Motivators for Independent Practice this summer - #1 Surf's UP!

Great first session.  

OK ... Surf's UP!

Let's get to learning.

Man on the Street - Pete Bennett challenges Jazz Colony to work on their "second pitch".

More detailed summary will be in next blog entry.Check this out for now.

Here are the combos including names and locations of rehearsals plus a theme tune and artist to get familiar with.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qPOA1ZSz28kFuMY-21usoF6fXHW37OvDaaCKjWtLTgw/edit?usp=sharing

Here is the song to transcribe. Send your video (URL only) of this to Mr. Greenblatt for your gold star or maybe even feedback! dlgreenblatt@hotmail.com - you don't need to try and write this out ... just learn to play it by ear.

Green Bossa
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qeEiSEekBNQH0qyqM4AKthwm4JSVtdeV/view?usp=sharing

Here's the list of 10 songs to learn.... "Hang 10"

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZSMU9BBrPOr2Iqr5_nBOvotO872dr6wrz0DJJ0wmaZk/edit?usp=sharing


This year we are adding several challenges per week.  Earn your way into a new and deeper understanding of jazz by regularly practicing and using the motivational guides for focus your practice.

We have 6 large combos and they are all packed with talent and enthusiasm.

Here's a quick summary from a few interns ....

In Marina's group we played Maiden Voyage by Herbie Hancock and Recordame by Joe Henderson. We talked extensively about modal vs. tonal music and how modes were related to Maiden Voyage. The homework assigned to the students was to 1) listen to all the songs we played 2) figure out what scales fit over each suspended chord in Maiden Voyage 3) practice the 1-6-2-5 chord changes to prepare for the rhythm changes song Moose the Mooch. 

It was a great rehearsal and the band was successfully able to sightread multiple charts. 

(Respectfully submitted by Cedar Lange)

We broke down the D Dorian scale to solo over “Little Sunflower” by Freddie Hubbard. In addition, we listened to 2 recordings of Stompin’ at the Savoy, Freddie Hubbard’s and Ella Fitzgerald’s. We also ran through “Stolen Moments” by Oliver Nelson and “Sweet Georgia Brown” by Ben Bernie.   - Nebee Yohannes

This from Rimmy Le .....

When the theory behind the changes to a tune you are learning is too complicated, use voice leading to help you develop a solo. Often a sigh of good voice leading is when you choose pitches either a half step or a whole step away from each other. 

Knowing the relationship of a chord change to the home key is very important because a Cmaj7 over and tune in C Major is different from a Cmaj7 over a tune in G Major. Knowing each chords relationship tot the home key will also reveal which scale will most accurately cover the chord change. Furthermore, when you have the correct scale for that change, the pathway to the next change will be much more obvious to you.

After You’ve Gone:

Band Arrangement - https://youtu.be/EQihvHFBr1s

Melody - https://youtu.be/BTkv1sWugO0

Week one - Rodney's summary of Greenblatt Combo

Rhythmic Vocabulary 

• Melodic vocabulary is more accessible for the horn players than rhythm players
• Rhythm players have their chunking and walking modes in terms of guitar and bass. But soling is completely different
• Blues Bb7 in the fifth bar. The biggest difference in the fifth bar, 
• Unmodified 7 is the flat 7 
• Blue Bird Charlie Parker focused on the f dominant 7 chord in the second inversion. 
• in a Blues the second bar is usually the 4 chord but Charlie Parker put a 2 5 of whatever the four chord was
• So blowing the first two chords are actually F major
• 2 ways to approach it is to play the chord tones 
• F6 and Dm7 are the same notes 
• Solo on chord tones but when a new chord comes high light the notes that change
• Another way to solo is to play a scalular solo
• Play the notes in the “parent scale” which is the scale that all the chord’s notes are included in. Defending thirds
• if the parent scale is F for G-7 andC7 then C7 and F6 the parent scale is B.B. major scale 
• Third way to play over chords is the blues scale
• Minor Blues scale 1 b3 4 b5 5 b7 8 
• Those are the three ways you can solo 

Road Song

• Straight 8 style came from carribbean music
• -Calypso, Salsa, etc. Cuban,
• late50’s Brazilian became popular samba etc.
• Rock and roll started out from the blues and is even 8ths most of the time
• Road song is a fusion type song. 
• New Orleans street beat is similar to a clave and can be used as a comping pattern
• The minor blues scale works really well in triplets
• Studying your music silently will help you play it correctly the first time. 
• If you get lost you can never miss when you hit the chord tones.
• When soloing, Mr.Greenblatt didn’t hear a strong jazz rhythmic sense. Start focusing on jazzy rhythmic  phrases.