Jazz

A teacher’s guide for the JAzz experience

M o n d A v i c e n t e r A r t s e d u c A t i o n p r o g r A M f o r t e A c h e r s

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Jazz2 3

ArtSmarts is the title for K–12 educational programs at Mondavi Center.

IntroductIon

Dear Educator,

As you make plans for your students to attend an upcoming presentation of the Wells Fargo School Matinee Series at the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center forthe Performing Arts at UC Davis, we invite you to prepare your students by using this curriculum guide to assure that from beginning to end, the experience is an educationally enriching and memorable one.

The material in this guide is for you. We believe that an understanding of some basic vocabulary and background information on the performance art form will help to prepare your students to better understand and enjoy what they are about to see. We also encourage you to discuss important aspects of the artistic experience, including audience etiquette.

We hope that your students find their imaginations come alive as lights shine, curtains open, and applause rings through Mondavi Center. As importantly, we hope that thiscurriculum guide helps you to bring the arts alive in your classroom.

Thank you for helping us to make a difference in the lives of our children.

Mondavi Center Arts Education ProgramSierra North Arts Project, UC Davis

What’s InsIde:

2 Introduction The Heart of the Art

3 Overview of the Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards What’s Important to Know Before You Go 4 Words to Know

5 During the Performance • Audience Etiquette • Jazz Improvisation • Post-Performance

6 Instruments of Jazz Ensembles and Combos

7 Jazz Ensembles and Combos

8 Standards-based Classroom Learning Experiences

9 Essential Jazz Listening Guide

10 Recommended Jazz Internet Websites Recommended Jazz Listening Collections

11 Arts Education at UC Davis

12 Credits

Mondavi Center curriculum guides are produced in partnership with:

the heart of the artJazz is a unique style of American music that has evolved from traditional African and European vocal and instrumental music. The musical characteristics of West Africa were brought to America because of the forced importation of slaves. These characteristics were combined with European-style instruments that had been incor-porated into the American marching band to form the early beginnings of jazz. It began as a popular form of entertainment and has evolved into an established art form.

Jazz history has mirrored the social history of the United States from the meetings of slaves in Congo Square in New Orleans in the 18th cen-tury through the social upheavals and changesof performing styles of the late 20th century. Jazz musicians have played a significant role in the integration of races in America and have been involved in the ideas of social justice that have become mainstream in America.

The essence of jazz is improvisation—the art of creating music through the spontaneous inven-tion of ideas. Unlike any other form of music, jazz improvisation relies upon the performer to create music that is not written or practiced, but produced from the heart and soul for that moment in time. Through improvisation, jazz music evokes thought and emotions through a shared experience between the performer and listener.

“Jazz is America’s greatest original art form; a music

whose improvisational spirit perfectly reflects the

nation that gave it birth.” Ken Burns, Film Producer

During the late 1800s in

America’s south, planta-

tion songs, spirituals, and

field hollers were a part

of everyday life for the

African-American planta-

tion slaves. Their music

was used to celebrate, to

mourn, to entertain, to

commemorate, to wor-

ship, and to accompany

the drudgery of work.

Often this type of music

would incorporate a type

of “call and response” in

which one person would

sing a verse or phrase

and others around him

would answer with the

same or different phrase.

Listening experience:*“Soon One Mornin’

(Death Come A-Creepin’ In My Room)”

Mississippi Fred McDowell

LeArning experience: Listen to how Mississippi Fred McDowell

describes a story, through music, about

death creepin’ in his room. This is the

essence of a folk song. In this song,

Mississippi Fred utilizes the call and

response format by himself with his

singing and guitar playing.

of significAnce: The black spiritual, folk music of the

African-American slaves, became popu-

lar after the American Civil War.

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*All listening experiences in the jazz time line can be found in the cd collection Ken Burns Jazz —The Story Of American Music.

1800s the origin of Jazz

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1.0

Jazz

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3.0

4.0

5.0

As an audience member, you are the reason the musicians are on stage. They are there to perform for you and share with you the sounds and emotions of their music.

When you are part of the audience at a jazz performance, you become part of that perfor-mance. Jazz performers want you to respond to their music as they rely on your positive reactions to maintain their intensity level. Remember that jazz improvisation is the spontaneous creation of ideas. The performer wants to share himself or herself through music and evoke an emotion. For this rea-son a verbal response such as “yeah” or “all right” during the performance is perfectly acceptable. Applauding at the end of a solo even though the piece has not ended is also acceptable. However, loud conversations or disruptive noises are not acceptable and are distracting to the performers as well as other audience members. Of course, applause after a piece has finished is appreciated by the performers.

