Performance Paper

Dezhuo Liu

April 18, 2013

Performance Paper #1

Prof. Justin Keller

On April 18, 2013, I attended a jazz concert at our college (College of Staten Island). When I entered the recital, there were lots of people talking about the first song Naima by John Coltrane. Finally, when the light went dark and the music began, everyone went silent and focused on the stage itself.

The first song, Naima by John Coltrane is a soft jazz music. The instruments that were used were the saxophone, bass, drum set and a piano. It contains many chords that had changed over a equal period of time. Since the beginning of this song to the chord, the song had increased its tempo and beats over time, from a soft tone to a much louder and faster tone. I actually do not like this piece of music at all. I feel that it is boring and it was hypnotizing me, putting me to sleep.

The second piece, La Vie En Rose by Edith Piaf has a much softer and happier toned. I did not understand any of the words that the woman was singing. When she sings, it sounds kind of like a sheep with the vibration of her voice. The singer sang along with the violin playing in the background but the main focus was actually on the vocal music. I do not like this piece of music either because I did not understand any word she was singing.

The third piece, April in Paris by Vernon Duke opens with the trumpets with a fast beat and later was joined by the other instruments. I feel that this song is very happy and with a faster beat that makes me wake up from my sleep earlier. Overall, I feel that this piece of music is pretty interesting but at the same time I do not like how the trumpets starts off with a dramatic opening which urge to capture the audience’s attention.

The fifth piece, Up jumped Spring by Freddie Hubbard began with the piano opening with a fast and high tone note. Afterward as it catches its pace, the other instrument (bass, drum, and trumpet) joins in harmony together. I find that this piece of...