JAZZ BAND
o Terms (for students)
o Break= a transition where soloist plays without any accompaniment.
o Bridge= a contrasting section like the B in AABA form.
o Changes= chord changes.
o Chart= song/piece.
o Head= first and last chorus of the tune where tune is played w/o improve. This is the melody
that everyone knows.
o Riff= simple repeated melodic or rhythmic pattern (ostinato).
o Turnaround= 2 to 3 measures repeated at the end of the song/chart.
o Vamp= a single section like a riff. It is usually found at the beginning of the tune and repeated
as often as necessary.
It can also be a consistent repeated bass line over which a solo is played
o Walking Bass=The bass player is improvising a bass line derived from the musical scale and chord
progression. Usually represented by a note playing on each beat of the time.
o Typical Form:
HEAD
melody everyone knows
CHORUS
Melodic Improv or Riffs
(Solos)
OUT HEAD
Repeat of main tune.
TURNAROUND
Ending
Repeat 1 or 2 measures @ the
end.
SUPER IMPORTANT INFO FOR CONDUCTOR & GROUP
o Make them accept YOUR TEMPO!!!!
o ENERGETIC CUT OFFS
o COUNT OFF is huge!
o Determine according to charts MAGIC SPOT!
o Use a METRONOME.
o Establish correct TEMPO- precisely!
o Establish MOOD of chart.
o Prepare band w/ CONVICTION.
o Communicate INTENSITY.
o Establish SUBDIVISION when necessary.
And (rest) 1, 2, 3, 4
/
/ | / / / /
COPY COUNT OFF’s PG 13-7-13-9
IMPROV
Definition: Spontaneous solos, unwritten, unrehearsed and in harmonious interaction with a musical group,
be it a rhythmic section or a whole jazz band.
o If a solo is not written out write 3 or 4 versions of your own based on the scale AND chords in the solo
section.
o Mastery involves
o Understanding jazz harmony
o Chord construction
o Scales in a chord
o Scales beside the chord
o Listening to Jazz Soloists
o Patterns
o Intervallic relationships
o Understanding Styles
o Licks
o Nuances
o Etc.
o Good Improvisation combines:
o Variations of the scale (step wise, leap wise, and intervallic licks)
o Patterns
o Licks borrowed
o Licks of your own (Lick= pattern or formula that is used often in each style.)
o IMITATION!
o SING a short lick (3 to 6 notes) from a current pop tune or a familiar song like Happy Birthday
or Mary Had a Little Lamb.
o Students imitate it.
o It’s OK to have students figure out a simple solo in advance.
o Chart SOLOS:
WRITTEN SOLOS

Include chord symbols above written solo.

Player can do a true improve solo, read the solo, or combine the 2.
CHORD SYMBOL SOLOS

Does not have a written out solo

Just gives chords so students know what notes they can play.

Students must then spend time practicing exactly what they will play.

They can use the scale as a basis but shouldn’t be just the scale notes but notes from the
chords.

Write chords down in vertical stacks and write out the scale that goes along with them.

Write out 3 or 4 versions of possible solos.
o Listen to jazz solos!
o Jam Sessions
o CREATE BACKGROUND TRACKS for students to use while practicing and/or developing their solo.
o RECORD the rhythm and background parts for a solo for students to practice w.
o START RECORDING 4 TO 8 BARS BEFORE SOLO!
o RECORD SOLO SECTION 8x in a row for students to practice continually!
Rehearsal Format:
o Get to seats quickly
o Arrange stands and chairs
o Be ready for Warm Up @ 3 minutes after the bell.
o Warm-Up
o Tune
o Play through Moderately Challenging Tune
o Sightread
o Serious Work
o End rehearsal w/ by playing through a full tune!
Rehearsal TIPS:
o Vary Pacing! Don’t be predictable. If you are….surprise them!
o Limit amount of high intensity labor.
o Don’t forget to play through an entire tune from time to time. It builds morale esp. at the end of a
difficult rehearsal.
o Don’t play the best tunes over and over.
o Be open-minded when selecting material…..keep your programs interesting and VARIED. (The tunes
should not all sound the same!)
o Don’t pick at NITS when you’re up to your neck in alligators.
o Stop and give band breaks if trying to conquer a difficult part.
o Have the whole band SING their parts.
o Teach band to READ!
o Rise above the masses through dynamics and nuances.
o No one sits and does nothing
o B and should breathe together.
o If a certain group need particular help:
o
defer work till next sectional and continue on with whole group
o OR give rest of group a break w/ clear instructions where they can or cannot go and what they
need to do + a time limit.
Sectionals:

