Jazz Doodle Jam!

MO WiLLEMS CREATED BY AND FEATURING MO WiLLEMS + JASON MORAN & THE BANDWAGON DIRECTED BY MEGAN ALRUTZ CONCEIVED BY

Great work— Give yourself a wing (or a hand if you have one)!

Art © Mo Willems

Thanks for helping make music and art work together in a whole new way.

Now let’s talk about the awesomeness that just happened!

Presenting Sponsor of Performances for Young Audiences

ABOUT THE MUSiC Jazz has been around for more than 100 years, but it is still growing and changing every day, just like you. Jazz musicians have a conversation, but instead of using words, they use their instruments. They listen to each other and respond musically; that’s called IMPROVISING.

Photo by John Rogers

Jazz pianist and composer AND Kennedy Center Artistic Director for Jazz Jason Moran performed all the music with his band, The Bandwagon— Tarus Mateen (bass) and Nasheet Waits (drums).

Jason says, “What jazz means to me is a sense of freedom…to allow unforeseen things to happen in the music. Sometimes we can make something that sounds “wrong” sound right!

ABOUT THE ART Cartooning has been around for more than 100 years, but it is still growing and changing every day, just like jazz (and you!). Cartoons start out with doodles.

Doodles are art improvisations that use lines, shapes, and colors to discover something new. And doodling and jazz make an especially good fit.

Mo Willems, Doodler and Kennedy Center Education Artist-in-Residence says, “Jazz improv and doodling are ‘art sparks.’ They can light the fire of new sounds and pictures.”

Photo by Jo Chattman

CONNECTING THE CiRCLES, LiNES, AND SHAPES YOU MAKE UP By listening and doodling to the music, you make some cool artistic connections:

MARKERS DOWN. THINKING CAPS ON. Mo says, “Doodling is a physical form of empathy.” (Empathy is when you understand other people’s feelings or how they see the world.)

Circles—the round shape of drums and cymbals.

What do you think he means?

How did you show understanding for the musicians and other doodlers through your doodling?

Lines—the bass guitar’s deep, repetitive notes that “glue” the band together.

JASON’S THOUGHTS ON LISTENING TO JAZZ Find the melody.

Find the solo (the improvisation).

Shapes You Make Up—the piano’s harmonies and melodies (main musical ideas).

Look for the tradeoff between musicians.

MO’S THOUGHTS ON DOODLING There’s no such thing as a wrong doodle.

HOW THE JAZZ DOODLE JAM HAPPENED You listened to the musicians and created art—wow. Then the musicians looked at your art and created music—double wow!

What made it work? Watching and listening carefully, not thinking about anything else, and simply getting lost in the music and the doodling.

Doodles are practice drawings, just like playing ball is practicing for baseball.

If you ever get caught doodling during class, tell them Mo did it, too!

Art © Mo Willems

HERE ARE SOME IDEAS FOR MORE LiSTENING AND DRAWiNG THE JAZZ DOODLE WAY Doodling to Jazz and Beyond Markers and crayons ready? Try more jazz doodling with Jason’s music recommendations.

Music for drawing circles: “Big News”

David M. Rubenstein Chairman Deborah F. Rutter President Jordan LaSalle Interim Senior Vice President Education

Music for drawing lines: “Reanimation” Music for drawing shapes: “Study No. 6” (TEN, the faster version) Music for putting it all together: “Blue Blocks”

This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Now try doodling to other types of instrumental music, like classical, blues, or kazoo orchestras. Then branch out to music with lyrics like pop and Hip Hop. Don’t forget to sign your doodles!

To listen to all of the music listed here: bit.ly/JazzDoodleJam

Major support for Jazz programming at the Kennedy Center is made possible

by The Buffy and William Cafritz Family Foundation.

Roll Out Your Own Scroll of Awesome

Additional support for Jazz Doodle Jam! is provided by A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation; the Kimsey Endowment; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; and the U.S. Department of Education.

Gather family and friends.

Lay out a large sheet of paper and plenty of markers and crayons.

Make up a title for your scroll.

Listen to music, like Jason Moran’s song “Sheik of Araby/I Found a New Baby” DOODLE! Use one another’s ideas to connect your doodling into larger artwork that works together.

Brainstorm some simple lyrics (words) to go with your art and music—and sing them.

TAKE THE DOODLE DiNNER CHALLENGE!

The contents of this Cuesheet have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education and do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

Get Lost in a Jazz Doodle!

The Kennedy Center invites artists (that’s you) to come to the Moonshot Studio every weekend in March (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) to listen and draw to music from current Kennedy Center shows. Your art will then be posted on the Studio’s walls!

Art © Mo Willems

CALLiNG ALL DOODLERS!

Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided

by David M. Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

© 2020 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Mo doodles with his family most nights—and you can, too. Put a big piece of paper and crayons and markers on the dining room table so the kids, and the bigger kids (also known as grownups), can eat, drink, talk, and doodle together. Try doodling daily!

Can you find Mo’s dinner doodles inside?

Funding for Access and Accommodation Programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.