Jazz: Jason Moran
and the Bandwagon
About the Program
The African American Spiritual
A spiritual is an African American song,
usually with a Christian religious text.
Originally sung without instrumental
accompaniment (a cappella), these songs
helped form the roots of the blues. Spirituals
have also been called jubilees, slave songs,
and African American folk songs.
Friday, February 23, 2007
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET
Grades 7-12
Historical Background
Slavery was introduced into the European
colonies in 1619 and continued through the
entire 18th century and much of the 19th
century. During slavery in America, there were
systematic efforts to de-Africanize the captive
black workforce. Slaves were forbidden to
speak their native languages, to play drums,
or to practice their faiths. They were urged to
become Christians by slave owners who
often used Christianity as a tool of control.
African tradition is evident in the spiritual:
the style and cadence, the call and response,
the use of blue notes, and syncopation.
“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” is one of the
best-known spirituals.
Spirituals sometimes provided comfort and
eased the boredom of daily tasks, but above
all, they were an expression of spiritual
devotion and a yearning for freedom from
bondage. Lyrics about the story of Moses
and the Exodus of the “children of Israel”
resonated deeply with slaves as a metaphor
for freedom from slavery. To enslaved African
Americans, spirituals became an instrument
of liberation.
PHOTO BY SHAWN DOS SANTOS
When viewing Jazz: Jason Moran and the Bandwagon and participating in
this guide’s suggested activities, the following National Standards for Music
will be addressed: 6, 7, 8, 9.
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Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing
Often called the black national anthem,
“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” was originally a
poem by James Weldon Johnson, later set
to music by his brother John Rosamond
Johnson in 1899. It was first performed in
public on February 12, 1900 in the
Johnsons’ hometown of Jacksonville, Florida,
in honor of Abraham Lincoln, the “Great
Emancipator.” A choir of 500 schoolchildren
at the segregated Stanton School, where
James Weldon Johnson was principal,
performed the song.
Lift ev’ry voice and sing,
’Til earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the list’ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark
past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the
present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on ’til victory is won.
Singing this song quickly became a way for
African Americans to demonstrate their
patriotism and hope for the future while
speaking out subtly against racism and
injustice. During and after the American Civil
Rights Movement, “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing”
experienced a rebirth, and by the 1970s
was sometimes sung immediately after “The
Star-Spangled Banner” at public events with
a predominantly African American audience.
Jazz Spirituality
In 1964, jazz saxophonist John Coltrane
recorded A Love Supreme, opening the eyes
and ears of the jazz world to a new spiritual
potential. As the African American
community began to reconnect to their
African roots and heritage, jazz became a
vehicle for exploration and self-expression.
In the late 60s, jazz musicians adopted
aspects of these spirituals and began to
reshape their music forms and ideas.
Jason Moran and the Bandwagon
Jason Moran and the Bandwagon will
discuss the scope of African American
music as part of Black History Month. With
the spiritual as a jumping off point, Moran
will show how music is possible for
everyone even under the harshest of
circumstances. With his group and featured
students, Moran also will examine the
genres of jazz, gospel, blues, and hip-hop.
Instructional Activities
Resources
Internet
jasonmoran.com
artsedge.kennedy-center.org/cuesheet/pdf/
kce_ jazz.pdf
Print
Cooper, Michael L. Slave Spirituals and the
Jubilee Singers. Boston: Clarion Books, 2001.
Johnson, James Weldon. The Books of the
American Negro Spirituals. Cambridge, MA:
Da Capo Press, 2002.
Lift Your Voice
Listen to and learn the words to the
Johnson brothers’ “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,”
including additional verses not printed here.
What do the lyrics mean to you? How does
the music affect the lyrics?
Kahn, Ashley. A Love Supreme: The Story of
John Coltrane’s Signature Album. New York:
Penguin, 2003.
Overcoming Adversity
Read about musicians John Coltrane,
Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Marian
Anderson, and Paul Robeson. Listen to their
music. What did they have to overcome to
become successful? In what ways did they
further the culture and politics of the African
American community?
Moran, Jason.
Same Mother. Blue Note Records, 2005;
The Bandwagon. Blue Note Records, 2003;
Modernistic. Blue Note Records, 2002;
Black Stars. Blue Note Records, 2001;
Facing Left. Blue Note Records, 2000;
Soundtrack to Human Motion. Blue Note
Records, 1999.
Recordings
Coltrane, John. A Love Supreme. Impulse
Records, 1964.
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