Jamming  in  the  Classroom  Masters  Project  –  Spring  2015      

     Parker  Smith  

 

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Table of Contents

Introduction

v Jamming Defined...................................................................................................2

v A Brief History of Jazz Education.........................................................................5

Review of Literature

v Challenges in Teaching Improvisation...................................................................9

v Gender Dynamics..................................................................................................11

v Music Performance Anxiety……….....................................................................12

v Repertoire Choices for Classrooms and Strategies for Instruction........................13

Repertoire

v Repertoire Choices in Jam Sessions......................................................................20

v Sample of Jam Session Repertoire………………................................................20

v Instructional Repertoire.........................................................................................22

v Random Sample of Jazz Tunes Present in Sources……………………….......…22

Additional Considerations

v Jam Etiquette........................................................................................................23

v Elitism – Communication Breakdown.................................................................23

v “Listening” Music or “Dancing” Music?.............................................................25

v Jamming in the 21st Century.................................................................................26

Pedagogical Applications................................................,.................................................28

Appendix……………………………………………….………………………………..29

References.........................................................................................................................35

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Abstract

Factors related to teacher skill and expertise, confidence levels, performance

anxiety, appropriate repertoire, and gender related stereotypes have the potential to

negatively impact the teaching and learning of improvisation. Awareness of the

challenges and strategies that ensure success are essential to teaching improvisation to

students of all levels. Defining the traditions of jam sessions and an analysis of the

elements that have sustained jam sessions as a musically cultural norm, provides a model

for teaching success. This document seeks to examine salient characteristics of jam

sessions and how these characteristics can positively transfer towards the teaching and

learning of jazz improvisation in communities and classrooms.

INTRODUCTION

Jamming Defined

The word jam can be used either as a noun or a verb in a musical context. The

word Jam in referring to a musical event was originally used as a verb, describing the

process of cramming as many musicians as possible into one room. Over time, the term

came to denote informal gatherings of musicians allowing for extended playing

opportunities away from the demands of their regular jobs (Baker & Herzig, 2014). These

informal gatherings would often last late into the evening and were ideal for creative

exploration and the exchange of new ideas. Soon informal gatherings such as these

evolved into what musicians and club owners referred to as “cutting contests” that were

open to the public, and exploited by club owners as a means to fill seats (Berliner, 1994).

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Jamming eventually moved to larger venues, most famously “Jazz at the

Philharmonic” (Gooley, 2011). Jazz at the Philharmonic, (or JATP) was the title of a

series of concerts, tours and recordings produced by Norman Granz from 1944-1983. The

JAPT events were among the first high-profile performances to feature racially integrated

bands and Granz even cancelled some bookings rather than have the musicians perform

for segregated audiences. The first JATP concert was held at the Philharmonic

Auditorium in Los Angeles and featured among others, Nat “King” Cole, Les Paul,

Illinois Jacquet, and Buddy Rich (Dyas, 2015).

Jamming not only crossed boundaries in venues, but also across genres. In the

early 1960’s, rock bands such as the Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers Band

featured extended musical improvisations (jams, in this context as a noun) in their

concerts. The Grateful Dead sprouted out of the folk-psychedelic movement and the

Allman Brothers’ jams were rooted in the blues tradition. Eventually, their influence led

to a wide encompassing genre now called “jam bands” that draws from the traditions of

jazz, blues, bluegrass, funk, rock, psychedelic and even electronic music. In most major

cities there exists within the music community, a jam session for multiple genres and on

most nights, musicians don’t have to look far to find a jazz, bluegrass, funk, or blues jam.

Jam sessions exist as a cultural phenomenon that serves the entire music

community. Beginning improvisers, academia (students and teachers), amateurs,

professionals, and club owners all benefit from the positive welfare of jam sessions.

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Salient features of the earliest jazz jam sessions (circa 1940’s) are listed below (Dyas,

2015).

• served as “organized” group education activities in jazz (predecessors of today’s

performance master classes or formal jazz pedagogy classes)

• were rooted in the African tradition of passing on culture via aural means

Links from early jam sessions that have maintained importance in present day sessions

• provided opportunities for musicians of diverse abilities to learn from one another

• served as primary vehicle for teaching jazz repertoire, and to a lesser degree still

in practice today

Defining characteristics of present day jam sessions include:

• spontaneous group improvisation without extensive preparation or arrangements

• music that may or may not based on existing song forms

• unstructured sessions or sessions coordinated by a leader

Venues for Jam Sessions can include rehearsal spaces, private homes, clubs / bars,

recording studios, concert halls and classrooms. Jam sessions can exist without an

audience, however most performers enjoy a live audience and tend to interact differently

when there is one absent. Many famous recordings have been the product of trying to

replicate a jam session environment in a recording studio.

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A Brief History of Jazz Education

Given the relatively short history of jazz that it only developed in the 20th century,

many of its “founding fathers” were able to pass along the tradition first hand. This

luxury of personal interaction from the source was key to the development of jazz. The

same is not true for classical composers. However, in the last 30 years or so most of the

founding fathers of jazz have passed away. This opportunity for direct interaction is

dwindling. However, there are still endless recordings and performances to draw from.

The following information was culled from several sources that contain a wealth of

information about the history of jazz education (Dyas, 2015), (Berliner, 1994)

(Rodriguez, 2012) (Mason, 2005). The outline is intended to provide educators with a

brief chronology of the evolution of jazz education in the United States.

Early Pioneers

• W.C. Handy • James Reese Europe (Founder of The Clef Club) • Len Bowden (Tuskegee Institute, Georgia State College, Alabama State

Normal College, and ultimately, director for training black musicians at Great Lakes Naval Base in Illinois, 1942-1945). In 1929, Bowden assisted J. “Fess” Whatley in becoming the organizer of the “’Bama State Collegians,” one of the first college ensembles available for college credit.

Early subject areas (many of which are similar to this day) • Performance • Arranging • Improvisation • Rehearsal techniques

1930’s

• National Emergence • Private teachers established studios in jazz improvisation

o Chicago o New York o Boston o Houston

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o Denver o Los Angeles

• First jazz arranging and improvisation text was written in 1935 by Norbert Bleihoof “Modern Arranging and Orchestration” c. 1935

• Gene Krupa, Frankie Trumbauer and Eddie Lang wrote improvisation technique books that included play a long recordings

• During the 1930’s, Joseph Schillinger’s method of music instruction was adopted by Lawrence Berk, who founded the Schillinger House in 1945, (subsequently renamed The Berklee College of Music).

• The Schillinger System allowed composers, for the first time, to use specific mathematical rules that could adapt harmony, rhythm, melody, etc., from any idiom to jazz-oriented composition. It also allowed jazz players to develop their solos (instant composition) along specific mathematically determined paths. The jazz arrangers felt that by following the system, “the chart” wrote itself, for it was merely a matter of following the mathematical formula(s).

