MUSE 211B/212B/311B/312B/361B/362A Combo I, II, III, IV, V, VI 2.0 Academic Credit hours, 3.0 Lab hours Red Deer College – Winter 2018

Class Time: Wednesdays 3:00 – 5:50PM Instructor: Malcolm Bell Office: AC 237 Phone: 403-342-3510 Email: [email protected] Classroom: Studio , Studio , AC 159. Hours: as posted on office door

Outside Class Rehearsal and Performance Times: See section VIII.

I. COURSE PREREQUISITE

Successful audition.

II. COURSE RATIONALE

To provide students with jazz and contemporary band learning environment, where they can acquire performance proficiency with intellectual understanding, of various jazz and contemporary musical styles.

III. COURSE DESCRIPTION

Students work together in small groups to create and perform arrangements of both old and new jazz tunes. Weekly coaching sessions introduce various ideas and exercises to enhance both improvisational ability and an understanding of jazz styles. Note: Not eligible for challenge.

IV. COURSE OBJECTIVES and LEARNING OUTCOMES

A. Cognitive (what you should know and understand) 1. Students will acquire an intellectual knowledge of jazz and contemporary music styles through active listening and analysis, rehearsing and performing, thereby enabling a better understanding of the field of jazz and contemporary music. 2. Students will understand suitable individual and group practice habits, acceptable rehearsal conduct, and proper performance presentation practices, all of these increasing the students’ awareness of professionalism. 3. Students will understand and recognize the important musical elements (rhythms, harmonic progressions, articulations, melodic ornaments, instrumentation, etc.) that cause a specific jazz or contemporary musical style to be unique from other styles. 4. Students will understand the musical role of each instrument (voice, guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, horns, etc.) in a jazz or contemporary band. 5. Students will know how to physically arrange band members and their equipment on stage, along with proper positioning of music, sound, and lighting equipment, to ensure the best performance.

B. Affective (what you should feel and appreciate). 1. Students will find fulfillment and enjoyment in mastering and performing new styles. 2. Students will appreciate the importance of professionalism, and foster proper and acceptable attitudes and behaviors towards other persons including musicians, sound and lighting technicians, concert organizers, audience, etc.

C. Connotative (what you should be able to do with these insights, skills, and attitudes) 1. Each student will be able to perform various contemporary styles with stylistic accuracy, on a major instrument. 2. Each student will be able to exhibit professionalism while rehearsing and performing, and when interacting with others. 3. Each student will be able to explain, with words and musical notation, the musical part and role of each instrument (voice, guitar, bass, keyboard, drums, horns, etc.) for each musical style (covered in this course) focusing on the unique aspects of each.

D. Learning Outcomes. Students who successfully complete this course will be able to: 1. Clarify musical roles of bass, guitar, keyboard, drums, singer, and horns 2. Fluently sight-read and perform pitches, rhythms and chords with proper jazz articulations and performance nuances 3. Perform multiple jazz styles in stylistically appropriate manners on assigned instrument(s) 4. Implement proper rehearsing and performing techniques 5. Perform improvisations with motivic development within chord progressions with correlation to melody. 6. Identify and process basic jazz theory for modes, chords, chord progressions, and chord voicings for multiple jazz styles 7. Prepare and master jazz performance practices of class time 8. Recognize elements of jazz styles, and evaluate their own according to standard performance practice 9. Cooperate in a positive musical environment 10. Identify major jazz performers, composers, and pieces from each jazz era

V. REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS AND SUPPLIES

• All Musicians: • pad of music manuscript paper, 8.5” x 11” • iReal Pro app for iPhone or iPad or smartphone • Bergonzi, Jerry, Melodic Structures, vol.1, Inside Improvisation Series for all instruments, Advance Music (book & CD). • Vocal Improvisation by Michele Weir, Advance Music, ISBN 89221-062-4 • The New Real Book, Sher Music Co., ISBN 0-9614701-4-3

Either one of the following two real books: • The Real Vocal Book – Volume 1 Low Voice Hal Leonard Corp, HL# 00240307, ISBN 9781423451228 • The Real Book, 6th edition (instrumental; no lyrics; different tunes than Real Vocal Book), Hal Leonard Corp, HL# 00240230, ISBN 0-634-06038-4

• Guitarists and Bassists: provide your own instrument and patch cord; your own pedals, effects, and amp are optional; an amp will be provided. • Drummers/Percussionists: provide your own drumsticks, brushes, rutes, 1 pr. yarn mallets, and a metronome; a drum set and vibraphone will be provided. • Keyboardists: a piano, and a keyboard with amp will be provided • Wind instrumentalists: you may need to provide your own instrument. If you do not have an instrument, check with Karen Gustafson (AC240) to find out if an instrument is available.

