aaronjazz.com

Weekly Assignment 4/18

• Listening exam next week - go over past listen assignments.  You will be asked to identify recordings, the composer, and the musicians in the band. 
  

• Piano Players download Mr. PC comping sheet One  and Two 

• Practice trading fours on Blues in the Closet.  Use space in place of the drum solo.

• Use Mr. PC playalong posted above to solo.  Be sure to use both blues and dorian scales.
  

• Speak with your parents or driver(s) and make arrangements for the concert now.  We perform at 7pm.  You must be there at 6:30. 
  



Weekly Assignment 3/28

• Practice Melody and solos for Blues in the Closet and Killer Joe.  Each solo should have contrast.  Be aggresive!  Play fast!

• Solo with Mr. PC playalong - C minor first.  The 1st four measures go with Concert C Blues and C Dorian -
  

• Then solo with Mr. PC Playalong Fminor.  Use the F Blues scale and F Dorian
• Drummers and soloists practice trading fours with Blues in the Closet. 
  
• Listen to the following recordings.  Do they trade?  How many measures?  Who is trading?   Part I/  Part II /  Part III
• We will be recording all 3 songs this class.
  

Weekly Assignment 3/21

• Practice Melody and solos for Blues in the Closet and Killer Joe.  Each solo should have contrast.  Be aggresive!  Play fast!

• Memorize music!
  

• Mr. PC Music:  Piano.  Alto.  Tenor.  Trumpet.  Trombone.  Flute/Violin.  Guitar.  Clarinet. 
  

• Practice blues and dorian scales for Mr. PC. 
  
• Listening Assignment (From last week) find a great improviser on your instrument playing a blues or minor blues. 
  
• Listening assignment continued: Compare Mr. PC and Mr. PC and Mr. PC
  

Weekly Assignment 3/14

• Vote !  Choose our next piece between :
  Footprints OR Mr. PC .  How many measures in the melody/form?

• Practice soloing choruses and the melody of Blues in the Closet.  Use the F Blues play-along from above.  It has one meaure before the top of the form

• Have all music memorized!  Pianists!!!!!!
  

• Find a recording of someone on your instrument playing a jazz blues.  You can use the sampler list to the right OR find someone new.  Make sure they are established, highly-respected jazz musicians.  If any questions email me !
  

Weekly Assignment 3/7

• No new assignment this week - keep soloing and have all music memorized. 

Weekly Assignment 2/29

• Practice Killer Joe with play along from above.  Play melody twice (16 measures total) and solo for 16 or 32 measures.  Make sure you are using notes from the C Blues scale
• Listen to This and This and This.  Compare the recordings.  This is your listening assignment.
• Practice Blues in the Closet melody. 
• Practice soloing with F Blues scale. 
• Piano Players learn this -- That is the comping for the blues

Weekly Assignment 2/22

• Listening assignment -- Are the following three clips blues or not? Defend your choices - using material we spoke about it class: rhythm, form, melody, character: Tenor Madness  Footprints Autumn Leaves.  Email me the review 
• Practice F and C Concert Blues Scale the entire range of your instrument. 
• Using the blues scale, improvise new phrases you like.  Write them down so they are ready to play and share on Wednesday.  Use different rhythms, mix eighths and quarters.  you should have at least 12 phrases by now!
• Solo with playalong recording.  Solo in 16 measure sections.
• Pianists -- play bassline/comping with metronome.  Solo in RH while playing LH bass.  Memorize music. 

Weekly Assignment 2/15

• Learn Killer Joe Melody -- play along with http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u23Etcb-L9M
  
• Practice C Concert Blues Scale the entire range of your instrument
• Using the blues scale, improvise four NEW phrases you like.  Write them down so they are ready to play and share on Wednesday.  Use different rhythms, mix eighths and quarters
• Solo with playalong recording
• Pianists -- play bassline/comping with metronome.  Solo in RH while playing LH bass
• Find a new performer on the list on any instrument.  Describe the performance and the roles of each instrument.   Email me the review 

Weekly Assignment 2/8

Using the sampler list of jazz musicians -- find a recording you enjoy by one of the artists on your instrument.  Describe the performance and the roles of each instrument.   Email me the review

• Practice C Concert Blues Scale the entire range of your instrument
• Using the blues scale, improvise four phrases you like.  Write them down so they are ready to play and share on Wednesday
• Download and play with track above
• Learn Killer Joe Melody -- play along with http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u23Etcb-L9M
  
• Drummers learn the drum beat from Killer Joe recording
• Send me an email your with your parents addresses
• Pianists -- download and learn your music here
  
• Bring a music notebook!
• As always, if you have any questions or difficulties do NOT wait for class to ask.  Email me.



Listening Assignments

Students are expected to be listening to jazz music on a regular basis.  Weekly there is a listening assignment due.  

Email me to send your listening assignment. 

A sampler list of Jazz Musicians to search for:

Trumpet: Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan,

Flute:  Herbie Mann

Saxophone: Wayne Shorter, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins

Trombone: Curtis Fuller, J.J. Johnson, Wycliffe Gordon, Conrad Herwig

Clarinet: Don Byron, Bennie Goodman

Guitar: Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall, Tal Farlow

Piano: Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, Bud Powell, Ahmad Jamal

Drums: Max Roach, Art Blakey, Tony Williams

Free listening venues include FM 88.3 WBGO, 89.9 Columbia University at various times, iTunes, Internet radio, YouTube, and your local public or university library (e.g. Rutgers).  Spotify or Pandora on the internet.

The audio to your left are just samples.  Please go to your local music store, or amazon.com, iTunes to find the complete versions of these songs.