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Welcome to JazzKids® Book Four. The JazzKids program and this book represent a culmination of twenty years of playing and teaching experience. These ideas will teach you improvisation concepts in multiple styles with examples and CD accompaniment.

Teachers

The JazzKids program integrates easily into your current reading curriculum. Spend five to ten minutes per lesson using this material and you will see a dramatic improvement in your studentsʼ improvisational abilities.

Students use the CD at home. Think of it as your assistant teacher. The CD features examples, instruction and jam-with-the-band tracks that help the student understand the concepts in this book. With the CD, students will come to lessons even more prepared!

Students

The material in this book is meant to be fun! Read the text and do the examples, but also add your own personality to what you see here. Improvisation and music are personal forms of expression. You will find your creative voice, but you must go beyond the page. Do you wonder what it would sound like if...? Well, do it. Try it. “Fiddle” around with it and make it your own.

To get the most from this book, listen to the CD at home and play with the jam-with-the-band tracks.

Have fun and enjoy!

Willie Myette

About the author, Willie Myette

Willie has toured both the U.S. and Europe as clinician and performer. He is a graduate of the well renowned Berklee College of Music. He has studied in New York with Fred Hersch and in Boston with Ray Santisi. Willie has produced three recordings as band leader and his music has been featured on radio stations nationwide.

photo by: paul clancy

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Root - Seventh Chords (R7 chords)

Chord Type The 7th is down a __ step Major 7th HALFMinor 7th WHOLEDominant 7th WHOLE

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Anticipations

An anticipation is when you change the melody or chords to come in earlier than expected. In measure two, the melody is coming in on the upbeat of beat two. This creates and anticipation and creates syncopation. Even though the chord symbol is written over the melody on beat two, you should play it with the anticipation. You can also see this demonstrated in measures 12-13.

Root - Third Chords (R3 chords)

Chord Type The Third is

Major 7th MajorMinor 7th minorDominant 7th Major

R3 chords are the root and the third of the chord played at the same time. Using the chart below, you can see that the third of Major and Dominant chords is Major. Minor chords have a minor third. Using C-7 as an example, start with the C Major scale and flat the third. The R3 chord is then C and E flat.

Notice, C-7 is used instead of Cmin7 to get you used to seeing both symbols.

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