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• Singers: highly preferable if you provide your own microphone and cord; a Shure SM58 is recommended. SM58 microphones are available if you do not have one.

VI. SUPPLEMENTARY RESOURCES

• iGig Book app for iPad • Aebersold, Jamey, How To Play Jazz and Improvise, vol. 1, (book & CD), Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Inc., 1967. • Aebersold, Jamey, II – V7 – I Progression, vol. 3, Jamey Aebersold Jazz (book & CD). • Just Jazz Real Book pub. by Warner Brothers • Just Blues Real Book pub. by Warner Brothers • The Latin Real Easy Book pub. by Sher Music

www.apple.com/itunes www.jazzbooks.com www.halleonard.com www.alfred.com www.promusicbooks.com

Music Stores 53rd Street Music, #101 4902-53 St., Red Deer, 403-346-4000 Music Centre Canada, #107 4815-50 Ave., Red Deer, 403-986-4701 Long & McQuade Music, 9219-28 Ave NW, Edmonton, 780-432-0102 Long & McQuade Music, 105-58 Ave SW, Calgary, 403-244-5555 St. Johns Music, 105-58 Ave SE, Calgary, 403-265-6300 or 800-663-3304

VII. COURSE TOPICS and LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Course Topics: • Musical roles of bass, guitar, keyboard, drums, singer, and horns in the jazz setting • Explanations and demonstrations of jazz articulations, jazz performance nuances and multiple jazz styles, followed by students’ individual rehearsal of music in those styles • Proper jazz rehearsal and performance techniques for each jazz style with proper jazz articulations and performance nuances • Explanations and demonstrations of improvising followed by students’ individual rehearsal of improvisation techniques. Improvising includes motivic development, organic growth, playing inside the chords, playing outside the chords, climactic moments, correlation to the written melody (head), correlation to preceding improvised solos, improvising within the character of the style. • Jazz styles may include swing, blues, bop, funk, fusion, bossa nova, jazz samba, and other styles. • Sufficient jazz theory will be presented to enable students to understand and perform the modes, chords, and chord voicings required of particular jazz styles and jazz charts which students are preparing for upcoming in-class performances. (This is not a jazz theory course, but rather a jazz performance course which contains only enough theory to enable good performances.) • Significant jazz performers (on all instruments), composers and pieces from each jazz era.

Learning Activities: • Students choose pieces to rehearse within each designated style category. • Students determine form for their own pieces. • Students determine their individual out-of-class rehearsal times. • Students practice and master jazz articulations, jazz performance nuances, and improvisation

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methods. • Students discuss jazz styles and listen to jazz style examples. • Class discussion of jazz theory followed by individual and group learning exercises. • Listening to recorded examples of jazz articulations, improvisation and jazz styles by significant jazz performers on all instruments from all jazz eras. • Instructor guidance to foster a proper jazz sound and performance of each jazz style. • Proper care for instruments, amplifiers and music, and proper attention to volume levels and musicians’ ears.

Various jazz and jazz-related music styles will be explored through demonstration and explanation, active listening and analysis, group discussions, individual rehearsals, and in-class performances. Students will acquire an understanding of jazz and jazz-related music stylistic traits, and will develop an ability to recognize these distinct traits. Throughout the course, students will be actively listening and analyzing many musical excerpts in order to extract significant and unique musical characteristics of distinct jazz and jazz-related styles. These will be relevant to the styles being rehearsed and performed by all of the class bands. Jazz performance practices, especially articulation and improvisation, will be demonstrated and explained, beginning with foundational aspects, and gradually progressing to a variety of advanced practices. Jazz scale resources, chords, chord progressions, and chord substitutions will be explained and demonstrated. Within each musical style studied, music pieces will be chosen by students. If students are having difficulty finding or choosing a piece, the instructor may select a piece for students instead.

