Jazz … the great American art form. My students have loved exploring this genre for as long as I have been teaching them.
My student teacher, Avery Gottshall and I created this simple way of introducing the jazz “head” to enter the jazz realm. The “head” is the main melody of a jazz tune. In the jazz setting, musicians would play the “head” and then improvise, playing through the structure and chords of the tune. We chose the Dorian mode because of the minor sound and the weird and cool raised 6th. The Dorian mode is the mode that starts on the second degree of the major scale. If you were to play the Dorian mode in the scale of C major, you would start on D, as D is the second degree of C major. We created short melodic “licks” (motifs) which students would string together to create a “head” A motif is a short melodic phrase. I added more complicated “licks” to further challenge my students.
When it came time for individual solos, the beauty and simplicity of elemental form brought the final product and form together. Students use the “licks” and elemental forms (aabc/abac/abbc, any pattern EXCEPT abcd or aaaa.) to compose a solo. More adventurous students can improvise over the scale.
Process:
I. Class #1: Class composes the “head”
a. Display jazz “licks” on the board
i. Each lick is four beats
ii. T. plays a jazz beat or uses a prerecorded jazz drum and bass track.
b. Have students echo you i. vocally
ii. on the barred instruments while singing the pitches
iii. Repeat each lick at least twice and ideally four times.
c. Students choose “licks” to create the melody
i. Encourage students to repeat some of the “licks” to emphasize repetition
ii. Explore repetition at the octave if appropriate
d. Class plays through the entire “head.”
e. Repeat until the class can play the head smoothly.
II. Class #2 Students create their own patterns for soloing using the “licks”
a. Explore elemental forms (aabc/abac/abbc, any pattern EXCEPT abcd or aaaa.)
b. Encourage improvisation after much exploration
c. Model creating a melodic phrase using elemental forms
d. Have the class create a few “solos”
e. Use paper, clipboards and pencils so they can notate their “solos.”
III. Class #3 Putting it all together
a. Teach bass line (d-e-f-g-a-g-f-e) on bass instruments (ascending and descending scale)(xylophone/metallophone/contra bass bars)
b. Class plays head two times through and individuals take solos
c. If you have a student who can play a jazz beat on a drumset or use brushes on a drum this will make the experience more authentic. Background tracks work nicely as well which can be found online.
IV. Class #4 Movement exploration!
a. Explore how each of the licks will inspire movement patterns.
i. Teacher models how students might move to the syncopated rhythms
ii. Teacher plays each lick and students respond with movements
b. Work in pairs or small groups to choreograph or improvise movement sentences
i. A movement sentence is a dance phrase. For example, one might begin at a starting point and travel along a pathway (curvy, straight, spiral, zigzag, etc.), responding to the individual licks played by the other students. Responses could include changes in levels, focus, or the use of sudden or sustained movements. Your students will really enjoy this part!
ii. The movements should reflect the melodic phrase.
This unit evolved through repeated teaching, and the students really enjoyed composing the “head.” Each class created something unique! This lesson incorporates a variety of elements: playing instruments, composing, exploring the jazz genre creatively, and experiencing the joy of jazz. The unit is four classes, but this can be processed out as much as you and your student’s desire.
I hope you enjoy this introduction to jazz as much as my students and I have.
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