Jamming in the Classroom Masters Project – Spring 2015
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Jamming in the Classroom Masters Project – Spring 2015 Parker Smith Table of Contents Introduction v Jamming Defined...................................................................................................2 v A Brief History of Jazz Education.........................................................................5 Review of Literature v Challenges in Teaching Improvisation...................................................................9 v Gender Dynamics..................................................................................................11 v Music Performance Anxiety……….....................................................................12 v Repertoire Choices for Classrooms and Strategies for Instruction........................13 Repertoire v Repertoire Choices in Jam Sessions......................................................................20 v Sample of Jam Session Repertoire………………................................................20 v Instructional Repertoire.........................................................................................22 v Random Sample of Jazz Tunes Present in Sources……………………….......…22 Additional Considerations v Jam Etiquette........................................................................................................23 v Elitism – Communication Breakdown.................................................................23 v “Listening” Music or “Dancing” Music?.............................................................25 v Jamming in the 21st Century.................................................................................26 Pedagogical Applications................................................,.................................................28 Appendix……………………………………………….………………………………..29 References.........................................................................................................................35 2 Abstract Factors related to teacher skill and expertise, confidence levels, performance anxiety, appropriate repertoire, and gender related stereotypes have the potential to negatively impact the teaching and learning of improvisation. Awareness of the challenges and strategies that ensure success are essential to teaching improvisation to students of all levels. Defining the traditions of jam sessions and an analysis of the elements that have sustained jam sessions as a musically cultural norm, provides a model for teaching success. This document seeks to examine salient characteristics of jam sessions and how these characteristics can positively transfer towards the teaching and learning of jazz improvisation in communities and classrooms. INTRODUCTION Jamming Defined The word jam can be used either as a noun or a verb in a musical context. The word Jam in referring to a musical event was originally used as a verb, describing the process of cramming as many musicians as possible into one room. Over time, the term came to denote informal gatherings of musicians allowing for extended playing opportunities away from the demands of their regular jobs (Baker & Herzig, 2014). These informal gatherings would often last late into the evening and were ideal for creative exploration and the exchange of new ideas. Soon informal gatherings such as these evolved into what musicians and club owners referred to as “cutting contests” that were open to the public, and exploited by club owners as a means to fill seats (Berliner, 1994). 3 Jamming eventually moved to larger venues, most famously “Jazz at the Philharmonic” (Gooley, 2011). Jazz at the Philharmonic, (or JATP) was the title of a series of concerts, tours and recordings produced by Norman Granz from 1944-1983. The JAPT events were among the first high-profile performances to feature racially integrated bands and Granz even cancelled some bookings rather than have the musicians perform for segregated audiences. The first JATP concert was held at the Philharmonic Auditorium in Los Angeles and featured among others, Nat “King” Cole, Les Paul, Illinois Jacquet, and Buddy Rich (Dyas, 2015). Jamming not only crossed boundaries in venues, but also across genres. In the early 1960’s, rock bands such as the Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers Band featured extended musical improvisations (jams, in this context as a noun) in their concerts. The Grateful Dead sprouted out of the folk-psychedelic movement and the Allman Brothers’ jams were rooted in the blues tradition. Eventually, their influence led to a wide encompassing genre now called “jam bands” that draws from the traditions of jazz, blues, bluegrass, funk, rock, psychedelic and even electronic music. In most major cities there exists within the music community, a jam session for multiple genres and on most nights, musicians don’t have to look far to find a jazz, bluegrass, funk, or blues jam. Jam sessions exist as a cultural phenomenon that serves the entire music community. Beginning improvisers, academia (students and teachers), amateurs, professionals, and club owners all benefit from the positive welfare of jam sessions. 4 Salient features of the earliest jazz jam sessions (circa 1940’s) are listed below (Dyas, 2015). • served as “organized” group education activities in jazz (predecessors of today’s performance master classes or formal jazz pedagogy classes) • were rooted in the African tradition of passing on culture via aural means Links from early jam sessions that have maintained importance in present day sessions • provided opportunities for musicians of diverse abilities to learn from one another • served as primary vehicle for teaching jazz repertoire, and to a lesser degree still in practice today Defining characteristics of present day jam sessions include: • spontaneous group improvisation without extensive preparation or arrangements • music that may or may not based on existing song forms • unstructured sessions or sessions coordinated by a leader Venues for Jam Sessions can include rehearsal spaces, private homes, clubs / bars, recording studios, concert halls and classrooms. Jam sessions can exist without an audience, however most performers enjoy a live audience and tend to interact differently when there is one absent. Many famous recordings have been the product of trying to replicate a jam session environment in a recording studio. 5 A Brief History of Jazz Education Given the relatively short history of jazz that it only developed in the 20th century, many of its “founding fathers” were able to pass along the tradition first hand. This luxury of personal interaction from the source was key to the development of jazz. The same is not true for classical composers. However, in the last 30 years or so most of the founding fathers of jazz have passed away. This opportunity for direct interaction is dwindling. However, there are still endless recordings and performances to draw from. The following information was culled from several sources that contain a wealth of information about the history of jazz education (Dyas, 2015), (Berliner, 1994) (Rodriguez, 2012) (Mason, 2005). The outline is intended to provide educators with a brief chronology of the evolution of jazz education in the United States. Early Pioneers • W.C. Handy • James Reese Europe (Founder of The Clef Club) • Len Bowden (Tuskegee Institute, Georgia State College, Alabama State Normal College, and ultimately, director for training black musicians at Great Lakes Naval Base in Illinois, 1942-1945). In 1929, Bowden assisted J. “Fess” Whatley in becoming the organizer of the “’Bama State Collegians,” one of the first college ensembles available for college credit. Early subject areas (many of which are similar to this day) • Performance • Arranging • Improvisation • Rehearsal techniques 1930’s • National Emergence • Private teachers established studios in jazz improvisation o Chicago o New York o Boston o Houston 6 o Denver o Los Angeles • First jazz arranging and improvisation text was written in 1935 by Norbert Bleihoof “Modern Arranging and Orchestration” c. 1935 • Gene Krupa, Frankie Trumbauer and Eddie Lang wrote improvisation technique books that included play a long recordings • During the 1930’s, Joseph Schillinger’s method of music instruction was adopted by Lawrence Berk, who founded the Schillinger House in 1945, (subsequently renamed The Berklee College of Music). • The Schillinger System allowed composers, for the first time, to use specific mathematical rules that could adapt harmony, rhythm, melody, etc., from any idiom to jazz-oriented composition. It also allowed jazz players to develop their solos (instant composition) along specific mathematically determined paths. The jazz arrangers felt that by following the system, “the chart” wrote itself, for it was merely a matter of following the mathematical formula(s). 1940’s • Jazz instruction became prevalent in high schools and colleges • More high schools than colleges offered jazz-related activities; as a result Jazz study materials began to be published to meet these needs • Early Collegiate Programs o Alabama State University o Tennessee State University o Wilberforce University (Ohio) o Westlake College of Music (Hollywood, CA) o Berklee College of Music o Los Angeles City College o North Texas State University • Early Jazz History courses at o The New School in New York §. Leonard Feather (jazz critic) Robert Goffin (jazz author) §. Loose courses with unprepared lectures and personal collections of 78 records and personal 1st hand observations §. “Goffin and I came to our classroom