Play or Dance along to Jazz Greats!

Hello 6th Grade Families,

Your assignment this week is to play an instrument or dance along with famous jazz musicians.  Use an instrument you made last week or create your own body percussion such as clapping, tapping your knees or shoulders. Listen to the music and use your instrument to keep a steady beat or create your own interesting rhythm to go along with the music.  You can also dance or dance and play an instrument to the music.  If you want a big challenge, try playing the beat when the band plays the “head” (the melody) and make up your own rhythms when they play improvised solos.  Improvised solos are when the player makes up the notes as they go.  They are following a bunch of different rules to help them know what notes will sound good.  This is how the kids in jazz band are able to play such great improvised jazz solos.  

Jazz music was created just over one hundred years ago in the United States.  Scroll down to find a list of jazz standards (favorite jazz songs) played by great jazz musicians.  There are hundreds of famous jazz musicians and hundreds of jazz standards but I have listed just a few for you to choose from.  I have included some current jazz greats and some jazz greats from the past.  Have fun listening, playing and dancing along.  Remember I love to hear your feedback so send me comments or videos of you playing and dancing along to the music.  You can always reach me at jdamon@wsesu.org.

-Mrs. Damon

Current Jazz Greats:
Wynton Marsalis (trumpet) and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra:
C Jam Blues written by Duke Ellington-https://safeYouTube.net/w/uzqC 

Trombone Shorty (trombone):
Where Y’at written by Trombone Shorty-https://safeYouTube.net/w/G7qC
Trombone Shorty wrote this song as well as a book with the same title that I’ve read to the kids.  

Trombone Shorty at age 13 with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra: 
Second Line-https://safeYouTube.net/w/kAqC

Natalie Cole singing: 
Orange Colored Sky-https://safeYouTube.net/w/XTqC

Lady Gaga singing: 
Orange Colored Sky-https://safeYouTube.net/w/0crC


Past Jazz Greats:
Duke Ellington (piano player, composer and bandleader) and His Orchestra:
It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got that Swing written by Duke Ellington
https://safeYouTube.net/w/BpbC

Benny Goodman (clarinetist and bandleader) and His Orchestra:
Sing, Sing, Sing written by Louis Prima-https://safeYouTube.net/w/KvqC 

Louis Armstrong (trumpet and voice) singing: 
What a Wonderful World-https://safeYouTube.net/w/zDqC 

Ella Fitzgerald (listen to her vocal improvisation (scat singing)): 
How High the Moon-https://safeYouTube.net/w/tOqC

Frank Sinatra singing:
Fly Me to the Moon-https://safeYouTube.net/w/AFqC

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