1940’s

• Jazz instruction became prevalent in high schools and colleges • More high schools than colleges offered jazz-related activities; as a result Jazz

study materials began to be published to meet these needs • Early Collegiate Programs

o Alabama State University o Tennessee State University o Wilberforce University (Ohio) o Westlake College of Music (Hollywood, CA) o Berklee College of Music o Los Angeles City College o North Texas State University

• Early Jazz History courses at o The New School in New York

§ Leonard Feather (jazz critic) Robert Goffin (jazz author) § Loose courses with unprepared lectures and personal

collections of 78 records and personal 1st hand observations § “Goffin and I came to our classroom virtually empty-handed.

All we had was our mouths and our memories. At that time, there were no long play records, almost no jazz records of any kind more than 20 years old. We took a specific topic - New Orleans, the swing era, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman - and improvised, with the help of our collection.” Leonard Feather

1950’s • GI Bill included was a law that provided benefits for returning WWII veterans • Also, several veterans had professional on the job experience and became

educators • Summer Jazz Seminars : Major figures in music became involved in 1951

o Rudi Blesh

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o John Mehegan o Eubie Blake o Leonard Bernstein

• Rise of summer “jazz camps” o National Stage Band Camp at Indiana University o 1957-1960 The Lenox School of Jazz in Massachusets (musicians

were admitted by audition and stayed for three weeks) o Many of the first teachers were from Stan Kenton’s band

• Jazz program courses were being established in public school and colleges 1960’s

• The number of jazz educators doubles indicating the rapid growth in jazz educations

• Two significant educators o Bill Lee o Clem DeRosa

• Growth of professionals becoming involved o Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie, John LaPorta, Frank Rosolino, Charlie

Mariano, Ron Carter, etc. • Jazz studies were incorporated into the collegiate curriculum

o Indiana University o University of Miami o Kansas State University o The Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester o Ohio State University o Northern Illinois University o University of Northern Colorado

• “The seeds planted and nurtured during the previous decades were to come to full blossom during the ‘60’s. At the beginning of the decade about 5,000 U.S. high schools and 40 colleges offered one or more jazz-related courses. By the end of the sixties the numbers had increased to over 10,000 high schools and 300 colleges offering jazz-related courses. Of the 300 colleges offering jazz courses, 135 offered these courses for credit.” –Carter, Dr. Warrick L.

• Many ensembles were run by students or faculty advisors and many courses for credit did not exist

• 1968 saw the establishment of The National Association of Jazz Educators (NAJE) which later became International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE)

o Founders: Matt Betton, Clem DeRosa, Dr. Bill Lee, John Roberts, Dr. M.E. “Gene” Hall, Dr. Jack Wheaton

o Early membership totaled almost 100 o Early mission was to further the objectives of jazz education, and to

become an independent, free-standing organization

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1970’s • By 1974 there were 228 collegiate institutions providing some type of jazz

performance for credit (in 1964 only 41 colleges offered credit) • By 1975 more than 500,000 students were enrolled for jazz instruction courses • Large increase in jazz publications (music, textbooks, jazz histories,

biographies, “how-to” method books, “play-a-longs”, improvisation texts, pedagogical articles)

• Growth of Master-Classes, educational jazz festivals, professional jazz festivals

• Jazz in schools became standardized and very popular • UNT’s “Lab ’75” recording was the first collegiate recording to be nominated

for a Grammy • Clem DeRosa’s high school ensemble performed on Johnny Carson’s Tonight

show • High school and College jazz ensembles were receiving national recognition

and producing high quality recordings “First, jazz improvisers start with and draw on a common, shared body of musical ideas and expressions that have evolved through the years, although individual artists reinterpret these musical concepts in their own voices. Virtually every jazz musician learns to play by listening to records and live performances. But rather than slavishly imitating what previous improvisers have done, the jazz musician internalizes and redevelops those ideas into her own style and voice.” Pianist Johnny King

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REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Challenges in Teaching Improvisation

It is widely acknowledged in the field of music education that improvisation

should be a key component of any musical curriculum. Several studies mention

improvisation as the third content standard for the 1994 National Standards for Music

Education (Niknafs, 2013; Alexander, 2012; Watson, 2010). Research related to

improvisation often prefaces studies with this information, emphasizing improvisation as

one of the leading standards along with singing and performing, but also one of the

standards least successfully implemented in the classroom (Alexander, 2012).

The benefits of improvisation are far reaching and several findings have linked

improvisation with increased music performance skill as well as higher order thinking

skills in music (Alexander, 2012). Research on the benefits of improvisation continues to

grow in fields beyond music as well. Within the past decade, studies have begun to

examine the neurological (Kim, 2008) and emotional (Watson, 2010) benefits of

improvisation instruction (Scott, 2004). If improvisation is widely accepted as beneficial

and significant, why is it so difficult to implement?

The essence of the problem possibly lies in teacher attitudes and confidence

levels. Teachers may be self-conscious about their own playing, fear the critical opinions

of others or feel that their style of music doesn’t lend itself well to improvising (Niknafs,

2013). How can we expect students to become skilled improvisers if teachers are

apprehensive improvisers themselves?

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The teaching of improvisation can range from highly structured activities

(Waston, 2010; Alexander, 2012) to “free improvisation” sessions (2013, Niknafs).

However, when thinking of “free improvisation” in a class full of middle schoolers (or

preschoolers for that matter) it’s hard to imagine anything other than an eruption of

chaos. Fortunately, there are several activities and resources to structure this highly

unpredictable activity. For example, one common activity consists of a teacher

performing a short musical pattern and one by one, all students in the classroom or the

ensemble play the same pattern but with one altered condition: they need to add their own

musical expression to include different rhythms, dynamics, or textures (Niknafs, 2013).

This activity can be extended to include different sets of pitches, instruments and more

complex rhythms. Activities like this are typically used by teachers with less experience

in improvisation and can be used to overcome pedagogical hurdles and help to structure

an improvisation lesson.

According to one study, “(I)mprovisation is at the heart of children’s musical

creativity and children can improvise alone and in groups…there is a natural tendency for

children to use polyrhythmic structures in a group context through communication with

other” (Burnard, 2002). This natural tendency for children to improvise was

demonstrated in Burnard’s study and in it she describes several factors conducive to

creativity and group improvisation. The research took place in a nonstandard classroom,

without the constraints of curriculum, assessment, or the presence of a teacher. In short,

the “Music Creators’ Sounding Club” was aptly named and felt more like a privilege than

a responsibility. Children had the opportunity to determine what music was played and to

experience playing different instruments with colorful timbres such as maracas, hanging

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chimes, claves, bass metallophone, suspended cymbals, a range of beaters, cowbells, and

various sized drums.

The group of 12-year old ‘Music Creators’ participated in weekly lunchtime

sessions lasting one hour and students were encouraged to reflect upon their experiences

of making music. One student in the studio, Adrian had some insightful observations on

improvisation: “Improvising is like an unknown shape. The circle is very important to me

because if you make a mistake your partner is there to back you up and if your playing

partner makes a mistake or has a collision then you're there to back him up and keep it

happening. That's why I play different with different people. I don't mind if they stick to

what they want to play. I do it because I feel that I explore music more.”

