Jazz, blues music’s therapeutic effects noted during Innovation Month at JSU
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Posted By: How May I Help You NC on November 14, 2014 Innovation in the psychological effects of jazz and the blues was the topic Tuesday during Innovation Month at Jackson State University. Professors from the JSU Music Department gave a presentation on The Academic and Psychological Effects of Engaging Learners in Live Jazz Music Improvisation. Speaking at the Dollye M.E. Robinson College of Liberal Arts Building, Dr. David Akombo, assistant professor, director of music education and graduate coordinator in the department of music, outlined various studies on the positive and negative effects of music. He was assisted on a sound mixing system by Andrew Lewis, an adjunct professor of music, to demonstrate various “mixes” of sounds, or chords, from jazz and blues music. Lewis demonstrated the 12 bar blues format and various scales that are used in jazz/blues music, assisted by music students Selwyn Ware and Craig West, both playing trumpet. Playing “Freddie the Freeloader,” the students demonstrated improvisational skills fitting within the framework of various jazz/blues chords and rhythms. Lewis used an Apple desktop system with iReal Pro which he said he also uses to teach students to learn to improvise music “with a high level of confidence.” To demonstrate, he had the audience sing along. “There, you’ve just improvised,” he said, to laughter and applause. Dr. Taunjah Bell, visiting assistant professor in the psychology department, spoke on an area of her specialty: neurobiological mechanisms underlying emotional control and emotional responses; in this case, music. She said that music can help calm anxiety, but that’s not all. “Music is very beneficial on many levels,” she said. Music affects immune response, cognition and mood, she said. It also helps brain cells communicate and can help Alzheimer’s patients’ memory. They were followed by Dr. Sumesh Arora, who is vice president of Innovate Mississippi and is the director for Innovate Mississippi’s Strategic Biomass Solutions program. He spoke on Environmental Sustainability in Mississippi. Here’s the Innovation schedule: Thursday, November 13, 2014 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon Intellectual Property Primer and Inventors Roundtable Discussion H.T. Sampson Library, INNOVATE 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Computational Thinking and Technology Robotics Demonstration Engineering Building, Student Lounge Friday, November 14, 2014 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon Opening Ceremony and Ribbon Cutting of the Trading Room College of Business Building, Rotunda 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The Innovative Arts in the Creative Economy: Repurposed Art One University Place, Gallery One 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. The Innovative Arts in the Creative Economy: The Act of Drawing Johnson Hall, Art Gallery 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Reception Recognizing JSU Social Entrepreneurship Business Plan Winners Engineering Building, Atrium Monday, November 17 – 19, 2014 Global Entrepreneurship Week (College of Business) Thursday, November 20, 2014 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. NSF HBCU-UP Outreach Workshop Engineering Building www.jsums.edu/research/event/innovationmonth – JSU – About Jackson State University: Challenging Minds, Changing Lives Jackson State University, founded in 1877, is a historically black, high research activity university located in Jackson, the capital city of Mississippi. Jackson State’s nurturing academic environment challenges individuals to change lives through teaching, research and service. Officially designated as Mississippi’s Urban University, Jackson State continues to enhance the state, nation and world through comprehensive economic development, health-care, technological and educational initiatives. The only public university in the Jackson metropolitan area, Jackson State is located near downtown, with five satellite locations throughout the area. For more information, visit www.jsums.edu or call 601-979-2121 Contact: Olivia S. Goodheart, director, public relations, 601.979.1483, olivia.s.goodheart@jsums.edu Jim Ewing, media specialist, 601.979.2950, james.h.ewing@jsums.edu If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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