New Orleans Genres and Origin

DESCRIPTION

Students will explore genres of music unique to New Orleans history and culture. They will learn the song, “Bourbon Street Parade,” and research legendary composer, Paul Barbarin. 

OBJECTIVES

• Students will be able to listen to and analyze New Orleans music genres. 
• Students will be able to describe the six New Orleans music genres, Ragtime, New Orleans Gospel, Traditional, Early Brass Band, Blues, New Orleans Rhythm & Blues, and Contemporary Brass Band. 
• Students will be able to gather key details about composer and drummer, Paul Barbarin.
• Students will be able to sing the lyrics to the song, “Bourbon Street Parade.”

STANDARDS

National Core Arts Standards

Music – Anchor Standard 4: Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
Music – Anchor Standard 6: Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
Music – Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work.

Common Core State Standards

RI.6.3 Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text.
RI.7.3 Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text.
RI.8.3 Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events.

INSTRUCTOR NOTES

Students should have familiarity with different types of music and text analysis. Teachers should review the lesson resources, media, and websites prior to launching the lesson. Students with disabilities may benefit from Adaptive Movements in this lesson.

MATERIALS

• Interactive board, piano, wind instruments
• 64 Parishes: Paul Barbarin
• LYRICS: “Bourbon Street Parade”
• PRESENTATION: New Orleans Genres and Origin
• VIDEOS: Ragtime: New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra – Live – 1970 | New Orleans Gospel: Mahalia Jackson Down By The Riverside | Traditional: Preservation Hall Jazz Band When The Saints | Traditional: Sweet Emma Barrett When the Saints Go Marching In | Early Brass Band: Eureka Brass Band | New Orleans Rhythm & Blues: Fats Domino Blue Monday | Contemporary Brass Band: Hot 8 Brass Band – We Are One | Contemporary Brass Band: The Original Pinettes – Ain’t No City | Preservation Hall Jazz Band – Keep Your Head Up | “Paul Barbarin’s Second Line”  |“Bourbon Street Parade” | Preservation Hall Foundation: Paul Barbarin’s Second Line | Preservation Foundation: “Bourbon Street Parade”

INTRODUCTION 

1. Introduce the lesson by asking students: What is your favorite type of music? What songs fall under that category of music? Allow time for students to share their responses and make peer-to-peer connections. 

2. Display slide 3 from the presentation, New Orleans Genres and Origin. Introduce the term genre to students. Review the definition with students: A genre is a category that defines a musical style. Pieces of music that belong to a shared tradition. It is to be distinguished from musical form and musical style, although in practice these terms are sometimes used interchangeably.

3. Play a short segment of Ragtime, New Orleans Gospel, and Contemporary Brass Band from slide 4 of the presentation, New Orleans Genres and Origin. Ask students to listen and analyze each song. Ask: What differences can you distinguish between each song? Do you think they fall in the same genre or a different genre?  Play the songs again to allow further analysis. 

4. Review the genres they heard: Ragtime, New Orleans Gospel, and Contemporary Brass Band. Tell students they are going to explore New Orleans music genres. Ask: What are music genres? Why would the classification of music help us understand the context and creation of a song?

5. Introduce the six types of New Orleans genres: Ragtime, New Orleans Gospel, Traditional, Early Brass Band, Blues, New Orleans Rhythm & Blues, and Contemporary Brass Band. Use the chart on slide 5 of the presentation, New Orleans Genres and Origin, to review the definitions and characteristics of each type. 

6. Have a class discussion about each genre of New Orleans music. Allow time for students to share connections and ask questions. 

APPLICATION

1. Share the following media for each genre of music with students. Allow time for students listen to each type several times: Ragtime: New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra – Live – 1970, New Orleans Gospel: Mahalia Jackson Down By The Riverside, Traditional: Preservation Hall Jazz Band When The Saints or Sweet Emma Barrett When the Saints Go Marching In, Early Brass Band: Eureka Brass Band, New Orleans Rhythm & Blues: Fats Domino Blue Monday, and Contemporary Brass Band: Hot 8 Brass Band – We Are One, Preservation Hall Jazz Band – Keep Your Head Up. Have students “turn and talk” to discuss the music. 

2. Introduce “Paul Barbarin’s Bio” on slide 13 of the presentation, New Orleans Genres and Origin. Tell students Barbarin was a traditional New Orleans Jazz drummer and composer. Discuss the details of Barbarin’s bio and perform one of Paul Barbarin’s songs on an instrument or stream a song on the web, such as “Paul Barbarin’s Second Line” or “Bourbon Street Parade.”

3. Share historical facts about Barbarin and his relationship to the French Quarter and Congo Square. Tell students that Barbarin nurtured his skill during the apex of Storyville which led him to perform with other great pioneers of New Orleans Jazz, including King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Kid Ory, and Jimmie Noone. His musical compositions are easily recognizable in the New Orleans Jazz repertoire. Have students explore the origins of Traditional Jazz through the contributions of Barbarin’s work. Share with the following resources: Preservation Hall Foundation: Paul Barbarin’s Second Line, Preservation Foundation: “Bourbon Street Parade”, and 64 Parishes: Paul Barbarin. 

4. Distribute the “Bourbon Street Parade Lyrics.” Tell students they are going to rehearse one line then come together as an ensemble. 

EVALUATION

1. Evaluate students with a written response. Ask: What are the six genres of New Orleans music? How did Paul Barbarin influence Traditional New Orleans Jazz?

2. Have students present an ensemble performance to the “Bourbon Street Parade.”

ATTRIBUTIONS

Used with permission. Portions of this work are based on the National Core Arts Standards Copyright © 2015 National Coalition for Core Arts Standards/All Rights Reserved – Rights Administered by SEADAE.

© Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

Louis Ford, Curriculum Developer and Music Artist Liaison
JoDee Scissors, Content Producer
Meredith Sharpe, Adaptations Writer