California State University, Northridge Teaching Jazz

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE TEACHING JAZZ IMPROVISATION IN THE HIGH SCHOOL A project submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts ln Music by Allen Eugene Rogers August 1986 The Project of Allen Eugene Rogers ls approved: California State University, Northridge lL TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ABSTRACT . • . • . • • . • . • . • . • • . • . • . Vl CHAPTER I . THE PROBLElvi ...............................• 1 Genera 1 S ta temen t ...................... 1 Definition of Terms .................... 3 Delimitations of This Study ............ 9 II. THE NEED FOR THE STUDY .................... 10 III. RELATED LITERATURE ......................... 14 Introduction . 14 Textbooks .............................. 14 Method Books 22 IV. A BRIEF HISTORY OF JAZZ IMPROVISATION ..... 30 Introduction 30 Creation of Jazz ....................... 30 African Influence on Jazz .............. 31 European Influence on Jazz 32 Principal Elements of Jazz 32 Contribution of Religious Music to Jazz . 33 Contribution of Marching Bands to Jazz .. 35 The Blues as a Component of Jazz ........ 36 Improvisation and Jazz .. ................ 37 iii CHAPTER PAGE Developmental Stages of Jazz . ... ...... 38 Contribution of Jazz to Improvisation .... 39 V. THE PROJECT: TEACHING A HIGH SCHOOL COURSE IN JAZZ INPROVISATION ................... 41 Introduction ............................ 41 The Structure of the Course Using One Text 43 Lesson Plans for the Course 45 The Structure of the Course Using Other Texts ....· . 70 Concluding Recommendation ... .. ......... 82 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................... 84 ~PPENDIX A. CLASS TEXT .................................. 88 B. CLASS TEXT SUPPLEJ!lENT ...................... 130 C. CHORD CHAR.T • . • . • . • • . • . • . • • 163 lV ABSTRACT TEACHING JAZZ IMPROVISATION IN THE HIGH SCHOOL by Allen Eugene Rogers Master of Arts in Music Analysis of senlor high school Jazz bands over the last fifteen years has demonstrated excellent ensemble performance, yet, in striking contrast, poor improvisa tional soloing. Admittedly, a class period devoted to Jazz band leaves little time for anything but ensemble rehearsal. However, even a little time judiciously spent on improvi sation will pay off in results if the teacher ls well versed in both the subject matter and the methods of teaching it. It would be better if a full period, even once a week, could be devoted to the subject. Unfortunately, many Jazz band teachers are inade quately prepared to teach improvisation. These individ uals should avail themselves of the many opportunites to v learn more about the subject on their own. As a further aid to the teacher who is not well versed in jazz or Jazz improvisation, this project out lines suggested lesson plans for a twenty-week course in jazz improvisation. While these lesson plans are aimed at teaching a separate course, they also have some value if jazz improvisation were to be taught as a part of jazz band. In addition to suggested lesson plans, material for creating other lesson plans 1s described. Another, possibly even greater value of teaching Jazz improvisation is the additional knowledge that the stu dents will acquire of music improvisation in general. Per haps this will lead to an even greater value; musical growth. vi~ CHAPTER I THE PROBLEH General Statement The weakest part of any sen1or high school jazz band performance is, with few exceptions, the improvisational soloing. The ensemble playing is usually very good, as it can be rehearsed ad infinitum until it attains near perfection. However, Jazz band teachers usually place a low priority on ad-lib soloing, and the results are apparent; a good jazz band performance is destroyed by poor soloing. There are four maln reasons for this low priority assigned to jazz band improvisational soloing: 1. The jazz band teacher has to devote so much time to rehearsal problems that no time lS left for the teaching of improvisational soloing. 2. The jazz 0and teacher is not familiar with either the fundamentals of Jazz improvisation or the methods of teaching it. Therefore, it is a sub ject that he or she is reluctant to try to teach. 3. The jazz band teacher is not really interested ln jazz (or Jazz improvisation) and teaches jazz band reluctantly. 1 2 4. The Jazz band teacher does not recognlze the importance of improvisation, jazz or otherwise. For the jazz band teacher who falls into the second category (lack of familiarity with the subject and with methods of teaching it) this project may be of interest. Chapter V will be devoted to both describing a course ln jazz improvisation and in suggesting a method of teaching it. It is hoped that most high school jazz band teachers (and their high schools) recognize that jazz improvisation should be taught, and that ideally, a separate course should be established to teach it. For the jazz band teacher in the first category (lacks the time to teach jazz improvisation as a part of jazz band) this project may be helpful depending upon whether he or she wants to learn more about jazz improvi sation and the teaching of it. For the jazz band teacher who is in categories three or four, this project might be of little interest. In addition to the weakness of improvisational solo lng in the high school jazz band ls the lack of any stu dent exposure (in the high school) to music improvisation, Jazz or otherwise. Maybe jazz improvisation training would, in turn, achieve a second benefit; a greater stu dent knowledge and awareness of improvisation as it re lates to all music. Of the two, perhaps this is the greater benefit. 