VIII. COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Attend all classes. You are required to be at all 300-550PM Wednesday classes. Arrive early and have your instrument, equipment and music set up, be tuned, and ready to start at 3:00pm. You are expected to practice your own technique, exercises, and music several hours per week (or more if necessary to keep up to the pace of the class) outside of class time, in order to master the music for the course. It is perfectly acceptable to the jazz combo instructor if you are practicing and studying the same techniques and exercises in MUSP/SS private lessons and Jazz Combo. However, you should be rehearsing different music pieces in MUSP/SS than in Jazz Combo. Your instructor will communicate to you via RDC email and the RDC Music Program’s bulletin board beside room AC223.

Complete all assignments. Quizzes: weekly written and/or performance quizzes 3 Jazz Styles Listening tests TBA*

*the instructor will choose these dates after consulting with the class

Each student is required to practice and master assigned jazz and jazz-related styles on the instrument that he/she was accepted into Jazz Combo to perform on. This is normally the same as the student’s MUSP major instrument, but is sometimes the student’s secondary instrument. All students are required to demonstrate mastery of jazz articulations and improvisation on a melodic instrument. Music pieces may be chosen by students. Alternatively, the instructor can choose the students’ music if they are having difficulty finding or agreeing on something. Student selections require instructor approval prior to rehearsals. Submit a , including lyrics, melody, chord progressions, and performance style, to the instructor for approval.

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IX. GRADING

• 50% 10 performance-ready jazz combo pieces, 5% each Perform the “head”, and an improvisation to the chord progression Chording instruments (i.. guitar) must also do for 16 measures • 21% Listening Tests, 7% each • 14 % Assignments and quizzes • 10 % Improvisation tests • 5 % Professional attitude and participation

NOTE 1: Absences will reduce the final grade. (See policy below)

NOTE 2: Numerical grades will be assigned for the various aspects of the course; the overall course mark will be given as a letter grade. This will be calculated according to the following table:

A+ 96–100 A 90-95 A- 85-89 Excellent B+ 80-84 B 76-79 B- 72-75 Good C+ 67-71 C 63-66 C- 59-62 Satisfactory + 54-58 D 50-53 0-49 Fail

Grading Guide for Performances: You are expected to master 10 pieces. Each piece is worth 5% (10 x 5% = 50%) of your total course grade. Styles will be assigned by the instructor. Students may choose their own repertoire within each assigned style.

For each piece, your grade will be determined as follows: Singer: 40% - Melody and Lyrics (grading includes tone, diction, technique, pitch and rhythmic accuracy, articulation, and expression) 60% - scat singing (improvisation) (improvisation grading includes tone, technique, articulation, expression, melodic motive development, relation to head and chord progression, and syllable variety)

Horn (trumpet, saxophone, etc.): 40% - Melody (grading includes tone, diction, technique, pitch and rhythmic accuracy, articulation, and expression) 60% - improvisation (improvisation grading includes tone, technique, articulation, expression, melodic motive development, relation to head and chord progression)

Guitar, Piano, Bass, and Vibraphone: 30% - Melody (grading includes tone, diction, technique, pitch and

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rhythmic accuracy, articulation, and expression) 50% - improvisation (improvisation grading includes tone, technique, articulation, expression, melodic motive development, relation to head and chord progression) 20% - suitable comping patterns

Grading Guide for Listening Tests: There will be 3 listening tests, each worth 7% (3 x 7% = 21%) of your total course grade. For each piece, you will hear a 30-45 second continuous excerpt, taken from somewhere within the piece. • name the title of the piece • name the musician featured on the CD cover • name the jazz style of the piece

There will be one practice listening test (not graded) at least one week before the first real listening test.

X. ASSIGNMENT POLICY

Since this course has skill-developing components, it is essential to punctually and regularly attend class, keep up to the class pace, do all assignments, and participate to the best of your ability. Assignments and rehearsals are designed to increase your knowledge, recognition and understanding of jazz and contemporary stylistic elements as well as your ability to competently perform these various styles. You must do all assignments and attend all rehearsals and performances to fully develop your knowledge and skills.

