Jamie's+Literary+Resources

=Literary Resources =

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__Poetry__
__**JAZZ A-B-Z: An A To Z Collection of Jazz Portraits**__

**Illustrated by Paul Rogers**
//__About:__ Jazz A-B-Z// is a wonderful collection of poems in combination with colorful and stylish art work that represents many big names in jazz history. There is a poetic and artistic representation of a jazz musician for each letter of the alphabet (ex: A- Louis Armstrong, B-Count Basie, C- John Coltrane). In the back there are short more straight forward biographical sketches of all the jazz artists by Phil Schapp.

__Connections:__ This book is a great way to how art and poetry have commented on jazz music. Using art to explain art, provides students with a deeper understanding. Also, this book really shows how jazz music is made up of people and the solos these people improvise are made up of their personalities, cultural background, and histories.

__Sample lesson idea__: Play //[|Lousi Armstrong's Potato Head Blues (Hot 5s)]//for your students. As they listen, have them write down words that they feel may describe Louis Armstrong. Then read Marsalis's accumulative poem //Armstrong,// which uses alliteration and is built off the name Armstrong. Compare the words Marsalis came up with to the words the students came up with.



**Poems by Langston Hughes**

 * Collage by Romare Bearden**
 * Introduction by Bill Cosby**

__About:__ //The Block// is another great collection of poems that are each juxtaposed with a colorful collage. Through these poems and collages, readers get to walk through the streets of Harlem. The exploration of busy and exciting city life and all the emotions that went with it, a strong image is painted of the environment in which jazz developed.

__Connection:__ This books is a great way to introduce the cultural environment that a huge effects on the development of jazz. The collages are beautiful visual metaphors for the emotions and experiences that heard in jazz music.

__Sample Lesson__ Ideas: Analyze the poem //Late Last Night.// Ask students what mood it is conveying and how is that mood represented in the collage. Ask students what cultural issues of the time could have caused these emotions. Finally play a blues ballade and ask students how the mood is represented in the music.




 * __Becoming Billie Holiday__**
 * by Carole Boston Weatherford**
 * Art by Floyd Copper**

__About:__ //Becoming Billie Holiday// is a fictitious memoir that shows how Eleanora Fagan developed into the iconic artist Billie Holiday. The books is written through poems that capture difference elements of Billie Holidays journey, from the hardships she endured to her passion to chase her dreams. The illustrations add beautiful images that help articulate the culture and the environment.

__Connection:__ This book zeroes in on an individual and really gives us an insiders look at what life was like for a developing jazz musician. Looking at jazz from a cultural and historical perspective, this is a great resource to artistically understand the backgrounds and personalities of the people jazz came from.

__Sample Lesson Ideas:__ Ask students to choose one poem from this book and find a piece of music from Billie Holiday that expresses the ideas of the poem.

__**The First Book of Jazz**__

 * by Langston Hughes**
 * Pictures by Cliff Roberts**

__About:__ //The First Book of Jazz// gives a brief overview of the historical development of jazz. It helps define major styles (blues, ragtime, bebop, swing etc), makes mention of important locations (New Orleans, Chicago, New York), lists famous musicians and recordings, and look at some of the elements of the music itself (improvisation and syncopation). It is very concise and easy to read. It even includes some music excerpts to help illustrate certain points.

__Connection:__ This book is a great way to introduce students to jazz history. You can use it as a resource for yourself or refer students to certain chapters for more information.

__​Sample Lesson Ideas:__ Before starting to teach students how to improvise, have students read the improvisation chapter and highlight three important point to keep in mind as they try their hand at improv.


 * __Jazz- An American Saga__**
 * by James Lincoln Collier**

__About:__ Most idea for middle school students, //Jazz- An America Saga//is a chapter book that raises the question: how did jazz gets started. The book traces jazz origins all the way back to African slaves, then follows it's development through the eras of Dixieland, swing, bebop, the cool school, free jazz, and fusion. It also introduces students to the importance jazz artists that have help continue to evolve jazz into what it is today.

__Connection:__ This another good resource for introducing students to jazz history. Great way of finding more details on specific parts of jazz history.

__Sample Lesson Ideas:__ The first chapter opens with a scene of how jazz may have started. Collier paints a picture of a bunch of teenagers in the New Orleans in an old musty barn on wooden boxes experimenting with a new type of music. This can inspire students to think about music in a non-traditional ways. How can they be musician that don't read music, but innovators who create music.

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