Combo One
Combo One
The History And Characteristics Of The Jazz Combo
Jazz is an American art form whose roots date back to the mid-19th century slave songs and chants. The early 20th century saw the art form blossom as instrumental music in the southern United States, mainly along the Mississippi river and specifically New Orleans, Louisiana.
Early instrumental jazz combos of New Orleans varied in instrumentation. More often than not, these early jazz groups generally consisted of trumpet, clarinet, trombone, tuba and drums. This instrumentation became what is known as the “dixieland” combo, making its way up the Mississippi river to Chicago where the music became popularized by jazz greats such as Louis Armstrong.
Dixieland combos can be thought of as groups that play “polyphonic” improvisational music. Each instrument is independent of every other instrument, with each player creating separate musical improvisations based on known melodies, or “tunes” of the day.
The players of these early jazz combos each had a separate role within the group. The trumpet player was depended upon to state the melody of the song, while the clarinet would improvise complex lines above him. The trombonists role was to improvise or “fill in” the middle register with lines and notes that were essential to the chord changes of the song itself. The tuba player (or bass player) generally laid down root notes (and 5ths) of each chord on beats 1 and 3 of each measure. The tuba served as the harmonic anchor for the group. Lastly, it was the drummers role to keep everyone together by keeping a steady beat throughout the entirety of the song.
As jazz music developed throughout the 1940s and 1950s, jazz combo instrumentation began to become more standardized. The jazz “quintet” and “sextet” became very popular during this time. The quintet consisted of trumpet and alto (or tenor) sax as the main melodic instruments while the rhythm section (piano, bass and drums) took care of rhythm and harmony.
The sextet added a trombone to form what essentially was a three horn front line, with rhythm section accompaniment. The extra melodic instrument of the sextet made it possible for the horns to add more harmonic depth to the sound of the group. Each instrument had a role not only as a melodic voice, but also as an integral component of the harmonic structure as well.
Modern jazz combos consist of a variety of instrumentation – 4, 5 horn combos are common place. As the group grows in size however, the name “combo” is replaced by “band” or “little big band”.
The jazz combo has provided a musical and creative outlet for countless musicians over the last 100 years. The jazz combo continues to provide jazz musicians the opportunity to work together to make music not only as a group but also to develop their own voice as individual jazz improvisers. It is, and probably always will be, the perfect vehicle for learning the art of jazz improvisation.
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Combo Vending Guide
The vending business has always been very flexible and adaptable, and introducing combo vending machines into the mix only give creative vendors even more options. A combo vending machine dispenses both snacks and drinks, and can also come with advanced payment options such as credit card acceptors. So what are the advantages of these innovative new machines? For me, it breaks down to three distinct benefits: efficiency, versatility and convenience. I’ll discus each of these three strengths throughout the following paragraphs.
Combo vending machines are more efficient simply because it’s cheaper to purchase a single multi-use machine than one each for snacks and drinks. If you’ve found a location that has both hungry and thirsty customers, then purchasing a combo machine will allow you to profit from both needs while cutting your initial costs in half. Combo machines will have less selection that dedicated snack or drink centers, so each of your product choices will have to be made carefully.
Second, combo vending machines offer increased versatility because of their small size. Acquiring good locations is critical to the success of your business, but many prospective locations will only have space for one machine. With combo vending, more locations will be available for your use, increasing your potential for profit and growth.
Finally, combo vending machines are much more convenient than owning two or more machines. One machine is easier to move than two, requiring less car or truck space. It’s also easier to restock and collect cash from one machine, shortening your vending route. A single unit also has less potential to break than two, saving you time in your regular maintenance and reducing potential any repair costs.
Taking time to understand the vending business before you dive in will pay huge dividends in the future. Many talented individuals have made great profits through vending, and will continue to do so because of their unique knowledge. But guess what? Some of these rich vendors have dumped all of their experience into ebooks, which are available for purchase online. I’ve reviewed a few popular vending ebooks on my website. Check these reviews out, and don’t be afraid to invest a few dollars in priceless information!
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