What’s Important to KnoW Before You Go?

Before you attend a jazz concert or performance you should have an understanding of what type of jazz you are going to hear. Is it a small combo playing cool jazz from the 1950s or a large ensemble playing 1940s big band swing? Will there be a rhythm section? Will there be horns, electronic instruments, acoustic instru-ments, vocals? Will the style of music be easyto listen to or dance to, or will it require in-depth concentration to fully appreciate whatthe performers are accomplishing? Use this guide and the other resources listed to increase your understanding and appreciation of jazz,its history, and roots.

When you attend a jazz concert, listen closely to the music, watch the performer, and let your mind and emotions wander. See if you can truly experience and understand what the performer is trying to say to you through his or her instru-ment and music performance.

The Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards for California Public Schools have five component strands that cover dance, music, theater, and visual arts. The component strands for music are:

Artistic perception: Processing, analyzing, and responding to sensory information through the language and skills unique to music. Students read, notate, listen to, analyze, and describe music and other aural information, using the terminology of music.

creative expression: Creating, performing, and participating in music. Students apply vocal and instru-mental music skills in performing a varied repertoire of music. They compose and arrange music and improvise melodies, variations, and accompaniments, using digital/electronic technology when appro-priate.

historical and cultural context: Understanding the historical contributions and cultural dimensions of music. Students analyze the role of music in past and present cultures throughout the world, noting cultural diversity as it relates to music, musicians, and composers.

Aesthetic valuing: Responding to, analyzing, and making judgments about works of music. Students critically assess and derive meaning from works of music and the performance of musicians according to the elements of music and aesthetic qualities.

connections, relationships, Applications: Connecting and applying what is learned in music to learning in other art forms and subject areas and to careers. Students apply what they learn in music across subject areas. They develop competencies and creative skills in problem solving, communication, and management of time and resources that contribute to lifelong learning and career skills. They learn about careers in and related to music.

overvIeW of the vIsuaL and performInG arts content standards for caLIfornIa puBLIc schooLs

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eLate 1800s—early 1900s ragtime

Ragtime was the most

popular music idiom in

the United States from

the 1890s through about

1917, and was one of

the early musical styles

that contributed to the

development of jazz.

The term ragtime means

“ragged time,” referring

to the music’s syncopated

melody with the form and

feel of a march. Playing

in this syncopated style

was called “ragging.”

Listening experience: “Maple Leaf Rag” Scott Joplin

LeArning experience: As you listen to “Maple Leaf Rag”

notice the even, march-like style of

the low notes that are played by the

left hand on the piano, and which

keeps a steady beat or pulse.

The right hand plays the higher notes

and melody line, which incorporates

syncopation, also known as ragging.

of significAnce: Scott Joplin won a Pulitzer Prize half

a century after his death for his 1911

ragtime opera Treemonisha.

4 Jazz

Articulation: The way in which a note or tone is started and released by use of the tongue. A smooth articulation would utilize a “da” or “doo” articulation. An accentuated articulation would utilize a “ta” or “taht” articulation.Beat: The regular pulse in music. Music moves to a steady beat. The division of pulse is called meter. In a waltz or “3/4 meter,” music is divided into groups of three. In a rock or jazz of “2/4 or 4/4 meter,” music is divided into groups of two or four.chords: Two or more notes played at the same time.color: The unique quality of sound created by an instrument or voice. Often referred to as “dark” or “bright.”folk song: Music of anonymous origins that expresses the customs, traditions, and emotions of the people of a country or community.harmony: A combination of notes sounding together to create a chord. Harmony is the vertical structure of music. harmonic foundation: The relationship between a series of chords within a musical composition.half step: The smallest interval or distance between two notes in American and European music.idiom: A characteristic style of jazz music, such as swing, ragtime, bebop. instrumental: Music performed on instruments rather than sung.Melody: A succession of notes of varying pitch and duration in an organized pattern to form a tune or theme.Melodic structure: The relationship between a series of melodies to create a musical composition.

