Jazz Colony #8

As a group, we worked on singing scale degrees in solfege along with a C drone (see JC packet) to experience the unique character and tenancies of each scale tone. I like using the Cello Drone recordings, but you can also stream the drone tracks that accompany with my book here. We listened to which notes sounded smooth and which had more dissonance. We experienced how scale degrees 1, 3, and 5 are the most consonant, and scale degrees 2, 4, 6, 7 are more dissonant and have tenancies to resolve to the nearest consonant note.

We then moved on to singing through and improvising on all the paralel modes along with a drone (see JC packet). We began on Lydian, the brightest mode, and moved down the list to Phrygian, the darkest mode. (Locrian isn't a stable mode because it doesn't include the interval of a perfect fifth, so we tossed it out for this exercise). This approach provides a much richer experience than playing the modes that are diatonic to a single key signature--i.e. C Ionian, D Dorian, E Phrygian, etc sounds like an exercise in C major and you don't get to experience the character of each mode.

Be ready to have a focused rehearsal on Tuesday, because our final Sea-Jazz Performance is this Wednesday August 19th at 5:00 PM. Please arrive by 4:30 to listen to the first performance of the new College Place Middle School Jazz Colony! The kids are doing awesome and have their whole set memorized already!