Keep a list of parts each section needs to work on.

Let the student leaders run sectionals.

Huddle w/ section leaders on which tunes/passages need work + what the focus should be (style,
rhythm, intonation, balance etc.)
Directing:

Jazz Band does not require continuous directing.

Rhythm section should keep time.

Director give band signals:
o More Energy

Don’t ever use a baton!

Don’t stand in front of the band.

If you are up front-move out of the way
for soloists
o Soft and Delicate
o Point a finger toward a section or direct single down beat punches.

Direct Ballads!

Don’t ever direct a Swing tune in a 4 beat pattern. Snap fingers on 2 & 4 ONLY.
Styles

Most jazz styles emphasis 2 & 4.

In rock, pop, funk, fusion, and some Latin jazz it is felt in Snare Drum.
Swing (Also known as Big Band) 1930-1945
o GREATS:

Duke Ellington- Piano/Leader

Count Bassie- Piano/Leader (Jumpin’ at the woodside)
o Extreme tempos
o Pushing envelope- as fast as possible

Coleman Hawkins- Tenor Sax

Lester Young- Tenor Sax

Roy Eldridge- Trumpet
o Don’t ever direct a Swing tune in a 4 beat pattern. Snap fingers on 2 & 4 ONLY.
o Most popular period in jazz history.
o Riffs (ostinatos) Short melodic or rhythmic patterns.
o Walking Bass
o Ride Cymbal
o Written differently than it sounds.
o Two eighths are played like a quarter-eighth triplet pattern.
o Last eighth is played a little late like it “belongs to the next beat” but never on the next beat.
o NEVER emphasize 2 & 4
o Specifics:
 DRUMMER= Swing Tunes play- Ting-tinga- Ting-tinga pattern on ride cymbal and steady chick on high
hat on beats 2 & 4. Add lib hits on snare as well as fills, set-ups, & kicks on tom toms.


BASS= primary timekeeper. Plays precise steady quarter notes!
Piano= comps (chords in various ad lib rhythms w/ short “punches” on upbeats and sometimes half or
whole notes.

Guitar= comps or plays written chords or lines.
o COUNT OFF= COPY
Swing Burner
Count in

Rock
o Drums= primary resp. for Beat and Time.
o Bass- plays patterns that are more sparse, certainly not as active and constant as swing tunes.
o Piano often comps using repeated patterns.
Add count in

Shuffle
o Form of swing
o Utilizes definite quarter-eighth triplet feel in BASS & DRUMS.
o Emphasized swing approach by winds.

Reggae, Fusion, Funk, and some Rock Tunes.
o All call for a swing FEEL.
o All have Sixteenth-basis.
o Drums= primary resp. for Beat and Time.
o Bass- plays patterns that are more sparse, certainly not as active and
constant as swing tunes.
o Piano often comps using repeated patterns.

2 Beat Swing
o Beats 1 & 3 are emphasized (usually with a dotted quarter-eighth pattern).
o Bass main instrument in emphasizing beats 1 & 3 (usually w/ a dotted
quarter- eighth pattern).
o Drummer plays high hat CHICK on 2 & 4.

