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Jazz Bass Audi+ons Spring 2021

Submit a link to a single unlisted YouTube recording to [email protected]. Record with camera placement that captures the en;rety of the fingerboard. Play all three pieces without pausing the video recording. Minimize ;me between pieces by having music and accompaniment cued in advance.

Play the en;re audi;on on double bass.

Audi;on Material:

1. Using this link to an Evidence play-along, play the Audi%oning Basses Evidently pdf. Observe the mul;ple repeats and vary between melodic reading, accompaniment, and improvisa;on as instructed on the pdf. hKps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEI7aoxSY4E

2. Using 1:35 to 1:55 in this link to Tommy Igoe's Groove Essen%als #79: Very Fast Swing, play two choruses of a blues in any key. hKps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjMRgT5dytM

3. Choosing a tempo that allows strong ;me and ar;cula;on, record 16th note reading 1 using a metronome set within the range of 72 to 120 b.p.m. Be sure the metronome is audible in your recording. Spring 2021 Ensemble Audi+ons: Jazz Guitar

Your audi;on is to completed by recording a short video of you playing the following two tunes (3 min). Upon comple;on you will submit your video directly to me, Mac Himes, [email protected].

1.“Bag’s Groove” (Milt Jackson)- Video record yourself playing this tune with the aKached play-a-long en;tled, “Bag’s Groove” Blues Play-a-Long final mp3*. With the recording you will play the melody of “Bag’s Groove” 2 ;mes followed by you soloing on the chord changes for 2 choruses and then ending with the melody 1 ;me. That is a total of 5 choruses.

*In the Play-A-Long I will count off the tempo with two bars: “1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3…”

I have aKached a pdf of the wriKen melody and chord changes, the Play-A-Long and a recording of the tune as played by / that you can use as a guide for playing the melody. Note: you don’t need to play the chords for this tune.

“Bag’s Groove”

Melody- 2x

Solo (improvise)- 2x

Melody- 1x

Milt Jackson/Miles Davis: hKps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAo5LOR7Qiw

1.“I Could Write a Book” (Rodgers/Hart)- Video record yourself playing the chords 1x through the 32 bar from. You will play the chords of this tune in the Freddie Green style. This means that you will strum quarter notes for each measure. “I Could Write a Book” is in 4/4 so that means you will strum 4 quarter notes for each measure.

Example strumming of first 4 bars:

Cmaj7 A-7 D-7 G7 Cmaj7 Cmaj7 G7 4| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | 4

Record your strumming of the chords at this tempo: mm quarter note= 76 Please contact me if you have any ques;ons, [email protected]

Bag’s Groove Play along PENN STATE JAZZ BAND AUDITIONS: SAXOPHONE SPRING 2021

- Prepare as much of this material as you can. Advanced players are expected to present all of it on the video

- Audition videos will be graded on accuracy, style, sound, mechanics, tempo and amount of material completed.

- Do not submit a video of poorly prepared material. It is better to leave it out.

- The following 3 categories may each be on a separate video. Do not edit or use separate videos within any category.

______

1. ’s solo on “Groovin’ High”. Excerpt provided. Perform with a metronome on your video. Do not use a backing track or the original recording.

- Optimum Tempo: Quarter note = 215. Play it slower if necessary as long as it is well prepared. Original recording for reference - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1adhfJJzmY

2. Perform and Interpret the melody for the ballad “Body and Soul”

- Lead Sheet provided. You may use your own. - Use appropriate styling as if you are the lead horn in a combo. - Play along with one of the backing tracks below on your video, or you may use your own. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zskfGAYIw80 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uBq7jUT5Xs

3. SCALES

A. Play the Ab Major scale, and the B Major Scale, full range of the instrument, at the fastest tempo you can play it perfectly, with excellent sound, time, and technical clarity.

B. Play a chromatic scale from low Bb to high F or F# (depending on your horn) at the fastest tempo you can play it perfectly, with excellent sound, time, and technical clarity.

Spring 2021 Jazz Ensemble Audi+ons:

1. Perform Friends with the attached play-along, from measure 1 through beat 1 of measure 33. • Adhere to all markings on the page, inked and written in. 2. Perform the given excerpts from Soul Vaccination, you can follow along with the reference recording found below. • Record the excerpts with a metronome at the notated tempo. 3. Perform Sentimental Mood, from beginning through the second ending (measure 9, do the repeat). • Show how musical and expressive you can be while still staying within the confines of the play-along. 4. G major scale (You will play this two times, see below) • 2 octaves up to the 9th and back down • Once in straight 8ths, once swung • Tempo can be anywhere from 144bpm-160bpm, please use a metronome both times. 5. Starting on first ledger-line C, play chromatically up and back down with a full, and in- tune, characteristic sound. Play as high as you can without sacrificing pitch or tone. All slurred.