phrasing: A musical thought with a beginning, middle, and end. Similar to a sentence, a phrase is a complete musical idea.pulse: See beat. register: The different levels of range (high and low) of instruments and voices. riffing: A jazz term meaning a short, repetitive, passage. Riffs are used as signposts or check-points for musicians.rhythm: Everything pertaining to the duration of musical tones in relation to a beat or pulse.rhythm foundation: The underlying combination of beat and accompanying rhythms that lay the foundation for the rhythm of melody and improvisation.scooping or bending pitches: To scoop a note is a technique in which a singer or instrumentalist does not move directly from one note to another, but instead moves up from a lower note until the desired pitch is established. A bend is allowing the tone to waver or fluctuate below and above the already established desired pitch.song form: Form is the way that musical ideas are organized. One form states an opening section which is called the “A” section. The “A” section is repeated and then followed by a contrasting new section called the “B” section. The “B” section is followed by a final repeat of the first “A” section. Together, the entire form is referred to as “A A B A.”syncopation: The placing of an accented note away from the established beat.Walking bass line: A steady beat played by a bass instrument that helps establish chord accompaniment.

Words to KnoWThroughout this curriculum guide you will see certain words in bold print. Below are the definitions of these words.

caLL and responseCall and response is a feature of jazz that has its roots in West African music. It

is often heard in work songs and religious music where a leader “calls” a part of

the song and the group “responds” to the leader’s call. Many spirituals and blues

songs use call and response as part of their form. In jazz, call and response is often

used to allow musicians to exchange improvisations as one would experience in

a conversation. One musician might play one section of the chorus of a song, then

turn the next section of the song over to another musician to respond. Sometimes

this is done with two measures (trading 2’s), four measures (trading 4’s), or eight

measures (trading 8’s). When musicians are trading ideas back and forth, as in a

conversation, that is call and response.

The blues is a distinctive

African-American song form.

Similar to what we now call a

folk song, the blues was a highly

expressive, predominantly vocal

tradition that expressed the

stories and emotions of African-

Americans at the beginning of

the 20th century. The blues was

not just a type of music, but

also a state of mind and way of

life for many African-Americans

during this time. The most dis-

tinctive melodic characteristic of

the blues is the alteration of the

eight-tone major scale common-

ly used in European music. The

eight-tone major scale is essen-

tially a series of tones or pitches

built on whole and half steps. The

blues scale used microtones,

which are intervals smaller than

a half step. Although these pitch

inflections may occur on any

tone, they are used most often

on the third and seventh notes

of a scale - they are referred to

as the “bent” or “blue” notes

that give the blues its poignant

character.

Listening experience: “Back Water Blues” Bessie Smith

LeArning experience: As you listen to “Back Water Blues” notice how

Bessie Smith adds variation to certain pitches by

bending or wavering on a pitch and by scooping

or bending her voice from one pitch to another.

of significAnce: Canadian scientist Reginald Fessenden transmit-

ted the human voice via radio for the first time

in 1907.

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1900—1920s the Blues

5

Listening to music, especially jazz, should be more than a passive activity. Encourage students to be “active listeners” by identifying the different instruments used in the ensemble. Have the stu-dents ask themselves what style of music is being played and what mood does that type of music create for the listener? Most importantly, encourage students to allow themselves to hear and feel the emotional message that is communicated by the musicians through the art of jazz.

Jazz

What Is sYncopatIon?syncopation is the term that refers to moving accented or stressed musical tones

away from the established beat or pulse of the music. Syncopation is not exclusive

to jazz, but is commonly found there. syncopation’s purpose is to create a sense of

surprise and catch us off guard. Let’s take a simple song like “Mary Had a Little

Lamb.” If we sing this song the way we know it, it follows a regular rhythmic

pattern with each word beginning on a beat:Clap and sing the beginning of the song. Clap each number as a beat.

1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, Mar- y had a lit- tle lamb –—–,

1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4

lit- tle lamb –—–, lit- tle lamb –—–

In a syncopated rhythm, we might move the words to unexpected places, between

or ahead of beats, changing the feel of the song:

Clap and sing the song with the words in between some beats and on others.

1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4,

——Ma - ry had a —–—lit-tle ––—— lamb

1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4

——– lit- tle lamb,——— ——–lit- tle ––—— lamb

audIence etIquette• Use the restroom before the performance begins.• Leave food, drinks, or gum outside the performance space.• Turn off pagers and cell phones.• Stay seated during the performance.• Save comments and questions for after the performance.• Listen courteously.• After a musician has completed an improvised solo it is appropriate to show your appreciation by applause. It is also appropriate to applaud upon completion of a piece of music.• Leave cameras, video recorders, or audio recorders at home.

