LESSON #11
New Orleans Revival and
European “Trad” Styles, Part 2
This lesson supports the following GOALS:
[Goal #1] Students will gain an appreciation of traditional jazz and the continuing value of this music.
[Goal #3] Students will become acquainted with the variety of styles within the traditional jazz genre, and with some of its major figures.
[Goal #4] Students will play traditional jazz.
This lesson supports the following OBJECTIVES:
1.1 Students will become acquainted with what well-played traditional jazz sounds like.
2.10 Students will become acquainted with what the New Orleans Revival Style of traditional jazz sounds like.
2.12 Students will become acquainted with the distinguishing characteristics of the New Orleans Revival Style.
2.14 Students will become acquainted with some of the pioneers of the New Orleans Revival and European “Trad” Styles.
4.8 Students will rehearse a tune in the New Orleans Revival Style.
RATIONALE: The students have gained an appreciation of the New Orleans Revival Style, and will now enjoy creating this sound.
NATIONAL STANDARDS SUPPORTED: See Appendix C.
KIT COMPONENTS:
■ Audio: Track 7, “Panama” by George Lewis’ New Orleans Ragtime Band
■ Music: “Hindustan” (lead sheet)
ACTIVITY (app. 30 minutes):
1. Play online audio track 7 again, “Panama” by George Lewis’ New Orleans Ragtime Band, 1953 (app. 5 minutes). Have the rhythm section students pay particular attention to the New Orleans rhythm, and have the horns pay particular attention to the ensemble interplay and the way different instruments “bubble to the surface” from moment to moment.
2. Discuss with the students their impressions of the audio track (app. 5 minutes). How many of the stylistic elements of New Orleans Revival Style were they able to hear? (See table at the end of Lesson #9) What differences did the musicians make from chorus to chorus?
3. Rehearse “Hindustan” again (app. 20 minutes), but this time challenge the students to perform it in New Orleans Revival Style. The performance should emphasize ensemble choruses, and the horns should strive for an ever-shifting, cohesive “conversation”. The drummer should concentrate on the press roll “shimmy beat” and variations. The ensemble choruses should not all sound alike. The performance should end on “beat three”. Common ending phrases found in this style (played by the trumpet/cornet) include those notated below.
Instrumentation considerations:
• Banjo is important to this style, but if a banjo cannot be obtained, or your guitarist has not yet practiced on it, substitute acoustic guitar.
• String bass is normally used rather than tuba.
EVALUATION: Were the students able to create a New Orleans Revival sound with their instruments?
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES: Encourage the students to explore some of the additional New Orleans Revival Style and European “Trad” Style recordings cited in the Style Guide. Challenge them to pick a solo or ensemble passage by their instrument from one of these recordings (or from Track 7, 8 or 9 from the online audio tracks), transcribe it, and learn to play it. This is a great way to begin to internalize the “language” of these styles.
New Orleans Revival Style Ending Phrases
(trumpet/cornet):
© 2014 David Robinson, Jr.