Listening Excerpts to Develop Jazz Musicianship

Imagine an art teacher saying, "Today, we are going to paint in the impressionistic style" and then using only words to describe that style - a frustrating activity for all! Displaying classic art by Monet or Degas would be a far better way to grow students' visual concept of impressionism. Similarly, the best way to develop a young jazz musician's understanding of how jazz is supposed to sound is through great listening examples. This resource for experienced and novice jazz educators organizes hundreds of great jazz recordings into tables and provides companion Spotify and YouTube playlists to showcase specific jazz concepts, styles, characteristic tones, genres, emotions, and more. What can Charlie Parker teach students about alto saxophone? What is Miles Davis' characteristic trumpet sound? What is the difference between bebop and swing? What separates a slow wide scoop from a quicker, shorter scoop? Use focused listening to great musicians playing great pieces of music to convey musical concepts, improve student musicianship, and inspire a love for jazz!