Jazz ImprovIsatIonAs stated earlier, the essence of jazz is improvisa-tion. When a performer improvises, he is spon-taneously inventing new and original musical ideas. He is not reading music, and is not play-ing from memory. Although the musician who is improvising does have an understanding of music theory, he is essentially playing his instru-ment based on emotions. Unlike any other form of music, this display of emotion is shared with the audience and other performers and becomes a unique experience for all.

post-performanceQuestions to ask your students:What was your favorite part of the concert? Why?What was your least favorite part of the concert? Why?What instruments were used? Were you surprised by the choice of a particular instrument used in this jazz performance? Why? Why not?Did the music create an emotional response for you? What was it? What kind of mood did the music create for you?Describe how the overall listening experience affected you and your appreciation for jazz music.

durInG the performance

syncopAted

non-syncopAted

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Blues and ragtime came

together between 1915

and the early 1920s in

New Orleans, Louisiana,

to create a new type of

music called Dixieland

jazz. Dixieland jazz,

sometimes referred to as

traditional jazz or New

Orleans jazz, is character-

ized by a steady, often

upbeat tempo similar

to ragtime. The name

Dixieland was most likely

derived from the Original

Dixieland Jazz Band, a

New Orleans group who

made the first publicly

available recording of this

style of music in 1917.

Dixieland is primarily

an instrumental form of

music. A typical Dixieland

band includes a trumpet or

cornet, clarinet, trombone,

banjo, piano, drums, and

string bass or tuba.

Listening experience: “Livery Stable Blues” The Original

Dixieland Jazz Band

LeArning experience: In “Livery Stable Blues” listen to how

the steady beat of ragtime is present

while new instruments such as the clari-

net, trombone, and trumpet incorporate

a melody that is more like the form of

the blues (bent pitches, scooped notes).

of significAnce: Jazz was the dominant popular form of

entertainment for listening and dancing

in the 1920s. Often it was performed in

places where alcohol was served illegally

during the years of prohibition.

form In JazzForm is the way that musicians organize musical ideas. Form depends upon the repeti-

tion of melodic ideas so as to serve as signposts or check points for the listener’s jour-

ney through a song. The nursery rhyme “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” is an example of

a typical song form. The first section (Twinkle, twinkle, little star…) is played or sung, and

is referred to as the “A” section. The next section (starting with the words, “Up above

the world so high”) would be called the “B” section. Then the melody of the “A” section

returns. This is called “A-B-A” song form. An elaboration on that is “A-A-B-A”, where

the “A” section repeats before moving to the “B” section. The “B” section is sometimes

called a bridge because it fills the gap between the two “A” sections. This has been a

common form for popular songs and is often the basis for jazz improvisation. Another

type of form is “chorus format” in which a jazz musician repeats the sections of a song form and does different things with each repeat. This “chorus format” allows the musi-

cians to utilize and feature different instruments or combinations of instruments during

different times while sticking to the melodic and harmonic foundations of the piece they are

playing. It is much like the floors of a skyscraper or layers of a cake.

Instruments of Jazz ensemBLes and comBos

guitar: Similar to the role of the piano, it reinforces and builds on the foundation provided by the other rhythm section players. Provides chords and color that comple-ment and reinforce the melodic structure of the ensemble and soloists.

Woodwind section The most commonly used wind instruments of jazz are the alto, tenor, and bari-tone saxophones. A clarinet and flute may be used in a jazz ensemble depending on the type and style of music. In a band of high school age players, most students specialize on one instru-ment. In college and professional bands however, musicians will “double” on any or all of the wind instruments. In a big band, the alto and tenor saxophones are split between parts with the first part playing “lead” and the second part playing harmony. The baritone saxophone also plays har-mony and the bass line.

