Intermediate Jazz Improvisation
560:052/560:152(g), Section 2
Christopher Merz

E-mail: merz@uni.edu
Tel. 273-3077
Office hours TBA, second week of class

Text:
Reeves, Creative Jazz Improvisation, Third Edition

Supplementary Materials: Course pack (available from Copyworks) Tune cd Aebersold I Got Rhythm (in 12 keys), Vol. 47 (Available at the University book store, or from jajazz.com)

Course Description:

This course will cover materials and techniques of the mainstream jazz improviser through the study of selected repertoire:

  1. Bye Bye Blackbird
  2. I Hear A Rhapsody
  3. Don't Explain
  4. "I Got Rhythm"-based tunes:
    1. Second Balcony Jump
    2. Lester Leaps In
    3. Anthropology
    4. I Got Rhythm
    5. Cottontail
    6. Rhythm-a-ning
    7. The Eternal Triangle
    8. and/or others

Activities/techniques:

  1. Learning melodies and lyrics by ear
  2. Transposition of melodies by ear
  3. Embellishment and improvisation from melodies
  4. Playing chord changes at the piano
  5. Writing and playing bass lines to chord changes
  6. Functional analysis and harmonic lines
  7. Composing solos and/or alternate melodies (contrafacts) on chord progressions
  8. Applying patterns and motives to chord progressions
  9. Harmonic and motivic improvisation
  10. Reading chord changes
  11. Rhythmic exercises
  12. Free playing exercises

Grading:

  1. Four unit exams (40% @ 10% each)
  2. Final playing exam (20%)
  3. Quizzes and assignments (20% total)
    1. Be able to play melodies 1-3 in assigned keys, from memory
    2. Playing changes of all tunes at the piano
    3. Technical studies
    4. Ballad singing
    5. Written work (written solos, contrafacts, bass lines)
    6. Bass lines on your instrument, as assigned
    7. All "Rhythm" heads in original keys, from memory
  4. Aural transcription assignments (10%, equally weighted)
    1. Bye Bye Blackbird
    2. I Hear a Rhapsody
    3. Don't Explain
    4. Second Balcony Jump
  5. Solo transcription (10%)
    You are encouraged to select a solo from the tune cd for transcription. If you choose something from another source, find something on a progression studied in the class, or similar (one chorus [32 measures] minimum). Solos need not be notated.

Students enrolled for graduate credit must also complete the following:

  1. Play Bye Bye Blackbird and I Hear a Rhapsody (melody and improvisation) in one additional key, as assigned, on unit tests.
  2. Select an additional ballad to learn by ear (melody and changes), to be performed on unit test.
  3. Improvise on "Rhythm" changes using the A variant on unit test.
  4. Transcribe a complete solo (2 chorus minimum) on one of the vehicles studied through the semester. Notate it and provide a melodic and harmonic analysis. Write a brief introduction pointing out some of the more significant features of the solo.

Note
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) provides protection from illegal discrimination for qualified individuals with disabilities. Students requesting instructional accommodations due to disabilities must arrange for such accommodations through the Office of Disability Services. The ODS is located at 213 Student Services Center. The telephone number is 273-2676.