Stevie Wonder

To continue our study of Black History Month, this week’s feature musician is Stevie Wonder. Blind since shortly after his birth, Wonder was a child prodigy, signing with Motown’s Tamla label at the age of 11, and at age 13 became the youngest artist with a No. 1 single. He is also a social activist (short summary here) advocating for anti-racism, famine relief, AIDS awareness, and improving services for the blind and those with disabilities.

Some of his works we’re listening to this week:
– Isn’t She Lovely (written for his daughter, Aisha)
– I Just Called to Say I Love You (won an Oscar award for Best Original Song, which Stevie Wonder dedicated this to Nelson Mandela, and resulted in getting his music banned in South Africa)
– Happy Birthday (composed to recognize Dr. Martin Luther King‘s birthday, which Stevie Wonder dedicated 10 years to making a national American holiday)
– Ebony and Ivory (ebony is black wood and ivory is a white material made from animal tusks/teeth, materials used to make a piano; symbolizes black and white people living in harmony; sung with Paul McCartney from The Beatles)
– Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing (featured in the animated movie Sing)
– Sir Duke (we play this in FAT Jazz too! It was written for Duke Ellington, the pianist we saw in It Don’t Mean a Thing with Ella Fitzgerald, and the lyrics mention several jazz giants)
– Superstition
– As
– Living for the City
– Faith (with Ariana Grande, also featured in the movie Sing)

He’s performed in the 1999 Superbowl Halftime, for Queen Elizabeth II in 2012, for President Barack Obama, and holds many honours, including 22 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Grammy Award for lifetime achievement, Gershwin prize for Popular Song, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Ella Fitzgerald

We’re kicking off Black History Month (February) with a jazz legend, Ella Fitzgerald (more detailed biography for intermediate students), known as “The First Lady of Song.” She had a difficult childhood, and faced racism and segregation from an early age, but maintained a positive outlook on life. You can also listen to a read-aloud book on her called Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat Ella Fitzgerald by Roxane Orgill. Here is a small selection of what we’re listening to in class (I play a lot of these with my husband and friends in FAT Jazz! Look in the “Gallery” for a recording of us playing A Tisket A Tasket!). Did you know that Gerald in the famous Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems is named after Ella Fitzgerald (say “Elephant Gerald” really fast)?

A Tisket A Tasket (1938)
Summertime (1968) – we listened to the duet with Louis Armstrong (see George Gershwin)
Blue Skies – features scatting (nonsense syllables to improvise on a melody line)
It Don’t Mean a Thing (1965) – more scatting, Ella’s “doo-wah” copies the brass instruments (trumpets and trombones) closing and opening their plunger mutes (watch them in the background at 0:35); also listen to how fast the bass line is going!
Dream A Little Dream of Me – collaboration with Louis Armstrong
Moonlight in Vermont – collaboration with Frank Sinatra

More famous songs we didn’t have time for in class:
My Funny Valentine
All the Things You Are
Misty (1965) – one of my favourite jazz standards <3
Puttin on the Ritz
Lullaby of Birdland
Satin Doll (1966)
One Note Samba (1969) – even more scatting!

Frank Sinatra

Francis Albert Sinatra “(December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer, actor and producer who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide.” (Wikipedia) We listened to New York New York (referenced by Alex in Madagascar), Fly Me to the Moon (first song to be played on the moon), The Best Is Yet to Come (inscribed on his tombstone), My Way (featured in the movie Sing), Come Fly With Me, and I’ve Got You Under My Skin. Ask your parents or grandparents about him…they might have interesting stories to share!

George Gershwin

Our musician of the week is George Gershwin. We listened to the beginning of Rhapsody in Blue in class yesterday. If you have time, listen to the full performance by Leonard Berstein and the NY Philharmonic. We also listened to other jazz standards Gershwin wrote:

1) I Got Rhythm, lyrics written by George’s sister, Ira Gershwin

2) Summertime, with Louis Armstrong on trumpet & vocal (“What a Wonderful World“), and Ella Fitzgerald on vocal (“A Tisket A Tasket“)

You’ll probably hear these songs at some point in your life…they’re pretty famous! Now you’ll know who composed them!