1 PROCESSES and CRITERIA for SELECTION of VOCAL JAZZ LITERATURE by Ruiel T. Doonkeen SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE: DR. PETER R. WEBST

1 PROCESSES AND CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF VOCAL JAZZ LITERATURE By Ruiel T. Doonkeen SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE: DR. PETER R. WEBSTER, CHAIR DR. KEITH P. THOMPSON, MEMBER A CAPSTONE PROJECT PRESENTED TO THE COLLEGE OF THE ARTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF MUSIC UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2015 PROCESSES AND CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF VOCAL JAZZ LITERATURE 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to sincerely thank my supervisory committee Dr. Peter Webster and Dr. Keith Thompson for their dedicated support throughout all stages of this capstone project. I would especially like to thank Dr. Peter Webster for his guidance and patience! I would like to express my appreciation to Justin Benick, Derek Chapin, Frank DeMiero, Beth Enloe-Fritz, R. John Hamilton, Kerry Marsh, Mike Plunkett, Janice Vlachos, and Jennifer Barnes, the vocal jazz experts, for their contributions to this capstone project. I would like to thank the members of Claremore High School “Room 701” Vocal Jazz for serving as an inspirational element in completing this journey. To my two favorite teachers, Suzanne Aylor and Mike Plunkett, thank you for filling my soul with music! Thank you to my parents, Pete and Lisa for a lifetime of support and encouragement. Thank you to the two most wonderful girls in the world, Brooklyn and Lilly, for loaning out their daddy for the past two years. Daddy loves you! Finally, to the woman that this work is dedicated to, my magnificent wife Alicia. Without you, none of this would be possible --- you are my muse! PROCESSES AND CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF VOCAL JAZZ LITERATURE 3 Abstract This capstone project was designed to create a comprehensive guide for selecting vocal jazz choir repertoire and resources for locating current authentic vocal jazz literature. It is intended to assist the novice as well as the advanced vocal jazz educator by defining criteria for selecting repertoire. Based on systematic interviews with selected expert teachers of vocal jazz ensembles, a set of criteria were developed based on aesthetic and pedagogical merit, national and state standards for selecting repertoire, and selection method recommendations from expert vocal jazz choir educators. The construction of rubrics for selecting vocal jazz repertoire based on expert vocal jazz educator recommendations were created to serve as guidelines for the continuation of evaluating of vocal jazz choir repertoire in preparation for selection and performance. PROCESSES AND CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF VOCAL JAZZ LITERATURE 4 Processes and Criteria for Selection of Vocal Jazz Literature Background Definition of a Vocal Jazz Choir What is a vocal jazz choir? The compilation of a traditional vocal jazz choir is generally considered to be sixteen to twenty-four voices, a piano accompanist, bassist, jazz guitarist, and drummer (Emerson, 2015). This ensemble traditionally performs from a semi-circle formation while standing and singing into individual microphones used for amplification and balance alongside live instrumentation. The traditional ensemble performs with little to no choreographed movement. Traditionally, jazz choirs perform standard jazz arrangements including bebop, swing, jazz ballads, and contemporary arrangements (Rutherford, 2008). The focus of this project relates to the description of this type of vocal jazz choir. A YouTube video example produced by Jennifer Barnes, the Director of Vocal Jazz at the University of North Texas, encapsulates the description of a vocal jazz choir as mentioned above (Barnes, 2012). Although the overall examination of vocal jazz curricula is beyond the scope of this study, the focus here is to provide pathways of understanding vocal jazz repertoire selection for educators who are interested in establishing high-quality vocal jazz style and sound in the vocal jazz choir rehearsal and performance setting. Although there is much research conducted in traditional choral and instrumental jazz repertoire selection, there is little work published on vocal jazz ensemble repertoire selection particularly for the high school vocal jazz ensemble. A high school music educator seeking to begin a vocal jazz ensemble is complex and presents a number of challenges. One particular challenge is to locate high-quality and authentic repertoire that will complement the high school vocal jazz ensemble. This challenge remains true for the veteran vocal jazz educator seeking to locate new repertoire that will inspire participating PROCESSES AND CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF VOCAL JAZZ LITERATURE 5 music students, as well as the less experienced educators hoping to establish and sustain