Gender dynamics

Gender seems to play a key role in student attitudes towards improvisation. The

Wehr-Flower study (2006) was one of the first studies to focus primarily on gender

dynamics in improvisation. Results from this study suggested that social-psychological

issues influenced female participation in jazz improvisation. Females were significantly

less confident, more anxious, and had less self-efficacy towards learning jazz

improvisation. It is worth noting that this study focused on jazz improvisation and the

Burnard’s study (2002) was not genre specific. What is it about jazz improvisation that

creates anxiety for female musicians? Studies have shown that there is no significant

relationship between jazz improvisation ability and gender (Wehr-Flowers, 2006).

Although females and males have the same capacity and abilities to improvise, anxiety

and attitudes can be incapacitating.

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Of the 18 12-year old children in Burnard’s study (2002), 12 were girls and 6

were boys. However, Burnard makes no mention of gender dynamics in her study.

Children were simply viewed as “leaders” or “followers.” Judging from the log of

interactions between the group and the fact that females were in the majority of this

study, it can be inferred that gender was not a crucial variable. This may be due to the

developmental maturity of children at this age, given that females typically mature at a

faster rate or it could be a result of the sociological environment. Several other studies

examine both female and male attitudes towards improvisation (Wehr-Flowers, 2006,

Bloom et al, 2008, Bodner et al, 2012, Alexander, 2012, Kim, 2008).

Negative attitudes can also be associated with instruments in jazz. In the history

of jazz there have been many famous female musicians, but they are predominantly

singers. Although women do have a role in jazz, women are primarily thought of as

vocalists as opposed to instrumentalists. Another study (Alexander, 2012) focuses on

female string students’ attitudes towards improvisation. Alexander’s study found that

females had higher confidence levels than in the Wehr-Flowers study. This could suggest

that the gender gap in jazz is becoming narrower over time.

Music Performance Anxiety

MPA (Music Performance Anxiety) is a condition that affects both expert and

non-expert musicians and is a relevant issue for musicians with an artistic career who

need to develop strategies for coping with the stress of anxiety and controlling its

negative consequences (Biasutti, M, Concina, E, 2014). Studies estimate that as many as

69% of musicians are negatively impacted by MPA (Biasutti, M, Concina, E, 2014).

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Although MPA is widespread among musicians, treatments are rarely discussed in

educational settings outside of research.

There are many treatments and therapies available to musicians suffering from

MPA. These treatments can include biofeedback, meditation, beta-blockers and yoga

(Khalsa, 2013). The participants in Khalsa’s study showed significant reductions in MPA

from baseline to the end of a 6-week yoga program. One study (Allen, 2013) examined

the effects of free improvisation on MPA. These results validated free improvisation as a

treatment for significantly reducing anxiety during the public performance of a musical

work. Improvisation, causing MPA among some students (Wehr-Flowers, 2006) can also

be used as a tool to overcome the same symptoms. “Free improvisation” differs from

what we normally think of as improvisation (Allen, 2013). According to Allen, free

improvisation has two distinct and valuable features. It can be experienced by anyone

regardless of age and musical capability, and is the accumulation of musical identities of

all the participants involved in making the music. This democratic approach to

improvisation can be a great tool, but it is also related to the root of much apprehension.

Gooley (2012) describes how “The players become their own audience, forming a closed

circle that bystanders may peer into and admire but not enter…described this way, the

jam session might be seen as configuring not a democratic, but an elitist one.”

Some studies use Orff and keyboard based instruments as entry points to

improvisation (Burnard, 2002). By giving a pianist a xylophone, giving a violinist a

piano, or giving a vocalist a drum, teachers have the ability to desensitize performers to

performance anxiety by removing their primary instrument from the equation. Fear seems

to be a central component to the lack of improvisation implementation. How can we

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break down these barriers? By collaborating with experts in related fields and finding

new applications for improvising, music educators are better equipped to encourage

improvisation at all levels. Improvisation fosters a learning environment that is more

creative, self-assured and autonomous, which is equally beneficial to students and

teachers. Therefore, meaningful experiences can happen every day if people converse

with each other through spontaneous musical mediums.

Repertoire Choices for Classrooms and Strategies for Instruction

In the early 1900’s jazz was mainly an aural art form. Before recorded music,

knowledge was primarily passed down from older musicians who served as mentors.

Learning music by ear became a defining characteristic of jazz and many musicians never

learned how to read notated music. With the advent of radio technology in 1917, jazz

became widespread and accessible to people nationwide. Around this time sheet music

and jazz publications became readily available and in the 1930’s jazz “emerged as a

dominant force in American popular music”(Poulter, 2008). This rise in popularity

coupled with the abundance of former military musicians with professional performance

experience contributed to the rise of jazz education in the 1940’s and 1950’s.

Unfortunately, the popularity of jazz in mainstream music decreased in the

1960’s. Conversely, jazz education increased dramatically with the development of the

first college jazz degrees and many collegiate jazz festivals. Through the second half of

the 20th century jazz curriculum developed tremendously and with that many resources

on jazz improvisation became available. Whereas early on, jazz educators were faced

with a shortage of jazz materials to teach from, now they have an abundance of resources

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leaving them faced with a different predicament. How do educators navigate and sift

through the available materials to find the most effective teaching tools?

One of the most recent texts of jazz improvisation provides music educators with

many necessary tools. In Zachary Poulter’s Teaching Improv in your Jazz Ensemble

(Poulter, 2008) the author provides music educators with many strategies toward teaching

beginning improvisers in a jazz ensemble setting. The author begins the book by

outlining the benefits and pitfalls of teaching improvisation. In the first chapter he states

“successful improvisation experiences prepare students for a world of increasing

ambiguity by enabling them to confront and transcend uncertainty”(p. 13) and describes

how some curricular resources can be detrimental to instructors. However, he states that

instructors can succeed by “carefully choosing jazz ensemble charts that reinforce a

sequential improvisation curriculum”(p.3).

According to the author, successful improvising is a combination of several

different elements: musical fundamentals, pulse and meter, internal rhythm, articulation,

correct style, rhythmic interest, note choice, solo development, space, interaction, melody

and phrasing, dynamics, special effects, overall shape and emotional impact. After the

soloist has all of these elements deeply ingrained and incorporated into their playing, then

he/she is a “successful improviser”.

The author places a great deal of emphasis on aural learning through call and

response exercises and learning melodies by ear. He also reinforces the need for

instructors to encourage students to seek out original and play-along recordings of the

material. He even suggests that if the director has access to recording equipment, they

record their own version of a play-along recording. Some other rhythm section-centric

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exercises are: having all students walk a bass line on their instrument; practicing comping

as a band (punches/pads/backgrounds) and adapting drum set rhythms into

improvisational exercises.

