Jazz in General Music
Equipment Needed
CD List
Preservation of the Art Form
Ideas For Elementary Jazz Improvisation
Why teach jazz to young children? We can teach jazz and improvisation successfully to children from preschool through elementary grades. Historically, we have presented the concepts of music in a pre-reading setting whereby students learn to experience and enjoy the music, identify specific musical elements, and create their own music on a variety of instruments. From the first successful experiences, the children begin to identify musical symbols as a preparation for reading. Expressing oneself musically is as natural as expressing oneself verbally. With a little encouragement in the proper setting, this expression can be the beginning of a lifetime of musical enjoyment and satisfaction. Children learn to speak and express thoughts for several years before facing the challenges of reading and writing. As teachers we can address the language of music in the same way. We frequently observe children expressing themselves when at play. We can build on this easily, but must take care to make it a positive and "fail-proof" experience.
Students in lower grades can make up stories and describe them through sounds on their instruments or with hands and body movements. Remember students are creating their own music, so whatever they do is correct; they should not be told anything is "wrong." Avoid being critical of their efforts lest we teach students to fear making a mistake and they become reluctant to participate. In the early grades. especially kindergarten, the teacher can use short selections. Children can use hand, arm, and body movements (such as skipping, jumping, and swaying) in some of their activities. These movements help them understand high and low (range) and soft and loud (dynamics) elements.One of the best sources for rhythms in the early elementary grades is Thresholds to Music Programs by Mary Helen Richards (Fearon Publishers; Belmont, California, 1964). Although this is not a recent publication, it is still very popular. Jamey Aebersold's Play-Along Series can be used on many different levels. The teacher can block out instruments and use what is appropriate for a given situation. To help get students in the mood for experiencing rhythms, the teacher should play different recordings of Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm" and discuss them. Another excellent book for the very young is Melody Maker by Marcia Dunscomb. This offers many creative activities for students as well as piano accompaniments for each lesson. A classroom teacher with limited piano skills will be able to play these pieces. This pre-reading method book introduces students to many concepts that are clear and easy to comprehend without reading notes. See the Jazz Pedagogy Resources list in the final chapter for full details on Duncomb's book.
While an acoustic piano is desirable, the availability of small, inexpensive keyboards has made the keyboard a natural classroom resource. Mallet instruments such as Orff instruments also work well. In addition, a collection of rhythm instruments (drums, claves, triangles, etc.) will give the instructor the ability to keep everyone actively involved. Older students should be introduced to the bongo, conga, timbales, and other rhythm instruments such as tin cans, bottles, graters from the kitchen, and spoons to create sounds heard in Brazilian music. Vocal activities will make the experience more complete and enjoyable. Including jazz and improvisation in the daily classroom activities for students and the teacher. A small collection of jazz CDs suggested here will provide the classroom instructor with a basic collection for listening. Recordings by Willie Colon, Mongo Santamaria, Dizzy Gillespie, Eddie Palmieri, Paquito D'Rivera, Frank Grillo (nicknamed Machito), and many others can be used to introduce styles such as salsa, bomba, plena, bossa nova, sanba, merengue, rhumba, cumbia, Cubop, boogaloo, and Latin rock. Encourage students to play rhythms along with some of the recordings. Children like rhythmic and energetic music. The following list is only a suggestion; many other jazz CDs would work just as well. The CD format is recommended because it is easy to use. A portable CD player is adequate for classroom use.
April in Paris. Count Basie. Verve 825-575-2.
The Best of Herbie Hancock. Blue Note CDP7-91142-2.
Bird: The Original Recordings of Charlie Parker. Verve 837-176-2.
Giant Steps. John Coltrane. Atlantic 1311-2.
Groovin' High. Dizzy Gillespie. Savoy SV-0152.
Kind Of Blue. Miles Davis. Columbia Ck40579.
Major and Minor, Vol. 24. Jamey Aebersold. JA1238D and JA 1237D.
Night Train. The Oscar Peterson Trio. Verve 821-724-2.
Paris, 1958. Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers. Blue Bird 61097-2.
Play. Bobby McFerrin and Chick Corea. Blue Note D105634.
Satin Doll. Duke Ellington. Eclipse 64020-2.
Saxophone Colossus. Sonny Rollins. Prestige OJCCD-291-2.
