Celebrating Black History Month

This Jazz ManBy Ms. Looker &

Miss Arcuri’sFirst Grade Class

1. This jazz man, he plays one. He plays rhythm with his thumb. With a snap! snap! snazzy-snap! - give the man a hand. This jazz man scats with the band.

Bryan

2. Louis Armstrong was known as the ambassador of jazz. He used nonsense singing and made up words which is called “scat.”Scooby

dooby shoobop

3. This jazz man, he plays two. He makes music with his shoes. With a tap-tap! shuffle-slap! - give the man a hand. This jazz man stomps with the band.

Lindsey

4. Bill Robinson was known as “Bojangles.” He was famous for his tap dancing. He had his own style and could tap dance very fast. Some of his most famous footwork is still copied today.

Lucas

5. This jazz man, he plays three. He plays congas tween his knees. With a Bippity-bop! Poppity-pop! - give the man a hand. This jazz man pounds with the band.

Matthew

6. Luciano Pozo y Gonzalez was known as “Chano.” He was a famous conga player from Cuba. When he moved to New York he played with Dizzie Gillespie’s band. He changed bebop into Cubop.

Catherine Touchton

7. This jazz man, he plays four. He conducts ‘em through the score. With a “One, and-a two, and-a-“ - give the man a hand. This jazz man, he leads the band.

Caleb

8. Edward Kennedy Ellington was known as the “Duke” of jazz. He was a gifted pianist and conductor. He wrote nearly 2,000 songs. In 1969 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Isabella

9. This jazz man, he plays five. He plays bebop, he plays jive. With a Beedle-di-bop! Bebop! - give the man a hand. This jazz man blows with the band.

Brooks

10. Charlie Parker, known as “Bird,” was a very famous jazz saxophone player. He helped create the harmonies that were called bebop. He made it sound so easy.

Sofia

11. This jazz man, he plays six. He plays solos with his sticks. With a Bomp-Bomp! Bubbuda-bomp! – give the man a hand. This jazz man beats with the band.

Patrick

12. Art “Bu” Blakey was a drummer. He would lean an elbow on the drum’s surface and change its entire sound. His style has been copied by many drummers. His band was called the Jazz Messengers.

Thatcher

13. This jazz man, he plays seven. He plays notes that rise to heaven. With a Too-toot! Doodly-doot! – give the man a hand. This jazz man wails with the band.

Natalie

14. John Birks Gillespie is better known as “Dizzy.” He liked to play his trumpet very fast and to make up music on the spot. When the end of his trumpet was accidentally bent, he liked the sound it made so much that he continued to play a bent trumpet for the next 30 years.

Amy

15. This jazz man, he plays eight. He plays keys—all 88. With a Tink-plink! Plinkle-dink! – give the man a hand. This jazz man swings with the band.

Asher

16. Thomas Wright Waller had the nickname “Fats.” He was a master of stride piano. He wrote and recorded hundreds of songs. He would wear his hat at an angle and make faces while “tickling the ivories.”

Driss

17. This jazz man, he plays nine. He plucks strings that sound divine. With a Thimp-thump! Dumple-thump! – give the man a hand. This jazz man jams with the band.

Quincy

18. Charles Mingus was known as the “Baron.” He was a great bass player and bandleader. He was raised on gospel music, but learned about jazz from Armstrong, Parker and Ellington. He founded the Jazz Workshop to help young composers.

Ethan

19. These jazz men, they play ten. We beg them to play again. With an “Encore! We want more!” - give them all a hand. These jazz men make one great band!

Daniel

20. These nine black jazz musicians played at many of the most famous clubs in Harlem such as The Cotton Club. However, these clubs were for whites only. It is said that the most lively and real jazz in Harlem was found at “Rent Parties.” You heard about Rent Parties from Mrs. Dymant’s class.

James