MUTH-M309-001 Modern Arranging 2 Credits SYLLABUS – Spring 2021
TTH 11:00 AM- 11:50 AM
Gordon Towell DME [email protected] phone 865-2164 Office Hours will be posted at my door, CM 245
This course is the study of jazz composition and arranging with the emphasis on writing for large jazz ensembles.
Prerequisites: MUJZ M107, M108, or permission of instructor
Class meeting location TR -11:00 a.m. rm. 240 and online Text: Instrumental Jazz Arranging by Mike Tomaro and John Wilson (Required) Publisher: Hal Leonard
$49.99 (US) ISBN: 9781423452744
Inside the Score by Rayburn Wright. Jazz Arranging and Composing by Bill Dobbins
Publisher: Advance Music (June 1986) Language: English Price $41.60 ISBN-10: 3892210063
ISBN-13: 978-3892210061
(Reference) (Reference)
Course Goals and Course Objectives: As a part of the Jazz Studies curriculum, this class is focused on the techniques and jazz Students will learn about voicing techniques, instrumental transpositions, rhythm section chart preparation, contrapuntal writing, forms, motifs, and more arranging and compositional techniques
Expected Student Learning Outcomes: Students will demonstrate understanding of arranging and composing techniques for jazz ensembles through realizing writing assignments and having them performed. The final project will be a full composition/arrangement for large jazz ensemble. If possible this will be recorded by the jazz ensemble. If this is not possible this semester a full midi recording will be submitted.
Grading System: Individual points will be assigned to each arranging project according to quality, neatness, timeliness and appropriateness to the jazz idiom. All assigned projects will to form the final grade. Use of Finale, Sibelius and/or musescore is highly recommended. Each assignment will be recorded and submitted/shared with score.
Attendance Philosophy: Attendance is required. Classes will alternate between groups meetings to discuss general concepts, procedures and lab sessions to address individual needs on the various projects assigned during the course of the semester.
Grades and Attendance: Missing two class sessions (group or individual) will result in a single grade lower to be applied to the final grade. Subsequent absences will lower the grade one letter for each absence.
Transposition Assignment 25 points
Saxophone Assignment 25 points
Trombone Assignment 25 points
Trumpet Assignment 25 points
Rhythm Section Assignment 25 points
Chart Outline 25 points
Head 25 points
Interlude/Send Off 25 points
Solo Section, Background 25 points
Shout Section 50 points
Sax Soli 25 points Parts/Score 150 points Recording 50 points
500 points
A 450-500, B, 400-449 C, 350-399 D, 300-349 F, 0-300
As a part of the Jazz Studies curriculum, this class is focused on the techniques and performance practices associated with the performance of jazz. It is important that those taking this class are well grounded in these aspects of music. It is highly recommended that students enrolled in this course have experience playing in a jazz ensemble as well as been involved with the study of jazz improvisation and piano before undertaking the study of jazz arranging. The music written during the course of this class must be performed, recorded, and turned in with a copy of the score and transposed parts on the date due to receive full credit for the assignment. Late work will be downgraded one half-letter grade for each day or portion thereof that the assignment is late. If live performance is not yet available due to Covid a MIDI recording will be accepted.
Week 1 Chord and Voicing review/Transpositions
Week 2 Saxophones/Basic four-part writing/Supersax and Drop 2
- 8 bars 4 part
Week 3 Trombones/Contrapuntal techniques
- 8 bars 4 part
Week 4 Trumpets/2 and 3 way voicing
-8 bars 4 part
Week 5 Shout Chorus 5 way voicing
- 8 bars 4 part
Week 6 Rhythm Section
Week 7 Chart Outline
Week 8 Head
Week 9 Introduction/interlude/send off
Week 10 Shout Chorus
Week 10-11 Sax Soli/ or
Week 12 Solo sections and Backgrounds
Week 13 Coda
Week 14 Record/individual help
Week 15 Recording/Score/Parts
Jazz Arranging Listening List:
ARTIST Count Basie
Village Vanguard Orchestra Maria Schneider Orchestra Thad Jones/ Mel Lewis
Mel Lewis/Bob Brookmeyer
Miles Davis, Gil Evans Gerry Mulligan
Kenny Wheeler
Vince Mendoza/WDR Village Vanguard Orch
ALBUM TITLE Straight Ahead
Lickety Split Evanessence
Mosaic Reissues (Solid State)
Live at the Village Vanguard
Miles Ahead Jazz Masters 36
Music for Large & Small Ensembles
Sketches Thad Jones Legacy
ARRANGER Sammy Nestico
Jim McNeely Schneider Thad Jones
Brookmeyer
Gil Evans
Brookmeyer, Mulligan McFarland
Wheeler
Mendoza Thad Jones
Chart
Hayburner, Basie Straight Ahead 3&1, Us, ABC Blues, Kids Are Pretty People
Hello & Goodbye First Love Song w/Dave Liebman new recordings of classics
Mel Lewis Jam
Mel Lewis Blues
Duke Ellington
Dial and Oats
John Faddis
Art Pepper
Holober/Gotham City Holober/Stockholm JO
ARTIST Maria Schneider Schneider Schneider Jim McNeely/WDR Stockholm JO Stockholm JO Bob Mintzer Gil Evans
Joe Henderson Count Basie
20 Years at the Village Vanguard
Finnegan’s C Blues
ABC
“Little” Big Band “Little” Big Band
DETAILS
To You
And His Mother Called Him Bill
Brassworks Remembrances
....Plus 11
Thought Trains Live in Malmo
ALBUM TITLE Coming AboutSchneider Allegresse Schneider Days of Wine and Roses Schneider
East Coast Blowout
Sound Bites
Jigsaw
Art of The Big Band
Giants of Jazz Collection
Porgy & Bess Big Band The Essential
McNeely/Scofield McNeely McNeely Mintzer
Evans w/Dick Oats
Kenny Werner Ellington, Strayhorn
Rich DeRosa
Carlos Franzetti
Marty Paitch
ARRANGER
Thad Jones
Henderson, Bob Belden Don Sebesky
Bill Holman Dutch Jazz Orchestra Bob Florence Tom Harrell Darcy James Argue Mike Holober
Academic Integrity: All work dishonesty (including, but not limited to, plagiarism on papers or cheating on exams) will be punished. A summary of the University’s definitions and procedures concerning academic integrity can be found in the Undergraduate Bulletin (pp. 46-47 of the 2003-5 Bulletin). If you are uncertain how to use and cite the work of others within your own work, consult reference works such as Kate L. Turabain, A Manual for Written Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 6th ed., revised by John Grossman and Alice Bennett, Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1966), or see instructor.
Special Accommodations: If you have a disability and wish to receive accommodations, please contact Disability Services at 504-865-2990. If you wish to receive test accommodations (e.g., extended test time), you will need to give the course instructor an official Accommodation Form from Disability Services. The Office of Disability Services is located in Marquette Hall 112.