From Jazz to Zen and Back Again
Using poems and art of the Jazz Age and Japanese haiku
to inspire creative movement and musical expression
Greater Cincinnati Orff Chapter Workshop, Feb. 11, 2017
Presented by Julie Froude ([email protected]
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY JAZZ UNIT/CONCERT (GRADE 2) ~ APPROX. 8 WEEKS
References And Materials:
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I Dream a World, poem by Langston Hughes
https://www.google.com/doodles/langston-hughes-113th-birthday
The life and art of Romare Beardon: http://www.beardenfoundation.org/education/activity.shtml
(in particular, the National Gallery of Art Collage Machine)
Smithsonian Folkways jazz education website:
http://www.folkways.si.edu/jazz-education-web-site/music/smithsonian
Scholastic Art, Feb. 2014 (www.scholastic.com/art) - Vol. 44 No. 4 (Harlem Renaissance feature)
Now’s the Time: Teaching Jazz to All Ages by Doug Goodkin
Alligator Pie, poem by Dennis Lee
My Hands Sing the Blues by Jeanne Walker Harvey (about Beardon)
Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry With a Beat, ed. by Nikki Giovanni
I See the Rhythm – paintings by Michele Wood/text by Toyomi Igus
This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt
Rap a Tap Tap by Diane Dillon and Leo Dillon (about Bill Bojangles Robinson)
Jazz Fly by Matthew Gollub (other books also available)
Stretchy band for movement activities
Boomwhackers
Provided in the session:
• Sample concert program
• Visual and aural examples
General Background & Collaboration:
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Concert inspiration: Langston Hughes poem and birthday Google Doodle.
Collaborations:
➡ Art teacher: collaborative art based upon Romare Beardon.
• In art class:
• students explore websites on Romare Beardon’s life and art.
• Plan and create two collages in this style, incorporating every child and adult involved in the
project.
• Listen to music by Beardon’s jazz friends while working.
• Create two collage-murals in art class, later hung in lobby for concert night.
➡ High school jazz band, providing the music for the concert.
Additional reference materials
• Create jazz playlist and share with teachers.
• Videos of jazz in dance (such as tap) – YouTube examples (i.e. Bill Robinson, Shirley Temple).
• Books to enhance interest, learning, and discussion in general classroom, art and music.
Music Lesson Process:
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Students view “I Dream a World” Google Doodle a few times, then discuss meaning, vocabulary.
Creative movement to interpret poem, using stretchy band.
Froude – From Jazz to Zen and Back Again
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4 cups rhythmic exercise/focused listening (Mack the Knife or other slow, steady beat song), learned
from Brent Gault.
Pre-assessment questions – “What is scat?” (several answers possible); “What is improvisation?”
Student introduction to scat in music (Ella Fitzgerald – One Note Samba, YouTube examples).
Explore simple scat through C-Jam Blues (Duke Ellington/Arr. Doug Goodkin).
• Learn vocal part (2 notes) first, then transfer to Boomwhackers or barred instruments.
Study other notable jazz artists, such as Louis Armstrong (What a Wonderful World).
Practice with Alligator Pie poem (v. 1) by Dennis Lee as speech canon (“canon balls” technique).
• Students create speech ostinati for use with poem. Practice with BP (body percussion), then UPP.
• Add 12-bar blues (piano, vocal, or jazz band) and turn poem into swing style.
• Begin with snaps on beats 2 & 4; speak poem; divide into ostinati as students can handle it.
Explore improvisation (movement, instruments).
• Mirrored movement, changing leader (Bags’ Groove by Gary Burton)
• Small groups with a leader and “secret signal” to change
• Keep barred instruments in pentatonic scale for improvisation (C-Jam Blues)
• Limit the notes initially (just use Sol and Mi, for example, adding La, Do and Re in turn)
Concert performance:
• HS jazz band plays song, students take turns with the two-note melody and xylophone improv. part
which fits between the melody notes.
Froude – From Jazz to Zen and Back Again
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Divide up performance numbers between classes, to minimize teaching time. Consider ability
levels.
Consider these ideas and adapt for other grade levels.
Extension activities (great for older students): Students explore the blues and write their own (see
Smithsonian Folkways website for information and ideas).
DRAMATIZING HAIKU
Grades 3~5
Reference and Materials
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Japanese Haiku by Peter Beilenson (poems by Sora and Shiki)
http://sacred-texts.com/shi/jh/index.htm (public domain)
Poetry translations by Roger Pulvers in The Japan Times (poems of Kobayashi Issa)
The Sound of Water by Robert Hass (poems of Kobayashi Issa and others)
Classic Haiku: An Anthology of Poems by Basho and His Followers by Asataro Miyamori
A great website on tanka poetry: www.tankaonline.com
Flower, Moon, Snow – A Book of Haiku by Kazue Mizumura
Cool Melons Turn to Frogs! – The Life and Poems of Issa by Matthew Gollub (More Haiku)
Dragon of the Red Dawn by Mary Pope Osborne (Magic Treehouse series #37)
Selected haiku (4-6) for movement exercise
Scarves, long fabric pieces, twirly ribbons
Unpitched percussion, including wind chimes, chime tree, hand and wave drums, finger cymbals,
cowbells, stir xylophone, triangles, etc.
Teaching Process (several 30-minute class sessions):
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Pre-assessment questions to check student knowledge:
• What is haiku?
• If a poem is translated, will it still fit the pattern?
Group activity and parameters:
• Divide students into groups of 3~5.
• Using pre-selected haiku or student-created poems, give each group a different poem.
• The poem must be read out loud (Ex. one reader, whole group, read before/during/after poem).
• Each poem must have some movement.
• Groups practice with reading poem and everyone moving.
• Each group is given either a sound effect (rainstick, wind chimes, chime tree) or props (scarves,
twirly ribbons) with which to express their poem. Create a “sound carpet” or highlight special word.
• After a brief brainstorming time, each group “performs” for the class.
• If needed, perform again next class, to fine-tune.
• Consider performing for classroom teacher and students in other grades or classes.
• Record for assessment and school website, if desired.
Language Arts Extension: Using haiku or tanka, students create seasonal poems. Tanka poetry is at
least 1300 years old, older than haiku. Tanka is the traditional name for “waka,” Japanese lyric poetry
(lit. “Japanese Song”). Both tanka and haiku still enjoy popularity today, with dedicated sections in
newspapers, poetry clubs and competitions. Tanka traditionally have 31 syllables (although this is
flexible), and five lines usually in this pattern: 5, 7, 5, 7, 7. Haiku are shorter poems of 17 syllables in
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three lines, in the pattern of 5, 7, 5. Many haiku poets in the 18 and 19 centuries were Zen
practitioners as well, perfecting the art of saying a great deal with just a few words.
Benefitsofartsintegration:culturalunderstanding,increasedstudentengagement,increasedmotivation,
higherachievement,differentiation,positiverisk-taking,deeperknowledge,tonameafew.