Bebop (Noun)
Meaning
An early form of modern jazz (originating around 1940).
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- Charlie Parker's virtuosic saxophone playing helped to define the bebop style of jazz.
- The complex harmonies and fast tempos of bebop required a high level of technical skill from musicians.
- Bebop was a reaction against the commercialism of swing music, which many musicians felt had become too watered down.
- The development of bebop in the 1940s paved the way for later styles of jazz, such as hard bop and free jazz.
- Bebop's emphasis on individual expression and improvisation influenced not only jazz but also other genres of music, including rock and roll.