Jazz Improvisation II: Music 056-401

Andrew Classen-Technical Studies-available at Copy Cat (on 25th St.)
Jamey Aebersold, Vol 16 Turnarounds and ii-V's: Book and CD (available at Rieman's music),
Real Book, in concert pitch or your instruments key.
Loose leaf binder with manuscript paper
Blanks CD's.

CLASS OBJECTIVES:

Being able to improvise jazz well is an extremely fulfilling and enjoyable experience: a supreme level of spontaneaous musical creation and communication. To achieve mastery of this art takes many years of diligent work. Through this course, you will take the theoretical concepts covered in Jazz Theory/Keyboard and applying them to your instrument. Most homework in this class will be in the form of practice assignments. It will take consistent daily practice of the material covered in the class to show results in your improvisation ability.

The major focus of this course will be expanding and applying knowledge from last semester. Rhythm changes, Tune learning in all keys, pentatonics, diminished, augmented, playing outside will be covered. A number of important tunes will be throughly discussed and memorized.

The only way to truly learn the jazz style is to study the masters of jazz improvisation. Throughout the course, the class will study solo transcriptions of artists including Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, JJ Johnson and Clifford Brown. During the course of the semester each student will be required to complete three full transcriptions on their own on top of smaller transcription assignments. The student may elect to choose the solos or have them assigned by the instructor. All choices must be approved by the instructor. The solos will be due 3/1, 4/1, and 5/1. You will lose one letter grade for every class period they are overdue.

You will need to complete 2 listening reports.

In order to spontaneously create music in the jazz style, you must have great technical mastery of your instrument, especially in regard to scales and chords. After listening to a great deal of jazz, you may begin to hear the ideas, but without good technique on your instrument, you will not be able to get it "out of your horn." The mastery of these technical skills is imperative to development in improvisation, so 2 technical test will be required throughout the semester, by individual appointment or in class.

Bring to class everyday: your instrument (already warmed up, ready to go at beginning of class), notebook, blank manuscript paper.

Jazz is first and foremost a live musical art form, and so it must be experienced live. You will be required to go hear four live performances of a professional jazz combo during the semester (hopefully, you will hear more). All that is needed for credit is some proof of attendance (a bar napkin would suffice) and a list of the performers, and a one paragraph summary of what you heard.

Since you are learning a performance skill, class participation is extremely important. As such, you will be graded daily on your preparation and overall improvement.

Class time will be broken up into the following activities:

Chords, scales and patterns (very little in class)
Ear Training
Listening to, transcribing and analyzing jazz solos
Learning and improvising over jazz chord progressions
Discussion

Grading

Attendance/participation/improvement 20%
Scales/ Chords/ Pattern quizes 10%
Transcriptions 10%
Assignments/ Quizzes/ Tests 36%
Live jazz performance attendance 4%
Listening reports 10