CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE a RESOURCE UNIT for the HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ ENSEMBLE a Thesis Submitted in Partial Satisfac
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:,. CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE A RESOURCE UNIT FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ ENSEMBLE A thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Music by James Dale Snodgrass ../ June, 1973 . ;.~ The thesis of James Dale Snodgrass is approved: California State University, Northridge June, 1973 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ABSTRACT • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • X 'CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 The Problem • • • • • • . '. • • • • • • • • 1 Justification for the Study • • • • • • • • 5 Student Motivation • • • • • • • • • • • 6 Professional Training • • • • • • • • • 7 Development of Musicianship • • • • • • 8 Individual Responsibility • • • • • • • 9 Other Unique Advantages to the Jazz Ensemble • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 10 Limitations of this Study • • • • • • • • • -10 Methodology and Sources of Information • • 11 Organization of the Unit • • • • • • • • • 12 II. JAZZ ENSEMBLE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC CURRICULUM: ORGANIZATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS 13 Jazz Ensemble as a Part of the Curriculum • 13 Membership Requirements • • • • • • • • 14 l >----·-~--"---~--··· -- .. -·-··-·--- ··- ------ ·---·------·----~---~~---..; iii CHAPTER PAGE Participation in Other Musical Organizations • • • • • • • • • • 14 Academic Requirements • • • • • • .• • 15 Musical Requirements • • • • • • • • 17 Student Leaders • • • • • • • • • • • • 19 Attracting Members • • • • • • • • • • • 22 Scheduling of Class • • • • • • • • • • 25 Financing • • • • • • • • • • • • • • · • 29 Qualifications of the Director • • • • • • 32 Equipment • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 35 Library Organization • • • • • • • • • • • 39 Performances • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 41 Scheduling of Performances • • • • • • • 42 Programming and Stag·ing • • • • • • • • 44 Publicity • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 46 Contests and Festivals • • • • • • • • • 48 III.. THE JAZZ ENSEMBLE AS A UNIQUE MUSICAL ORGANIZATION • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 51 The Instruments of the Ensemble and Their Individual Roles • • • • • • • • • 51 The Trumpet Section • • • • • • • • • • 52 The Trombone Section • • • • • • • • • • 58 The Reed Section • • • • • • • • • • • • 60 Vibrato •••• • • . • • • 63 iv 'cHAPTER PAGE Saxophone Tonguing • • • • • • • • • 65 A Diagramatic Representation of Jazz Tonguing • • • • • • • • • • 67 Tone Production • • • • • • • • • • • 68 Woodwind Doubling • • • • • • • • • 70 The Rhythm section • • • • • • • • • • • 71 Piano • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 72 The Guitar • • • • • • • • • • • • • 76 The Bass· • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 78 Drums • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 80 The 'ride' cymbal • • • • • • • • 84 The 'sock' cymbal • • • • • • • • 85 The bass drum • • • • • • • • • • 86 The snare drum • • • • • • • • • • 87 Tom toms • • • • • • • • • • • • • 88 Color cymbals • • • • • • • • • • 88 Other Instruments of the Neophonic Orchestra • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 89 Vocalist • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 90 Setting Up the Jazz Ensemble • • • • • • • 91 Musical Materials for the Jazz Ensemble • • 95 Published Literature • • • • • • • • • • 96 Special Materials • • • • • • • • • • • 98 Teacher Compositions • • • • • • • • 99 ... - ----- ______ _j v ;CHAPTER PAGE Student Compositions • • • • • • • • 99 Professional or Community Composers • 100 IV. THE TEACHING OF MUSICAL ELEHENTS ENDErUC TO THE JAZZ ENSEMBLE • • • • • • • • • • • 101 Rhythmic Interpretation • • • • • • • • • • 101 Maintainance of Pulse • • • • • • • • • 102 Syncopation • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 103 Typical Rhythms • • • • • • • • • • • • 105 Releases • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 108 Rock Rhythmic Interpretation • • • • • • 108 Typical Rock Rhythms • • • • • • • • 109 Other Interpretative Elements ••••••• 110 The Melodic Phrase • • • • • • • • • • • 110 Musical Effects • • • • • • • • • • • • 111 Balance and Dynamics • • • • • • • • • • 113 Sight Reading • • • • • • • • • • • • • li4 !I! Intonation " 0 0 .. .. .. .. .. .. 