The Cool Cats
The Cool Cats bring appropriate educational content, humor, audience participation, and enthusiastic fun to 3 wonderful shows. Roots of Jazz travels from a traditional African-American spiritual through Duke Ellington’s Swing, with a dose of Scott Joplin’s Ragtime and Louis Armstrong’s New Orleans along the way. BioJazz shares much of the same content, but is designed for Middle and High School. This fast-paced show focuses on the stories of the composers and jazz musicians who made America’s music. Rock Around The Clock brings the same Cool Cat fun and educational approach to the story of Rock and Roll, demonstrating how America has grown and changed in the years since World War II. All 3 shows emphasize that the positive values that music teaches us – freedom of expression, respect and tolerance for others, cooperation, the importance of striving to be your best, friendship, and love of our common traditions – are the heritage of all Americans.
Roots of Jazz: Spirituals to Swing (Grades K – 6)
During this high energy, diverse, and educational program there is lots of audience participation, and the musical contributions of 8 instruments are demonstrated. The students learn the elements of music by “building the band” and hearing how each instrument has its special job. The place of each song in America’s history is noted. Students sing and clap, and laugh and learn, during this captivating tour of “Roots Jazz.”
BioJazz: Musical Heroes (Grades 6 – 12)
While retaining many elements of the “Roots of Jazz” program, the Cool Cats’ Middle and High School programs emphasize the original creators of the music. Each song focuses on the stories of the real people who made the music: Lillian Hardin, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Scott Joplin, George Gershwin, and others.
Rock Around The Clock (Grades K – 6)
The Cool Cats return to your school for a fun and informative journey through the origins of Rock & Roll, from the early 1950’s through the end of the 70’s. Genres such as Early Rock (Chuck Berry, Elvis, Bill Haley), Doo Wop, Blues, Folk (Peter, Paul & Mary), British Invasion (Beatles), and Disco have created the musical and cultural landscape of today’s America. The Cats finish with a contemporary hit that will truly bring your school together! FEES: Single Performance: $1040 Back to Back Performances : $1485 Three Performances: $2,175 CCT Funding Available Workshops with Jim Fryer (Grades 3 and up) Singing the Blues-A small group of students (30 maximum) will learn the poetry and West African origins of the Blues, listen to some traditional lyrics, write their own blues, try vocal improvisation (scat singing) and prepare to sing with the Cool Cats during the school concert!!! Length 60 minutes Playing the Blues-A small group of instrumentalists from the school band (maximum 20) learn a simple blues melody, learn to improvise and prepare to sit in with the Cool Cats during the school performance. Length 60 minutes Workshop with Cool Cats Meet the Performers-Get to know the Cool Cats up close and personal, as a small number of students (maximum 50) dialogue with and ask questions of the five members of Cool Cat Jazz. Length: 30 minutes
Residencies are also available
Curriculum Links: Music, Language Arts, Social Studies, American History
PWA
STUDY GUIDE: Heroes of Jazz
WEBSITE: www.coolcatjazz.info
Young Audiences Arts for Learning Connecticut: Our mission is to integrate the arts into the lives of children in educational and community settings. Our vision for Connecticut is that all children realize their potential through the arts; that the arts are valued for their ability to improve our schools and communities; that, by participation in the arts, children come to understand and value themselves, their neighbors, and the world cultures they share.
We are an Affiliate of VSA arts… an international nonprofit organization that is creating a society where all people with disabilities learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts.
We offer educational classroom workshops, school cultural programs, school arts programs, assembly programs, arts integration programs, artist in residence programs – bringing theater, music, drama, puppetry, visual arts, storytelling, drawing, painting, history and cultural arts to the classroom.