XI. ATTENDANCE POLICY

Your first Wednesday class absence will result in a 2% reduction in your final course grade, with subsequent Wednesday class absences each resulting in a 3% reduction.

If you miss a performance, your final grade will be reduced by 10%; if you miss a dress rehearsal, your grade will be reduced by 5%. If you miss a quiz or an exam, your quiz or exam grade will be 0%. Exception: The instructor may choose to either exempt your absence or arrange an alternate exam date if you provide either official medical paperwork documenting your illness, or official police paperwork documenting your accident. If there is some extenuating emergency circumstance, please discuss it with the instructor.

If you must miss a class, rehearsal or performance, you are expected to notify the instructor in advance, either by email ([email protected]) or telephone (403-342-3510) to his office.

If a student misses a class, it is the student’s responsibility to find and learn the material covered in that class. It is not the instructor’s responsibility to provide a student with private tutoring, nor a makeup class.

XII. PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT POLICY

The music program at Red Deer College is committed to both academic excellence and musical performance excellence, as students are preparing for professional careers in music. Classrooms, studios, and performance venues should all be learning-centered environments where there is respect for both the social and physical environment, and in which faculty, staff and students are unhindered by disruptive or distracting behavior. A goal is to maximize the learning potential for all students with a minimum of unnecessary interruptions.

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Please be considerate and respectful of all faculty and all fellow students. Your fellow students have not only paid tuition, but sometimes have left good-paying jobs, to enjoy the benefits of an environment conducive to learning, where they can focus on improving as musicians. Your instructors spend many hours preparing for classes and rehearsals to ensure that you are given the best education possible. Neither your instructor, nor most of your fellow students want to be disrupted from focusing on the classroom’s topic or the ensemble’s rehearsal and performance of music. Therefore, if the instructor considers you to be disrupting class, you will either be instructed to change or stop what you are doing, or you will be asked to leave the room. If you are asked to leave, it will be considered to be an absence.

Please become familiar with what constitutes academic misconduct, as well as the consequences. Plagiarism involves submitting work in a course as if it were the student’s own work. Plagiarism may involve the act of submitting work in which some or all of the phrasing, ideas, or line of reasoning are alleged to be the submitter’s own but in fact were created by someone else. The complete RDC policy is available online.

XIII. IMPORTANT DATES

Jan. 3, 2018 First day of Winter term classes Jan. 12, 2018 Last day to register or add/drop Wwinter courses Feb. 19, 2018 Family Day, RDC is closed Feb. 20-23, 2018 Reading break: No classes; RDC is open March 2, 2018 Midterm feedback date March 6, 2018 Emergency Response Day March 24, 2018 That’s Entertainment, Main Stage, 7:30pm March 30, 2018 Good Friday, RDC is closed April 10, 2018 Last day of classes Last day to withdraw from winter term courses & receive a WD April 16-21, 2018 Final exams April 27, 2018 Final grades available

NOTE: Exams and juries may be scheduled up to and including April 21 (the last day of final exams.) Please make travel and/or work plans accordingly.

Further information can be found on the RDC Events Calendar.

XIV. MISCELLANEOUS

The RDC Final Examinations Policy is followed with respect to final exams.

Changes to the course outline will only be made with the consent of the course instructor and students. Changes will be reviewed by the Associate Dean of the School of Creative Arts for consistency with Red Deer College policies.

Students should be aware that Personal Counseling, Career, Learning and Disability Services are provided by RDC. Inquire about locations at the Information Desk. It is the student’s responsibility to discuss their specific learning needs with the appropriate service provider.

It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with the information contained in the Course Outline and to clarify any areas of concern with the instructor.

This course is not eligible for prior learning nor challenge.

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Classroom Learning Resources may be available to students in alternative formats.

Students should refer to the Appeals: Formal Policy, Appeals: Informal Resolution Policy and Student Misconduct: Academic and Non-Academic Policy should questions or concerns about the Course Outline not be resolved directly with the instructor.

Date: 21 December, 2017

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