Should music educators be experts in jazz or American folk music?

Experts…..may be a stretch, but music educators should at least be competent in the subjects of jazz and American folk music.  They should definitely recognize the importance of these subjects and insure that students understand their significance in music history and their impact on the music of today.  

For aspiring performers, this exposure is critical.  There is more and more demand for the “commercial” player who can move through various styles with ease.  Someone who can play Souza in the morning, Coldplay in the afternoon, and Ellington in the evening.  I may be a bit bias about this but I think it’s for good reason.  I auditioned hundreds of musicians for the Navy Music Program and although many of them passed the audition, not all of those who passed were suitable for the rigors of professional music.  As Navy Band’s shrunk in size over the years, due to budget cuts, musical versatility became more important than ever.  A trumpet player couldn’t just be a good “legit” player; he/she had to jump from the wind ensemble or ceremonial band into the jazz or top 40 groups, and play just as well.  For me, as a trombonist, this was a daily reality:

0800 - Wind Ensemble rehearsal

0930 - Ceremonial Band gig

1230 - Jazz Band Rehearsal

1430 - Top 40 Band Rehearsal

1800 - Jazz Combo gig

This is the reality of more and more professional musicians: Cruise ships, “pops” ensembles, recording studios, community bands, etc, are all in need of versatile players.  Exposure to and performance of Jazz and American folk music at the grade school levels arms students with the tools needed in the competitive world of professional music.

This list from the "Get America Singing, Again" Campaign contains many songs that students should learn.  

Volume I 1. Amazing Grace 2. America (My Country, ‘Tis of Thee) 3. America the Beautiful 4. Battle Hymn of the Republic 5. Blue Skies 6. Danny Boy (Londonderry Air) 7. De colores 8. Do-Re-Mi 9. Down by the Riverside 10. Frere Jaques 11. Give my Regards to Broadway 12. God Bless America 13. God Bless the U.S.A. 14. Green, Green Grass of Home 15. Havah Nagilah 16. He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands 17. Home on the Range 18. I’ve Been Working on the Railroad 19. If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song) 20. Let There Be Peace on Earth 21. Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing 22. Michael (Row the Boat Ashore) 23. Dona Nobis Pachem 24. Music Alone Shall Live 25. My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean 26. Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’ 27. Oh! Susanna 28. Over My Head 29. Puff the Magic Dragon 30. Rock-A-My Soul 31. Sakura 32. Shalom Chaverim 33. She’ll Be Comin’ ‘Round the Mountain 34. Shenandoah 35. Simple Gifts 36. Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child 37. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot 38. This Land is Your Land 39. The Star Spangled Banner 40. Take Me Out to the Ball Game 41. This Little Light of Mine 42. Yesterday 43. Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah

Volume II 1. All Through the Night (traditional) 2. Auld Lang Syne (traditional) 3. Both Sides Now (Joni Mitchell) 4. Camptown Races (Stephen Foster) 5. Clementine (traditional) 6. Down In the Valley (traditional) 7. Edelweiss (Rodgers and Hammerstein) 8. Erie Canal (traditional) 9. Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit (traditional) 10. Five Hundred Miles (Hedy West) 11. Follow the Drinkin’ Gourd (traditional) 12. Getting to Know You (Rodgers and Hammerstein) 13. Guantanamera (Pete Seeger & Jose Marti) 14. I Love the Mountains (traditional) 15. I’ve Got Rhythm (George Gershwin) 16. Irene Goodnight (Huddie Ledbetter) 17. It’s a Small World (Shermans) 18. Jamaica Farewell (Irving Burgie) 19. Kum Ba Yah (traditional) 20. Let It Be (Lennon & McCartney) 21. Let Me Call You Sweetheart (traditional) 22. Make New Friends (traditional) 23. Midnight Special (Huddie Ledbetter) 24. My Favorite Things (Rodgers and Hammerstein) 25. Old MacDonald Had a Farm (traditional) 26. Over the Rainbow (Harold Arlen) 27. Peace Like a River (traditional) 28. Precious Lord (Thomas Dorsey) 29. Red River Valley (traditional) 30. Rock Around the Clock (Max Freedman & Jimmy DeKnight) 31. Side By Side (Harry Woods) 32. Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver/Bill Danoff/Taffy Danoff) 33. To Every Season (Turn! Turn! Turn!) (Pete Seeger) 34. Try to Remember (Harvey Schmidt & Tom Jones) 35. The Water Is Wide (traditional) 36. We Shall Overcome (Horton, Seeger, Carawan) 37. What a Wonderful World (Theile Weiss) 38. When Johnny Comes Marching Home (Patrick Gilmore) 39. When the Saints Go Marching In (traditional) 40. Where Have All the Flowers Gone (Pete Seeger) 41. Yankee Doodle (traditional) 42. You Are My Sunshine (Davis/Mitchell) 43. You Are the Sunshine of My Life (Stevie Wonder) 44. You’re a Grand Old Flag (George M. Cohan) 45. You’ve Got a Friend (Carole King)