The Jazz Club

The Blue JourneyB1

Step into a late-night New York jazz club and explore its musicians, instruments, sounds and atmosphere.

1. A Night in New York

It is almost eleven o’clock on a rainy Friday night in New York City.

Down a narrow staircase, beneath a busy street in Greenwich Village, a small jazz club is beginning to fill with people.

The room is warm and crowded. Cigarette smoke rises slowly towards the ceiling, and little lamps cast pools of yellow light across the tables.

At the far end of the room, five musicians are playing on a low wooden stage.

The pianist sits behind an old upright piano, his fingers moving quickly across the keys. Beside him, a double bass player keeps a steady rhythm while the drummer brushes his cymbals gently.

A trumpet player steps forward and begins a solo. The other musicians watch him, listening carefully, ready to follow wherever the music takes them.

Nobody knows exactly what he is going to play next. That is part of the magic of jazz.

Near the bar, a waiter carries a tray of drinks through the crowd. Two women are laughing quietly at a corner table. A man in a dark suit closes his eyes and listens to the music.

Then the trumpet falls silent.

For a moment, the only sound is the soft rhythm of the double bass.

A woman approaches the microphone. She waits, looks towards the pianist, and gives him a small nod.

The next song is about to begin.

2. Vocabulary Focus

Musical Instruments

Term	Explanation
trumpet	A brass instrument played by blowing through a small mouthpiece and pressing valves.
saxophone	A curved metal wind instrument with keys and a reed.
trombone	A brass instrument with a long sliding tube used to change the notes.
piano	A keyboard instrument in which small hammers strike strings inside the instrument.
double bass	A very large string instrument with a deep sound, played standing up or from a high stool.
drums	Percussion instruments played by striking them with sticks, brushes or the hands.
cymbals	Round metal percussion instruments that are struck together or with sticks.
guitar	A string instrument with a long neck, usually played by strumming or picking the strings.
microphone	A device that makes a voice or instrument louder or records its sound.
music stand	A stand that holds sheets of music where a musician can read them.

Inside the Club

Term	Explanation
stage	A raised area where musicians or actors perform.
spotlight	A strong light directed at one person or area.
bar counter	The long surface where drinks are served in a bar.
stool	A simple seat without arms, often with no back.
booth	A seating area with a table and fixed seats, partly separated from the rest of the room.
round table	A table with a circular top.
staircase	A set of stairs inside a building.
dance floor	An open area where people can dance.
curtain	A piece of fabric that covers a window or separates the stage from the audience.
coat rack	A frame or stand where people hang coats and jackets.

Actions & Sounds

Term	Explanation
perform	Play music, act or entertain people in front of an audience.
rehearse	Practise before a public performance.
improvise	Create or perform something without planning it in advance.
clap	Hit your hands together to show enjoyment or approval.
tap	Hit something lightly, often several times.
sway	Move slowly from side to side.
whisper	Speak very quietly so that only someone nearby can hear.
hum	Produce a musical sound with closed lips.
tune	Adjust an instrument so that it produces the correct notes.
pour	Make a liquid flow from one container into another.
applaud	Show approval or enjoyment by clapping.

3. The Band

The Language of Jazz

The trumpet player has finished his solo, and now it is the pianist’s turn.

He begins with a few quiet notes. The drummer lowers his sticks and picks up a pair of brushes, moving them gently across the surface of the snare drum.

The double bass player watches the pianist closely. His left hand moves along the neck of the instrument, while his right hand plucks the strings.

Suddenly, the pianist changes direction. He plays a quick series of notes, pauses, and smiles.

The drummer answers with a short rhythm.

It almost sounds as if the instruments are having a conversation.

This is improvisation. Instead of following every note on a written page, the musicians create new musical ideas as they play.

They listen, respond and sometimes surprise one another.

A good jazz performance is not just about playing well. It is also about knowing when to lead, when to follow and when to remain silent.

Language Focus: Playing Music

Expression	Meaning
play a solo	Perform a section of music alone or as the main musician.
keep the beat	Maintain a steady musical rhythm.
pluck the strings	Pull and release the strings of an instrument with your fingers.
play by ear	Play music from listening or memory, without reading written music.
follow the rhythm	Play or move in time with the rhythm.
take turns	Do something one person after another.
join in	Begin taking part in an activity with other people.

4. The Usual?

Bartender: Evening, Mr Parker. The usual?

Mr Parker: Not tonight, Eddie. Just a coffee, please.

Bartender: Coffee? That’s a first.

Mr Parker: I’ve got an early train tomorrow.

Bartender: Then what are you doing here so late?

Mr Parker: I came to hear the new trumpet player. He’s supposed to be very good.

Bartender: Oh, he is. You should have heard his first set.

Mr Parker: Have I missed it?

Bartender: Afraid so. But he’ll be back on stage in ten minutes.

Mr Parker: Good. I’ll stick around, then.

Bartender: One coffee coming right up.

A bartender serving a regular customer in the jazz club

Useful Expressions

Expression	Meaning
The usual?	A way to ask if someone wants what they normally order.
That’s a first.	Used when something unusual happens for the first time.
He’s supposed to be…	People say or expect that he is…
You should have heard…	Used to say that a past experience was especially impressive or interesting.
Afraid so.	A polite or regretful way to confirm something.
stick around	Stay somewhere for a while.
Coming right up.	It will be prepared or served immediately.

5. Words That Go Together

Expression	Example
live music	They come here for the live music.
take the stage	The singer takes the stage at midnight.
play a tune	The pianist begins to play a familiar tune.
keep the beat	The drummer keeps the beat.
a round of applause	The band receives a round of applause.
order a drink	She orders a drink at the bar.
strike up a conversation	A stranger strikes up a conversation.
steal the show	The trumpet player steals the show.
lose yourself in the music	He closes his eyes and loses himself in the music.
set the mood	The soft piano music sets the mood.

6. Billie Holiday, the voice behind the blues

Billie Holiday performing at the Downbeat jazz club in New York City — Billie Holiday at the Downbeat club, a jazz club in New York City. Photograph by William P. Gottlieb.

Most singers try to follow the rhythm of a song. Billie Holiday often seemed to do something different.

She would hold a word a little longer than expected, delay the beginning of a phrase, or sing a familiar melody in a completely new way.

Her voice was not particularly powerful, but it was instantly recognisable.

She could make a simple sentence sound deeply personal, as though she were sharing a secret with someone sitting across the table.

Holiday became one of the great jazz singers of the twentieth century. Her recordings helped change the way people thought about singing, rhythm and emotional expression.

For Billie Holiday, the spaces between the notes could be just as important as the notes themselves.

I’ll Be Seeing You

I’ll be seeing you
In all the old familiar places
That this heart of mine embraces
All day and through
In that small café
The park across the way
The children’s carousel
The chestnut trees, the wishing well

I’ll be seeing you
In every lovely summer’s day
In everything that’s light and gay
I’ll always think of you that way
I’ll find you in the morning sun
And when the night is new
I’ll be looking at the moon
But I’ll be seeing you