Jazz Music Lesson Plans for the Busy Teacher
Contents
Jazz Music Lesson Plans for the Busy Teacher
Introduction
Jazz music is a unique and important part of American culture. Learning about jazz can help students understand the history and culture of the United States. Jazz music is also a great way to get students interested in music.
Teaching jazz can be a challenge, especially if you are not a trained musician. But don’t worry! There are plenty of resources available to help you teach jazz to your students.
One great way to start teaching jazz is to use lesson plans. Lesson plans can help you structure your lessons and ensure that you cover all of the important information.
There are many different kinds of jazz lesson plans available online. You can find lesson plans for specific topics, such as improvisation or scatting, or you can find more general lesson plans that cover a variety of topics.
If you’re short on time, there are also plenty of ready-made jazz lesson plans available online. These lesson plans are typically shorter and less comprehensive than those that you would create yourself, but they can still be a helpful resource.
The Benefits of Jazz Music
Jazz music can be a great addition to any music classroom. It can help students to develop their improvisation skills, as well as their ability to play together as a band. Jazz music can also be a great way to introduce students to different styles of music.
Improved focus and concentration
Jazz music has been shown to improve focus and concentration. A study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that listening to jazz music can help people focus on tasks and block out distractions. The study found that jazz music helped people perform better on tasks that required attention and focus.
The study participants who listened to jazz music were also less likely to think about other things while they were working on the task at hand. This suggests that jazz music can help people stay focused and on task.
If you’re looking for a way to improve your focus and concentration, consider adding some jazz music to your study playlist.
Improved memory and recall
Jazz music has been shown to improve memory and recall, especially in older adults. A study published in the journal Neuropsychology found that when seniors listening to 30 minutes of jazz music three times per week for six months, they were better able to remember words and faces than those who didn’t listen to any music at all.
The researchers believe that the complex rhythms and melodies of jazz help to stimulate the brain, which in turn helps to improve cognitive function. So if you’re looking for a way to help your students (or yourself) remember information better, try incorporating some jazz into your study sessions!
Improved creativity and imagination
Jazz music has been shown to improve creativity and imagination in both children and adults. A study published in the journal Psychology of Music found that jazz musicians outperformed non-musicians on tests of creative thinking, and another study showed that listening to jazz can increase divergent thinking, a type of creativity that involves coming up with new ideas or solutions.
Jazz has also been linked to improved cognitive function in later life. A study published in the journal Neurology found that seniors who listened to jazz for one hour a day had better cognitive performance than those who did not listen to music at all. And another study found that seniors who took part in a jazz improvisation program had better executive function (the ability to plan, organize, and multitask) than those who did not participate in the program.
The Best Jazz Music for the Classroom
Jazz music can be a great addition to any classroom. It can help students focus, relax, and even feel more creative. But with so many different styles of jazz, it can be hard to know where to start. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best jazz music for the classroom, perfect for any busy teacher.
“Take the ‘A’ Train” by Duke Ellington
“Take the ‘A’ Train” is a 1941 composition by Duke Ellington that features a memorable melody and a driving rhythm. It’s a perfect example of the Swing Era style of jazz and it’s one of the most popular songs in the jazz repertoire.
This tune was originally written as an instrumental, but it was later adapted for vocals by Billy Strayhorn. The lyrics pay tribute to the A train, which was the main transportation line between Ellington’s homeland of Harlem and his Manhattan nightclub, the Cotton Club.
“Take the ‘A’ Train” is a perfect choice for beginning jazz students. The melody is fairly simple and it’s easy to find recordings that feature a wide variety of different instrumentation. This tune can be performed as a solo, duet, or ensemble piece, making it perfect for small or large groups.
“Mood Indigo” by Duke Ellington
If you’re looking for a piece of jazz music to play in the classroom that is sure to engage and inspire your students, look no further than Duke Ellington’s “Mood Indigo.” This piece is perfect for any classroom setting, and it is sure to get your students thinking about the genre of jazz and its place in American history.
“Mood Indigo” was first recorded by Duke Ellington and his orchestra in 1930, and it quickly became one of the band’s most popular pieces. The song is based on a blues progression, and it features a memorable melody that is perfect for teaching the basics of jazz improvisation. In addition, the piece features some of Ellington’s trademark orchestration, which is sure to captivate your students’ attention.