3 Beat Charts
o
Often Spanish tunes and Jazz Waltz are version of Swing as well.
o Exciting pulse.
o Jazz Waltz
Count in
Blues
o Based on African American Spirituals
o Clues to the underground railroad hidden in lyrics of music.
o Lowered 5th scale degree.
o 1, low 3, 3, 4, low 5, 5, low 7, 8
o 12 Bar Blues
o
Samba- Brazil
o usually up-tempo in Cut Time
o Beats 1 & 3 are emphasized.
o Bass is primary instrument for establishing this feel (emphasizing beats 1 & 3) as if it were
playing in 2.
o Drums & Bass in charge of pulse.
o Piano comps in Latin style which has more “punches” that fall ON the beat.
o Guitar comps on patterns (frequently with strummed figures).
Count in
Ballads (even 8th’s)
o Slow Tune
o Even super exact eighths and swung sixteenths.
o Drums are it for keeping the beat since Bass plays long sustained notes.
o Bass plays long sustained long notes.
o Piano plays chords in various sustained patterns, ostinatos, counter melodies, “answers” etc.
Count ing
Slow Ballad (swinging 8th’s)
Count in
Be-Bop 1945-1950
o Style:

Improv w/ many notes

Long, irregular, syncopated parts.

Improv is based on chords not the melody.

Improv used a lot of the upper notes of chords (9th, 11th, 13th)

The beat is kept mostly in the ride cymbal and string bass (instead of the bass drum).

Rhythmic feel is more noticed than earlier forms of jazz where it was in the
background.
o Greats:

Charlie Parker- Alto Sax

John Coltrane (Niama)
o As fast as possible

Dizzy Gillespie- Trumpet
o Extreme Dynamics
o Pushing the envelope of extreme ranges
o Experimenting w new sounds
o Emotional vocal timbres

Thelonious Monk- Piano

Max Roach- Drums

Dexter Gordon- Tenor Sax

J. J. Johnson- Trombone
o Small groups
o Focus on improve
o Complex
o Drummer is more interactive w/ dropping bombs with soloist.
Cool (1950-1955)
o Style

Long legato parts
o Greats:

Miles Davis- Trumpet

Dave Brubeck- Piano

Stan Getz- Tenor Sax
Concerts

Re-Tuning
o Don’t be afraid to re-tune in middle of show.

Introduce Jazz Band Members
o Before the last tune.

Student Conductors
o If you have a student who is capable…feature them on a concert.

Soloists
o Announce names BEFORE tune.
Program Contours:
PASTE PG 18-5
Dynamics:

Apply dynamics to the rhythm section too.

Review dynamics markings and have them mark them.

Make a distinction bt the full range of dynamics ppp pp p mp mf f ff fff.

Contrasts!

Reduce loudest volumes by just several decibels so students don’t have blast accidents during a concert.

Soft playing
o Use enough air.
o Steady airstream
o No mousey sound!

The band doesn’t have to blow it’s brains out to achieve volume.
o Play with proper technique (support & good posture)
o Be in Tune.
o Play together
o Play in balance
o Hv brass players aim bells toward audience.
o St’s be alert and ready.
o Keep dynamics of rhythm section in check!
Jazz Nuances:

Attacks
o Band should breathe together.

Legato
o Slur line often means legato in jazz.
o Gentle tounging
o No break in air stream.

Articulation Markings- observe them all.

Bouyancy in sustained notes.-give them life and energy.
o Crescendo slightly on whole notes or longer (esp when followed by a rest)

Attacks:
o Staccato’s halve the value of the note.
o The

= half value and STRONG ACCENT.
Releases
o Release @ the end of note value.
o Hv band mark the releases on music (release on 4) etc
PASTE PG 16-34
Listen to the greats:

Miles Davis

John Coltrane

Charlie Parker

Max Roach (percussion)

