All That 1920's Jazz
Oklahoma!
April Songs
Grab Bag
100

This was a popular dance associated with jazz music during this time and named after a city in South Carolina

The Charleston

100

Oklahoma! is the first musical written by this famous musical writing duo.

Rodgers and Hammerstein

100

Travel with Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong as they are known for singing about April in this city.

Paris

100

One of the primary instruments of Swedish music traditions is called the nyckelharpa, which is a “keyed” version of this common orchestral instrument.

Violin

200

This Louisiana trumpet player and singer was the first artist to be given liberty to choose his own music, many of which became standards.

Louis Armstrong

200

In the first scene of the musical, Curly sings this optimistic song about how “everything’s going my way.”

Oh, What a Beautiful Morning

200

“April Come She Will” is a song by this famous songwriting duo who also wrote “The Sound of Silence.”

Simon & Garfunkel

200

Elvis Presley recorded this ballad for his album and movie “Blue Hawaii.” Hopefully he didn’t rush into it.

Can’t Help Falling in Love

300

In 1927, Irving Berlin wrote this song that uses the “bluebird as happiness” theme as a symbol of cheer.

Blue Skies

300

The original broadway production made its debut during this war.

World War II

300

Prince wrote a song about April and how it sometimes has this winter precipitation in it.

Snow

300

This song was a classic of the WWII era, known for its reference to the war and was famously performed by the Andrews Sisters.

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

400

Fats Waller wrote two compositions during this time that became standards, one of them being Honeysuckle Rose, and the other heard here.

Ain’t Misbehavin

400

Oklahoma! Won a special Pulitzer prize, which is awarded by this prestigious New York city college, formerly King’s College.

Columbia University

400

Rufus Wainwright wrote this song about a “holiday” that happens at the beginning of April.

April Fool’s

400

Despite its ancestors being around for thousands of years, the trumpet did not make its debut as an instrument until approximately this century, the start of the Age of Discovery

15th century

500

The Jazz Age began after WWI and lasted until this major event in 1929.

The Great Depression

500

The 1955 film adaptation of Oklahoma! Won this award, also known as an Academy Award.

Oscar

500

This song was the title track for a movie with the same name that featured Pat Boone and Shirley Temple.

April Love

500

Bebop, or bop, developed in the 1940’s,  is known for its fast tempos and complex harmonies and is a subgenre of this style.

Jazz