high quality ensembles. Unfortunately, many high-quality and authentic resources are not easily accessible for the vocal jazz educator. A comprehensive guide for selecting vocal jazz repertoire to benefit the experienced and inexperienced choral educator is the purpose of this capstone project. Questions of Definition A central theme for this project is the importance of authentic and high-quality vocal jazz repertoire. In an effort to obtain a deeper understanding of “authentic and “high quality” vocal jazz literature, I first had to determine the meaning of these terms in terms of the context of this study. To understand the meanings of vocal jazz quality and authenticity, we must understand the jazz idiom and its theoretical elements. The present day vocal jazz choir style has its foundation in instrumental groups, from the small jazz ensemble to the big bands (Anderson, 1993). A traditional vocal jazz choir typically performs in the style of big band jazz. According to Anderson (1993), the vocal jazz style is typically emulative of instrumental big bands and thus contains smooth and interesting voice leading, chords comprised of dissonant harmonies, rhythmic interpretations, and note articulations that are arranged in the jazz style (see Figure 1). For example, arrangements of vocal jazz literature may contain: (1) chords consisting of sevenths, ninths, elevenths, and thirteenths; (2) beats that are subdivided into triplets, (known as “jazz time” (p.92)); and (3) note durations that may not receive the value as written. According to Anderson, these characteristics are indicative of the authentic vocal jazz style as well as the instrumental jazz idiom (p. 93). PROCESSES AND CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF VOCAL JAZZ LITERATURE 6 Figure 1. Jazz Swing Style Quarter Note Articulations (Anderson, 1993, p. 96). Throughout my tenure as a vocal jazz educator, I have introduced my own performance ensembles to a multitude of vocal jazz repertoire in many diverse styles and instrumentation. The choices of repertoire have, on many occasions, caused me to question the authenticity of the music I have chosen. Did it contain good examples of dissonant jazz harmonies, the use of swing style eighth note articulations, and multicultural jazz style of note articulations? Also, what about the lack of improvisation opportunities I provided? According to Baker (2003), improvisation is considered to be an integral part of jazz music; however, within his study, more than three fourths (77.3%) of the 150 vocal jazz compositions from major music publication companies (e.g. Hal Leonard, Shawnee Press, and Alfred), make no reference to this practice within the score. Certainly, traditional use of jazz style composition can vary in contemporary arranging. Key elements included within vocal jazz arrangements may determine if indeed the composition is considered high quality or authentic. Kerry Marsh’s arrangement of Ben Fold’s “Selfless, PROCESSES AND CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF VOCAL JAZZ LITERATURE 7 Cold, and Composed” (Marsh, 2009) for example, contains elements of traditional jazz style arrangement based on the use of swing style eighth note interpretations, the composition of dissonant harmonies, and the use of scat syllables within the soli section. His arrangement also provides opportunities for improvisation, a key component (Baker, 2003) to traditional jazz style (see Figure 2 and 3). Another example is Paul Simon’s popular song “You Can Call Me Al” arranged by Jim Farrell (Farrell, 1989). Although this arrangement does contain elements of vocal jazz composition including the use of scat syllables, and is sold by the University of Northern Colorado Jazz Press, it does not contain the use of traditional jazz harmonies but rather chord structures based on triads that lack dissonant harmonies as well as lacks the opportunity for improvisation (see Figure 4). Although the examples below illustrate the definition of contemporary vocal jazz composition, do they meet the standard criteria to be considered as authentic and high quality literature to vocal jazz experts? Figure 2. Traditional Jazz Style Uses of Dissonant Harmonies (Marsh, 2009) PROCESSES AND CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF VOCAL JAZZ LITERATURE 8 Figure 3. Use of Improvisation Opportunity (Marsh, 2009) Figure 4. Use of Scat Syllables and Harmonies Based on Triads (UNC Jazz Press, 2015) Throughout my research for this study, I encountered many meanings for the words “authentic” and “authenticity.” In an investigation of performance standards used to evaluate jazz musicians, Pogwiz (2015) stated that standards of authenticity are based first and foremost on the experiences of those determining them. For this project, in order to avoid ambiguity, I relied not only on my own experiences but also on the expert vocal jazz teacher themselves to help determine the meaning for “authentic” and

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