Houston Community College- Central Campus Department of Fine
Arts JAZZ IMPROVISATION I/II, MUSI 1163/ COURSE SYLLABUS, FALL 2010
Horace Alexander Young, Professor/Music Fine Arts Building- FAC 101
Phone: 713.718.6600 Email: [email protected] Class Times: M/W,
5:30-7:30PM Office Hours: M/W, 3:30-4:00PM
CourseDescription:Thisisacourseinthedevelopmentofmusical
improvisationalskillsasrelatedtothestyleofmusicknownasJazz.
Thepurposeofthiscourseistomotivatethestudenttoacquirea
methodofstudyingandperformingthebasicelementsof
improvisationthroughthelearningofjazzarticulationandphrasing,
idiomaticmelodicpatternsandphrasesandacoreselectionof
standardcompositionsfromtheestablishedrepertoireofJazz.The
courseisdesignatedtoincludevarioushands-onexercisesin(1)
improvisationaldevelopment inconjunctionwithoriginalcompositions
writtenbyclassmembers,(2)auralskillsandanalysisinvolving
interval,scaleandchordrecognitionand(3)developmentand enhancement
of self awareness utilizing specific melodic and harmonic
devicesandcognitivetechniquesthatwillassistinimprovingthe
presentation of the performer. The goal is to cultivate a more
confident and comfortable performer of Jazz.
RequiredTextandMaterials:MaidenVoyage:Volume54ofthe Jamey Aebersold
Jazz Improvisation Play-A-Long Series (Book w/CD). Kind of Blue,
The Miles Davis Sextet, Dual CD/DVD, Columbia Records.
RequiredTranscriptionStudy:Studentswillberequiredtolearn,
transcribeandperformMilesDavistrumpetsolofromSoWhat(Kind of Blue,
Columbia Records). Required Musical Skill Set and Course Protocols:
Basic proficiency
onamusicalinstrumentorvoiceanddemonstratedknowledgeofall
twelvemajorscalesandthethreeformsoftheminorscales
(harmonic,melodicandpure)isrequired.Allstudentswillneedto have a
No.2 pencil and manuscript paper in their case or notebook at
alltimes.Tofacilitateanefficientlineofcommunication,all
studentsarerequiredtoacquireandmaintainanactiveemail address
throughout the semester. Attendance and Participation: You will be
expected to attend every classsession inapunctual manneror
giveadvance notice viaphone, email, etc that you are unable to
attend. Exceptions will only be made for absences due to official
university sanctioned excuses, unexpected illness, family emergency
or Acts of God.
GradingandEvaluation:Gradingisbasedonperformanceinthe class, the
completion of all assignments and performances of required
transcriptions and on the two examinations (mid-term and final)
given during the semester. There will be a concert featuring the
students in
thisclassasaperformingensemblethatwillbegiveninjointeffort
withthestudentsinMusic228/JazzImprovisationatTexasSouthern
University. Specific details of that concert will be given in
class. There is no final given during Final Exam week.
NOTE:ITISTHERESPONSIBILITYOFTHESTUDENTTO
WITHDRAWOFFICIALLYFROMACOURSE.Administrativedrops
areatthediscretionoftheinstructor.Failureofthestudentto withdraw
officially will result in the student receiving a grade of "F" in
the course. ADA STATEMENT
Studentswhorequirereasonableaccommodationfordisabilitiesare
encouragedtoreporttoroom102SJAC,orcall.713-718-6164to make
necessary arrangements. Faculty are only authorized to provide
accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services
Office.AmericanswithDisabilitiesActStatement:Anystudentwitha
documenteddisability(e.g.physical,learning,psychiatric,vision,
hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must
contact the Disability Support Services Office at the respective
college atthebeginningofeachsemester.Facultyareauthorizedtoprovide
only the accommodations requested by the Disability Support
Services Office. For questions, contact Donna Price at 713-718-5165
or the Disability Counselor at each college.Also visit the ADA web
site at: http://www.hccs.edu/students/disability/index.htm
CORECURRICULUM:MUAP1163/1164,fulfillthefollowingcore
intellectualcompetencies:Reading,Writing,Speaking,Listening,
Critical Thinking, and Computer Literacy. SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY:
Houston Community College defines scholastic dishonesty as:cheating
on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. Penalties for academic
dishonesty at HCCS include, but are not limited to, a 0 on that
test or assignment, a Win the course, or an F in the course. Week
One Reviewofallofthetwelve majorscales,playedthrough theCircleof
Keys. Explanation of jazz articulation (jazz legato) and the jazz
eighth noteconcept.StudentswilllearnDukeEllingtonsCJamBlues(12
Barblues)asanexampleofjazzarticulationandtransposeittoall
keys.SonnyRollinsSonnymoonForTwo(12BarBlues,minor pentatonic
melody) will be studied as well. Week Two Discussion and group
exercises in the playing of the Fourteen Essential Jazz Scales.
