We don’t need to remind you that December performances are right around the corner—your opportunity to spread holiday cheer while showcasing the skills your students have been working on this semester.
Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal Tip: What to Listen To?
When I work with jazz ensembles on style and phrasing, I strongly emphasize that everyone needs to know what instruments they are listening to – and why.
Quick Rehearsal Tip: Creative Warmups for Jazz Ensembles
The jazz ensemble warmup is a great opportunity to teach some scales that are useful in jazz improvisation. Common modes like mixolydian or dorian will help get the players moving around their horns and will also give them some basic improvisational tools.
Classroom and Rehearsal Tips for Choral and Instrumental Programs
Having enjoyed more than thirty years in choral classrooms, I’ve had lots of experience with what works, and what doesn’t.
Beginning Jazz Improv Strategies
Beginning improvisers need our support. We can give them a blues, mixolydian, or dorian scale, but a scale is not a strategy.
Help for Your Beginning Jazz Rhythm Section
Rhythm is fundamental to creating the feeling for any genre of music. It is therefore vital that the rhythm section create the appropriate rhythmic feel and style of swing.
Tips For Your Jazz Band Guitarist
With very little background in playing guitar, and no background in jazz guitar pedagogy, many band directors find themselves at a loss on how to help their jazz band guitarist.
Blues-Based Warm Ups for the Jazz Ensemble
Blues represent a great way to warm up any jazz band. In addition to providing the foundation that jazz, rock, and rhythm and blues are built on, the blues progression is simple enough for beginners to explore.
The Jazz Band That Sings Together Swings Together
Tight rhythm and phrasing are hallmarks of any successful jazz ensemble. Singing is a great way to develop a collective sense of articulation and playing “in the pocket.” Singing through parts allows students to develop an aural sense of the music without the struggle of making it sound on their instrument.
Apply Concert Band Warm-Up Concepts to the Jazz Ensemble
If you are like me, your jazz band meets once a week and you are always in a hurry to get things accomplished.