Lionel Hampton Jazz Band Session with Sixth Graders

The legendary Lionel Hampton Band visited with our sixth grade today, treating the boys to a wonderful session on jazz.

The band played several pieces including "When the Saints Go Marching In" and their famous "Flying Home." They also led a discussion about the evolution of jazz in America, from the dance oriented swing bands of Glenn Miller to the Be-Bop of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker.

This year our sixth grade boys engage in an in-depth interdisciplinary study of twentieth century America, looking at it from a kaleidoscope of perspectives that includes history, poetry, and of course, music. Today's session gave them a taste of live jazz played by masterful musicians.

Below is a clip of the band playing Charlie Parker's "Laird Baird."

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