Beginningwiththisweek,thefirstfourscales(dorian,lydian,
mixolydianandlocrian)willbeexplainedindetailandwillbestudied
by(1)formingchord-scalesfamiliesaccordingtoaparentkey
formatand(2)learningjazztunesthatarecomposedfromorbased on each
scale. Students will be introduced to the technique known as
theLocraian-PentatonicMethodofImprovisationduringthis
time.Referenceswillbemadetothissystemthroughoutthecourse.
ThefirstcompositionstudiedintheseapproacheswillbeFreddie Hubbards
Straight Life (mixolydian) Week Three
ContinuationofWeekTwo,studyingJohnColtranesImpressions
(dorian).Exerciseswillbestudiedconcerningtheconceptofmerging
thechordscaleswithjazzeighthnotepatterns.Theconceptof connecting
phrases will be discussed. Week Four
ContinuationofWeekThree,studyingHerbieHancocksMaiden Voyage
(dorian). Week Five Further discussion of the remaining jazz scales
and their application to
variouschordprogressions(samplechordprogressionsfromjazz
standards). Herbie Hancocks Cantaloupe Island (dorian, mixolydian,
lydian-dominantandminorpentatonic)andKennyDorhamsBlue
Bossa(dorian,lydian,mixolydian,locrianandminorpentatonic)will be
studied. Week Six
ContinuationofWeekFive,studyingHerbieHancocksWatermelon
Man(dorian,mixolydian,lydian-dominantandminorpentatonic)and
HoraceSilversSongForMyFather(dorian,mixolydian,locrian,
lydian-dominant, dominant-diminished and minor pentatonic). Week
Seven Introduction of the1-2-3-5 Chord Study Pattern. Exercises
will be studiedusingthispatternasitrelatestothefourbasicchordtypes
(major,minor,augmentedanddiminished).StudentswillstudyMiles
DavisSolarandBillyStrayhornsTakeTheATrainandapplythis
patterntothechordprogression.Anintroductiontothetwo-five
progression (iim7-V7-I), simple chord substitutions and turnarounds
will be applied to these compositions. Week Eight Mid-Term
Examinations will be held during this week. Students will be
gradedontheirabilitytoplayallchord/jazzscalesgroupedin
families,asstudied,inallkeysandperformanyofthetunes (melodies and
improvisations) from Week One-Seven. An examination consisting of
two parts (a) written and (b) listening will also be given. Week
Nine Continuationofthe1-2-3-5ChordStudyPatternusingDuke Ellingtons
Satin Doll. Detailed discussion of the two-five progression
(iim7-V7-I).Groupandindividualplayingofpatternsbasedonthe
progression.Moreexamplesofchordsubstitutionsandturnaround patterns
will be studied. Week Ten
ContinuationoftheconceptsstudiedinWeekNine.SonnyRollins Doxy and
the jazz standard Autumn Leaves will be studied. Week Eleven
TheTwelveBarBlues.Studentswillperformimprovisationsusing
conceptslearnedsinceWeekOne.Usingmoreadvancedharmonic
variationsoftheBluesprogressions;studentswilllearnadditional Blues
Heads and perform them in several keys. Sonny Rollins Tenor
Madness,TheloniousMonksStraightNoChaserandexamplesof
theEightandSixteenBarBluesformat,suchasHoraceSilversThe
Preacherwillalsobediscussed.PerformanceexamonCharlie Parkers Nows
The Time. Week Twelve Continuation of Week Eleven, with additional
study of Blues changes in
theminormode.GeorgeGershwinsSummertimeandWayne Shorters Footprints
will be studied. Students will compose an original
TwelveBarBlues(inmajororminor)andperformtheircompositions in class.
Week Thirteen Study of the I Got Rhythm chord changes (a.k.a.
Rhythm Changes).
Studentswilllearntheoriginalmelodyandchordprogressiontothe George
Gershwin composition of the same name. As this is one of the
mostimportantstandardprogressionsinJazz(aftertheBlues),
variousmelodiescanbeinterchangedusingthisprogression.Lester
YoungsLesterLeapsInandCharlieParkersMooseTheMooche are two such
tunes which will be examined. Week Fourteen Continuation of the
study of Rhythm Changes. Week Fifteen In-class performances of
selections from Week One-Fourteen and solo performances of Miles
Davis solo transcription from So What.
FYI:Thefollowingmagazinesareexcellentforsupplementalreading
andtheycontainrecordreviews,interviews,solotranscriptionsand
biographicalinformationthatapplytocurrentandpastperformances and
performers of Jazz. DOWNBEATJAZZIZJAZZTIMES JAZZED JAZZ IMPROV It
is recommended that you record the names and contact information of
at least two other class members.
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