Poulter repeatedly reinforces that improvisational concepts should be introduced

sequentially and provides very specific levels of improvisation (graded 0-5, 0 being the

easiest and 5 being the hardest). Grade 0 consists of no improvisation. Grade 1 consists of

improvised sections that contain no more than two total chords and one chord type

(Major, Dominant or Minor chords) and at a moderate tempo in common time. Grade 2

consists of the characteristics above and may also include changing modalities

(major/Mixolydian/Dorian), moderate harmonic movement, Major ii-V and ii-V-I

progressions, basic blues form, AABA form and moderate tempo or ¾ time etc. As you

can see, with each grade level new concepts are being introduced in a logical sequential

order. This way the beginning improviser is challenged to learn the new concepts without

being overwhelmed by advanced harmony, extreme tempos or odd time signatures. In

addition to providing the improvisational difficulty of an arrangement, the author also

provides the written difficulty graded on the same scale. Assuming that educators can

easily estimate the written difficulty of a tune, the author does not lay out specific

guidelines for the written grade of 1-5. In the catalog at the end of the book, the author

has also provided lead sheets with the solo sections from every chart for easy referral.

The title of this particular book is “Teaching Improv in Your Jazz Ensemble” not

“Teaching Improv in Your Private Lessons” or “Teaching Improv in Your Jazz

Appreciation Class.” The author’s main goal is just that, how to effectively teach

improvisation to a group of students in a jazz ensemble with a hands-on approach. This is

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no easy task and requires a great deal of patience. The author does a great job of keeping

this focus throughout the book and providing insightful tools to both the novice and

experienced teacher.

Why did he decide to write a book about teaching improvisation in a jazz

ensemble? Because he believed that teachers do not place enough emphasis on choosing

appropriate repertoire and taking into account the improvised portion of arrangements as

important curricular considerations. Improvising can be daunting for some teachers who

are too concerned about final concerts and student progress reports. However, as

outlined in the book it easy to fall prey to some of the following pitfalls:

1) “Picking favorites” and only allowing the most accomplished musicians to

improvise.

2) Choosing inappropriate charts that are easy to read but very difficult to

improvise over or vice versa.

3) Having students play “written out” solos instead of improvising

4) Not giving students the tools they need to improvise and “glossing” over

improvised sections.

I experienced several of these pitfalls in my high school and even college jazz

bands. They can be easy traps to fall into as an educator and the author goes into great

detail with several strategies to avoid them. I think the separation of two grading systems

is a great idea for assessing the difficulty of an arrangement (written and

improvisational). I could see where both of these grading systems would prove invaluable

when selecting a chart. For instance, if I have a very experienced improviser and an

ensemble that is full of inexperienced readers I might choose a chart with a 1 written

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difficulty and a 5 improvisation difficulty to showcase the soloist. Conversely, if I have

several inexperienced improvisers that have been playing and reading for several years I

might choose a 4 written difficulty and a 2 improvising difficulty. The author has also

notated multiple versions and publishers in the index. For example, you can see that

Stitzel’s version of “C Jam Blues” is a 5 on improvisational difficulty and P. Cook’s

version of the same song is a 2. You can also refer to the lead sheets for any

discrepancies at the end of the book.

I noticed throughout the book that there were many student activities and games

to encourage creativity and reinforce knowledge. However, I’m curious to see how

effective these games were and if the students enjoyed them or if they lead to tangible

results. The games seemed a little exhaustive, but I imagine that working with beginning

improvisers on a daily basis could get monotonous and the games would be a nice respite

from working on parts. My only other criticism is that guidelines were not laid out for the

grading of the written scale of 1-5. In my opinion these guidelines could help educators

grade their own arrangements and ones not available in the book.

One section of the book that I found extremely helpful was the jazz resources

section that outlines essential reading in the following categories: Guides for the Jazz

Ensemble Director, Full Band Jazz Ensemble Method Books, Full Band Jazz Improv

Books, Combo Resources, Rhythm Section and Interaction, Play Along Recordings, Play

Along Technology, Theory Books, Pattern Books, General Improvisation Resources,

Listening/Ear Training, Charts, Jazz History and Appreciation, Magazines,

Organizations and Miscellaneous Links. These all look like great resources based on a

lifetime of learning.

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By combing through several different charts and meticulously notating the

relative difficulty, the author has gone through great pains to make a jazz ensemble

director’s life easier. I believe that the teaching techniques outlined in the book and

especially the index and charts at the end provide all the tools necessary to effectively

teach improvisation in a jazz ensemble setting.

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REPERTOIRE

Repertoire Choices in Jam Sessions

On a given night at a jam session, some tunes can last over ten minutes and any

number of variables can influence the tunes that are called. As a result, the sample size of

songs may be relatively small on a given night and not representative of the tunes that

normally get called at the club. However, I have found that in my research that successful

jam sessions include variety in terms of genre and difficulty. Most college repertoire lists

and instructional repertoire lists contain tunes that can fit into the following genres:

standards, bebop, post-bop, latin, blues and funk.

How many tunes should students learn? Many students are expected to know

upwards of 250-300 tunes yet only 100 are on many college repertoire lists. It is expected

that this list serve as just a foundation for lifelong learning. Students may identify with

different composers or time periods and seek out those styles to fill out the remainder of

their list. The appendix includes a selection of tunes played and required at major jazz

programs in the United States and abroad.

Repertoire is an important consideration in jam sessions as well as classrooms.

Choosing appropriate repertoire is a salient feature of success and must be chosen with

care. As stated in my discussion on Poulter’s book (Poulter, 2008), it is necessary to

carefully examine the difficulty of the melody and underlying harmony and make sure

that both are attainable independently and as a whole. Improvisers should pick songs that

showcase their strengths and are conducive to group playing.

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Sample of Jam Session Repertoire

As a sample I have attended a few jam sessions in Austin and compiled the following list.

This is intended as a reference point and microcosm of what tunes are currently being

played at different venues around Austin, Texas.

Strange Brew 1/13/15: Caravan

Along Came Betty Night And Day Love For Sale

2/3/15 Minor Blues

Body and Soul Juju

Stella

Brass House 1/28/15: What is This Thing Called Love

Autumn leaves Straight No Chaser

Softly as in a Morning Sunrise Confirmation

Wave Days of Wine and Roses

Recorda Me Au Privave

Elephant Room: 2/8/15

Nardis How Insensitive

Bye Bye Blackbird Cantaloupe Island

Honeysuckle Rose Alone Together

Instructional Repertoire

Included in the Appendix is a sampling of jazz repertoire from three different jazz

programs in universities. They are organized in several different formats according to

level of difficulty, level of study, style, and significance. I have included lists from: The

University of Oregon, Sacramento State University and the University of Toronto. I have

also included a list from Jamey Aebersold’s Jazz Handbook (Aebersold, 2010).

As you can see from the graph below, there is some overlap in the sources of I

have chosen. However, there are plenty of tunes on the suggested repertoire lists that

hardly ever get “called.” This is an important consideration and I suggest that before

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playing in a jam session, improvisers attend a few times without their instrument to see

what tunes are popular. I have made an attempt in the chart below to include tunes from

the genres mentioned earlier: standards (Autumn Leaves, Honeysuckle Rose, Misty),

bebop (Confirmation), post-bop (Nardis), latin (Caravan, Wave), blues/funk (Killer Joe).

