Jazz and Storytelling: 

Creative and performances applications 

(Thesis) 

 

 

MA-Thesis 

Royal Conservatory The Hague, The Netherlands 

February 2014 

Emilio Parrilla Garcia-Pelayo 

Student number: c012027 

Jazz Clarinet 

Research coaches: Patrick Schenkius and Philip Curtis 

Teacher: John Ruocco

 

Introduction………………………………………………….1

 

Chapter 1. What is a Storyteller……………………………3 

1.1 Dimensions of term storytelling 

1.2 Storyteller’s definition 

1.3 Storyteller’s classification 

1.4 Terminology 

1.5 Pepeperez cuentacuentos: The Storyteller 

 

Chapter 2. Storytellers: a short history……………………9 

2.1 From Mesopotamia to Louisiana 

2.1.1 Beginning 

2.1.2 Storyteller in Classic culture 

2.1.3 Since Middle age to XIX century 

2.1.4 Storyteller in America 

2.2 Storyteller on the world 

 

Chapter 3. Storytelling and music……………………..…..16 

3.1 Human communication and music 

3.2 Narrative in music 

3.3 Storyteller and music 

3.3.1 Storytelling-music examples 

3.3.2 Ways of relation 

 

Chapter 4. Storytelling in jazz History……………...……24 

4.1 Human communication and jazz 

4.2 Narrative and jazz 

4.3 Storyteller and jazz 

4.3.1 Blues and jazz lyrics 

4.3.2 Minstrel, Spike Jones and Jerry Lewis 

4.3.3 Jazz poetry and Robert Glasper 

4.4 Simon Baker, Pansori and jazz 

 

Chapter 5. Relation Storytelling and jazz…………….…..31 

5.1 Storytelling as a source of inspiration 

5.1.1 Creativity Laboratory for kids 

5.1.2 Storytelling jazz laboratory week 

5.1.3 My compositions and stories 

5.2 Storytelling as tool in stage performance 

5.2.1 Corporal expression-jazz 

5.2.2 Plastics arts-jazz 

5.2.3 Text-jazz 

5.2.4 Music as storytelling 

 

Conclusion………………………………………………….37 

 

Bibliography…………………………………….………….39 

 

Annex……………………………………………………….41 

Annex I. Media 

Annex II. Interview 

Annex III. Scores and stories