Stan Getz and Friends. Verve 835-317-2.
Time Out. Dave Brubeck. Columbia CK40585.
The following guideline suggests a structure for presenting the concepts of music in jazz. The text used for this suggested outline is Dunscomb's Melody Maker. Each activity can be repeated many times, varied, and expanded at each repetition. Children love to repeat familiar activities they enjoy. Systematic review ensures success. Evaluate the learning capability of your students and take them only as far as they can go successfully. Many concepts can e covered in one class, and the same concept can be covered in many different ways. Each Class should be made up of about seventy-five percent review and twenty-five percent new material that builds on the previously learned skills. The pre-reading skills should not be confused with "rote" teaching.
Jazz is the only style of music that originated in our country; therefore, it is an important part of the Arts in America and an interesting aspect of our culture. Jazz/Jass is basically considered to be a creative form of Music, which came from the African-American culture.
Having found themselves in a totally unfamiliar, captive, and controlled environment, where they were just grabbed up and removed from their roots, they were given no alternatives. They were not given the opportunity to do as the Colonist, and Settlers, who moved west.
The African slaves had to, I say had to, leave all instruments behind; they were not permitted to perform their ritualistic ceremonies. They used their creative ingenuity, hollowed out logs from fallen timber and made a drum. This gave them a link from their former Homeland. They were able to use the drum to accompany them in their dances, tribal songs, drum rhythms, and to send messages to one another. The field shouts, call and response, were used in the fields, and in religious services, led to the spiritual, which was also used to convey messages.
These songs and others allowed the slaves to express their emotions, fear, depression, anxiety, and sadness. The church provided the place for all of this to take place. Keep in mind that these people had been uprooted from their Homeland, and were victims of man's inhumanity to man. They were considered to be like cattle, working from sun up to sun down. Church became a place, and a way to express "The Blues". As a people, we've always had a song for every era of history for which we've gone through. This is probably why "The Blues" evolved out of the Church. Most or a great majority of Ragtime Musicians, Blues Singers, Jazz Singers, Pianists, African-American Opera Stars too all got their beginnings in the Black Church - and more than likely in the Cogic or Holiness Church, where they sang, beat drums, played guitar and improvised on the piano, etc. Later "The Blues" moved into the House Parties.
Today's Blues singers are more Caucasian than African-American. Today's Youth and Young Adults mostly deny the Blues. Maybe part of the blame should be laid on my generation. Many of us became so intent upon becoming a part of the melting pot and taking on the culture of the oppressor, until we didn't want to be a part of this Music, nor allow our children to pass on this tradition, because "White America" considered it degrading. Even today we have African-Americans who sneak and listen to B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, et.al.
I. AFRO-CUBAN ELEMENT
II. NEGRO SPIRITUALS (during Slavery)
III. WORK SONGS, FIELD HOLLERS and GOSPELS
A. ARCHAIC JAZZ 1863 - 1865 COUNTRY BRASS BANDS
RAGTIME BANDS - Scott Joplin, born 1868 in Texarkana, died 1917 in New York.
SPASM BANDS
JUG, TUB, WASHBOARD BANDS - Buddy Bolden, the
"Father of Jazz", born 1868 in New Orleans, died November
4, 1931 in Jackson, Louisiana. Buddy Bolden Brass Band
(1895-1909) with Bunk Johnson, Edward Kid Ory
(Trombone), Arthur "Bud" Scott (Banjo), King Oliver
(Trumpet), and Lil Hardin Pianist). Buddy Bolden taught
Louis Satchmo Armstrong.
CREOLE BAND NEW ORLEANS - Joe King Oliver, born May 11, 1885, died April 8, 1938.
NEW ORLEANS JAZZ IN CHICAGO - 1915 to 1928.
Louis Satchmo Armstrong - May 4, 1900, New Orleans
LouisSatchmo Armstrong and Hot Five/Hot Seven - 1925 to 1927. Lil Hardin (Pianist).
1. Mothers should begin listening to Jazz before the child is born; attend Jazz Concerts in the area (if she doesn't know, use the Library and videos to become knowledgeable).
2. Take your children and others to Concerts. Discuss where Jazz came from and out of beginning with tid bits of information; Don't bombard your children with information; Use Grandparents or people who lived during this era.