Random Sample of Jazz Tunes Present in Sources

0  

0.5  

1  

1.5  

2  

2.5  

3  

Jam  Sessions  (3)  

College  Repertoire  Lists  (3)  

Aebersold  

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ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

Jam Etiquette

Aside from a resource for getting gigs, jam sessions are also where jazz musicians

come to meet and exchange ideas. Jam sessions also allow musicians to develop their

sound while playing with musicians of all levels of ability. Every once in a while, high

profile players will stop by the local jam session while on tour. Jam sessions have long

been a great equalizer and resource in the jazz community.

Within the framework of a jam session there are many different expectations of

individual players and the definition of really knowing a tune can be loosely defined.

Especially when vocalists are present, musicians are expected to play songs in unusual

keys and sometimes with substitute chord changes. From my experience attending jam

sessions, the horn players are the de facto leaders (and the ones calling tunes) once the

house band finishes their set. Some jam sessions have a sign up lists while others require

that you talk to the leader of the jam session and others are even “invite only”. Typically

the house band will play an initial set and then open up the floor to the “jammers.” It is

important to be aware of social cues and not to overstep participation boundaries.

Elitism – Communication Breakdown

Gooley’s description of the jam session offers up a utopian view citing the

“coordination of individual and collective expression, the relaxation of dogmatic

constraints, the need to ‘listen’ or tune in to the voices of others, and the impulse to

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respond - sound like an ideal image of the communication-economy of democratic

society (Gooley, 2011).”

Many technological advances have occurred in music as well (see the following

section “Jamming in the 21st century”). The flipside of this democratic society is one of

extreme elitism where “the players become their own audience, forming a closed circle

that bystanders may peer into and admire but not enter (Gooley, 2011).” To paraphrase a

former teacher of mine, “if you want to join the club, you gotta do your homework”

referring to practice time spent on repertoire and scales. In this case, “Jazzmen

deliberately attempt to exclude the general public from the session...Any customer who

dares request a tune not approved by the musicians... is likely to be “told off” in highly

uninhibited language. The performers, not the spectators, are going to run this show

(Cameron 1954: 78). Herein, lies the central theme of the jam session. A continuous back

and forth power struggle.”

What began as a refuge for musicians in the 1930’s and 1940’s for musicians soon

became exploited as early as the 1950’s. Club owners played on the competitive nature of

jam sessions and early romanticized stories such as that of Charlie Parker getting a

cymbal thrown at his head. “The moment jamming was framed theatrically as

competition or battle, the public audience was reintroduced into the communicative

economy of the event, and the self-enclosure of the jam session was broken.” Early jam

sessions sometimes included technically demanding repertoire that would challenge

newcomers and beginners. This is less the case today and while pockets of this elitism do

exist, most present day jam sessions are welcoming to novices.

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“Listening” Music or “Dancing” Music?

In Dan Morgenstern’s book “Living with Jazz” he mentions that “(F)or today’s

jazz audience-especially its younger members-the music is entirely for listening. Whether

it is heard in a concert hall, a club, or on a record, jazz, like classical music, has come to

exist for its own sake. But there would be no jazz to listen to if not for the dance.”

(Morgenstern 2004). The origins of jazz are a social music. It is interesting that

Morgenstern distinguishes between the younger members as enjoying jazz only for

listening. This implies that with each generation, the music gets farther and farther away

from its original purpose.

As jazz enters its second century, are there bands out there leading the charge and

bringing jazz back to the dancers. Groups like Snarky Puppy, D’Angelo and Robert

Glasper are certainly leading the charge. Bands popularity used to be dependent on their

ability to get people dancing. According to Morgenstern it was Fletcher Henderson’s

band’s “popularity with dancers that made it possible for Henderson to bring in young

Louis Armstrong from Chicago, and to hire and keep the finest jazz instrumentalists of

this period.” A quote from Armstrong paraphrases this sentiment “There are two kinds of

music. Good music and bad music. Any music that makes you tap your foot is good

music.” There is even a Milt Jackson release from 1984 titled “It Don’t Mean a Thing If

You Can’t Tap Your Foot to It.” The title, a play on “It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t

Got That Swing” reinforces Armstrong’s quote.

According to Cameron (Cameron, 1956) the “jam session is a recreational rather

than a vocational activity of jazz musicians. Not all dance musicians are jazzmen,

although the typical employment of the jazzman is in a dance band since this is the

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nearest commercial compromise available.” Here we begin to see a separation and

overlap between dance music and jazz music. It’s tough to pinpoint when the split

occurred, but according to (Ward, Burns 2005)

“the end of World War II had marked the beginning of the end for the big swing bands. Tastes were changing. Musicians’ salaries, which had risen dramaticially during the war, remained so high that it was nearly impossible to draw big enough crowds to meet them. The wartime tax on entertainment remained in effect, too, keeping nightclub prices high, encouraging people to stay at home, forcing ballrooms to close. Duke Ellington and Count Basie managed to stay on the road, but by Christmas of 1946, eight of their best known rivals would announce that they were at least temporarily leaving it. Great jazz soloists…abandoned dreams of heading up big bands of their own and retreated to nightclubs-places too small for dancing. All kinds of jazz were still being played everywhere at the war’s end. But whatever the style, the jam session was becoming the model: freewheeling, competitive, exacting-the kind of jazz that musicians had always played to entertain themselves after the squares had gone home.”

Cameron (1956) also goes on to state that “Dance music may be easily defined: it

is music for dancing, especially ball-room dancing. Jazz is better defined as an art form

rather than in terms of social utility…jazz is a kind of musicians’ music, played for the

enjoyment of musicians and a few other persons who participate in it vicariously.” Ball-

room dancing isn’t as popular as it once was, but dancing has not waned in popularity. If

you think in terms of “popular music” (if there is such a thing) than we can surmise that

there are still two types of music. Dance music (for the people) and listening music (for

the musicians).

Jamming in the 21st Century - A Note on Technology

With the addition of new technology such as iReal, musicians now have access to

chord changes of thousands of songs in their pocket. This places a smaller emphasis on

memorization and internalization. One of the main drawbacks of iReal is that there are no

melodies written, but in a jam session context often only the horn players are expected to

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play the melody. Instead of having a fake book on stage, one only needs to bring a tablet

or phone on stage and their lack of knowledge is less obvious to fellow band mates and

the audience. However, astute observers can easily delineate whether the musicians are

reading a chart or playing from memory.