Brass section The brass instruments used in jazz are the trumpet and trombone. However, a tuba or French horn may also be used depending on the type and style of music. The trumpet and trombone section are split up into first, second, third, and fourth parts to create lead parts,harmony, and bass.

rhythm section The core of any jazz ensemble or combo is its rhythm section. Instruments of the rhythm section can be a mix of any of the follow-ing: piano, electric keyboard, bass, drums, guitar, percussion, and vibraphone. There is no standard rhythm section instrumentation. The type of band, style of music played, or preference of the bandleader will determine the instrumentation of a rhythm section. The role of the rhythm section is to provide the foundation for the rest of the jazz band or ensemble. In addition to supporting the ensem-ble, rhythm section players often play their own improvised solos. Simply stated, the role of each member of the rhythm section is:

drums: Provide a steady pulse or time, reinforce and build upon the rhythmic foundation of the band or soloist, and energize the ensemble by playing fills, set-ups, and figures. Provide contrast by varying rhythmic feel and dynamics.

Bass: Provides the harmonic and rhythmic foundation for the rest of the band. Accompanies solos by playing walking bass lines that rein-

force chords for the ensemble and soloist.

piano: Reinforces and builds on the foun-dations provided by the bass and drums. Provides chords and color that compli-

ment and reinforce the melodic structure of the ensemble and soloists.

6 Jazz

The dominant idiom of the 1930s

and much of the 1940s was

swing music. A large ensemble

called a “big band,” usually

consisting of 10 or more play-

ers, performed swing music

almost exclusively for dancing.

Swing is very much a musical

“feel.” Music of the big bands

reflected full ensemble playing

and did not incorporate many

opportunities for improvisation.

Radio broadcasts spread inter-

est in big band swing music by

bringing it into peoples’ homes.

Listening experience: “In The Mood” Glenn Miller

LeArning experience: The song “In The Mood” demonstrates how the

call and response form typical of early jazz in

the 1800s is still present in swing music. In this

case, the saxophone section signifies the “call”

while the brass “responds.”

of significAnce: During World War II, black and white musicians

(as they were referred to then) enjoyed playing

together, but had to do it “after hours” because

of the segregation during that time. It was

widely believed that black musicians had the

feel for jazz music but often could not read the

notes...and that while white musicians could read

the notes, they did not have a feel for the music.

Together they shared their love and expertise for

playing jazz.

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1930s and 1940sswing

Jazz ensemBLes and comBos

A group of musicians who play jazz can be referred to as a jazz ensemble or combo. The number and type of instruments used creates the specific sound or tonality the members want and allows them to perform music with specific characteristics.

Jazz ensembles vary in the number of musicians depending on the type of band or style of music. A “big band” can be made up of seventeen players, including as many as five saxophones, four trumpets, four trombones, piano, bass, drums, and guitar. A jazz ensemble may be as large as twenty-five members and may include woodwind and brass instruments, percussion, mallet instru-ments (xylophone, marimba, vibraphone), and vocalists.

A jazz combo refers to a smaller group of players compared to that of a big band, and usually con-sists of two to six players. Jazz combos may feature a variety of instrumentation, including piano, electric keyboards, mallet instruments, bass, guitar, drums, woodwinds, and brass. A jazz combo may also incorporate the use of instruments in the string family (violins, violas, and cellos) the harmonica, or non-traditional instruments such as the oboe or bassoon. It is not unusual to hear a vocalist in a jazz combo.

“The real power of and innovation of jazz is that

a group of people can come together and create

art and can negotiate their agendas with each

other; and that negotiation is the art.”

—Wynton Marsalis, jazz musician

What Is sWInG?Swing is the moving force of jazz. It is its rhythmic motor. Swing happens when

there is something rhythmic taking place on every beat. A typical way to under-

stand swing is to analyze the layers of rhythm played by the rhythm section (for

example, the drums, bass, and piano). In swing something happens on every

beat, so the drummer “rides” the cymbal by tapping out a steady swaying

rhythm while filling with other drums. The bass player plays up and down the

instrument following the chord pattern of the song or piece, also playing on near-

ly every beat. This technique is called “walking the bass.” Because tuba players

have to stop playing to take breaths of air and therefore cannot play on every

beat, tubas eventually went of style as rhythm instruments for jazz. The final

rhythm layer is the work of the piano filling in with chords and riffs that accom-

pany or “comp” the rhythms that the other instruments play. Swing also implies

that eighth notes (notes half the length of one beat) are not played straight (or

square like is commonly found in rock), but are “swung,” that is they have a

swaying lilt that feels a little relaxed.

Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, when asked, “What is swing?” said,

“If you have to ask, you’ll never understand.”

7Jazz

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e1940s - 1950sBebop

Bebop emerged in the

1940s in New York as

a style of jazz that con-

trasted greatly to the

music of the big bands.

