SWING AND THE BEBOP ERA

Lesson 3

Teaching Artist: Dave Adewumi

This is the third lesson from the grades 2-5 Jazz and the World of Black American Music Course. Students will be introduced to historical facts and figures in the swing and bebop era. They will be able to play a swing beat and play along with a recording.

SUMMARY

  • Students will be able to summarize important information about the bebop era.

  • Students will be able to identify the swing rhythm in a jazz recording.

  • Students will be able to perform the swing rhythm.

OBJECTIVE

MATERIALS

EXPLORE

  1. Watch Swing Era Musicians [4:36-6:16]. Ask students to listen to Fine and Mellow and think about how Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young express themselves in different ways.

  2. Engage students in a discussion about individuality. Ask: What part of your personality makes you proud? What is unique about you? 

  3. Ask students to turn and talk to a peer to discuss the three musicians in the videos. Ask: What makes these musicians unique? Invite them to share their thoughts in class or on the S’Cool Sounds Padlet.

  4. Watch The Birth of Bebop [2:05-4-17]. Ask students to think about Charlie's journey as a musician. Ask: What challenges do you think he faced as he developed his voice as an individual?

  5. Create a concept map on chart paper or an interactive board with the word “Individuality” in the middle. Ask students to brainstorm ways that they show their individuality. Ask: When do you feel the most like your true self? Responses may include when they are dancing, cooking, reading, laughing, etc. Students can write their responses on the map using sticky notes or the teacher can scribe them.  

LEARN

  1. Tell students the rhythm they will learn is the foundation of all the music in the videos. Play Learning a Swing Beat to introduce the swing rhythm.

  2. Ask students if they can hear the rhythm in one of the song selections: Splanky and Moten Swing.  

  3. To practice the swing rhythm, invite students to play along with Mr. Dave in the play-along track  Swing Rhythm (walk the dog). Model clapping (drumming) with the “ride” cymbal and Mr. Dave’s voice, as needed.

  4. After students successfully play a swing beat, invite them to create a rhythm that expresses their individuality. 

  5. Ask students to write a three-syllable word or phrase that makes them happy. For example, “Feed the cat.” Students will perform their new phrase that will replace "walk the dog.” Invite the other students to join.

PERFORM+SHARE

  1. Share and perform the activities from this lesson on the  S’Cool Sounds Padlet. 

  2. Tell students that they will learn about Call and Response in the next class.