MIDDLE SCHOOL SERIES, suggested grades 6-8 >

1) Intro to Blues Improvisation with Steve Treseler

You will learn the basic tools for soloing on a B-flat blues:

• Learn melodies, rhythms, and licks through call and response

• Create your own question and answer phrases

• Improvise variations on a theme

Additional Resources:

• Intro to Blues Improvisation Handout (PDF)

• Intro to Blues Improvisation Practice Video (YouTube)

  • Click HERE for an MP4 download option.

• Bb Blues Backing track (MP3)

2) Cantaloupe Island by Herbie Hancock with Ruby Dunphy

Bring a pencil and your instrument! In this class we’ll be doing some fun jazz work.

We will:

• Get warmed up by reading and playing back basic rhythms and patterns.

• Learn melodies and bass lines of key jazz tunes like Cantaloupe Island

• Identify and write out the forms of the tunes

Additional Resources:

• Cantaloupe Island  

  • Melody in C (PDF)

  • Melody in Bb (PDF)

  • Melody in Eb (PDF)

• Cantaloupe Island - Piano (PDF)

• Cantaloupe Island - Bass (PDF)

• Cantaloupe Island - Full Score (PDF)

• Melody Rhythm (PDF)

• Form (PDF)

3) How to Build a Bass Line For ALL Musicians (not just bassists!) with Kelsey Mines

Bass lines ground the listener. Whether you play the bass or not, learn how to build your own.

We will:

• Analyze a transcription of Ray Brown's bass line on Night Train and define the "rules" he follows to make a well constructed, clear bass line (i.e. the root on the downbeat, chord tones on beat 3, etc.)

• Discover when and how he breaks the "rules"

• Write your own!

Additional Resources:

• Night Train: The Oscar Peterson Trio (YouTube)

• Guidelines for Creating Walking Jazz Bass Lines (PDF)

• G Blues - Blank (PDF)

• G Blues Bass Line (PDF)

• Night Train by Ray Brown - Bass Line (PDF)

• Night Train By Ray Brown - Analyzed Bass Line (PDF)

4) Three Geniuses of Jazz with Wayne Horvitz

A look at three of the most innovative and original voices in the history of jazz: Billie Holiday, Hank Mobley, and Bill Frisell.

In this listening and discussion class you will:

• Listen critically to music

• Set goals for what you, a musician, can learn from artists throughout the history of Jazz- including transcription and approaches to style.

• Explore the historical and social connections between innovation in art and the times in which the artist lives

Due to copyright reasons we can’t link this video from YouTube. The button above will open a Dropbox link to the video.

Additional Resources:

• Listening Examples (Dropbox)  

• Hank Mobley

  • Funk In Deep Freeze (PDF)

  • The Morning After (PDF)

• Bill Frisell

  • Mr. Memory (PDF)

  • Strange Meeting (PDF)

HIGH SCHOOL SERIES, suggested grades 8-12 >

1) Developing Melodic Phrasing with Kareem Kandi

Walk away from this class with 3 key melodic phrasing lessons:

• You’ll understand what a melodic phrase is

• You’ll learn how to build melodic phrases

• You’ll learn how to embellish melodic phrases

Additional Resources:

• F Blues Phrasing Examples (PDF)

• F Blues (PDF)

• Phrasing Pick Ups (PDF)

• F Blues Play-along (WAV audio file)

2) The Juicy Notes! How To Improvise Using Guide Tones with Dmitri Matheny

Hone your foundational skills as a jazz musician.

In this class we’ll cover:

• What guide tones are, and why they matter

• How to write your own guide tone lines

• How to use guide tones in your improvised solos

Additional Resources:

• Class Packet (PDF)

  • Bb Instruments

  • Eb Instruments

  • Concert Instruments

• There Will Never Be Another You (Play-Along track) (MP4)

• Basic Chord Construction (PDF)

• Basic Chord Scales (PDF)

• Basic Chord Substitution (PDF)

• Melodic Outlines (PDF)

• Every Little Thing She Does is Magic (MP4)

3) Learning to be a Better Jazz Musician through Charlie Parker with Kathy Moore

Studying and imitating jazz legends is one of the best ways to improve your own musicianship.

In this class we’ll work on:

• Learning how to memorize Charlie Parker heads

• Applying the melody to soloing

• Improvising using chord tones

Additional Resources:

• Donna Lee Leadsheet (PDF)

• Masterclass Outline (PDF)  

4) Three Revolutionaries of Jazz with Wayne Horvitz

A look at three of the most innovative and original voices in the history of jazz:

1. Lee Konitiz/Warne Marsh/Lennie Tristano

2. The Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass

3. Miles Davis (The Electric Years 1969-1972)

In this class you will:

• Listen critically to music

• Set goals for what you, a musician, can learn from artists throughout the history of Jazz- including transcription and approaches to style.

• Explore the historical and social connections between innovation in art and the times in which the artist lives

• Album Covers (PDF)

  • Fanfare for the Warriors, Art Ensemble of Chicago

  • Phase One, Art Ensemble of Chicago

  • Silent Tongues, Cecil Taylor

  • Are You Experienced, The Jimi Hendrix Experience

  • West Side Soul, Magic Sam

  • Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet  

• Lead Sheets: Rag, Bach, Bird, Lennie, Lee (PDF)

  • "The Chrysanthemum" - Scott Joplin

  • "No. 9" from 15 Two-Part Inventions - J.S. Bach

  • "Ornithology" - Charlie Parker

  • "Wow" - Lennie Tristano

  • "Subonscious-Lee" - Lee Konitz

  • "Lennie's Pennies" - Lennie Tristano

• Listening Examples (Dropbox)