It was a revolution and

rejection by some jazz

musicians to the restrictive

arrangements of big band

style music. Bebop fea-

tured smaller ensembles

of four to six musicians,

gave more emphasis to

the rhythm section, and

allowed more solo oppor-

tunities for the players.

The music and improvisa-

tion of the bebop era was

fast, erratic, challenging to

listen to, and, in contrast

to the music of big bands,

unsuitable for dancing.

Listening experience: “Salt Peanuts” Dizzy Gillespie

LeArning experience: Listen to the speed and technical use

of notes by the musicians who play the

melody and improvise. This was a

characteristic of bebop playing which

was suitable for listening but not danc-

ing. Notice the difference in sound of

a small band (trumpet and saxophone

with rhythm section) compared to that

of a big band of the previous era.

of significAnce: Widespread use of electrically amplified

instruments, such as the guitar and bass,

became prevalent during the bebop era.

Music critic: Imagine you have been hired by the local newspaper as a music critic and have been asked to review the performance you just attended. Include the following in your review: What instruments were used? What type of mood was created through the music? How did you respond to the music? How did the audience respond to the music? What kind of interaction and communication (verbal and non-verbal) took place among the musicians on stage? Did you like the performance? Why or why not? Would you recommend your readers attend a future performance? Why or why not? (1.0 Artistic Perception and 4.0 Aesthetic Valuing)

research project: Research a well known jazz musician or composer and write about his or her musical life. What periods of time covered the person’s life and work? How was the person influenced by the work of other musicians? How did social or political events (such as Prohibition or the Second World War) influence the person’s work? What primary styles of music did the person play or compose? What honors or awards did the person receive? (3.0 Historical and Cultural Context)

group discussion: Break into small groups and discuss the jazz performance you just attended. What kind of mood did the performers create? How did the choice and use of instruments in the ensemble affect the mood of the music? How did the performers interact and communicate ver-bally and non-verbally during the performance? On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest, rate the performance and explain your group’s rating. (4.0 Aesthetic Valuing)

Music Business As A career: Think of all the people it takes to make a concert happen: stage crew, musicians, business managers, lighting and sound technicians, ticket sellers, ushers, custodians, etc. Explain which one of these roles would best suit your interests and why. Is the music busi-ness something that would appeal to you? Why or why not? (5.0 Connections, Relationships, Applications)

8 Jazz

after the performance

standards-Based cLassroomLearnInG experIences

essentIaL Jazz LIstenInG GuIde

The following is a list of specific jazz artists and recordings that had a significant impact and influence in the idiom of jazz. For the serious jazz listeners or performers who wish to bet-ter their understanding and appreciation of jazz music, these recordings are essential to any library.

Artist recording recording LABeL

duke ellington TheDuke-TheEssentialCollection Columbia/Legacy CompleteBrunswickAndVocalionRecordings1926-1931 GRP EllingtonUptown Columbia TheGreatParisConcert Atlantic AndHisMotherCalledHimBill Bluebird EllingtonatNewport Columbia

count Basie TheCompleteDeccaRecordings GRP TheEssentialCountBasie Columbia/Legacy Basie,StraightAhead Impulse SixteenMenSwinging Verve

Billie holiday TheLegacy Columbia/Legacy

coleman hawkins BodyandSoul RCABluebird

dizzy gillespie Shaw‘Nuff Musicraft/Discovery TheCompleteRCA/VictorRecordings BMG GreatestHits RCABluebird

charlie parker TheCompleteSavoyandDialStudioSessions Savoy BirdatSt.Nick’s Debut Now’sTheTime Verve

thelonious Monk GeniusofModernMusic BlueNote

Louis Armstrong TheCompleteHotFiveandHotSevenRecordings Columbia/Legacy SatchPlaysFats Columbia TheCompleteRCAVictorRecordings BMG PortraitoftheArtistasaYoungMan Columbia

Miles davis TheCompleteBirthoftheCool CapitolCDP KindofBlue Columbia Milestones Columbia TheCompleteBitchesBrewSessions Columbia/Legacy

dave Brubeck TimeOut Columbia/Legacy

John coltrane JohnColtrane:GiantSteps Rhino

charles Mingus CharlesMingusPresentsCharlesMingus Candid

herbie hancock FutureShock Columbia/Legacy

ella fitzgerald SingstheDukeEllingtonSongbook Verve

At approximately the same

time as bebop, cool jazz

developed and remained

popular for several decades.

