Houston Community College- Central Campus
Department of Fine Arts
JAZZ IMPROVISATION I/II, MUSI 1163/
COURSE SYLLABUS, Spring 2011
Horace Alexander Young, Professor/Music
Fine Arts Building- FAC 101
Phone: 713.718.6600
Email: hayoung@mail.com
Class Times: M/W, 5:30-7:30PM
Office Hours: M/W, 3:30-4:00PM
Course Description: This is a course in the development of musical
improvisational skills as related to the style of music known as Jazz.
The purpose of this course is to motivate the student to acquire a
method of studying and performing the basic elements of
improvisation through the learning of jazz articulation and phrasing,
idiomatic melodic patterns and phrases and a core selection of
standard compositions from the established repertoire of Jazz. The
course is designated to include various “hands-on” exercises in (1)
improvisational development in conjunction with original compositions
written by class members, (2) aural skills and analysis involving
interval, scale and chord recognition and (3) development and
enhancement of self awareness utilizing specific melodic and harmonic
devices and cognitive techniques that will assist in improving the
presentation of the performer. The goal is to cultivate a more confident
and comfortable performer of Jazz.
Required Text and Materials: Maiden Voyage: Volume 54 of the
Jamey Aebersold Jazz Improvisation Play-A-Long Series (Book w/CD).
Kind of Blue, The Miles Davis Sextet, Dual CD/DVD, Columbia Records.
Required Transcription Study: Students will be required to learn,
transcribe and perform Miles Davis’ trumpet solo from So What (Kind
of Blue, Columbia Records).
Required Musical Skill Set and Course Protocols: Basic proficiency
on a musical instrument or voice and demonstrated knowledge of all
twelve major scales and the three forms of the minor scales
(harmonic, melodic and pure) is required. All students will need to
have a No.2 pencil and manuscript paper in their case or notebook at
all times. To facilitate an efficient line of communication, all
students are required to acquire and maintain an active email
address throughout the semester.
Attendance and Participation: You will be expected to attend every
class session in a punctual manner or give advance notice via phone,
email, etc that you are unable to attend. Exceptions will only be made
for absences due to official university sanctioned excuses, unexpected
illness, family emergency or Acts of God.
Grading and Evaluation: Grading is based on performance in the
class, the completion of all assignments and performances of required
transcriptions and on the two examinations (mid-term and final) given
during the semester. There will be a concert featuring the students in
this class as a performing ensemble that will be given in joint effort
with the students in Music 228/Jazz Improvisation at Texas Southern
University. Specific details of that concert will be given in class.
There is no final given during Final Exam week.
NOTE: IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STUDENT TO
WITHDRAW OFFICIALLY FROM A COURSE. Administrative drops
are at the discretion of the instructor. Failure of the student to
withdraw officially will result in the student receiving a grade of "F" in
the course.
ADA STATEMENT
Students who require reasonable accommodation for disabilities are
encouraged to report to room 102 SJAC, or call. 713-718-6164 to
make necessary arrangements. Faculty are only authorized to provide
accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office.
Americans with Disabilities Act Statement: “Any student with a
documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision,
hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must
contact the Disability Support Services Office at the respective college
at the beginning of each semester. Faculty are authorized to provide
only the accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services
Office.”
For questions, contact Donna Price at 713-718-5165 or the Disability
Counselor at each college. Also visit the ADA web site at:
http://www.hccs.edu/students/disability/index.htm
CORE CURRICULUM: MUAP 1163/1164, fulfill the following core
intellectual competencies: Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening,
Critical Thinking, and Computer Literacy.
SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY: Houston Community College defines
“scholastic dishonesty” as: cheating on a test, plagiarism, and
collusion. Penalties for academic dishonesty at HCCS include, but are
not limited to, a “0” on that test or assignment, a “W” in the course,
or an “F” in the course.
Week One
Review of all of the twelve major scales, played through the Circle of
Keys. Explanation of jazz articulation (jazz legato) and the jazz eighth
note concept. Students will learn Duke Ellington’s C Jam Blues (12
Bar blues) as an example of jazz articulation and transpose it to all
keys. Sonny Rollins’ Sonnymoon For Two (12 Bar Blues, minor
pentatonic melody) will be studied as well.
Week Two
Discussion and group exercises in the playing of the Fourteen Essential
Jazz Scales.