In my experience teaching an improvisation elective to middle and high school

string students, iReal proved to be a valuable resource. We played along with backing

tracks in almost every class session and I was able to manipulate the instruments in real

time. If I wanted the bass player to walk a bass line to the blues, I would mute the bass

track. If I wanted to play the chord changes on guitar, I would mute the piano track. By

this manipulation of instruments in the “mix” students were able to clearly see the

different roles and importance of rhythm section instruments. When it came time for our

final performance at the end of the semester, I brought in a jazz drummer to play with the

group. Although this was the first time the group played with a drummer, we performed

our material just as we had in rehearsal. The training with play-a-long tracks was

invaluable and transferred seamlessly to the experience of playing with a live rhythm

section. Some benefits of the iReal software program are:

• Play-a-long tracks with the simulation of a live rhythm section

• Variable tempo and repetitions

• Manipulation of different instrument sounds

• Tracking experience for students and teachers

• Chord symbol literacy

• Transposition to different key centers

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PEDAGOGICAL APPLICATIONS

Jazz education and jam sessions have evolved over time to include a broad array

of experiences. Educators face many challenges when applying jam session techniques in

a new context. Many educators who are also professional jazz musicians bring with them

a wealth of experiences. More so than many groups of musicians, jazz musicians play

with rotating personnel and are constantly taking part in new musical environments.

Being able to communicate effectively with new musicians is a skill that is built over

time. For educators with and without jazz experience, jam session principles can be a

very useful pedagogical device. Below are some final pedagogical recommendations

from my research:

• Create opportunities for students to “jam” with each other frequently

• Be careful not to create gender bias or gaps

• Encourage improvisation in all styles

• Allow students to demonstrate refinement and expertise over standard repertoire

• Foster a classroom culture where students feel safe and free to express themselves

• Choose culturally valued repertoire

• Create opportunities for children to make autonomous decisions

• Develop inclusive opportunities for diverse ability levels

• Utilize new technology in and outside of the classroom

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APPENDIX

University of Oregon

Undergraduate*Jazz*Repertoire*List*!Minor!Blues!(4!Total)!Bag’s!Groove!Birk’s!Works!Blue!Trane!Equinox!*Footprints*The!Jody!Grind!*Mr.*P.C.*One!For!DaddyBO!!Major!Blues!(4!Total)!All!Blues!Bessie’s!Blues!*Billie’s*Bounce*Blue!Monk!Blues!for!Alice!Freddie!the!Freeloader!Now’s!The!Time!Sonnymoon!for!Two!Straight!No!Chaser!*Tenor*Madness*Walkin’!!Watermelon!Man!!Rhythm!Changes!(2!Total)!Anthropology!Cottontail!The!Eternal!Triangle!Good!Bait!(A!section!only)!I’ve!Got!Rhythm!Lester!Leaps!In!*Oleo*Perdido!!Salt!Peanuts!Scrapple!from!the!Apple!!Up!Tempo!Tunes!in!Major!Keys!(3!Total)!Cherokee!I!Love!You!*I’ll*Remember*April*It’s!You!or!No!One!Indiana!Night!and!Day!The!Night!Has!A!Thousand!Eyes!Seven!Steps!to!Heaven!*

Up!Tempo!Tunes!in!Minor!Keys!(3!Total)!*Impressions*Softly!as!in!a!Morning!Sunrise!Solar!You!and!the!Night!and!the!Music!What!Is!This!Thing!Called!Love!!Ballads!(4!Total)!Body!and!Soul!Darn!That!Dream!Georgia!I!Can’t!Get!Started!In!a!Sentimental!Mood!Lover!Man!Misty/I!Want!to!Talk!About!You!The!Nearness!of!You!‘Round!Midnight!What’s!New!When!I!Fall!In!Love!!Waltz!(2!Total)!Alice!In!Wonderland!Bluesette!Some!Day!My!Prince!Will!Come!!Latin/Straight!8th!Freedom!Jazz!Dance!*Maiden*Voyage*!Standards/Jazz!Standards!in!Major!Keys!(8!Total)!Afternoon!in!Paris!All!of!Me!**All*the*Things*You*Are*But!Not!For!Me!Bye!Bye!Blackbird!Cantaloupe!Island!Corcavodo!Days!of!Wine!and!Roses!Don’t!Get!Around!Much!Anymore!Doxy!A!Foggy!Day!Four!Girl!From!Ipanema!Green!Dolphin!Street!Groovin’!High!*Have*You*Met*Miss*Jones*Honeysuckle!Rose!

How!High!The!Moon!I!Could!Write!A!Book!In!a!Mellow!Tone!Killer!Joe!*Ladybird*Lazy!Bird!**Moment’s*Notice*My!Romance!Once!I!Loved!Out!of!Nowhere!St.!Thomas!Satin!Doll!Speak!Low!**Stella*By*Starlight*Sweet!Georgia!Brown!Take!the!“A”!Train!There!Is!No!Greater!Love!There!Will!Never!Be!Another!You!Tune!Up!Yardbird!Suite!!Standards/Jazz!Standards!in!Minor!Keys!(6!Total)!*Autumn*Leaves*Alone!Together!Beautiful!Love!*Black*Orpheus*Blue!Bossa!Caravan!How!Deep!is!the!Ocean!How!Insensitive!**Invitation*A!Night!in!Tunisia!Recordame!Softly!as!in!a!Morning!Sunrise!Song!For!My!Father!Solar!So!What!Stella!By!Starlight!Stolen!Moments!Sugar!Summertime!What!Is!This!Thing!Called!Love!Work!Song!You!and!the!Night!and!the!Music!!**Required*for*Sophomore*Barrier*****Required*for*Junior*Barrier*

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Bachelor)of)Music)Jazz)Studies)Suggested(Jazz(Jury(Repertoire((Sacramento(State(University(

(Level)17)Freshman)Jazz)Repertoire)List(Afternoon(in(Paris(All(Blues(All(of(Me(Autumn(Leaves(Bag’s(Groove(Blue(Bossa(Blue(Monk(Blues(in(a(Closet(But(Not(For(Me(Bye(Bye(Blackbird(Cantaloupe(Island(Days(of(Wine(and(Roses(Don’t(Get(Around(Much(Anymore(Doxy(Equinox(Four(Freddie(Freeloader(Good(Bait(I(Got(Rhythm(Impressions(Just(Friends(Killer(Joe(Little(Sunflower(Maiden(Voyage(My(Romance(Now’s(the(Time(Perdido(Polkadots(And(Moonbeams(Satin(Doll(Song(for(My(Father(Sonnymoon(for(Two(So(What(St.(James(Infirmary(St.(Louis(Blues(St.(Thomas(Straight,(No(Chaser(Sugar(Summertime(Take(the(‘A’(Train(Tenor(Madness(Things(Ain’t(What(They(Used(to(Be(Walkin’(Watermelon(Man(Yardbird(Suite()((((((((((

