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Canadian Jazz Music Unit Plan

Title of Unit: Canadian Jazz Unit Grade Level: 12 AMU4U Teacher/Author: Mr. Michael Yates Subject: Music (Instrumental) Length of Unit: Two weeks – Ten lessons School: Hillfield Strathallan College Unit Overview: Throughout this unit students will be presented with numerous aspects of the jazz idiom, specifically in regards to Canadian jazz music. Students will be asked to listen to and reflect upon Canadian jazz music as well as complete a research assignment of a famous Canadian jazz musician. Throughout this unit students will learn about the struggles of Canadian jazz musicians as well as it’s founding ‘fathers’. Students will also learn about current Canadian jazz, spending time listening to and discussing present Canadian jazz musicians, composers, venues and festivals. Students will link their prior knowledge of jazz learned in earlier grades to Canadian jazz allowing them to gain cultural awareness and a deeper understanding of all Canadian music. Throughout this unit there is a significant amount of time placed on listening to Canadian jazz music and having students response orally, literally and emotionally to what they hear. Unit Context: This unit has been designed with emphasize on appreciation, analysis, reflection and research of music from the jazz genre. Students will deepen their understanding of the elements of music and their knowledge of jazz history. Students will further develop their ability to analyse and reflection on music accuracy. In this unit students will study Canada jazz building upon their prior knowledge of American jazz music. Students will compare and contrast the history and sound of American and Canada Jazz. Prior Knowledge: Before beginning this unit students have received lessons both in grade eleven and twelve focusing on American jazz. Within these lessons students were presented with a thorough background and history of jazz music. Exploring musicians such as: Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Glenn Miller, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker as well as being introduced to the legendary venues ‘The Savoy’, ‘The Cotton Club’ and ‘Birdland Jazz Club’. Within our theory and harmony lessons students have been introduced to seventh chords, dominate seventh chords and standard jazz progressions (ii, V, I) and have knowledge of how this theory and harmony relate to jazz music. Students have also been introduced to rhythms that at specifically relate to jazz music such as: the jazz ride pattern, the Charleston and the push rhythm. Students have a firm grasp of the seven elements of music and know how to listen for them within a piece of music.

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Curriculum Expectations:

Overall Expectations: B1. The Critical Analysis Process: use the critical analysis process when responding to, analyzing, reflecting on, and interpreting music; B2. Music and Society: demonstrate an understanding of social and cultural influences on and effects and functions of traditional, commercial, and art music; B4. Connections Beyond the Classroom: assess opportunities and requirements for continued engagement in music. C2. Characteristics and Development of Musical Forms: demonstrate an understanding of the origins, development, and characteristics of various forms of music; C3. Conventions and Responsible Practices: demonstrate an understanding of conventions and responsible practices relating to music. Specific Expectations: B1.1 – deconstruct with increasing skill and insight the element of music through score study of and purposeful listening to increasingly complex musical works B1.2 – Listen to and reflect on selections from a wide range of musical styles and genres including their own repertoire, and analyse and reflect within increasing insight on their responses to and interpretation of them B1.3 – analyse with increasing insight and assess the effectiveness of music from a wide range of styles and genres and in various performances modes, and reflect on how such analyses can enhance their own creation or performance of music B1.4 – gather information from a range of reliable sources on music history, composes and musicians, technical and/or authentic criticism, and audiences responses, and analyse, critique and reflect on the information with increasing insight to enhance their critical judgment and ongoing interpretation B2.1 – analyse, on the basis of in-depth research, ways in which traditional, commercial, and art music are a response to and a reflection of the community or culture in which they were created B.2.2 – analyse the impact of significant individuals or groups from a variety of cultures or communities on various genre or traditional, commercial, and/or art music B.4.1 – assess their interests, skill, and knowledge in relation to a variety of careers in the art and culture C2.1 – demonstrates an understanding of the development of various forms of music with development for various forms of music with respect to chronology, genre, and theme C2.2 – analyse, on the basis of in-depth research, and report on the characteristics of and ideas in a variety of forms of traditions and contemporary music, including Aboriginal music, from Canada and around the world C.3.2 – extend their understanding of conventions associated with various types of musical performances, from the perspective of performers and audience members Learning Environment: The learning will occur in the music classroom. When discussing/working on this unit instruments will be in their cases and in their appropriate storage areas. While working on

