Ron Sike Jazz Vice-preident
Homework Blues
Charles Mingus once said, “jazz music is a language of the emotions.”
One of the most important concepts I was taught as a young jazz musician was “time and feel.” I worked to maintain a steady tempo, but while at the same time, playing “in the pocket” so the music “felt” good. But how can I teach a middle school jazz band that’s meets once a week the same concept?
As an experiment, I introduced a 12-bar blues two different ways. I handed out the sheet music and we counted the measures and played the melody. Then, I told them what notes would work to solo. We used a minor pentatonic and a blues scale. I counted off the tempo and a way we went! The results were fine for the first time. The kids worked hard and tried to create melodies within their solos. However, they got lost in the form and their playing was void of all emotion. They were simply following a script and going through the motions. They were playing notes and rhythms with no connection to the music
For round two, I took a different approach. This time we briefly discussed the history of the blues and how it was born out of pain and heartache. We studied the origins and its progression into jazz. In my best effort, I tried to come up with a lesson that
would help them connect to the blues. I thought the best way to connect to the blues was to compose a blues tune. I asked the students to name something that brings them pain and heartache? The answer: HOMEWORK! Thus, the “Homework Blues” was born. As a class, we penned the lyrics and began composing the melody. The students made an immediate connection. They were excited and ready to dig in!
This homework is workin’ on me This homework is workin’ on me Oh, homework, just let me be.
It’s midnight, lord let me sleep It’s midnight, lord let me sleep This science has me trippin’ over my feet.
Not only did the performance improve, but I had more students volunteer to improvise than ever before! Once the students could relate an emotion they feel into music they play, their performance really came alive. The students played with emotion and connected to the blues. The song was such a hit, the students were talking about and singing it all day. Even middle schoolers get the blues. In this case, the “Homework Blues.”
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summer 2017 |
www.mmea.net
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