Unit 4. I’ve Got Rhythm: Jazz and Blues

"Who Am I" Jazz Artist Web Quest

Task 1: Choose a Jazz Musician and create a "Who Am I"

Answer the following Questions about their life and their Music to help you write your 'Who Am I'

1. When was the musician born?

2. Where was the musician born?

3. Where else did the musician live throughout his/her life?

4. What was their childhood life like?

5. Who was in their family?

6. Did they go to school? Where?

7. Were they married?

Did they have children?

8. What challenges (if any) did this person overcome?

9. Where and when did they die?

10. How did they die?

The Music

1. What type of jazz music did this person play/sing? Find three YouTube recordings.

2. What instrument(s) (including voice) did they play?

3. When (and what age) did they begin making music?

4. Where did they learn to play music?

5. Who did they learn music from?

6. How and when did they become famous?

7. What other musicians did they work with in their career? Did they have a band?

8. Have they won any awards for their music? If so, what are they?

9. What was their biggest accomplishment in music?

10. List at least 5 of the most famous songs by this artist.

Bonus Task

List 3 -5 things you found interesting about this person.

Some Jazz Artists you might like to choose for your WebQuest are listed below

Miles Davis Louis Armstrong Duke Ellington John Coltrane Ella Fitzgerald Charlie Parker Billie Holiday Thelonious Monk Bill Evans Oscar Peterson

Abbey Lincoln, Art Blakey, Art Tatum, Betty Carter, Bill Evans, Billie Holiday, Bobby Wellins, Buddy Rich, Cannonball Adderley, Carmen Mcrae, Charles Lloyd, Charles Mingus, Charlie Haden, Charlie Parker, Count Basie, Dave Brubeck, Dianne Reeves, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Esbjörn Svensson, Fats Waller, George Shearing, Gerry Mulligan, Gregory Porter, Herbie Hancock, Hugh Masekela, James Morrison, Jamie Cullum, Jan Garbarek, Jimmy Smith, John Coltrane, John Taylor, Keith Jarrett, Kenny Wheeler, Lester Young, Loose Tubes, Louis Armstrong, Mark Murphy, Mary Lou Williams, Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Norma Winstone, Ornette Coleman, Oscar Peterson, Pat Metheny, Sun Ra, Thelonious Monk, Tubby Hayes, Wayne Shorter, Winton Marselis, Wycliffe Gordon, Woody Herman

The History of Jazz

Task 2. Matching up the Jazz Artists with the Styles

Choose 2-3 Jazz Styles (Ragtime, Blues, Dixieland, Swing, Bebop, Cool, Free Form Jazz, Funk, Fusion Jazz, Progressive Jazz)

For each style:

1. Identify when they were considered to be the most Popular?

2. Identify some key features of the style? (Consider Tempo, Instruments/Technology, Size of ensemble etc)

3. Name 3 musicians who are associated with each style. Find a YouTube example for each musician you name.

Rag Time

Trad Jazz

The Big Band Era!! and Swing!!

The Bigbands brought in a Swing Dance Era!! Because the band was loud - they could play for a large party and get everyone dancing. Swing Dancing is still one of the main tests of a dancers repertoire!

The Charleston was invented during the Roaring 1920's and one of the most popular dances of the century - still used today in Dance competitions!

The blues

Bebop

Cool Jazz

In response to Bebop movement fast scales - Miles Davis was one of the pioneers of a new movement called Cool Jazz with a track named 'So What?' written in 1959.

Jazz Fusion

Rock n Roll, and Funk were having an impact in the 60's and started to take over as the main popular music - Some of the best Jazz Musicians adapted by creating a genre called Fusion - a blend of Jazz and Funk and Rock