For children about jazz. Jazz for children - programs for the little ones The agency has developed a number of concert programs for young listeners

You can fall in love with jazz at any age, and in childhood, becoming acquainted with this music becomes a particularly striking event. Experienced musicians know very well that children perceive a new musical direction in a special way, and it is very important to be able to present it correctly. To maintain the sincere interest of young listeners, jazz for children began to develop - various programs and events appeared.

1 “Jazz for Children” (St. Petersburg)

2 School of jazz and musicals for children and adults J&M School (St. Petersburg)

3 Concert agency "Classics and Jazz" (Moscow)

4 Children's music school named after. Gershwin (Moscow)

5 “Jazz for children and more!” (Ufa)

Jazz is a form of musical art that emerged at the beginning of the 20th century in the USA as a result of the synthesis of African and European cultures and subsequently became widespread.

Jazz is amazing music, alive, constantly evolving, incorporating the rhythmic genius of Africa, the treasures of the thousand-year-old art of drumming, ritual and ceremonial chants. Add choral and solo singing of Baptist and Protestant churches - opposite things merged together, giving the world amazing art! The history of jazz is unusual, dynamic, filled with amazing events that influenced the world musical process.

What is jazz?

Characteristics:

• polyrhythm based on syncopated rhythms,
• bit - regular pulsation,
• swing - deviation from the beat, a set of techniques for performing rhythmic texture,
• improvisation,
• colorful harmonic and timbre range.

This type of music emerged in the early twentieth century as a result of the synthesis of African and European cultures as an art based on improvisation combined with a preconceived, but not necessarily written, form of composition. Several performers can improvise at the same time, even if a solo voice is clearly heard in the ensemble. Finished artistic image the work depends on the interaction of the ensemble members with each other and with the audience.

Further development of the new musical direction occurred due to the mastery of new rhythmic and harmonic models by composers.

Except special expressive role rhythm were inherited by other features of African music - the interpretation of all instruments as percussion, rhythmic; the predominance of conversational intonations in singing, imitation of conversational speech when playing the guitar, piano, and percussion instruments.

The history of jazz

The origins of jazz lie in the traditions of African music. The peoples of the African continent can be considered its founders. The slaves brought to the New World from Africa did not come from the same family and often did not understand each other. The need for interaction and communication led to unification and the creation of a single culture, including music. It is characterized by complex rhythms, dances with stamping and clapping. Together with blues motifs, they gave a new musical direction.

The processes of mixing African musical culture and European, which has undergone major changes, have occurred since the eighteenth century, and in the nineteenth led to the emergence of a new musical direction. Therefore, the world history of jazz is inseparable from the history of American jazz.

History of jazz development

The history of the birth of jazz originates in New Orleans, in the American south. This stage is characterized by collective improvisation of several versions of the same melody by a trumpeter (main voice), clarinetist and trombonist against the backdrop of marching accompaniment of brass bass and drums. A significant day - February 26, 1917 - then in the New York studio of the Victor company, five white musicians from New Orleans recorded the first gramophone record. Before the release of this record, jazz remained a marginal phenomenon, musical folklore, and after that, in a few weeks, it stunned and shocked all of America. The recording belonged to the legendary "Original Dixieland Jazz Band". This is how American jazz began its proud march around the world.

In the 20s, the main features of future styles were found: a uniform pulsation of the double bass and drums, which contributed to swing, virtuoso soloing, and a manner of vocal improvisation without words using individual syllables (“scat”). Blues took a significant place. Later, both stages - New Orleans, Chicago - are united by the term "Dixieland".

In American jazz of the 20s, a harmonious system emerged, called “swing”. Swing is characterized by the emergence of a new type of orchestra - the big band. With the increase in the orchestra, we had to abandon collective improvisation and move on to performing arrangements recorded on sheet music. The arrangement became one of the first manifestations of the composer's beginnings.

A big band consists of three groups of instruments - sections, each of which can sound like one polyphonic instrument: a saxophone section (later with clarinets), a "brass" section (trumpets and trombones), a rhythm section (piano, guitar, double bass, drums).

