Jazz! Jazz! American Jazz!
Rebecca Thompson Choral Series
by Walter Mourant
Unison, optional second and third vocal parts, piano, optional alto saxophone
Laurendale Associates

CH-1108

Review from The Choral Journal, August, 1996

Jazz! Jazz! American Jazz!, with text by Walter Mourant, Karen Bellinger, and Nancy Ann Piver, is a clever and challenging piece for upper elementary or junior high singers. It provides an opportunity for singers to learn bits of jazz history through its text and to experience a sampling of jazz rhythms and vocal techniques through the music. The optional second and third vocal parts respond to the main line in some instances and provide straightforward harmony in others. Some groups may experience difficulty in articulating the text with rhythmic accuracy at the suggested tempo (quarter = 132). The range of all the vocal parts centers around c¹ to e². An optional saxophone part is provided, and the composer suggests adding bass and drums where appropriate. Movement also could be added at the point in the music that refers to the jitterbug dance craze. The piano part is demanding, requiring a player with excellent technique who also can swing.

Review by Sharon Davis Gratto