Mujs 2370 Jazz Improvisation Ii

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MUJS 2370 Syllabus and Schedule MUJS 2370 JAZZ IMPROVISATION II

SYLLABUS AND COURSE REQUIREMENTS CLASS MEETINGS - M/W 3:00 - 3:50, T/H 2:00 - 2:50 INSTRUCTOR - Mike Steinel (Office - Room 353, Phone - 565/3758) [email protected]

What is the purpose of this class? To develop skill in the art of jazz improvisation on selected repertoire.

What must I do to enter this class? Students must have earned an "A" or "B" in MUJS 2360 or passed the 2360 proficiency exam.

What must I do to go to the next class? Students must earn an "A" or "B" and pass the JSCE (ICE) exam.

Required Materials: Text: The Charlie Parker Omnibook, Hal Leonard Publications Other: One Three Ring Binder Music: Ornithology – Charlie Parker, 3:01 Yardbird Suite - Charlie Parker, 2:56 Ko Ko - Charlie Parker 2:58 Scrapple From the Apple – Charlie Parke, 2:59 Anthropology – Charlie Parker, 2:57 Confirmation – Charlie Parker, 2:57

How is the grade determined in this class? The following will be graded on a ten point scale (A=9 to 10, B=8 to 8.9, C=7 to 7.9, etc.)

Playing Evaluations: Performed in class with the rhythm section. Memorized Transcription: Transcribe and perform from memory the entire Bird of Confirmation Melodies: Play melodies for all tunes by memory . Drills: A packet of drills of various types will be distributed for each tune. Students are required to play one for memory. Transcriptions: Transcribe and perform an excerpt (see syllabus for length) of a solo from the CD for each tune on the syllabus. Note: Any late work will result in a reduction of one letter grade.

Grades will be weighted in the following manner:

Playing Evaluations #1-#6 (10% each) 70% Daily Grades 20% (Melodies, Drills, Transcriptions, Assignments, II-V-I test) Memorized Transcription 10%

Total 100%

MUJS 2370 Syllabus and Schedule Policies and Requirements

Attendance Policy: Attendance is required at all sessions. Three unexcused absences will result in the reduction of the final grade. Excused absences should be cleared in advance (if possible) and students missing class will be responsible for assignments and homework. Repeated tardiness will result in the reduction of the final grade. BE ON TIME!

Materials: The Charlie Parker Omnibook and a three ring notebook are the only required materials. Students should bring both to each class. If a non-paper copy of the Omnibook is used students must present proof of purchase. After the third class meeting students will not be allow into class without the required materials. There will a large amount of handout material provided, so the binder is very important. BRING EVERYTHING EACH TIME.

Memorization: Playing evaluations, melodies, arpeggiations, and daily graded solos will be played from memory. Committing music to memory is a crucial step in learning to improvise. Building an inventory of musical materials (melodies, motifs, chord progressions, etc.) is the key to developing a keen musical imagination. Musical creation (improvisation and composition) is very closely related to musical remembering. If we can remember a musical idea with some degree of accuracy (pitch, rhythm, expression) then we can usually quite easily imagine that same melody a little bit differently. Memorizing specific solos has been part of the jazz tradition since the earliest years (see the essay: “Borrow, Borrow, Borrow” in Blackboard).

Transcription Materials: There is a transcription assignment for each tune. For Yardbird, Ornithology, Anthropology, and Scrapple students are required to perform one chorus of Bird and one chorus of another artist. A list of pre-approved transcriptions will be provided, but students may chose other transcriptions with permission of the istructor. Email an MP3 to me one week prior for approval. For Ko Ko we will use Bird’s first chorus as our melody to memorize (in stages – 16 bars each class meeting). For Confirmation we will memorize and perform (w/ the recording) the entire performance (in stages one chorus each class meeting).

Activities In and Outside the Classroom: The main focus of classroom activities will be: student performance. Once the semester is underway there will be some graded classroom activity every meeting. Daily preparation is the key to staying current and doing well in the class. If you get behind and are not prepared for a class meeting, DO NOT SKIP CLASS. New information and materials are covered each time. The instructors promise that unpreparedness will be handled humanely. Please notifiy the instructor at the beginning of the class meeting that you can you are “ready” and we will skp over you. Arrangement can be made to make up work during an office hour.

Because class time is limited much of the information will be deseminated through handouts and announcements on Blackboard . You are responsible to read all materials provided and should be prepared for quizes on the material if it is appropriate.

Grading Playing Evaluations: All playing evaluations will be grading using a standard rubric. Students are encouraged to consult the rubric as they are preparing for the evaluation.

MUJS 2370 Syllabus and Schedule II-V-I Mid-Term and Final: Learning the six bebop standards in the class will be a good start to developing skill in improvisation. However, it is also important for students to practice progression in all twelve keys (major and minor). To encourage that activity, students in 2370 will be tested on specific patterns over the basic II-V-I progressions at the Mid Term and on the Final. Periodically, classroom drill of patterns will be included as time permits. Pattern material will be drawn from: 1) those provided by the instructor, 2) patterns drawn from Charlie Parker solos, 3) and patterns drawn from other players chosen by the students.