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the contents of this unit students will arrange their seats in rows facing the stereo and computer-learning center. Students will have the option to work in the schools computer lab or the schools library. If working in the computer lab students will be expected to sit in their signed seats (a copy of the seating arrangement for the computer lab is taped to the back of the attendance clipboard. Unit Materials and Resources Cd’s you will need: (not all of these cd’s are used within the unit however if students wish to further study this music on their own or you find your self in need of more material this is a fair list of Canadian jazz music) Legends

1) Bill McBirnie – Nature Boy – Track 1 – Nature Boy 2) Oscar Peterson – Night Train – Night Train, Hymn to Freedom 3) Moe Koffman – The Best of Moe Koffman 4) Rob McConnell – Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass & Again 5) Dave McMurdo – Dave McMurdo Jazz Orchestra – Nimmons’n’More

Newbies 1) Michael Buble – Michael Buble 2) Diana Krall – The Look of Love 3) Nikki Yanofsky – Nikki Yanofsky

Other names you should be familiar with:

• Phil Nimmons • Maynard Ferguson • Gil Evans • Don Thompson • Michael Kaeshammer • Robi Botos • Terry Clarke

Classroom Materials and Resources • Stereo • SMARTboard • Worksheets for students • Computer linked to smartboard

Bookings: Book a local jazz musician to come in and talk to your class about the job of a musician. Lesson 5. Book early in advance and be prepared to provide a wage. Accommodations

• Students with L.D.’s will be allotted extra time to complete all aspects of the unit if needed.

• All songs studied within class will be made available to school through a sign out policy.

• The research assignment can be shortened for those who are accommodated.

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• Extra time in the computer labs can and will be booked for those who are accommodated.

Schedule and Lesson Breakdown Lesson 1: Introduction to Canadian Jazz

• Teacher will lead a discussion with the class to activate their prior knowledge. o Prompting questions: “Can anyone remember where jazz comes from?”,

“Can anyone name a legendary jazz musician?”, “What does the word ‘swing’ refer to?”

• Once student’s prior knowledge has been activated the teacher will introduce the term “Canadian Jazz” and explain that Canadian jazz refers to jazz and jazz-related music performed by jazz bands and performers in and from Canada. In Canada, there are hundreds of local and regionally based Canadian jazz bands and performers. As well, there is a smaller number of bands and performers that have achieved national or international prominence, the most notable being Oscar Peterson, a Canadian jazz piano player who changed Canadian’s role in jazz forever.

• The teacher will stress to the students that the music is contrived the same way as American jazz – Canadian jazz still swings, and incorporates seventh chords, however it is written and performed by Canadians. The teacher will stress that it is important as Canadians to support Canadian art so that it will continue into the future.

• The teacher will explain to the students that the earliest form of jazz music found in Canada was of US origins when American pianists James ‘ Slip Rags’ White and Millard Thomas had settled in Montreal.

• The teacher will then hand out a “jazz listening reflection sheet” and explain to the students that they will use this reflection sheet as a way of organizing their thoughts when listening and orally analyzing music. The teacher will explain that on the sheet they are presented with the seven elements of music as well as a comment section and that they are to fill in elements that they noticed while listening to a composition as well as commenting on any specific qualities which captured their attention

• The teacher will then play Oscar Petersons – “Hymn to Freedom” twice and allow students to reflect on what they are hearing.

• Once students have finished reflecting they will share their thoughts and noted comments as a class.

• The teacher will take anecdotal records of student responses as well as collect the reflection exercise.

• For homework the teacher will assign a reading about Oscar Peterson: http://blackhistorycanada.ca/arts.php?themeid=22&id=3

o This short reading addresses Oscars Canadian up bring, life as a young musician, and recording life. This reading will set the tone for tomorrows lesson

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Lesson 2: The Great Legend Oscar Peterson

• The teacher will start the lesson by having students discuss what they read within the article about Oscar Peterson.

