Unit 12: Early American Jazz

Guide

Hi class, it is great to work with you again on a new and fantastic topic. Now we are going to learn something about American music, jazz music in particular. As usual, we will begin with a quiz to see how much you know about this music genre which is deeply rooted in the Afro-American musical tradition in the United States. The questions you are going to handle are easy. So don't feel discouraged if you are unable to answer them now. But you will surely do when you finish reading the whole text. Are you ready? O.K., let's kick off. Remember, if you can, please supply the answers in the space below.

1.	Jazz music, which refers to a new blend of folk music, work chants, spirituals, marches, and even European classical music, which originated in ________.
	(a) an American city called New Orleans (b) Rome, Italy (c) London, Britain 　　Answer:

2.	One of the most frequently used musical instrument on a jazz band included a __________________.
	(a) violin (b) trumpet, and (c) piano 　　Answer:

3. America's foremost jazz musician was ________________.
　(a) Louis Armstrong
　(b) Bruce Springsteen
　(c) Billy Holiday
　　　Answer:

4. The instrument used in jazz music for sounding out melodies is _________.
　(a) drums
　(b) banjo
　(c) piano
　　　Answer:

5.	Another piano style, which was emerging in Chicago in the late 1920's and early 1930's, was called _________.
	(a) boogie-woogie (b) ragtime (c) folk music 　　Answer:

Well, did you do well in the test? I am sure you do. Because these are, to put it in colloquial terms, a piece of cake. But to further your knowledge of jazz music, you will need to know more by reading the following text.