Understanding and Appreciating Charlie Parker and Bebop: Music from earlier eras is often an “aquired taste” and doesn’t immediately appeal to younger ears. The quality of recordings from the late 30’s and early 40’s cannot accurately represent the music at times, and can be “off putting”. In Birds case , often the players that accompanied him played in a style not totally compatible or lacked his command of the material. (Note: Read the essay: “Why Study Bebop”).

Listening Activities: Listening is key to getting a broad understanding of the bebop genre. Students are encouraged in particular to familiarize themselves with a great deal of Charlie Parker’s music. Numerous collections such as: The Charlie Parker Studio Chronicles, Charlie Parker, The Complete Savoy and Dial Recordings, The Complete Charlie Parker on Verve, and The Birth of Bebop will be very helpful. If you use youtube as your primary listening resource consult discographies and other resources to determine things such as recording dates and personel. Here is an excellent resource for a discography: http://www.jazzdisco.org/charlie-parker/discography/

Listening to Pre-Bop Music: Not to be overlooked, is the music that preceeded the bebop era from which Parker, Gillespie, Monk, Powell, and the like drew heavily. In particular students should become familiar with the solos of Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge, Ben Webster, and Don Byas. The music of each of these had a profound effect on all the modernists that followed.

Reading Activities: Much has been written about Charlie Parker and Bebop. Here are some excellent books.

Title Author Yardbird Suite: A Compendium of the Music of Charlie Parker Lawrence Koch Bird Lives Ross Russell Bebop, The Music and Its Players Thomas Owens The Legend of Charlie Parker Robert Reisner Celebrating Bird, The Triumph of Charlie Parker Gary Giddens Kansas City Lightning Stanley Crouch To Be Or Not To Bop Dizzy Gillespie Jazz Styles in Kansas City and the Southwest Ross Russell

Compliance with Federal Statutes: The College of Music complies with the Americans With Disabilities Act in making reasonable accommodation for qualified students with disability. If you have an established disability as defined in the Americans With Disabilities Act and would like to request accommodation, please see me as soon as possible. My office hours and office number are shown on this syllabus.

Scholastic Honesty Policy: Cheating, in any form, will result in an automatic grade of "F" in the course, the removal of the student from the course, and immediate reporting of the student's actions to the Office of the Dean of Students and to the Office of the Dean of the College of Music.

MUJS 2370 Syllabus and Schedule Schedule Week of:

1/15 Mon/Tue – Orientation Wed/Thur – Orientation (Thurs – No Class)

1/22 Mon/Tue – Yardbird Suite , Wed/Thur - Yardbird Suite, Bird Trans. (1 Ch) Melody/Drill (from Packet)

1/29 Mon/Tue - Yardbird, 2nd Trans Wed/Thur – Playing Evaluation #1 - Yardbird

2/5 Mon/Tue - Ko Ko, 1st 16 bars Wed/Thur – Ko Ko, 1st 32 bars Drill (from Packet)

2/12 Mon/Tue – Ko Ko, 1st 48 bars Wed/Thur - Playing Evaluation #2 – Ko Ko Entire 1st Chorus (Memory)

2/19 Mon/Tue - Ornithology , Wed/Thur - Ornithology, Bird Trans. (1 Ch) Melody/Drill (from Packet)

2/26 Mon/Tue - Ornithology, 2nd Trans Wed/Thur – Playing Evaluation #3 - Ornithology

3/5 Mon/Tue – Mid Term II V I Wed/Thur – Confirmation Memorized (w/ music)

3/19 Mon/Tue – Scrapple From The Apple Wed/Thur – Scrapple, Bird Trans. (1 Chorus) Melody/Drill (from Packet)

3/26 Mon/Tue - Scrapple, 2nd Trans Wed/Thur – Playing Evaluation #4 - Scrapple

4/2 Mon/Tue - Anthropology, Wed/Thur - Anthropology,Bird Trans. (1 Ch) Melody/Drill (from Packet) (Rhythm Changes tune in Omnibook)

4/9 Mon/Tue - Anthropology,2nd Trans Wed/Thur – Playing Evalutaion #5 - Anthropology (Rhythm Changes in Bb)

4/19 Mon/Tue – Confirmation, Wed/Thur – Confirmation, 1st Chorus Bird (Memory) Melody/Drill (from Packet)

4/23 Mon/Tue - Confirmation, 2nd Chor. Bird (Memory) Wed/Thur – Confirmation, Piano/Bass/Drs (Memory)

4/30 Mon/Tue - Memorized Trans (Complete) Wed/Thur - PE #6, Confirmation

ICE Exam - Confirmation and one other song) will be given on Monday May 7, 2017. The ICE must be passed in order for students to continue to MUJS 3360.