Customer Reviews

The Jazz Fly

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I thought my husband was crazy when he ordered this book. Our 2 boys are 3 and 2, and I thought they were just too young for it. As a band director, he's always introducing the kids to every aspect of music. There's a lot of books to introduce children's songs and classical music, but this is the first one we've found on Jazz. The boys have asked for this book every night since we got it (about 1 month ago). They take turns being the different characters and playing their respective instruments. It's so catchy, I find myself singing the words quite often throughout the day.

As a teacher, I am always searching for quality literature to supplement and boost my curriculum. This book is amazing! Not only is it an enchanting story, it encourages children to think creatively. The introduction of "scat" singing encourages language play and rhyming in new ways. The accompanying CD enabled the children to appreciate Jazz, exposing them to the actual sounds and combinations of the instruments. My class embraced this story and made it their own, retelling it over and over again. As a parent, I was thrilled when my own children discovered Jazz, thanks to The Jazz Fly. They now enjoy identifying various instruments and are eager to learn more about music. This is an upbeat, positive addition to library!

What's the buzz? It's a fly who speaks jazz & he's asking different critters which way to town. The frog, the hog, the donkey & the dog all say it differently & the Jazz Fly hears music in their words.

Karen Hanke's vivid & vibrantly elegant illustrations zing & zap you from each page. I loved Sammy the Centipede & Willie the Worm - hoppin' & boppin' until the Jazz Club is jammin'. Weird & wonderful!

The Jazz Fly is different & fun - a real tongue-twister. Joyous with anticipation, invention & inspiration. There's a CD on which the author reads his story & a jazz combo plays: ~ skit ~ scat ~ fancy that! Great Stuff! Well done!

I am a teacher in a 3/4 combo class of English Language Learners (native Spanish speakers). I also have 5 year old triplet girls at home. I was fortunate enough to see Matthew Gollub speaking at a teacher's convention and was really enthralled with his animated way of getting the audience in. I ended up buying three of his books. The Jazz Fly was a big hit with my own children. They loved the version I read (although I can't do it justice) and the version on the CD by Mr. Gollub. I can't wait to use this book in my classroom for my music unit!

I love this book! It's an incredible jaunt through jazz, animal languages, and the funny events at an insect nightclub. I tried playing it for my 2nd grade class, and they picked up the rhythm right away. My piano teacher loved it, too. In fact, everyone who hears it seems to get hooked on it right away. Hats off to author Matthew Gollub for a story (and performance) that will endure for many years. And long live the three "i's" that he describes in his author's note: ingenuity, improvisation, and interpretation!

This book includes an audio CD tucked into the front cover -- the story accompanied by music. My kids (ages 6 and 2) encountered the audio version before they saw the book, and loved it. It's got an excitement and rhythm that makes them both dance. The words are fun and easy to memorize, although the kids remain tickled that Dad can't get the scat lines straight. Za baza boo zaba . . . The book adds really fun visuals to the mix. Like the jazz-drumming fly in this book, the CD and book combo "put it all together and served it out hot."

I've given several copies of this book/CD as gifts to my friend's children. It's always enthusiastically received.

Most conventional music education seems to ignore jazz, which is puzzling since it is our own music, not a European implant. Matthew Golub has found a way to make the learning process truly enjoyable. The rhythms are infectious; you find yourself singing along with the CD. And the cartoon-like text is fun for children of all ages. This is a book to own, if you have a musically inclined child.

Jazz can get elitest sometimes. Jazz musicians can narrowly define jazz as only rhythm change or blues. I love this book because it does not put jazz in a box - it gives life to jazz sounds. This book gives kids and those who read to kids a chance to just "dig it." There is no over-emphasizing the roots of jazz or making the rhythm too complicated to follow, it's just a fun introduction to different scat sounds that even a little kid can relate to and follow.

When my daughter's rhythm and drum teacher read this story aloud during class one morning, my daughter became enthralled with the plight of the jazz fly. She sang the scats all afternoon and event taught them to her older sister. "Za-baza-boo-zaba-zee-za-roni" is something I've come to adore. (Especially when "scatted" by a 4 year old!) Hilarious fun for anyone who loves music!!

The Jazz Fly is the catchiest book I've ever heard! You HEAR it because it comes with this awesome CD. You hear the narration, also a saxophone, bass, piano and drums alone and all together. The artwork is sharp, and the Fly is CUTE. (I never thought I would say that about an insect!) My little brother got a signed copy from the author, and the two of us listen to it ALL THE TIME. Even my mom who doesn't have a MUSICAL bone in her BODY gets the beat. And we've all been making up jazzy scat words. ZA-BAZA, BOO-ZABA, ZEE-ZA LEE-BA DOY!