116 General Comments Regarding Intonation • • • • • • • • • • • • 117 Intonational Tendencies_of Specific Instruments • • • • • • • • • • • 117 Saxophone Intonation • • • • • • • • 118 Trumpet Intonation • • • • • • • • • 120 Trombone Intonation • • • • • • • • • 121 vi CHAPTER PAGE Some Suggestions for Teaching Intonation • • • • • • • • • • • • 122 The Rehearsal • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 124 The Full Rehearsal • • • • • • • • • • • 125 The Sectional Rehearsal • • • • • • • • 128 The Dress Rehearsal • • • • • • • • • • 128 Comprehensive Musicianship and the Jazz Ensemble • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 129 Suggestions for the Teaching of Harmonic, Formal, and Historical Elements in the Jazz Ensemble Class • • • • • • • 131 Harmonic Co~cepts and the Jazz Ensemble Class • • • • • • • • • • 132 Formal Organization in Jazz Literature ••••••• • • • • • 135 Jazz History in the Ensemble Program 137 Evaluation • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 139 v. IMPROVISATION • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 143 Developing the Ear • • • • • • • • • • • • 145 Transcription • • • • • • • • • • • • • 146 Harmonic Considerations • • • • • • • • • • 148 Scales and Modes • • • • • • • • • • • • 148 Chord Types and Their Function • • • • • 151 Chord Progression • • • • • • • • • • • 154 vii .CHAPTER PAGE Circle of Fifths l.fovement • • • • • • 157 Diatonic Movement • • • • • • • • • • 158 Chromatic l.fovement • • • • • • • • • 158 Other Root Progressions • • • • • • • J.58 Chordal Analysis of Two Jazz Pieces • 159 Conversion of Chord Symbols to Scale Tones • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 162 Chord Superimposition and Extension • • 166 Modes • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 168 Melodic and Rhythmic Considerations • • • • 170 A Solo Transcription • • • • • • • • • • • 172 Analytical Analysis • • • • • • • • • • 175 Some Comments Regarding the Teaching of Improvisation • • • • • • • • • • • • • 179 Organization of Musical Materials • • • 180 The Classroom as Resource Center • • • • 182 Aesthetic Criteria for the Evaluation of a Jazz Artist • • • • • • • • • • • • 183 VI. SUMMARY AND RECO.Mr-1ENDATIONS • • • • • • • • • 186 Recommendations for Further Research • • • 192 ·APPENDIX A. PUBLISHED CHART SOURCES • • • • • • • • • • • 193 B. EQUIPMENT NEEDS OF THE JAZZ ENSEMBLE • 203 viii APPENDIX PAGE c. SELECTED INSTRUMENT AND BAND MATERIAL MANUFACTURERS • • • • • • • • • • • • e • • 204 D. CHORD SUPERIMPOSITION • • • • • • • • • • • • 207 BIBLIOGRAPHY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 208 ix '· .... ~ ABSTRACT A RESOURCE UNIT FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ ENSEMBLE by James Dale $no,clgJ:'(;tSS Master of Arts in Music June, 1973 Recent analysis has exposed a serious insufficiency of teacher training programs in.the area of jazz ensemble music. Further, literature considering this medium is of :limited applicability to the secondary school music program or is not current. This study attempts to offer a useable , compendium of information for high school educators con- , cerning teaching in this musical medium. Information contained in this paper stems from three ·fundamental sources: (1) Published and unpublished litera ! ture, (2) informally structured interviews with significant .figures in the jazz field, and {3) personal professional : experience. The jazz ensemble is first considered as a part of the ; high school music program. Membership qualifications and X .- 'requirements, scheduling, financing of the program, equip- l :ment and library needs, and performance matters are con- i !cerns of this thesis. The study analyzes the distinctive elements of jazz ,ensemble vis-a-vis the concert group. The instruments of the ensemble are examined in a jazz context and various sources of musical literature are explored. The literature to be performed by the ensemble is a subject which demands concentrated examination. Jazz music :is unique in its demand upon the interpretative skills of the performer: little of what is written is to be per formed exactly so. This paper offers suggestions to the educator pertinent to the teaching of the jazz style. Intonation problems, rehearsal techniques, and evaluative procedures are considered in the context of this group. The subject of jazz improvisation is given serious attention. It usually represents the weakest link in many high school jazz programs. Ear training procedures, har- monic, melodic, and rhythmic considerations are discussed, .- and associated practice techniques are offered in the hope that this important aspect of the developing creative musician will not be neglected. xi CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Evidence indicates the widely predicted increase of interest in jazz ensemble as a school music program has •already taken place. According to Charles Suber, pub :lisher of Down Beat Magazine, over 100,000 musicians from i 4, 500 different bands (25 percen·t of the 18,000 jazz ensem- bles presently organized in all schools in this country) will participate in a jazz festival during 1973.1 There i 'will be as many as 175 or more school sponsored jazz i 1 festivals in 1973. 2 The Problem Although there is much discussion concerning the effi- !cacy of including this type of musical organization in the I !school music program, there is little debate as to the jazz ! lensemble 1 s unique character. It is this unique character i !and the methods of organizatiqn and direction required of I l ·! , lcharles Suber, "The First Chorus," ~ ~, !Vol. 40, no. 1 (January 18, 1973), p. 4. 2Ibid. I I1 r l>.·-~----·--• •~-u--~---•--'-"·'" ~ ''-••• ••-••--• . ·~--··-· ·- .... ~ ........ ······