Research one of the following artists following the instructions below: 

If your last name starts with the letters A – C

• Billie Holiday – Read Walser Ch 22 – On the Road with Count Basie Billie Holiday.pdf

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 and watch BBC’s documentary on Billie Holiday (Links to an external site.)

If your last name starts with the letters D – K

• Lester Young – Read Walser Ch 29 – Johnny Otis Remembers Lester Young.pdf

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 and listen to Lester Young ‘The Prez’ (Links to an external site.) 

If your last name starts with the letters L – P

• Coleman Hawkins – Read Jazz Anecdotes Ch 33 Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young

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 and listen to the first 45 minutes of this interview from 1956. (Links to an external site.)

If your last name starts with the letters R – Z

• Ella Fitzgerald – Read about Ella Fitzgerald and World War II (Links to an external site.) Listen to NPR’s Jazz Profiles with Nancy Wilson: Ella Fitzgerald, ‘First Lady of Song’  (Links to an external site.)

In your initial post, write one paragraph and post one recording (youtube or link to Spotify). In your paragraph, tell us which artist you were assigned, three interesting facts about them, and their major contribution to jazz. For your recording, post a song by the artist that you enjoy that no one else has posted (the song will be unique, not the artist). A minimum of 100 words for full credit. Make your initial post by Sunday March 13th 11:59pm (6 points)

Reply to two of your peers who did not research the same artist as you by Tuesday March 15th 11:59pm (2 points per post). Comment on one of the following a) how your artist interacted with their artist in jazz history, b) if your artist was also featured in the song they posted or c) if your artist was frequently compared to their artist, and what their main differences are.