What is Jazz?

Play a portion (30-90 seconds each) of the following six recordings from The Instrumental History of Jazz (IHJ)¹ or the Jazz in America website (Web)². Announce the tune title and artist only. Ask students to write down impressions (anything at all) about each recording.

1. "Birdland," Weather Report (IHJ) or "Chameleon," Herbie Hancock (Web)
2. "Maple Leaf Rag," Scott Joplin (IHJ) or “The Entertainer,” Scott Joplin (Web)
3. "Shaw ‘Nuff," Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker (IHJ) or “How High the Moon,” Ella Fitzgerald (Web)
4. "Full Force," Art Ensemble of Chicago (IHJ) or “Lonely Woman,” Ornette Coleman (Web)
5. "Mister Magic," Grover Washington (IHJ) or “Take Five,” Dave Brubeck Quartet (Web)
6. "One O'clock Jump," Count Basie Orchestra (IHJ) or “Main Stem,” Duke Ellington Orchestra (Web)

Discuss with the students what they heard (e.g., different instruments, rhythms, emotions, likes and dislikes, etc.).

1. All of the tunes are SO different yet share something in common -- just like all Americans.
2. What do all these diverse tunes have in common? They’re all jazz. They all reflect America: partly planned, partly spontaneous.