The Real Jazz Pedagogy Book

Smith Ray

Description

Written by a jazz teacher for jazz teachers, "The Real Jazz Pedagogy Book" is based on the premise that successful jazz teachers must be constantly working four main areas: 1) the wind instruments-including tone production, intonation, and section playing skills; 2) playing styles correctly-such as rhythmic and time feel approach, articulation approach, and phrasing; 3) the rhythm section-playing the instruments, time feel and concept, coordination of comping, harmonic voicings, drum fills and setups, stylistic differences; and 4) the soloists-developing improvisational skills (both right brain and left brain), jazz theory, the ballad soloist, and the vocal soloist. Ray Smith, who has taught and directed jazz ensembles, including the acclaimed Brigham Young University group, Synthesis, and given private lessons for over forty years, also discusses the details of running school programs. Smith's YouTube channel complements "The Real Jazz Pedagogy Book."

Sujets

• Musique
• Histoire de la musique
• Technique musicale
• Technique musicale
• Techniques musicales
• Styles
• Genres
• Music
• Jazz

Informations

• Publié par: Outskirts Press
• Date de parution: 16 janvier 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 4
• EAN13: 9781977208156
• Langue: English

Extrait

The Real Jazz Pedagogy Book How to Build a Superior Jazz Ensemble All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2019 Ray Smith v2.0
The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.
This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Outskirts Press, Inc. http://www.outskirtspress.com
ISBN: 978-1-9772-0815-6
Cover Photo © 2019 Ray Smith and www.gettyimages.com . All Right Reserved. Used with Permission.
Outskirts Press and the "OP" logo are trademarks belonging to Outskirts Press, Inc.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Acknowledgements
Much appreciation to those who have helped to make this book possible! Steve Lindeman for helping to create Finale examples Mark Watkins for helping to create and format Finale examples Kristen Bromley for help with Finale examples for guitar Jory Woodis for helping to create Illustrator examples and help with InDesign Jeff Johnson for help with working with InDesign Josh Bendoski for help with video recording in the public schools Jay Lawrence, Matt Larson, Denson Angulo, Corey Christiansen, Kurt Reeder, Ron Brough, and Kristen Bromley for help with rhythm section chapters All the band directors and students who allowed me to film them BYU College of Fine Arts and the School of Music Tina and Colleen at Outskirts Press And most of all to my beautiful wife, Debbie, for support, encouragement, and patience
About the Author
Dr. Ray Smith is the educator’s educator. He is a master pedagogue and is respected as such by all of his peers. When he does clinics for educators, they flock to find out what they can learn. This book represents teaching ideas from forty years of directing jazz bands. The proof is in the pudding as they say. Smith’s big band, Synthesis, has toured the world (Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands, Japan, China, Brazil, Russia, Siberia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, England, Scotland, Spain, and Portugal); performed at numerous jazz festivals (Montreux, Umbria, North Sea, San Sabastian, Loule, Birmingham, Wigam, Marlboro, Edinburgh, Kongsberg, Pori, Lionel Hampton, IAJE, and JEN Jazz Festivals) and accolades repeatedly ( Downbeat Top University Jazz Band, Downbeat Outstanding Performance, 1st Place Pacific Coast Collegiate Jazz Festival, 1st Place Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, Musicfest USA Finals, NAJE-Epcot Festival Winner, and more); and recorded numerous CDs ( Downtime , A Kenton Celebration , The Day After Yesterday , Flyin’ High , High Road , Original Compositions , Live at Nauvoo: Most Requested Tunes , Time Flies , Time After Time , Eye of the Hurricane , Distinctly Definitive , Shapin’ Up , Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1988 , Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1996 , Synthesis ’86-’87 ), and has performed as the Harry James Big Band on the Queen Elizabeth II from New York to London. In 2019, the big band will tour Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic.
Dr. Smith’s teaching is informed by his world class performance skills, and his performing credits are equally impressive as his teaching credits. As a performer, Smith is equally at home in either classical or jazz-related styles and is adept at all five of the woodwind instruments: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone. He also performs and records on the Yamaha WX7 Midi Electronic Wind Instrument and the AKAI E.W.I. and often plays recorders, pennywhistles, and other ethnic flutes in the recording studio. He has well over 200 CD credits and has recorded on many film scores and television themes and jingles such as The Sandlot , Mi Familia , The Swan Princess , Good Morning America , The Today Show , The Ricky Lake Show , Buick, Chevy, etc., and many Canadian and German television and radio themes. Dr. Smith performs periodically with the Utah Symphony and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and is a regular with the Utah Saxophone Quartet and Q’d Up, a jazz quintet, as well as the jazz saxophone quartet, FOUR.
Smith also does clinics and performances at colleges and high schools and adjudicates at jazz festivals. His pedagogical credentials stem from learning from the masters: David Baker, Dominic Spera, Jamey Aebersold, Jerry Coker, and George Ross. In the summers, he teaches at various jazz workshops including the Birch Creek Jazz Camp in Wisconsin where he received the Woody Herman Award for musical excellence and professionalism. In 1998, he was given the Voice of Jazz Award for the State of Utah; and in 2008, he was recognized by the International Association for Jazz Education as the first Utah Jazz Master, a lifetime achievement award "for profound contributions and virtuoso performance in the field of jazz in Utah."
Education: D.M., Woodwinds Performance, Indiana University, 1982. M.M., Woodwinds Performance, Indiana University, 1976. B.M., Music Education, Brigham Young University, 1975.
Introduction
My dear fellow jazz band directors and jazz vocal directors (and fellow private instructors),
My great desire with this book is to share ideas that I have developed over the last forty years of trying to figure out how best to teach the wonders of jazz in both private teaching and ensemble development. I feel that I have been blessed with many insights and approaches that are effective and have enabled me to consistently turn out a superior jazz ensemble year after year as well as excellent private students over the years. If I could help you do the same, no matter where you are in your career, I would feel that this effort is a success.
The book outlines so many good ideas and gives philosophical backing, but the video examples will be a most valuable help as you watch me work with real students having real problems out in the trenches and hear the before and after effects of various teaching strategies or see and hear me demonstrate various concepts. To receive maximum benefit, the book and the video clips should be used together. The video examples available will be referred to in the book, but you will have to go to my Youtube Channel or my website to view them. I will try to keep the verbiage as brief as possible so you can spend the time with the video examples. I am going to address the book primarily to school jazz band directors, but the principles and ideas will have application for vocal jazz directors and for the private jazz teacher as well. Except for Appendix C, I am going to leave the private teachers to take from this book what they will, and focus on the ensemble program. Except for Appendix D, I will also leave vocal jazz teachers to take what they find useful, but I can say that the general principles all apply to vocal jazz equally well. Help for working with your vocal soloist is found in Chapter 23.
I should say that it is not my intention to create the comprehensive jazz pedagogy guide. Others have tried to do this, and you may want to refer to some of them. I am addressing common, recurring problems that stand in the way of creating a superior jazz ensemble. These are issues that I see and hear every time I do a clinic in a school or adjudicate at a jazz festival (or go to my own rehearsals for that matter). You may run across a problem that I have not addressed in this book; but if your program is normal, I think you will find great value in the things that are included here.
There are many other good ideas out there, but give these a chance, and I believe you will improve both your teaching and the quality of your ensemble performances.
With all best wishes,
Ray
Ray Smith, 2018 Provo, Utah
ACCESSING THE VIDEO EXAMPLES THAT ACCOMPANY THIS BOOK:



Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/charlesrsmith7
Website: http://www.smithstudio10.com
Contents
Acknowledgements
Author Bio
Introduction
Section 1 In the Beginning: Let There Be Jazz
Chapter 1 The Director: The Job Description or "What About Bob?"
Section 2 Dealing With Basics: It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That Sound
Chapter 2 Helping Horns with Tone Production
Chapter 3 Helping Horns with Intonation
Chapter 4 Horns Balance, Blend, and Dynamics
Chapter 5 Helping the Horns Work as a Section
Chapter 6 Mutes and Doubling for Horns
Section 3 Dealing with Style: It Don’t Mean a Thzing if it Don’t Swing
Chapter 7 Working on Time Feel
Chapter 8 Swing Rhythm
Chapter 9 Swing Style Articulation
Chapter 10 Applying the Principles to Styles Other Than Swing: Latin/Rock/Funk/Waltz, etc
Chapter 11 Teaching Ballad Playing
Chapter 12 Rehearsing the Big Band: Philosophies, Techniques, and Ideas.
Chapter 13 Sight-Reading Development
Section 4 The Rhythm Section: It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That Time Feel
Chapter 14 Helping Your Rhythm Section Players Develop Concept
Chapter 15 Helping Your Rhythm Section Players with Good Gear
Chapter 16 Rhythm Section Rehearsal Issues and Approaches
Chapter 17 Helping Your Rhythm Section Players Play Together as a Team
Chapter 18 Rhythm Section Solos
Section 5 The Soloists: It Don’t Mean a Thing if There Ain’t No Jazz
Chapter 19 General Ideas for Helping the Soloists in Your Band
Chapter 20 Developing Double-Dominant
Chapter 21 Teaching Improvisation with Different Tune Vehicles
Chapter 22 Helping the Featured Soloist on the Ballad in Your Set
Chapter 23 Helping the Vocalist in Your Band
Section 6 Thoughts on Administrative Issues: Gives Meaning to Everything Else
Chapter 24 Behind the Scenes: Chart Selection and Programming for Concerts and Festivals
Chapter 25 On the Front Line: Performance and Competition