Cool jazz was subtle, moody,

and more restrained than

bebop. Cool jazz was also a

return to the carefully orga-

nized principles of swing,

without the emphasis of call

and response and riffing.

Listening experience: “Take Five” Dave Brubeck

LeArning experience: Notice how the musicians prefer to play

in the middle register of the instrument,

utilizing a smooth articulation and simple

phrasing, which is different from the bebop

style.

of significAnce: The evolution of jazz has been accompanied

by the development of recording technology.

Early recordings were limited by the technol-

ogy of the 78 rpm (revolutions per minute)

record. This meant recording time was

physically limited to between three and four

minutes in length. That’s one reason why

today’s popular songs tend to be only three

or four minutes long.

After World War II, a major technology

change was the introduction of the long

playing record (33 1/3 rpm) This innovation

allowed for recordings to extend to as long

as thirty minutes per side. Today’s compact

disc (CD) can extend to 75 minutes

in length.

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9Jazz

1940s - 1950scool Jazz

Jazz

Jazz t

Ime

LIn

e1960s free Jazz

Free jazz represented a totally new direction in jazz that

mirrored the social ferment of the 1960s. It was experi-

mental, very dissonant, and represented freedom from

melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic restraints. Although

free jazz was praised by some of the prominent musi-

cians of the time, it was challenging for many listeners

and not widely accepted by the public.

Listening experience: “Original Faubus Fables” Charles Mingus

LeArning experience: Free jazz was quite different than anything else before. Listen to how pitch and

tone are manipulated by players on their instruments to produce squeaks, shrieks,

and wails.

of significAnce: Rock music surpassed jazz as the popular music of the time. Rock appealed to a

younger audience and, with the advancements of the recording industry, was big busi-

ness for record companies.

1970s Jazz-rockThe 1970s brought renewed interest in jazz, with a revival

of many of the older, more traditional concepts. Jazz-rock,

also called fusion, combines jazz improvisation and chord progressions with the rhythms of rock. It is generally more

electronic than acoustic, featuring synthesizer, electric

bass, electric guitar, electronically processed woodwind

and brass instruments, and enlarged percussion sections.

Listening experience: “What Is Hip” Tower Of Power

LeArning experience: Notice how “What Is Hip” incorporates the feel of rock with the use of a horn section

(trumpet, trombone, saxophone). The music is upbeat, easy to listen and dance to

(similar to that of big band music of the swing era), and is modernized by electronic

instruments such as keyboards, bass, and synthesizer.

of significAnce: Although the hard-edged sound of jazz-rock had its place in popular music, an alterna-

tive to this was smooth jazz. Smooth jazz was, as the title suggests, mellow, easy to listen

to, and somewhat soothing.

recoMMended JAzz Listening coLLectionsThe following is a list of jazz recordings and recording labels that pro-vide a comprehensive resource of various jazz artists from each of the different jazz eras.

Ken Burns Jazz - The Story of American Music Columbia/LegacyThis Is Jazz Columbia/Epic/LegacyEssential Collections Sony Music Jazz: The Definitive Performances Columbia/Epic/LegacyVerve Jazz Master Series Verve

recoMMended JAzz internet WeBsitesThe following websites may be used for further understanding and recordings of jazz music: www.legacyrecordings.comwww.vervemusicgroup.comwww.pbs.org/jazzwww.apassion4jazz.netwww.kennedy-center.org/education/resources.htmlwww.jazzatlincolncenter.org

10 11Jazz

robert and margrit mondavi center for the performing artsThe Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts at UC Davis serves as a resource for the campus and the region, reinforcing the university’s status as a comprehensive university of the first order by raising the profile of its arts and humanities programs to that of its top-ranked science programs. Opened in October 2002, Mondavi Center features the state-of-the-art, 1,800-seat Barbara K. and W. Turrentine Jackson Hall, and the 250-seat Studio Theatre for more intimate productions. Mondavi Center is the largest presenter of the performing arts in the Sacramento region, bringing more than 70 of the world’s greatest artists and lecturers each season.