In a Sentimental Mood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45dS- cT2PTc&list=RDQMl3LxgNvhDRg&index=18&ab_channel=LearnJazzStandards

Soul Vaccination https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UbT1QCdOxU

Friends Play along Jazz Audition: Be accurate and clear with your chord qualities and comping. Play the melody to each song listed below . After you play the melody in your right hand with left hand accompaniment, take 2 full improvised chorus’ on each tune. Then return to the melody one time/ then end. Use a play-a-long backing track or the I-Real Pro App for all three selections. Blue Bossa (bossa nova style and groove ) Use a play a long track or I-real Pro App. One of the following blues: Now’s The Time, Billy’s Bounce (medium swing tempo) the following ballad: In a Sentimental Mood, (slow jazz ballad) Combos and Big Bands will be formed by the directors in an effort to place students with similar and complementary ability and experience.

Drum Set Audition:

1. Play a medium swing tempo. Quarter note equals 140. ( use some light comping on the snare drum and bass drum ) Groove for Two minutes. 2. Play a Bossa Nova groove. Quarter note equals 120. One minute 3. Play a slow funk/ rock groove and perform a fill on bar four then continue to groove and repeat. Quarter note equals 80. One minute Combos and Big Bands will be formed by the directors in an effort to place students with similar complementary ability and experience. Jazz Flute/ Clarinet/ French Horn/ Other

Use these three concert lead sheets to perform your jazz audi;on. Use a play-a-long backing track or I-Real Pro to accompany yourself. Perform the melody once through and then improvise two ;mes through the form, return to the melody and end. Billie’s Bounce ( med swing tempo) quarter note = 140 Blue Bossa (med bossa nova tempo) quarter note=126

In A Sen+mental Mood ( slow jazz ballad ) quarter note =75 Only play the melody through one ;me and use your best expressive jazz phrasing.

Jazz Trombone Auditions for the Fall of 2021

Due to the online start of this semester, all trombone auditionees will be required to submit an audio/video recording for consideration in this semester’s jazz combos and jazz ensembles. Unlike semesters past when the focus of the jazz ensemble auditions was on sight reading, this semester’s jazz ensemble auditions will require the auditionee to record three contrasting excerpts from three big band classics found in the libraries of and Stan Kenton.

It will be incumbent upon the auditionee to study the reference recordings for style and inflection.

As in the past, your recordings will be assessed on the musical elements of 1) your rhythmic precision and groove 2) your intonation and pitch control 3) the quality and control of your sound 4) and finally, your style and inflection.

It is the auditionee’s responsibility to post the highest audio/video quality possible.

Any questions about the details of the following excerpts, or the audition process in general, do not hesitate to contact Professor Mark Lusk at [email protected]

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If you are interested in participating in the jazz combo program, see the details for recording improvisation examples on Billie’s Bounce and Blue Bossa at the end of this document following the excerpts.

Excerpt #1 for all tenor trombonists, play from measure before Letter B to Letter D Reference Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwwu0WPpPw0 (Excerpt begins at 0:38, but highly recommended to study entire piece)

Excerpt #1 for all bass trombonists, play from measure before Letter B to Letter D Reference Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwwu0WPpPw0 (Excerpt begins at 0:38, but highly recommended to study entire piece)

Excerpt #2

For all tenor trombonists; all players begin by playing the 2nd Trombone part starting at Letter E, then beginning with 5th measure after Letter G players may then choose to play the 1st Trombone part or the 2nd Trombone part depending on their comfortability factor. Excerpt #2 ends 5 measures before Letter K.

For all bass trombonists; all players begin playing the Bass Trombone 4 part at Letter E and finish 5 measures before Letter K.

Reference Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2SlCQ2xJVg (excerpt begins at 1:35, but again highly recommended to study entire piece)

Excerpt #3 Reference Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb2hQSD-wso (Measures 1-37)

For all tenor trombonists:

Players should try to record the Trombone 1 part, especially if you want to be considered for a lead trombone position.

But if you feel more comfortable with Trombone 2 or Trombone 3, then players may choose these to record parts

Trombone 2

Trombone 3

For all bass trombonists; Trombone 4

For consideration in our jazz combo program please record a two-track recording of the tune and two choruses of improvisation to Billie’s Bounce and Blue Bossa using the following backing tracks and lead sheets:Billie’s Bounce: https://d.pr/a/IznfDW Blue Bossa: https://d.pr/a/o5ZQvS