3 Definition of Terms The term constantly used throughout this project, and, indeed, the term describing the main subject, is improvisation. The Harvard Dictionary of Music defines improvi sation (and extemporization) as: The art of performing music spontaneously, with out the aid of manuscript sJ~etches, or memory. Also, in a more restricted sense, the art of introducing improvised details into written com positions.l . Groves provides a briefer definition of lmprovl- sation (and extemporization), referring to it as: "The art of thinking and performing music simultaneously." 2 Another definition comes from Ernest Ferand who states that "[improvisation is] the spontaneous invention and shaping of music while it is being performed." 3 Ferand also distinguishes between absolute improvisation, in which creation and performance are simultaneous, and 1"Improvisation, Extemporization," 2d ed. [1972], 404-05. 2 H. c. Coles, "Extemporization or Improvisation," Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 5th ed. II (1954), p. 991. 3 Ernest Ferand, Improvisation: In Nine Centuries of Western Music, (Cologne: Arno Volk Verlag, 1961), as quoted by John R. Duke in Teaching Musical ~mprovisation: A Study of Eighteenth and Twentieth Century Methods (Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, George Peabody College for Teachers, 1972), p. 5. 4 relative improvisation, 1n which the performer elaborates . 4 upon a prex1stent frame. John Duke expands upon Ferand's statements on 1mpro- visation with the following: Improvisation, then, is defined as musical per formance wherein the performer is granted cre ative freedom to change or create basic elements of the music at the time of performance. Basic elements include melodic contour, rhythm, harmo nization, and texture.S Leonard Feather, the well-known Jazz writer, lecturer, and performer, suggests that there are three 6 kinds of melodic improvisations. First is the close- to-the-melody improvisation. Second is the improvisation in which the melody is changed but remains recognizable. Third is the improvisation in which the melody is unrecog- nizable but the chords remain the same. This is usually referred to as full improvisation, and it subdivides into three different categories: the notes are impromptu, the notes follow a natural sequence, and the notes are com- pletely automatic. In the last category, very little thought is involved, and clich~s are frequently used. Paul Tanner and Maurice Gerow differentiate between 4 Ferand, 2£· cit., pp. 5-6. 5 Teaching Musical Improvisation: A Study of Eigh teenth and Twentieth Century Nethods (Unpublished Ph.D. diss., George Peabody College for Teachers, 1972), p. 9. 6 The Book of Jazz From Then till Now: A Guide to the Entire-pre~New York: Horizon-Press,-y§6s), p. 214: 5 improvisation and interpretation 1n the following state ments: Improvisation is similar to interpretation but without melodic restrictions. the "standard" procedure is to keep the original melody in mind as a point of departure and to invent a new melodic line while still fairly well restricted by the harmonic structure of the original melody.7 The same authors also discuss a type of improvisation with an even greater degree of latitude: . there is a contemporary direction called "free form" or "free improvisation" in which the player's only restriction is that he compose lines related to the musical sounds made by the other musicians in the group.8 Concerning "free improvisation", this writer has heard jazz performances in which improvised solos were played using barely recognizable melodies and altered chords, resulting in a newly composed piece of music. In this case, and in the case of "free form," cited by Tanner and Gerow above, we are dealing with so many alterations that perhaps the terms improvisation and extemporization are no longer applicatle, and the term instant composition should be applied. Consequently, for the purposes of this project, and 7 Paul o. w. Tanner and Haurice Gerow, ~Study of Jazz (3rded.; Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown, 1973), p. 5. 8 Ibid. 6 based on the forgoing discussion, we will define improvisation as changing, in varying degrees, an existing piece of music at the time of performance. We will not define it as playing an existing piece of music note for note, from memory, nor will we go to the opposite extreme and define it as changing an existing piece of music to the extent that it no longer exists and new music has been created. Furthermore, whenever the term improvisation 1s used it will apply specifically to Jazz improvisation unless indicated otherwise.

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