So if you’re looking for a great piece of jazz music to play in the classroom, be sure to check out Duke Ellington’s “Mood Indigo.”
“All Blues” by Miles Davis
One of the most popular pieces of jazz music, “All Blues” by Miles Davis is a great choice for your classroom. This piece is perfect for teaching the different elements of jazz, such as improvisation and call and response. You can also use this piece to teach about the history of jazz and the various influences that have shaped the genre.
Jazz Music Lesson Plans
Jazz music is a unique and popular genre of music that originated in the African-American communities in the early 20th century. Jazz is a complex and ever-evolving style of music that can be difficult to teach. However, with the right resources and lesson plans, teaching jazz can be fun and rewarding for both teachers and students. In this article, we will provide some tips and resources for teaching jazz in the classroom.
Introduction to Jazz History
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, United States. It emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and developed from roots in blues and ragtime. Jazz is seen by many as “America’s classical music”. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, jazz has become recognized as a major form of musical expression. It then emerged in the form of independent traditional and popular musical styles, all linked by the common bonds of African-American and European-American musical parentage with a performance orientation. Jazz is characterized by swing and blue notes, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation. Jazz has roots in West African cultural and musical expression, and in African-American music traditions including blues and ragtime
The Elements of Jazz Music
When most people think of jazz, they think of improvisation, which is certainly one of the key elements of this type of music. However, there are other important elements as well, including swing, a relaxed feeling, blue notes, and call-and-response patterns. In this lesson, students will learn about all of these elements and how they come together to create the unique sound of jazz.
One way to introduce students to jazz is to play them a few examples of this type of music and ask them to identify the different elements they hear. You might want to start with some well-known classics, such as “Take the ‘A’ Train” by Duke Ellington or “Mood Indigo” by Louis Armstrong. As you listen together, point out how the music has a light, swinging feel and how the instruments often take turns playing the melody (call-and-response). You might also want to point out how the saxophone solo in “Take the ‘A’ Train” is an example of improvisation.
After listening to a few examples, provide students with a more formal definition of each element:
Swing: A “laid back” rhythm created by playing eighth notes on the offbeats (counting “1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &”).
Call and response: A common pattern in which one instrument plays a phrase and is then answered by another instrument or group of instruments. This back-and-forth pattern is often used in jazz and other types of African American music.
Blue notes: Notes that are played slightly below their usual pitch in order to create a bluesy sound. For example, a blues singer might sing an A note as if it were an Ab note (playing it slightly flat).
Improvisation: Creating new melodies on the spot without planning or practicing ahead of time. In jazz, improvisation is often based on changes in chord progressions.
Improvisation in Jazz Music
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was developed from roots in blues and ragtime, and characterized by syncopated rhythms, polyphonic ensemble playing, and improvised solos. Jazz is seen by many as ” America’s classical music “. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, jazz has become recognized as a major form of musical expression. It then emerged in the form of independent traditional and popular musical styles, all linked by the common bonds of African-American and European-American musical parentage with a performance orientation. Jazz is characterized by swing and blue notes, complex chords, call and response vocals, Polyrhythms and improvisation.
The problem with improvisation is that it can’t be taught in the same way that other aspects of music can be taught. Some musicians are born improvisers, while others have to work hard at it. But there are some strategies that can help students become better improvisers.
Here are some ideas for teaching improvisation:
1. Start by teaching basic blues progressions. The blues is all about improvising over simple chord progressions, so it’s a good place to start.
2. Have students practice improvising over a given chord progression using a specific scale or mode. This will help them learn how to create melodic lines that sound good over specific harmonic progressions.
3. Give students opportunities to improvise solo or accompaniment parts during group activities such as jam sessions or band rehearsals. This will help them learn how to respond creatively to what others are playing around them.
4. Encourage students to listen to recordings of great jazz improvisors and analyze what they’re doing. This will help them develop their own individual style
Conclusion
We hope you have enjoyed this jazz music lesson plan. As you can see, there are many ways to integrate jazz into your curriculum. Jazz can be used to teach a wide variety of topics, including history, English, and even math. With a little creativity, you can find a way to use jazz in your classroom.