Solo improvisation based on the “square” (“chorus”) appeared. “Square” is one variation, equal in duration (number of bars) to the theme, performed against the background of the same chord accompaniment as the main theme, to which the improviser adjusts new melodic turns.

In the 1930s, American blues became popular and the 32-bar song form became widespread. In swing, the “riff”—a two- to four-bar, rhythmically flexible cue—has begun to be widely used. It is performed by the orchestra while the soloist improvises.

Among the first big bands were orchestras led by famous jazz musicians- Fletcher Henderson, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Glen Miller, Duke Ellington. The latter already in the 40s turned to large cyclic forms based on Negro and Latin American folklore.

American jazz in the 1930s became commercialized. Therefore, among lovers and connoisseurs of the history of the origin of jazz, a movement arose for the revival of earlier, authentic styles. The decisive role was played by small black ensembles of the 40s, which discarded everything designed for external effect: variety, dancing, singing. The theme was played in unison and almost never sounded in its original form; the accompaniment no longer required dance regularity.

This style, which ushered in the modern era, was called "bop" or "bebop". The experiments of talented American musicians and jazz performers - Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and others - actually laid the foundation for the development of an independent art form, only externally related to the pop-dance genre.

From the late 40s to the mid-60s, development took place in two directions. The first included the styles "cool" - "cool", and "west coast" - "west coast". They are characterized by a wide use of the experience of classical and modern serious music - developed concert forms, polyphony. The second direction included the styles of “hardbop” - “hot”, “energetic” and close to it “soul-jazz” (translated from English “soul” - “soul”), combining the principles of old bebop with the traditions of black folklore, temperamental rhythms and intonations spirituals.

Both of these directions have much in common in the desire to free themselves from the division of improvisation into separate squares, as well as to swing waltz and more complex meters.

Attempts have been made to create works large shape- symphonic jazz. For example, “Rhapsody in Blue” by J. Gershwin, a number of works by I.F. Stravinsky. Since the mid-50s. experiments in combining the principles of jazz and modern music again became widespread, already under the name "third movement", also among Russian performers ("Concerto for Orchestra" by A.Ya. Eshpai, works by M.M. Kazhlaev, 2nd concert for piano and orchestra by R.K. Shchedrin, 1st symphony by A.G. Schnittke). In general, the history of the emergence of jazz is rich in experiments and is closely intertwined with the development classical music, its innovative directions.

Since the beginning of the 60s. active experiments begin with spontaneous improvisation, not even limited to a specific theme song- Freejazz. However, the mode principle is even more important: each time a series of sounds is selected anew - a mode, and not clearly distinguishable squares. In search of such modes, musicians turn to the cultures of Asia, Africa, Europe, etc. In the 70s. come electric instruments and the rhythms of youth rock music, based on smaller beats than before. This style is first called "fusion", i.e. "alloy".

In short, the history of jazz is a story about search, unity, bold experiments, and ardent love for music.

Russian musicians and music lovers are certainly curious about the history of the emergence of jazz in the Soviet Union.

In the pre-war period, jazz in our country developed within pop orchestras. In 1929, Leonid Utesov organized a pop orchestra and called his group “Tea-jazz”. The “Dixieland” and “swing” styles were practiced in the orchestras of A.V. Varlamova, N.G. Minha, A.N. Tsfasman and others. Since the mid-50s. Small amateur groups begin to develop ("Eight TsDRI", "Leningrad Dixieland"). Many prominent performers received a start in life there.

In the 70s, training began in the pop departments of music schools, publishing teaching aids, sheet music, records.

Since 1973, pianist L.A. Chizhik began performing at “jazz improvisation evenings.” Ensembles under the direction of I. Bril, “Arsenal”, “Allegro”, “Kadans” (Moscow), and the quintet D.S. perform regularly. Goloshchekin (Leningrad), groups of V. Ganelin and V. Chekasin (Vilnius), R. Raubishko (Riga), L. Vintskevich (Kursk), L. Saarsalu (Tallinn), A. Lyubchenko (Dnepropetrovsk), M. Yuldybaeva (Ufa ), orchestra O.L. Lundstrem, teams of K.A. Orbelyan, A.A. Kroll ("Contemporary").

