I have written before about all the numerous benefits music has on children. International Jazz Day is celebrated on April 30 and is a wonderful opportunity to introduce your children to the world of jazz music.
What is jazz music? According to Scholastic’s Teacher Activity Guide on Culture & Change-Black History in America, it is purely an American invention which started from blues music:
Born in the South, the blues is an African American-derived music form that recognized the pain of lost love and injustice and gave expression to the victory of outlasting a broken heart and facing down adversity. The blues evolved from hymns, work songs, and field hollers — music used to accompany spiritual, work and social functions. Blues is the foundation of jazz as well as the prime source of rhythm and blues, rock 'n' roll, and country music. The blues is still evolving and is still widely played today.
One of the most distinguishing features of jazz is what is known as improvisation. Musicians not only play from music sheets but also create their own impromptu solo performances right on the spot. It takes great talent to do this.
Jazz music continued to expand and grow over the years into what is known as “swing music” for dancing and then into what is known as “bepop music” in the 1940s:
In the early 1940s, jazz musicians were looking for new directions to explore. A new style of jazz was born, called bebop, had fast tempos, intricate melodies, and complex harmonies. Bebop was considered jazz for intellectuals. No longer were there huge big bands, but smaller groups that did not play for dancing audiences but for listening audiences.
The variety of jazz music is impressive, from blues to swing to bepop to Latin and Afro-Cuban jazz in more recent years. It involves large bands or small groups or even soloist performances.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established International Jazz Day in 2011 to recognize and promote the importance of jazz and uniting people all over the world. Herbie Hancock, legendary jazz pianist and composer, has played a vital part in developing and promoting the day. He said the following:
When a human being is oppressed, the natural tendency is to feel anger. Jazz is a response to oppression that is not bullets and blood. Jazz is the expression of harmony ... and at the same time of hope and freedom.
Plan some at-home lessons about jazz. There are many famous jazz artists about whom your children can read and learn, including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie.
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