While SIS students have always been able to learn and play jazz music through the extracurricular club, Jazz Ensemble, it was not until this year that SIS band teacher Justin Olson incorporated the music genre into the curriculum for all of his band classes.
According to Olson, traditional jazz music--especially for the middle school demographic-- often doesn’t include all band instruments so, because of this, jazz was not extensively taught as part of the curriculum previously. However, it took the pandemic for Olson to realize that he could creatively provide all of his students with a great opportunity to learn about jazz through three specific jazz sub genres (which utilize all types of band instruments):
1) Latin Jazz
2) Swing Jazz
3) Funk Jazz
During the unit, the students learned about the history of jazz and how to play songs from many periods throughout jazz history, noting the different styles, techniques, articulations and more. Specific discussion topics included:
-The evolution of the blues, another African American-derived form of music
-How various types of music combined to become New Orleans jazz.
-How Louis Armstrong and others shaped a new form of jazz called Improvisation.
-How to swing rhythms: a high-energy form of jazz beloved by the big bands of the 1930s.
-How Duke Ellington, a pianist, composer, and bandleader helped create the big band sound, which fueled the "swing" era.
The learning objective for the unit was that “students will study the history and origins of jazz music to gain awareness of the cultural contributions made by different groups in America, including an in-depth study of many African American contributions to this unique American art form."
To further highlight the history and successes of jazz, Olson showed students excerpts from the Ken Burns documentary series titled Jazz. The series follows the growth and development of jazz music starting in New Orleans in the nineteenth century.
“I’m so excited that all of my students are getting an opportunity learn more about jazz and its background,” says Olson. “This unit was a great tie in to Black History month as well, since jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. I think it’s important that students know the history of jazz and its evolution in our country.”
Eighth grade band student Isiah Taylor-Jordan (pictured right) says that he’s really enjoyed the jazz unit. “It’s been way more fun to play jazz music than any other music we’ve done so far this year, and the videos we watched were really interesting. Mr. Olson always makes the environment really fun and it doesn’t feel like we are actually in a class at school.”
SIS students--along with SHS students who also studied jazz--took what they learned in the unit and recorded their jazz performances, which are shared below in a virtual jazz band concert.