“Get Jazzy on Me”
“O when the saints, go marchin in
When the saints go marchin in
O lord I want to be in that number
When the saints go marchin in”

I’m sure we all have heard this uplifting lyric from one of the most famous Jazz songs of all time, but many of us have not dug deeper into the genre to find its many other secrets. I know a fair amount about the genre, as I play tenor saxophone in the Jazz band at my school and listen to a lot of it in my spare time. I love tuning in to Jazz stations to hear famous artists and try to recreate their licks and sound. Since joining Jazz band as a rookie in 6th grade I have seen my life get much better and more enjoyable. Improved grades, understanding of music, and culture are only a few of the benefits I have noticed. But my experience and passion for the subject got me thinking. “What if every school in the country had a Jazz band/program for kids to play in? Would they get the same out of it as I did?”


Every kid in the country should learn how to improvise/solo on an instrument, one of the most important elements of Jazz music. One reason why is that it allows the player to express themselves, and let out their feelings and emotions. When improvising, there are not many rules, so you can put all of your own, individual thoughts and ideas out on the table for all to hear. You can never be wrong when improvising, even if you play a “bad” note, so you can really just do anything you want. Whether it’s soft and beautiful or screaming and crazy, anything goes. In the same way, improv-ing helps the performer gain self confidence and presentation skills. The scariest part of improv is that you are all on your own. Just you, your instrument, and your ideas. It is basically the same thing as giving an oral presentation, except you are playing music instead of talking. Also, the performer will gain self confidence when the whole auditorium applauds at the end of the solo! Equally important, learning to improv will help the student strive to be a better player, and will motivate them to work hard at their instrument. They will try to be the best soloist in their group (we all know kids can be extremely competitive), and practice a lot to become it. Also, they can listen to famous recordings from the best soloists of all time, like Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, or Louis Armstrong. Listening to those greats could inspire them to become just as good as those greats. This is why every student in the country should learn how to improvise on an instrument.


Jazz is one of the most diverse, people pleasing genres in the world, making it suitable to almost anybody. One example of its diversity is the many sub-genres affiliated with it. Swing, Latin, Funk, Rock, Gospel, and Bossa Nova are only just a few of the many styles known to jazz around the world. Kids who come from different cultures would easily be able to recognize any of these sounds and would be more comfortable playing one from their background. Another example of its diversity is the wide range of instruments included in the band. There’s

3 types of saxophones (sometimes even a 4th), trumpets, trombones, drums, piano, bass, guitar, and many more that have not been mentioned. These different instruments take different skills to play, and allow kids with different talents to be able to participate in the band. Jazz could even include a singer if the band wants to add that kind of dynamic! DIversity definitely shows in Jazz!

Learning to play Jazz could also help kids in the classroom. Even though it may not be a students favorite subject, U.S. and World history has its connections with Jazz music. The origins of Jazz go back to early Europe and African sounds, as well as its start in New Orleans. Just so you know, Jazz’s connection to Europe is its use of classical instruments, and its connection to Africa is its use of layered drum beats and percussion. These musical influences can help the student appreciate the splendor of those unique cultures, thus helping them understand better in class. Equally, or maybe even more important, learning about Jazz will help the student in US history. It will give them a better understanding of Louisiana’s early french culture (as displayed in Dixieland music), Chicago’s notorious blues scene (Blues Brothers), and Jazz’s many influences on today’s pop culture and music. It will give them a better mindset on America’s recent history, and will help them grasp how our country has grown and changed. This how learning about Jazz would help students in the classroom.


Other people may say that every kid should not have to learn to play Jazz music. They may think it is not important, takes too much extra time, and does not allow kids to follow their own dreams. I can see where people are coming from when saying this, but I respectfully disagree. It is very important, seeing all the benefits I stated previously. Learning Jazz would not take too much time. Realistically, everyone could go to a rehearsal once a week (That is the minimum, seeing our Jazz band practices twice a week, plus 1 sectional) which is definitely doable. Also, most kids don’t do anything productive when getting home from school, so it would be a better use of time. The final counter-claim, saying that it does not allow kids to follow their own dreams is honestly a hard one to go against. I truly understand that most kids don’t want to be Jazz musicians when they grow up, but I feel learning Jazz could help them with whatever they want. Jazz can help someone looking for a career in music (Obviously) but also could help people looking for a job where they present in front of people, which is an important part of SOOO many jobs available today!

There really isn’t much more I can say. I’ve told you how Jazz’s improvisation can help players come out of their shells in music and in life, and will help them express their feelings in a safe, beautiful way. We’ve already talked about the genre’s diversity, how it’s not “one size fits all” and could please anyones taste and fit anyones talents. I have even talked about the benefits of a Jazz band in the classroom, and how players tend to be some of the best students in the school. I have told you everything I can. It is now up to you to go out and help make this happen. And, just in case you ever feel a little uninspired, I’ll have sexy sax man Sergio Flores play you out! (Imagine a saxophone playing Careless Whisper by George Michael)da, da, da-du, da,da, da-du)