Level)27Sophomore)Jazz)Repertoire)List)All(the(Things(You(Are(Anthropology((Back(Home(In(Indiana(Bessie’s(Blues(Black(Orpheus((A(Day(in(the(Life(of(a(Fool)(Blues(for(Alice(Bluesette(Body(&(Soul(But(Not(for(Me(Caravan(Corcovado((Quiet(Night(of(Quiet(Stars)(Darn(That(Dream(Foggy(Day,(A(Footprints(Freedom(Jazz(Dance(Georgia(on(My(Mind(Girl(from(Ipanema(Groovin’(High(Honeysuckle(Rose(How(High(The(Moon(How(Insensitive(I(Can’t(Get(Started(I(Could(Write(a(Book(I(Got(Rhythm(In(A(Mellow(Tone(In(a(Sentimental(Mood(Invitation(Lady(Bird(Lover(Man(Lullaby(of(Birdland(Maiden(Voyage(Meditation(Misty(Mr.(P.C.(My(Funny(Valentine(My(Shining(Hour(Nearness(of(You,(The(Night(Has(a(Thousand(Eyes,(The(On(Green(Dolphin(Street(Once(I(Loved(Recordame(Scrapple(from(the(Apple(Seven(Steps(from(Heaven(Softly(as(in(a(Morning(Sunrise(Some(Day(My(Prince(Will(Come(Stardust(Stolen(Moments(Stompin’(at(the(Savoy(Sweet(Georgia(Brown(There(is(No(Greater(Love(There(Will(Never(Be(Another(You(Tune(Up(Watch(What(Happens(Wave(Way(You(Look(Tonight,(The(When(I(Fall(in(Love(Yardbird(Suite(

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Level)3)7)Junior)Jazz)Repertoire)List)All(of(You(Alone(Together(Along(Came(Betty(Angel(Eyes(Anthropology(Au(Privave(Back(Home(Again(in(Indiana(Beautiful(Love(Blues(for(Alice(Body((&(Soul(But(Beautiful(Caravan(Ceora(Cherokee(Come(Rain(or(Come(Shine(Confirmation(Corcovado((Quiet(Nights(of(Quiet(Starts)(Desafinado(Embraceable(You(Giant(Steps(Girl(from(Ipanema(Half(Nelson(Have(You(Met(Miss(Jones(Here’s(that(Rainy(Day(Hot(House(How(Deep(is(the(Ocean(I(Love(You(I(Mean(You(I(Remember(Your(I(Should(Care(I(Thought(About(You(I’ll(Remember(You(If(I(Were(a(Bell(In(a(Sentimental(Mood(Inner(Urge(It(Could(Happen(to(You(It(Don’t(Mean(a(Thing(It(Had(to(Be(You(It(Might(as(Well(Be(Spring(It’s(You(or(No(One(Joy(Spring(Laura(Lazy(Bird(Like(Someone(in(Love(Love(for(Sale(Milestones((new)(Moment’s(Notice(Moonlight(in(Vermont(My(Favorite(Things(My(Foolish(Heart(Nardis(Nica’s(Dream(Night(and(Day(Night(in(Tunisia,(A(Oleo(One(Note(Samba(Ornithology(Our(Love(is(Here(to(stay(Out(of(Nowhere(Over(the(Rainbow(Polka(Dots(and(Moonbeams(Round(Midnight(Scrapple(from(the(Apple(Seven(Steps(to(Heaven(Shadow(of(Your(Smile,(The(

Skylark(Solar(Someone(To(Watch(Over(Me(Song(is(You,(The(Speak(Low(Speak(No(Evil(Star(Eyes(Stella(by(Starlight(Sweet(Georgia(Brown(Take(5(Tenderly(Triste(Waltz(for(Debbie(Way(You(Look(Tonight,(The(Well(You(Needn’t(What(is(This(Thing(Called(Love?(Whisper(Not(Willow(Weep(for(Me(Which(Hunt(Witchcraft(Yes(or(No(Yesterdays(You(Don’t(Know(What(Love(Is(You(Stepped(Out(of(a(Dream(You’d(be(so(Nice(to(Come(Home(To(((Level)4))7)Senior)Jazz)Repertoire)List)Airegin(Beatrice(Chelsea(Bridge(Cherokee(Con(Alma(Confirmation(Countdown(Daahoud(Dolphin(Dance(Donna(Lee(E.S.P.(Emily(Fee(Fi(Fo(Fum(Four(in(One(Giant(Steps(I(Hear(a(Rhapsody(In(Your(Own(Sweet(Way(Inner(Urge(Invitation(Joy(Spring(Lush(Life(Moment’s(Notice(My(Foolish(Heart(My(One(and(Only(Love(My(Secret(Love(Naima(Nica’s(Dream(Peace(Prelude(to(a(Kiss(‘Round(Midnight(Sophisticated(Lady(Speak(No(Evil(Stardust(Stablemates(Stardust(Take(5(What’s(New?(

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Faculty of Music

University of Toronto

Sample Repertoire List

Note re Graduate Jazz Admissions: Successful applicants must show experience as a

solo performer with an advanced technical and interpretive ability. Improvisation must

indicate imagination and thorough mastery of the selected repertoire.

The repertoire list provided here indicates compositions that are acceptable for audition

purposes. Candidates must submit a substantial repertoire list (25-30 pieces) for approval

with the application. This list may include tunes not in our sample list provided here and

must include a mix of representative pieces from the major stylistic areas: traditional,

swing, bop, hard bop, cool, post-bop, standards, blues, modal, free, fusion and ‘Latin’

styles. The list must also include at least three original pieces. Please provide lead sheets

for any original pieces. At the 30-minute audition, jurors will select repertoire from the

candidate’s approved list (usually 5 pieces including one ballad and one up-tempo tune).

Candidates who are skilled in jazz arranging and composition are encouraged to provide

scores (Photocopies only. No originals please.), with supporting recordings (if available)

to assist the jury in their assessment.

Title Composer

‘Round Midnight Thelonious Monk

502 Blues Wayne Shorter

A Foggy Day George & Ira Gershwin

A Night in Tunisia Dizzy Gillespie

Airegin Sonny Rollins

All The Things You Are Kern and Hammerstein

Alone Together Dietz & Schwartz

Along Came Betty Benny Golson

Au Privave Parker

Autumn Leaves Joseph Kosma

Bag's Groove Milt Jackson

Beatrice Sam Rivers

Beautiful Love Victor Young

Bessie’s Blues John Coltrane

Billie’s Bounce Charlie Parker

Blue Bossa Kenny Dorham

Blue in Green Bill Evans

Blue Seven Sonny Rollins

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Blues Connotation Ornette Coleman

