When I work with jazz ensembles on style and phrasing, I strongly emphasize that everyone needs to know what instruments they are listening to – and why.
Quick Rehearsal Tip: Creative Warmups for Jazz Ensembles
The jazz ensemble warmup is a great opportunity to teach some scales that are useful in jazz improvisation. Common modes like mixolydian or dorian will help get the players moving around their horns and will also give them some basic improvisational tools.
Beginning Jazz Improv Strategies
Beginning improvisers need our support. We can give them a blues, mixolydian, or dorian scale, but a scale is not a strategy.
Help for Your Beginning Jazz Rhythm Section
Rhythm is fundamental to creating the feeling for any genre of music. It is therefore vital that the rhythm section create the appropriate rhythmic feel and style of swing.
Blues-Based Warm Ups for the Jazz Ensemble
Blues represent a great way to warm up any jazz band. In addition to providing the foundation that jazz, rock, and rhythm and blues are built on, the blues progression is simple enough for beginners to explore.
The Jazz Band That Sings Together Swings Together
Tight rhythm and phrasing are hallmarks of any successful jazz ensemble. Singing is a great way to develop a collective sense of articulation and playing “in the pocket.” Singing through parts allows students to develop an aural sense of the music without the struggle of making it sound on their instrument.
Apply Concert Band Warm-Up Concepts to the Jazz Ensemble
If you are like me, your jazz band meets once a week and you are always in a hurry to get things accomplished.
Preparing Your Jazz Band for Festival or Contest
‘Tis the season for festival prep! For many band directors, jazz band happens outside of “regular” rehearsals, and that means preparing for a big performance (like a contest) can be daunting.
Five Ways to Celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month
April is Jazz Appreciation Month. It is also Mathematics Awareness Month and National Poetry Month, among others. Why should we choose to celebrate and appreciate jazz instead of trying to solve quadratic limericks or prove iambic pentameter?
Help Drummers Get to the Heart of Swing
Here’s a clear, stripped-down approach you can use to quickly and effectively get your drum students “swinging” without overloading them with excessive technical baggage.