FW: [Dixielandjazz] Quick! Send me a jazz/blues lesson for kids

[James Kashishian]

Nancy asked:
Anyone wish to e-mail some interesting info I can share with 10 to
12-year-olds? Jazz/blues history blues, etc...

If you can take recorded music in, take a good blues and explain a bit
of the history behind it.  Give a bit of the structure:  4 bars, then
"hear the second 4 repeat the theme"....then, "and here's the
resolution......"  Have them do some words of their own for their own
blues.

Then, if you have Trouble in Mind, or even just the words, talk about
it's different structure, and the fact that it is the best example of
the blues being positive.  Now, that's a shocker to most, but "the sun's
gonna shine in my back door someday" is a very positive line.  Here's a
person that's flat out, but looks to the afterlife for a happier time.
Not gobs of happiness, just a tiny bit (it sneaks in the BACK door).  

Years ago, I did one day a week to put my kids thru school at a local
private school in what I called a Music Appreciation Class.  I used
that, and it works.  Talk to them as a musician, not as a teacher!  Even
today, I get the odd person coming up to me and saying "remember me?"
(I don't, unless they were particularly naughty in class!)  I've often
heard from them that I was the best teacher they ever had.  Honest!
Maybe it was because I talked about what I love......

Jim