Etc.
Check out the following materials:
o John Berry- JAZZ ENSEMBLE WARM-UPS
o Paul Jennings JAZZ LAB IMPROVISATION METHODS, Vol 1 & 2.
o Jamey Aebersold- recordings of Improv
SECTION DETAILS:
SAX’s
Responsibilities
Common
Descriptions/Consi
Problems
derations
SAX SECTION= 5
Intonation
2 Altos
Weak Sounds
Seat Location
Substitutions
2 Tenors
1 Bari
1st Alto
Strongest Player
Middle of section
Flute
Lead (unless you
so section mates
Then Clarinet
assign 1 Tenor to
can hear the lead.
st
be Lead.)
st
1 Tenor
Also Strongest
Close to Rhythm
Flute
Player. Could be
Section to hear
Then Clarinet
the lead player.
chords & time
during solos.
nd
2 Tenor
Weakest Player
Sit beside Bari bc
BUT has most
together they
important notes in
create the
chord structure
foundation of
(3rd/10th or the 7th)
harmony
for the section &
the band.
Bari
Near Tenor bc they
share the most
important notes in
chord structure.
PIC OF JAZZ SECTION SEATING
Flute & Bass CL
TR’s
Responsibilities
Common
Descriptions/Considerations
Seat Location
Substitutions
Problems
TRUMPET
Good Posture
TR’s SHOULD
SECTION=5
Point Bells Toward Audience
STAND!
Tr 1
Tr 2
NEVER let 2 players play
Tr 3
unison on high notes (written
Tr 4
above A),
Tr 5 (Doubles 4
&/or 1)
1st Trumpet
“musical captain” of
Intonation
band.
Volume
Protect 1st

High Notes
Trade off pieces so
they don’t have to
play high notes all
the time.
High Notes=

Patience

Posture

Air Support

Practice
Medium Sized Mouthpiece
th
5 Trumpet

Only play on
unisons.

Double 4th

Lay out a tune.

Trade with 1st
for “light lead”.
PIC OF TR SEATING
Center of
section
N/A
=TB/TUBA’s
Common
Descriptions/
Seat
Problems
Considerations
Location
TROMBONE/TUBA
Intonation
SECTION=5
Weak Volume
Tr 1
Section Balance
Tr 2
(weaker players
Tr 3
Bass Trombone
th
AIR FLOW
Stand to lft
Baritones
High Air Flow Rate- Fast Air
of side of
(not perfect
Stream
stands to
bt will do)
Inhale a good quantity of air.
point bells
must match
(Enough to blow up a medium
to audience.
volume of others)
sized balloon.)
5 TB (TB, Bass, Tuba)



No Moster TB’s
Set the air in motion and keep
it moving.
(too loud)
SMOOTH LEGATO
Tuba is hard to

balance.
Imitate smoothness of sax or
trumpet by using a light “dahdah-dah-day” tounging
instead of “tu-tu”.
MOUTHPIECE