In addition to the artists and speakers presented as part of its annual Season of Performing Arts, Mondavi Center also hosts productions by the UC Davis Music and Theatre and Dance departments and other campus academic programs, as well as those of regional arts organizations such as the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra.

www.MondaviArts.org530.754.5000

department of musicThe Department of Music at UC Davis features a distinguished faculty and accomplished visiting artists, and provides outstanding instruction to students majoring in music as well as more than 1,200 non-majors each academic year. The program includes opportunities to study and perform music of all styles and periods, with students majoring in music focusing on a special interest area such as composition, analysis, history, performance, or secondary school teaching. All students may participate in a wide array of performance activities, including the University Symphony, the University Chorus and Chamber Choir, University Concert Band, the Early Music Ensemble, and chamber music ensembles.

music.ucdavis.edu530.752.5537

uc davis artsBridgeIn response to educational funding cutbacks and the erosion of formal arts training in the public schools, the University of California and the state of California have joined forces to expand ArtsBridge, an innovative arts outreach program that began at the Irvine campus in 1996. ArtsBridge pro-vides scholarships for undergraduate and graduate arts students to work with K-12 teachers in developing arts activities that supplement the core curriculum. The suc-cess of the program prompted lawmakers to include a $1.5 million line item in the 1999 state budget to facilitate the expan-sion of ArtsBridge to all of the UC cam-puses. Presently UC Davis students from the departments of Art, Theatre and Dance, Music, and Design are active in classrooms at several area schools, including school districts in Woodland, Winters, and Dixon.

artsbridge.ucdavis.edu530.754.8477

mondavi center arts educationMany of the artists appearing during Mondavi Center’s season also participate in a range of educational outreach activities coordinated by the center’s Arts Education Program. These activities include school matinees, master classes, lecture demon-strations, open rehearsals, curriculum development, and teacher training. These outreach activities, which benefit more than 25,000 area school children, college stu-dents, educators, and community residents every season, constitute a major commit-ment to arts education in the region and underscore UC Davis’ commitment to the artists and audiences of the future.

www.MondaviArts.org/education530.754.5431

department of theatre and danceThe Department of Theatre and Dance at UC Davis offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in conjunction with an aggressive and artistically adventurous production season. Courses and productions provide students with consistent opportunities to creatively engage with professional direc-tors, designers, and choreographers. The department, in collaboration with the Granada Television network, is host of the Granada Artists-in-Residence program, which brings distinguished theater artists from the United Kingdom to UC Davis. A stellar faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and talented students make UC Davis a leader in arts education.

theatredance.ucdavis.edu530.752.0888

arts educatIon at uc davIs

sierra north arts projectThe Sierra North Arts Project (SNAP) fosters the professional development of kindergarten through post-secondary teachers by employing the model of teachers teaching teachers. SNAP addresses the priorities of The California Arts Project (TCAP) involv-ing direct engagement with the artistic pro-cess, direct applications to classroom teach-ing, and the development of teacher lead-ers in arts education. The Sierra North Arts Project is one of six California Arts Project regional sites throughout the state, and it serves a twelve-county area extending from the Central Valley to the Lake Tahoe basin. The goals set forth by SNAP cover four key objectives: (1) to deepen and strengthen teachers’ subject matter knowledge; (2) to provide opportunities for teachers to con-nect with their personal creativity and to develop connections within the arts learn-ing community; (3) to enhance and expand SNAP within the region and create a wide variety of leadership opportunities for SNAP members; and (4) to develop strategies and techniques for translating research experi-ences into classroom practice.

education.ucdavis.edu/SNAP/530.752.9683

Jazz10 11

­Robert­and­Margrit­Mondavi­Center­­for­the­Performing­ArtsUniversity of California, DavisOne Shields AvenueDavis, CA 95616-8543

MondaviArts.org530.754.5000

Mondavi Center expresses gratitude to its partners at the California Arts Council and Sierra North Arts Project, Region III of the California Arts Project at UC Davis, for bringing together a team of educators to design and develop curriculum guides for Mondavi Center’s Wells Fargo School Matinee Series. The following individuals participated in the development of materi-als for the guides:

uc davis coordinatorsSarah AnderbergDirector, Sierra North Arts ProjectCRESS Center, School of EducationUC Davis

Linda BuettnerCoordinator, Sierra North Arts ProjectCRESS Center, School of EducationUC Davis

assessmentJoanne Bookmyer, Ph.D.Research AnalystCRESS Center, School of EducationUC Davis

teachersKevin GlaserMusic TeacherEl Camino High SchoolSan Juan Unified School District

Joe EarlMusic TeacherC.K. McClatchy High SchoolSacramento City Unified School District