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WEEK of June 4, 2007 |
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Going
with the Flow: April was Jazz Appreciation Month, and the BFS Jazz Bands were busy infiltrating and indoctrinating the BFS population in the ways of jazz music. Students began their celebration by educating their peers and the public about the history of jazz through a bulletin board display in the 375 Pearl Street lobby. Community members learned about Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday and other jazz luminaries through the students’ informative display. These young musicians also brought their love of jazz music directly into the classroom. The upper school jazz band read aloud from children’s books with jazz themes while playing accompanying music in the lower school library for second grade and preschool classes. The middle school Musical Explorations class performed and introduced their instruments in some lively question and answer interactive sessions with Kindergarten classes. The upper school jazz band also performed at the Bridge Film Festival dinner, and prepared for their debut at Old First Church’s teens-only concert series, Club Loco, in Park Slope.
Teacher Jessica Jones and all the middle and upper jazz students hosted a community-wide jam session that brought in students, afterschool teachers and parents jamming on some jazz classics together in the Jazz Room. The upper school jazz band performed in the lobby at the end of a school day, while middle school jazz band took a survey asking parents, staff, and children the age-old question, “What is Jazz?” Students also read an essay by Wynton Marsalis, and wrote their own ideas of what they liked about jazz. A sampling from their research—which ranged from drawings by younger children, answers on a true-false quiz for some early readers, to philosophical explorations by all—are presented here. Middle School Jazz Band thoughts on jazz: “Improv is huge for jazz musicians, and I think that it should be valued more than it is.” —seventh grader “…for jazz musicians, jazz is more than that—jazz is a form of expression, a way of making their options heard.” —eighth grader “In jazz, artists are free to improvise and go with the flow of the song (so long as they don’t make it sound bad).” —eighth grader “Jazz is a music where you know it is jazz when you hear it. It is different than most musics and has its own characteristic.” —eighth grader “Jazz tells the mood of someone. It tells you the meaning of life. It is a way to let out everything that you wanted to say to someone. Jazz is a music of feelings.” —seventh grader “Jazz is like dreams.” —seventh grader “Jazz isn’t just music, but it gives you something when you play it.” —seventh grader “Jazz is music with no limits. But it’s
not chaotic.” —seventh grader True/False quiz:
Quotes from BFS Middle School survey question, What is jazz? Jazz is… “…the elements of different instruments collaborating, giving off an eclectic sound” “…a beautiful music—it will make you move.” “…music that blends together through each player’s emotions, skills, and musical and personal experience!! You don’t play jazz, you FEEL it!” “…an opportunity to listen to the real beat of your heart.” “…not only a form of music but it’s a way for people to form together and share a mood together and a variety of emotions into one thing.” “…soul soothing. Love it. LOVE IT!” “…a feeling.” “… =5+Q 2 “ “…a way of expressing your feeling with a beat and rhythm.” “…swirling, floating, building.” “…music that’s immediately sensual and ultimately intellectual.” “…in the moment…a musical conversation…disparate voices in harmony…a cultural history woven with personal history…what life’s all about.” “…a combination of blues, hip hop, etc.” “…a way of expressing yourself through music. A way to show your personality and style.” “…life. Jazz is culture. Jazz is cool!” “… Jumpin “…a form of music which derives from the blues.” “…like a culture. It’s full of music, fashion and food (soul food). Jazz to me is also something that represents Black history in a huge way.” “…very mellow.” “…a very live music…it will make you move even if you don’t want to move.” “…a mathematical form of music. It’s got angles, sharp turns, and placeholders. You listen more with your head. It is cool, not hot.” “…music that has emotion and expresses it in many different ways.” “…whatever you want it to be. It’s music that has been twisted and turned into off rhythm, off tempo beats and thus creating a sound of pleasure and satisfaction.” “…a form of art that tells how you feel.” :…filled with brass and electric sounds.” “…inspiration of life and passion, first found in the 1920s—music grew from this stuff.” “…an important type of music. It started many other types of music styles. It also influenced many people, and still does.” “…feeling and thought with a beat and rhythm. |
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