Use a medium sized
mouthpiece.
CARE

Be very careful to not dent the
slide!
Use slide grease/cream and spray with
water ALL the time!
Could be on
risers
Pic of seating
Substitutions
PIANO/KEYBOARDS
Piano= 1
Common
Descriptions/
Seat
Problems
Considerations
Location
Chord
Can & should eliminate bass/root notes
By drums,
Construction
if u hv a bass.
bass, and
Rhythm
COMPING= Play chords in various ad
Substitutions
Marimba
guitar.
lib rhythms w/ often short upbeat
“punches” & occasional half or whole
notes.
Can’t be heard.
BASS
Responsibilities
Accoustic Piano MUST be mic’d.
Common
Descriptions/
Problems
Bass= 1
Keep Accurate
Volume!
Time!!!!
Seat
Considerations
Substitutions
Location
Rock, Funk, And Fusion tunes-part must
By drums,
be played as written but once it is
piano, and
learned he/she can improv.
guitar.
Play
Jazz/Swing tunes- usually chord
fundimental
symbols are used so students need to
notes of chords.
know what notes to play according to
Piano
these chords.
(see book pg’s
When 1 chord change in 1 bar-
7-3 & 7-4)
Beat 1
2
3
4
Root chord tone CT ( ½ step
above or below next chord or
diminished 5th of next chord.)
When there are 2 chord changes in 1
bar:
Beat 1
C7
2
3
4
C7
F7
F7
Root Root
GUITAR
Root
Root
Common
Descriptions/
Seat
Problems
Considerations
Location
Volume (Amp
NO REVERB!
settings)
Reverb (don’t let
Make sure they can READ!
them use it!)
Intonation
Teach them to TUNE!
Tone Quality
Teach them to set up their amps w/ not
too much treble or bass.
They need to replace strings often.
If comping w/ piano- trade off.
Substitutions
DRUMS
Drums=1
Responsibilities
Keep Accurate Time!
Common
Descriptions/
Seat
Problems
Considerations
Location
Volume!
Grasp feel/groove of
Felt bt not heard!
Set should have
tune.
Drive the piece.
Add excitement w/
Drum
fills, set-ups, & kicks.
heads get
too loose.
o
Bass Drum (Kick Drum)
o
Snare
o
High Hat
o
Ride Cymbal
o
Crash Cymbal
o
Two or more Tom Tom’s
Practice w/ metronome.
Tape them so they can hear how they
sound.
Make sure drummer can see conductor!
They don’t need to play EVERY note of
music.
Swing Tunes play- Ting-tinga- Tingtinga pattern on ride cymbal and steady
chick on high hat on beats 2 & 4. Add
lib hits on snare as well as fills, set-ups,
& kicks on tom toms.
Pic of set up
Substitutions
AUXILLARY
Auxillary=1
Common
Descriptions/
Seat
Problems
Considerations
Location
Volume
Substitutions
Use only on Rock, Reggae, Fusion, Latin,
and Pop tunes.
Ballads can use wind chimes, bell tree,
and triangle if the music calls for them.
Keep them under control! Don’t let
them play the whole time.
RHYTHM SECTION
Responsibilities
(as a whole)
Common
Descriptions/
Seat
Problems
Considerations
Location
Most
Drummer and Bassist are nucleus of
Bass close to
IMPORTANT
keeping time. They must work together
drums- to
section.
w/ a metronome.
hear each
other but
not too close
to cymbals.
Heart and
Bass Amp
Heartbeat of
positioned
ensemble!
so both bass
and
drummer
can hear it
but also
toward
audience.
KEEPING
Section
TIME!!!!
tightly
grouped.
TUNING
o Make Tuning a Consistent Habit
o Cold= Low
Hot= High
o TUNING PROCESS- Play with solid sound at a strong mf!
o Piano sounds the tuning note (Bb for all except Sax is A)
o Students SING pitch then internalize it!
o ENTIRE band plays and adjusts
TIP: For more advanced players
o Tune one section
piano plays a chord for tuning.
o Entire band plays and adjusts
o Adjust only way out of tune players.
o Entire band plays
The students then tune to the
chordal center.
Substitutions
Mic Placement
Simpler is BETTER
Prime Candidate= PIANO
1 mic= front of band near solo tenor (to b accessible to you, the primary soloist and the rhythm section. Do
Not put near drums as to not pick up cymbals)
Unlimited Mics=

Accoustic Piano

Director

Solo Tenor Sax

Lead Alto Sax

Bari Sax & Bottom Tenor

TB Section

TR Section
Soloist
Stand at their chairs.
Quality Charts
Library

Good supply of charts that band can handle w/ a little work.

Challenging charts that they can master w/ hard work.

Variety of styles

Current Charts (pop/rock)

Good warm-up tunes.

Collections of tunes!
Charts Themselves

Accuracy

Full Scores

Complete Dynamic Markings

Written Out “Improv” Solos

Suggested Chord Voicings for Piano

Complete Rhythm Section Parts
Markings

Listen to publishers’ recording to capture correct style!!!!

Follow music while listening.

Play 4-8 bars and challenge students to imitate it exactly.

Tape students playing and compare w/ publisher recording.
COPY PG 12-2
o Great books for teaching improv:
o Paul Jennings JAZZ LAB IMPROVISATION METHODS, Vol 1 & 2.
o Jamey Aebersold- recordings