of the following is true in regards to the 'swing' feeling?
a) Everyone agrees on what it is.
b) No one has any idea what it is.
c) Everyone has a different perception of it.
d) Everyone prefers music without it.
Answer: c
Page Reference: 5; DEFINING JAZZ
16) Accents placed before or after the beat are called:
a) harmony.
b) improvisation.
c) riffs.
d) syncopation.
Answer: d
Page Reference: 4; DEFINING JAZZ