Body and Soul Johnny Green

But Not For Me George Gershwin

Caravan Duke Ellington and Juan Tizol

Ceora Lee Morgan

Chelsea Bridge Billy Strayhorn

Cherokee Ray Noble

Confirmation Charlie Parker

Desafinado Antonio Carlos Jobim

Dolphin Dance Herbie Hancock

Don’t Get Around Much Anymore Duke Ellington

Donna Lee Charlie Parker

Doxy Sonny Rollins

E.S.P. Miles Davis

East of the Sun Bowman/Brooks

Elm Richie Beirach

Emily Mercer/Mandel

Evidence Thelonious Monk

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum Wayne Shorter

Footprints Wayne Shorter

Freddie the Freeloader Miles Davis

Giant Steps John Coltrane

Gingerbread Boy Jimmy Heath

Groovin' High Dizzy Gillespie

Half-Nelson Charlie Parker

Have You Met Miss Jones? Richard Rogers

Hot House Dizzy Gillespie

How Insensitive Jobim

I Can’t Get Started Vernon Duke

I Could Write a Book Rodgers/Hart

I Love You Cole Porter

I Mean You Thelonious Monk

I Remember You Mercer/Schertzinger

I Thought About You Mercer/Van Heusen

I’ll Remember April Raye/DePaul/Johnson

If I Should Lose You Robin/Rainger

If You Never Come to Me Antonio Carlos Jobim

In a Mellow Tone Duke Ellington

In A Sentimental Mood Duke Ellington

In Walked Bud Thelonious Monk

In Your Own Sweet Way Dave Brubeck

Isfahan Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn

It Could Happen To You Jimmy Van Heusen

Joy Spring Clifford Brown

Just Friends Klenner and Lewis

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Lament J.J. Johnson

Lazy Bird John Coltrane

Like Someone in Love Van Heusen/Burke

Little Sunflower Freddie Hubbard

Lonely Woman Ornette Coleman

Love for Sale Cole Porter

Manteca Dizzy Gillespie

Moose the Mooche Charlie Parker

Mr. P.C. John Coltrane

My Funny Valentine Rodgers and Hart

Naima John Coltrane

Nardis Miles Davis

Night and Day Cole Porter

Oleo Sonny Rollins

On Green Dolphin Street Bronislau Kaper

Once I Loved Antonio Carlos Jobim

One by One Wayne Shorter

One Finger Snap Herbie Hancock

Out of Nowhere Green/Heyman

Peace Horace Silver

Polka Dots and Moonbeams Van Heusen/Burke

Prelude to a Kiss Duke Ellington

Relaxin’ at Camarillo Charlie Parker

Rhythm-A-Ning Thelonius Monk

Sandu Clifford Brown

'Smatta Kenny Wheeler

So What Miles Davis

Solar Miles Davis

Speak Low Kurt Weill

Stablemates Benny Golson

Star Eyes Raye/DePaul

Stella by Starlight Victor Young

Straight, No Chaser Thelonious Monk

Summertime George Gershwin

Take the 'A' Train Billy Strayhorn

Tenor Madness Sonny Rollins

There Will Never be Another You Harry Warren

Three Little Words Ruby/Kalmar

Triste Jobim

Up Jumped Spring Freddie Hubbard

Very Early Bill Evans

Well You Needn’t Thelonious Monk

What is This Thing Called Love? Cole Porter

Whisper Not Benny Golson

Woody‘n You Dizzy Gillespie

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Jamey Aebersold Suggested Repertoire

Yes or No Wayne Shorter

Yesterdays Jerome Kern

You and the Night and the Music Robin/Rainger

You're My Everything Warren/Dixon/Young

11

SONG LIST FOR BEGINNERS

Advanced SongsStella by Starlight, Bb or G (15, 22, 59, 68) [entire tune]Star Eyes, Eb (34, 59) [bars 4, 5, & 6]Invitation, C_ (34, 59) [entire tune]Have You Met Miss Jones?, F (25, 74) [bridge]I Got Rhythm, Bb & F (7, 8, 16, 47, 51)Giant Steps, Eb (28, 68) [entire tune]All The Things You Are, Ab (16, 36, 43, 55) [entire tune]Most balladsWayne Shorter tunes (33), Horace Silver tunes (17, 18), John Coltrane tunes (27, 28), Benny Golson tunes (14) and thousands of other songs

Intermediate SongsFour, Eb (7, 65, 67) [F#_ B7]Perdido, Bb (12, 65, 67) [bridge]All Blues, G (5 0, 8 1) [D7+9, Eb7+9, D7+9]Groovin High, Eb (43) [A- D7]Yardbird Suite, C (6, 69) [bridge]Softly As In A Morning Sunrise, C_ (40) [bridge]On Green Dolphin Street, Eb (34, 59)Misty, Eb (41, 49, 70) [A_ D7/ C_ F7 in bridge]Just Friends, F (20, 34, 59) [Ao or Ab_]Killer Joe, C (14, 70) [bridge]Sweet Georgia Brown (39, 67, 70, 84)Indiana (Back Home Again In) (6, 61, 80, 84)Girl From Ipanema, F (31, 70, 90)

Beginning SongsBlues in Bb & F (1, 2, 21, 35, 42, 50, 53, 54, 69, 70, 73)Footprints, C_ (33, 54)Satin Doll, C (12, 54, 66)Doxy, Bb (8, 54)Autumn Leaves, G_ (20, 44, 54, 67)Impressions or So What, D_ (28, 50, 54)Summertime, D_ (25, 54)Song For My Father, F_ (17, 54)Maiden Voyage, A_ (11, 54, 8 1)Silvers Serenade, E_ (17)Cantaloupe Island, F_ (11, 54)Sugar, C_ (5, 49, 70) (called Groovitis)Watermelon Man, F (11, 54)

Here are songs which everyone should eventually know–they are good jam session songs. I am listing the key(s) they are most often played in followed in parenthesis by the play-a-long volume number(s) where you can find them. Most of the beginning songs are on the Volume 54 “Maiden Voyage” play-a-long book/recording set. It’s excellent for learning jam session tunes.

Memorize the melodyMemorize the chord progression

Memorize the various scales/chords

troublesome spots = [ ]

Be discriminate in your listening. Remember, you’re training your MIND!Choose your music like you would your friends.

Think of how many friends’ voices you can recognize over the telephone after they say only one word. The qualities of scales (major, minor, dom.7th, dim. ,etc.) will become just as familiar

and easy to recognize with practice.

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conservatoire. British Journal Of Music Education, 22(3), 299-314. doi: 10.1017/S0265051705006467

Berliner, P. (1994). Thinking in jazz: The infinite art of improvisation. Chicago:

University of Chicago Press. Biasutti, M. & Concina, E. (2014). The role of coping strategy and experience in predicting music performance anxiety. Musicae Scientiae, 18, 189- 202. doi:10.1177/1029864914523282 Bloom, A.J., Kirchner, J.M. & Skutnick-Henley, P. (2008). The relationship between performance anxiety and flow. Medical Problems of

Performing Artists, 23, 59+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lib. utexas.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA197857739&v=2.1&u=txshracd2598&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=4107cb232b04234356073c4510bffb78

Bodner, E., Aharoni, R., & Iancu, I. (2012). The effect of training with music on happiness recognition in social anxiety disorder. Journal of Psycopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 34, 458-466. doi:10.1007/s10862-012-9304-7 Burnard, P. (2002). Investigating children’s meaning-making and the emergence of musical interaction in group improvisation. British Journal of Music Education, 19, 157-172. doi:10.1017/S0265051702000244 Cameron, W. (1954). Sociological Notes on the Jam Session. Social Forces, 33(2), 177-

182. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2573543 Doffman, M. (2011). Jammin' an Ending: Creativity, Knowledge, and Conduct among Jazz Musicians. Twentieth-century Music,8(2), 203-225.

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