3. Have pictures of various musicians in the home; use punch-outs of musical instruments; check Ads on T.V. and idenfify the styles they are; check Schools and pressure School Boards and Schools to teach Music.
BLUES
FOLX BLUES - John Lee Hooker
MISSISSIPPI STYLE BLUES - Leadbelly Robert Johnson; and B.B. King.
TEXAS STYLE BLUES - Albert King; Blind Lemon
Jefferson ("orn 1897 in Wortham, died 19380 in Chicago);
Aaron T-Bone Walker, Gospel Vocalist (1)orn May 28, 1910,
Linden, TX, died March 17, 1975, Los Angeles, CA);
Smokey Hogg (')orn January 27, 1914, Cushing, TX);
Johnny Ace (died 1954, Houston); Ma Rainey (1886); Mamie
Smith (1890); Ida Cox (1889); and Bessie Smith (1)orn 1898,
Chattanooga, TN).
KKDA - AM 1~0 - Roger Boykin
3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. - Sunday Only
KNTU - FM 88.1 - Randall Keith Horton
6:00 a.m. until Midnight, Monday thru Friday
Noon until Midnight Saturday
(except for sports games and other public service events which often
take up significant blocks of time).
Jazz Under The Stars - Dallas Museum of Art 922-1200
Jazz Under The Dome - African American Museum 565-9026
Sunday Jazz - South Dallas Cultural Center 939-2787
Sammons Jazz - Sammons Center For The Arts 520-7788
Jr Black Academy of Arts and Letters - 658-7144
Restaurants
Sambuca
Caravan of Dreams - Ft. Worth
Terilli's
Sipango
The Jazz Connection - 350-5689
Features Memorabilia and Live Music
Borders
Black Images 943-0142
Pan African Connection 943-8262
Half Price Books
Jokaes 283-0558
Barnes & Nobles
MUSIC/VIDEOS/FILM
Alternative Videos 823-6030
Dallas Public Library
Blockbuster
Half Price Books
Red Dot Records 943-8456
Many Various Rental Stores
By Laurie Zentz
When introduced and used effectively, improvisation can be one of the most rewarding and enjoyable activities you can offer your music students. In this rational, left-brained world, it is our privilege and duty as music teachers to foster creativity and to nurture an atmosphere in which there are no wrong answers. These strategies for introducing and incorporating improvisation in my elementary music curriculum came from Orff-Schulwerk training, band directing experiences, and enjoyment and appreciation of jazz.
Starting Out
For pre-kindergarten through first-grade children, improvisation can be experienced through short conversations sung between student and teacher. A natural starting point is the elemental playground chant sol-mi-la-mi. The teacher can sing various questions using these notes in any combination, and the student will answer back, usually in imitation. Eventually, students will become comfortable with developing their own melodies.
To develop the motor coordination and listening skills of students in my school, we begin echo-clapping activities early in the year. Both these exercises help young students gain control over their first instruments - their voices and bodies. The students experience creating music easily, literally as child’s play.
Second Grade
By second grade, students are ready to transfer these experiences to body percussion, such as clapping, snapping, patting, and snapping. We improvise conversations in much the same way that they learned earlier, but with a new, rhythmic emphasis. The rhythmic foundation helps students give more meaningful structure to their future attempts at improvisation. If this step is overlooked, the students may never learn to produce logical, intelligent rhythms in their improvisations. Next, they improvise conversations with each other on non-pitched percussion instruments, accompanied by a simple ostinato provided by the remaining members of the class. This is their first experience in discovering and matching phrase lengths. The students fund that creating music is spontaneous and fun.
Third Grade
When students reach third grade, they can begin question-and-answer improvisations in which they attempt to match the teacher’s phrase lengths and end on the key note. Give them opportunities to do this vocally as well as on many different instruments (for example, body percussion, un-pitched percussion, Orff instruments, melody bells, and electronic keyboards. The C-major pentatonic scale works well with melodic instruments. On Orff instruments, all Fs and Bs can be removed, leaving a pentatonic scale that contains no “wrong” notes. When using chromatic melody bells, piano, or electronic keyboards, it is helpful to mark the scale tones with small, colorful stickers that can be applied directly to the keys. Although the children ate instructed to play only the notes with stickers, if an F or B slips in, it should not be considered a mistake.