Lesson #21

LESSON #21

San Francisco Style,

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 #2] 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.

2.30 Students will become acquainted with what the San Francisco Style sounds like.

2.31 Students will become acquainted with the distinguishing characteristics of the San Francisco Style.

2.32 Students will become acquainted with some of the pioneers of the San Francisco Style.

4.14 Students will rehearse a tune in the San Francisco Style.

RATIONALE: The students have gained an appreciation of the San Francisco Style, and will now enjoy creating this sound.

NATIONAL STANDARDS SUPPORTED: See Appendix C.

KIT COMPONENTS:

■ Audio: Track 17, “Sage Hen Strut” by Lu Watters’ Yerba Buena Jazz Band

■ Music: “Oriental Strut”

ACTIVITY (app. 30 minutes):

1. Play online audio track 17 again, “Sage Hen Strut” by Lu Watters’ Yerba Buena Jazz Band (app. 5 minutes).

2. Discuss with the students their impressions of the audio track (app. 5 minutes). How many of the stylistic elements of San Francisco Style were they able to hear? (See table in Lesson #20)

3. Print out the “Oriental Strut” arrangement for your students, and rehearse it (app. 20 minutes). This should be interpreted by applying the brassiness and 2-beat rhythm heard on the recording. The notes written for the horns are a guide and should be liberally interpreted. The rhythm section should concentrate on providing a propulsive 2-beat feel. Caution: over-emphasizing the 2-beat feel will make the performance sound stilted and polka-like.

Instrumentation considerations:

• Banjo and tuba are important to this style; use them if at all possible

• Encourage your drummer to try playing the washboard on this tune, if one is available

EVALUATION: Were the students able to create a San Francisco Style sound with their instruments?

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES: Encourage the students to explore some of the additional San Francisco 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 17 or 18 from the online audio tracks), transcribe it, and learn to play it. This is a great way to begin to internalize the “language” of the style.