Beginning with this week, the first four scales (dorian, lydian,
mixolydian and locrian) will be explained in detail and will be studied
by (1) forming “chord-scales” families according to a parent key
format and (2) learning jazz tunes that are composed from or based
on each scale. Students will be introduced to the technique known as
the Locraian-Pentatonic Method of Improvisation during this
time. References will be made to this system throughout the course.
The first composition studied in these approaches will be Freddie
Hubbard’s Straight Life (mixolydian)
Week Three
Continuation of Week Two, studying John Coltrane’s Impressions
(dorian). Exercises will be studied concerning the concept of merging
the chord scales with jazz eighth note patterns. The concept of
connecting phrases will be discussed.
Week Four
Continuation of Week Three, studying Herbie Hancock’s Maiden
Voyage (dorian).
Week Five
Further discussion of the remaining jazz scales and their application to
various chord progressions (sample chord progressions from jazz
standards). Herbie Hancock’s Cantaloupe Island (dorian, mixolydian,
lydian-dominant and minor pentatonic) and Kenny Dorham’s Blue
Bossa (dorian, lydian, mixolydian, locrian and minor pentatonic) will
be studied.
Week Six
Continuation of Week Five, studying Herbie Hancock’s Watermelon
Man (dorian, mixolydian, lydian-dominant and minor pentatonic) and
Horace Silver’s Song For My Father (dorian, mixolydian, locrian,
lydian-dominant, dominant-diminished and minor pentatonic).
Week Seven
Introduction of the 1-2-3-5 Chord Study Pattern. Exercises will be
studied using this pattern as it relates to the four basic chord types
(major, minor, augmented and diminished). Students will study Miles
Davis’ Solar and Billy Strayhorn’s Take The A Train and apply this
pattern to the chord progression. An introduction to the “two-five”
progression (iim7-V7-I), simple chord substitutions and “turnarounds”
will be applied to these compositions.
Week Eight
Mid-Term Examinations will be held during this week. Students will be
graded on their ability to play all chord/jazz scales grouped in
“families”, as studied, in all keys and perform any of the tunes
(melodies and improvisations) from Week One-Seven. An examination
consisting of two parts (a) written and (b) listening will also be given.
Week Nine
Continuation of the 1-2-3-5 Chord Study Pattern using Duke
Ellington’s Satin Doll. Detailed discussion of the “two-five” progression
(iim7-V7-I). Group and individual playing of patterns based on the
progression. More examples of chord substitutions and turnaround
patterns will be studied.
Week Ten
Continuation of the concepts studied in Week Nine. Sonny Rollins’
Doxy and the jazz standard Autumn Leaves will be studied.
Week Eleven
The Twelve Bar Blues. Students will perform improvisations using
concepts learned since Week One. Using more advanced harmonic
variations of the Blues progressions; students will learn additional
“Blues Heads” and perform them in several keys. Sonny Rollins’ Tenor
Madness, Thelonious Monk’s Straight No Chaser and examples of
the Eight and Sixteen Bar Blues format, such as Horace Silver’s The
Preacher will also be discussed. Performance exam on Charlie
Parker’s Now’s The Time.
Week Twelve
Continuation of Week Eleven, with additional study of Blues changes in
the minor mode. George Gershwin’s Summertime and Wayne
Shorter’s Footprints will be studied. Students will compose an original
Twelve Bar Blues (in major or minor) and perform their compositions
in class.
Week Thirteen
Study of the “I Got Rhythm” chord changes (a.k.a. Rhythm Changes).
Students will learn the original melody and chord progression to the
George Gershwin composition of the same name. As this is one of the
most important standard progressions in Jazz (after the Blues),
various melodies can be interchanged using this progression. Lester
Young’s Lester Leaps In and Charlie Parker’s Moose The Mooche
are two such tunes which will be examined.
Week Fourteen
Continuation of the study of Rhythm Changes.
Week Fifteen
In-class performances of selections from Week One-Fourteen and solo
performances of Miles Davis’ solo transcription from So What.
FYI: The following magazines are excellent for supplemental reading
and they contain record reviews, interviews, solo transcriptions and
biographical information that apply to current and past performances
and performers of Jazz.
DOWNBEAT JAZZIZ JAZZTIMES
JAZZED
JAZZ IMPROV
It is recommended that you record the names and contact information
of at least two other class members.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________