What is the difference between the way we tell stories in music theatre songs and jazz songs?
Sondheim said that music theatre songs required specificity.
“If you ask me to write a love song, I don’t know what to write. But if you say, write me a torch song about a girl who’s just been jilted by a guy, and she comes into a bar, and she’s in a red dress and she orders a grasshopper…That I can write. Because you’ve started to characterize and give me specifics to write about.
from Sondheim on Sondheim
Jazz songs derive from an older generation of theatrical songs – ones that aimed for crossover success. In other words, songs that could be removed from the show and retain their story.
Jazz songs tell a specific story, but they seek universality. They hope that each listener can see part of their own story.
I often say that jazz singing is “introverted musical theatre” and I stick by that. The stories are more personal, less molto espressivo.
Jazz singing invites you into the story. Musical theatre projects the story out to you.
Beyond that, there’s a lot of similarity. Repertoire, tone, instrumentation…these are all quite similar.