Lesson · Grades 5–8 · Music

The Sound of Harlem

Students will analyze the musical structures of Harlem Renaissance jazz and blues — call-and-response, the 12-bar blues form, improvisation, syncopation, and the role of the rhythm section. They will connect these structures to their African musical roots and understand how jazz was simultaneously a new American art form and a continuation of African musical traditions. Students will respond through structured listening, notation analysis, or original composition.