• Once students have begun to discuss the article the teacher will prompt the students to discuss the racism found within jazz roots. The teacher will explain that Oscar Peterson, and similar jazz musicians at the time such as Harry Thomas and Oliver Jones all faced issues of racism.

• The teacher will explain to the students that “During Oscars early career he was shut out by many musical and cultural establishments due to his race. This is a similar experience that African American jazz musicians faced at the time.

• The teacher will inform the students that in 1944 Oscar composed “Hymn to Freedom” (the song we listened to yesterday) as his way of protesting against segregation and racism.

• The teacher will then have the students watch a short film from the CBC archives “Oscar Peterson battles all shades of racism” http://www.cbc.ca/archives/categories/arts-entertainment/music/oscar-peterson-a-jazz-giant/battling-all-shades-of-racism.html

• Once students have finished watching the film the teacher will handout a questionnaire sheet (from the CBC website based on the film)

Some of the questions students will be asked to answer are: • Why do you think racism was so prevalent in Canadian and

American society at the time? How do the two countries’ experiences with racism compare? What were Oscar’s views on racism? Do you agree or disagree with the ways he tried to overcome it and why?

• The teacher will collect these questionnaires and mark them.

Lesson 3: The Legends and Venues

• The teacher will begin this lesson by explaining that although Canada has a small jazz community there are many Canadian jazz legends that influenced Canada’s presences in jazz today.

• The teacher will provide students with a list of legendary Canadian jazz musicians (this will be used during the culminating activity)

• The teacher will ask the students if they recognize any of them. If any students recognize any of the musicians the teacher will

have the student elaborate on how they know them. • The teacher will elaborate on a few of the names on the list: “ There is a man

named Rob McConnell on your list of Canadian jazz legends he was a valve trombone player how headed his own jazz big band can single handily changed big band music in Canada by adding French horns to his big band ensemble. Another legend on your sheet is Phil Nimmons; Phil is still alive today and still

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composes and plays in Toronto frequently. He is a huge supporter of Music Fest Canada – the competition we play at every year.

• The teacher will then say: “Like in American, we Canadians have venues that we associate with the performance of Canadian jazz music.

• The teacher will explain that the class is going to be split into five groups and will spend the next 40 mins in the computer lab.

• The teacher will explain to the students that each group will be given a famous jazz venue in Canada and they will need to become ‘expertise’ about this venue because they will return to class and inform their classmates about what they learned about their assigned venue:

Venue List: 1. Jazz 91.1 2. The Rex 3. The Montreal Jazz Festival 4. The Montreal Bistro 5. Top ‘O The Senator Jazz Club

• Once students have completed their research they will return to class and share their findings with their classmates. The teacher will take anecdotal records based on each presentation and noting the amount of information that was learned.

• As homework the teacher will assignment an article entitled “When Canadian Jazz was Good” http://maisonneuve.org/article/2010/05/4/when-canadian-jazz-was-good/ This article will serve as a bridge to tomorrows lesson

Lesson 4: The Newbies

• This lesson is dedicated to introducing students to the ‘newbies’ of Canadian Jazz.

• The teacher will say: “Jazz is still practiced in Canada today, we still have Canadian jazz musicians and composers.”

• The teacher will play a segment of Michael Buble’s ‘Home’ and state to the class, “this is Michael Buble he is a current Canada jazz vocalist and performs some Canadian original music.”

• The teacher will then play a segment of Diana Krall’s version of ‘Cry me a River’ the teacher will state to the class this is Diana Krall she is also a current jazz pianist and vocalist. The teacher will also stress that both of these performers are highly ranked within the world of performing music. They have both been on the billboard charts many times and are millionaires because of how popular their music is.

• The teacher will assign a homework project where students will be asked to compare and contrast the music of a Canadian Jazz Legend with a Newbie. Students will be encouraged to reflect upon how the seven element of music are utilized in each piece. Students will submit a two-page reflection/ compare and contrast paper. The teacher will use a rubric when grading.

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Lesson 5: Canadian Jazz in the Classroom

• This lesson is focused on giving my students the opportunity to hear and speak with a current professional jazz musician. This provides them the opportunity to reflect on their abilities, enjoyment of music and their current career path. Giving students this opportunity may inspire a student to go to post secondary school for music rather than pursuing a job they dislike.