Jazz in the modern world

Today's world of music is diverse, dynamically developing, and new styles are emerging. In order to freely navigate it and understand the processes taking place, you need to know at least a brief history of jazz! Today we are witnessing the mixing of an increasing number of world cultures, constantly bringing us closer to what, in essence, is already becoming “world music” (world music). Today's jazz incorporates sounds and traditions from almost every corner of the globe. African culture, with which it all began, is also being rethought. European experimentalism with classical overtones continues to influence the music of young pioneers such as Ken Vandermark, an avant-garde saxophonist known for his work with such notable contemporaries as saxophonists Mats Gustafsson, Evan Parker and Peter Brotzmann. Other young musicians of a more traditional orientation who continue to search for their own identity include pianists Jackie Terrasson, Benny Green and Braid Meldoa, saxophonists Joshua Redman and David Sanchez and drummers Jeff Watts and Billy Stewart. The old tradition of sound continues and is actively maintained by artists such as trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, who works with a team of assistants, plays in his own small groups and leads the Lincoln Center Orchestra. Under his patronage, pianists Marcus Roberts and Eric Reed, saxophonist Wes "Warmdaddy" Anderson, trumpeter Marcus Printup and vibraphonist Stefan Harris grew into great masters.

Bassist Dave Holland is also a great discoverer of young talent. His many discoveries include saxophonists Steve Coleman, Steve Wilson, vibraphonist Steve Nelson and drummer Billy Kilson.

Other great mentors to young talent include legendary pianist Chick Corea and the late drummer Elvin Jones and singer Betty Carter. Potential Opportunities further development this music is currently great and varied. For example, saxophonist Chris Potter releases a mainstream release under his own name and at the same time participates in recordings with another great avant-garde drummer Paul Motian.

We still have to enjoy hundreds of wonderful concerts and bold experiments, witness the emergence of new directions and styles - this story has not yet been written to the end!

We offer training at our music school:

• piano lessons - a variety of works from classics to modern pop music, visualization. Available to everyone!
• guitar for children and teenagers - attentive teachers and exciting lessons!

Today's children know absolutely nothing about jazz. This is understandable; back in the middle of the last century, jazz gradually faded into the shadow of pop music and there were practically no true connoisseurs left who were ready to listen to the musical works of their favorite jazzmen around the clock. However, despite the forgetfulness and unpopularity of this musical style, during music lessons in schools, teachers consider it their duty to tell children about jazz. Moreover, in order to arouse interest among schoolchildren about jazz, in the best possible way will be if the teacher uses slides, pictures and other things methodological materials on a relevant topic, and will also play some pieces of music or at least let them listen to them in a recorded version.

Jazz as a form of musical art appeared in the 20th century in the United States, initially only among people of color. This musical style is a synthesis of Afro-European cultures, which then spread worldwide. The main features of jazz can be considered polyrhythm and improvisation, based on syncopation of rhythms and a unique set of methods of rhythmic playing in a swing texture. Then jazz was mastered through new rhythmic and harmonious patterns.

It is quite difficult to tell children about jazz, because many music teachers themselves do not know this musical style very well.

The most important feature of jazz is considered to be a constant rhythmic pulsation (also called “beat”) and its deviations - swing. These style characteristics are drawn from African musical traditions. Moreover, swing serves the most expressive means. Also in this musical direction there are also such African features of music as the interpretation of all musical instruments(rhythmic and percussive), the presence of conversation and singing, imitation of instrumental performance of singing.

In addition, jazz is considered to be based on previously found improvisation, combined with a well-chosen composition. Improvisation in an ensemble can be created by several musicians, despite the fact that the solo voice will be clearly heard. Artistically complete piece of music can be considered a successful collaboration between group members and audience. Early New Orleans jazz features improvisation primarily by three players - a trumpet player, a clarinetist and a trombonist, with background accompaniment from bass and drums.