• The professional will play a few tunes as well as answer questions from the students regarding, life as a musician, required/suggested education, where jazz and music is headed etc.

• For those who do not wish to continue into a music career this visit would still benefit them by presenting them with a Canadian Art. As well as a demonstration of what hard work and dedication can do for a Canadian in any job or career.

• At the end of this lesson, the teacher will explain the culminating assignment so that students will have the next few periods

Lesson 6: Culminating Assignment Research Essay and Presentation ~ Canadian Jazz Unit Culminating Activity The culminating assignment for this unit is a research assignment or presentation. Students will pick either a research assignment or a presentation on a Canadian jazz musician. This musician can be either a legend or a newbies; students will research their chosen musician and compile research notes to create a research paper or presentation. Students will write/present their research on their chosen musician. Research Paper: Students will prepare a five - to eight-page report displaying the research that they compiled. Students will format the report in the standard double space with Times Roman, 12-point font. Students will need to include citations and footnotes citing where they gained their research. Students will provide an overview for the musician that they chose including life events and significant performances and compositions.

OR Presentation: The classroom is a great place to share learning and create a collaborative learning environment. The class presentation will be completed individually and will be 10-15 mins of length. Students will prepare a well-planned and meaningful presentation presenting their found and most important research in an oral presentation of their chosen musician. They may wish to include a slide show or PowerPoint presentation to aid in their presentation. Within the presentation students will provide an overview for their musician that they chose including life events and significant performances and compositions. This assignment has a large research base where students will be expected to submit their research note allow with their presentation and or research paper. Students will be given 3 class periods to gather and compile their research.

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Canadian Jazz Legends List

(Not comprehensive) Oscar Peterson

Rob McConnell

Moe Koffman

Bill McBirnie

Don Thompson

Terry Clarke

Dave McMurdo

Jeff Healy

Paul Reed

Gene Hardy

John Warren

Darrell Zimmerman

Mitch Lewis

Neil Swanson

Ed Bickert

John Handy

Maynard Ferguson

Doug Riley

Lenny Breau

George Shearing

Phil Nimmons

Gil Evans

Harry Thomas

Oliver Jones

Archie Alleyne

Guido Basso

Sonny Greenwich

Dave Young

Peter Appleyard

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Jerry Fuller

Jazz Listening Reflection Sheet

Name: ________________________ Title: ________________________

Performer: ________________________

Harmony Rhythm Melody Form Timbre

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Texture Dynamics Comments:

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Observational/Anecdotal Notes

Student/Group One: Comments: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Student/Group Two: Comments: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Student/Group Three: Comments: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

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Student /Group Four: Comments: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Student/Group Five: Comments: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

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Culminating Activity Outline and Rubric

From the assignment for this Canadian Jazz Unit you have the option between two possible assignments. 1) WRITTEN RESEARCH REPORT – within this assignment option you will pick a Canadian Jazz musician legend or current and prepare a five- to eight-page report displaying the research that you have compiled based on the musician you have picked. You will format your report in the standard double space, Times Roman, 12-point font. You will need to include citations and footnotes citing where you gained their research. Students will provide an overview for the musician that they chose including life events and significant performances and compositions. 2) CLASSROOM PRESENTATION – within this assignment option you will prepare a well-planned and meaningful presentation presenting you research findings of most important research in an oral presentation of their chosen musician. They may wish to include a slide show or PowerPoint presentation to aid in their presentation. Within the presentation students will provide an overview for their musician that they chose including life events and significant performances and compositions. This presentation will be done individually Along with your report/presentation you will submit your research notes While writing and prepping for this assignment please review and refer to the attached rubrics as I will be using them while grading. Research Notes Rubric: (see APA format for note format)

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Research Essay Rubric (see APA form for citing and references)

Presentation Rubric:

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Rubric References: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/008001/f2/008001-4030.23-e.pdf http://schools.woboe.org/TeachLearn/WebQuests/jobatthezoo/Documents/Oral%20Presentation%20Rubric.pdf