SEPTEMBER 2015 JAZZ AUDITION PACKET

HORNS Flute Oboe – play flute part Clarinet – play a trumpet part Alto Sax 1 Alto Sax 2 Tenor Sax 1 Tenor Sax 2 Trumpet 1 Trumpet 2 Trumpet 3 Trumpet 4 Horn Trombone 1 Trombone 2 Trombone 3 Trombone 4 Baritone – play a trombone part

Audition Checklist: oBLUES SCALES: Concert Bb and F Blues Scales Play the scales straight & swing style

oLEAD SHEET/COMBO TUNE: “Red’s Good Groove” Play the melody (you may also improvise if you wish!)

oBIG BAND CHART: “Caravan” Play as written

DETAILS ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES

Frequently Asked Questions Read these with your parents!

Why does everyone have to audition for jazz?

Jazz band is not only an extra time commitment, but also an extra musical commitment. Each student has to show that he or she is ready to play in this ensemble. You can show Miss Marino that you are ready for this musical and personal responsibility through preparing your jazz audition to the best of your ability. If you have questions over the summer, e-mail Miss Marino at marinos@fairhavenbe.org. Include your phone number – she’ll write back if it’s an easy question, or she’ll give you a call if it’s more complicated.

What is the difference between Jazz Big Band and Jazz Combo? And, which one am I auditioning for?

Jazz Big Band is a large ensemble that performs in the Winter, Tri-District, and Spring Concerts, and plays arrangements like the one included in this audition packet. There are many horns in Big Band (four to five of each instrument), and one of each rhythm section player (guitar, piano, bass, drums). The Big Band rehearses at lunch/recess on Fridays.

Jazz Combos are the smaller groups that perform in the Winter, Chamber Music, and Spring Concerts, and play lead sheets like the one included in this audition packet. Jazz combos focus on improvisation. Ideally, combos include a guitar or piano player, a bass player, a drum set player, and a flexible number of horns. Sometimes, to accommodate more students who audition well, a combo might have both a guitar and piano player, or even two piano players or drummers. In this situation, students who play piano or drums take turns, playing xylophone when they’re not playing their primary instruments. The Combos rehearse during a regular rotating lesson schedule on Fridays.

You can tell Miss Marino if you prefer one group over the other. If you have been in either one before, you may even get placed in both. Please know that Miss Marino takes both audition performances and grade levels into account; older students do get preference over younger ones. Ultimately, Miss Marino will decide which group is right for you, both with your input and after hearing your audition.

Why is it important for rhythm section members to take private lessons outside of school?

It is important that all rhythm section students (guitar, piano, bass, drums) keep up with their lessons outside of school. While good techniques are encouraged and supported in Combo and Big Band, they are not the primary focus (as they are in regular like-instrument band lessons). We rehearse in mixed-instrument groups for jazz ensembles, so ensemble technique, musical style and form, theory, and other ideas take precedence. Therefore, it is important that all rhythm section students continue to pursue individual study at home.

BLUES SCALES: Concert Bb and F Blues Scales Play the scales straight & swing style

Practice these scales, one or two octaves, by themselves or with a play-along track for “Bb” or “F Blues”. Your goal is to perform these scales at your audition with accurate pitches, good tone quality, and a steady beat.

If you have been in Combo or Big Band before, you know what to do! If not, start with the basics – play each note as a long tone. Listen as you play, and get used to the new sound. Blues scales follow a pattern, just like the major and minor scales you know from regular band follow their own patterns. After a while, the blues scale will sound and feel as natural to you as any other scale!

Finally, this is a “generic” scale sheet. Some of the notes may be out of your range. If you prefer to play a scale higher, please do so -- play it in an octave that is comfortable for you!

Flute, Oboe, Trombone*, Baritone*: Bb Blues, F Blues *bass clef!

Clarinet, Trumpet, Tenor Sax: C Blues, G Blues

Alto Sax: G Blues, D Blues

Horn: F Blues, C Blues

LEAD SHEET/COMBO TUNE: “Red’s Good Groove” Play the melody (you may also improvise if you wish!)

Download the listening tracks on my web page and…listen! Then practice this tune by yourself or with any of the play-along tracks for “Bb Blues”. Your goal is to be able to perform it at your audition with accurate rhythms, pitches, and style, as well as your best tone quality!

This is an example of a “lead sheet”, which is the type of music you will get in Jazz Combo. It shows the melody and the chords. This particular tune is a 12-bar blues, one of the musical forms we study in Combo. We sometimes play 12-bar blues in Big Band, too, just not from a lead sheet. As a horn player, a working knowledge of the 12-Bar Blues will serve you well in many playing situations.

Your first job as a horn player is to play the melody. The other band members have their own jobs, such as playing chord changes, a bass line, or a rhythmic feel. Together, through playing and listening, it will come together! You don’t have your own band at home, of course, but you do have the mp3 play-along tracks. Please use them to practice!

Finally, when you get confident with the melody, try improvising your own melody. Create a variation of the melody you already know, use your blues scales for inspiration, or both.

BIG BAND CHART: “Caravan” Play as written

Follow this link for a recording: http://www.jwpepper.com/Caravan/10023039.item#.VY8WEOe05-U

Look at the parts available for your instrument and pick one that is right for you. Your goal is to be able to perform this piece at your audition with accurate rhythms, pitches, and style, as well as your best tone quality!

This is an arrangement that we will play in Big Band in the fall. Some tips to help you tackle the job:

1. Play through the entire piece to get an overall idea of the work ahead of you. Then, break it into manageable pieces, focusing on practicing one piece at a time. You will find success and feel more confident if you master one section at a time, rather than if you try to gobble the whole thing up at once. That might prevent you from getting really good at any section!

2. Look for patterns – rhythms that appear multiple times within a section, or sections that repeat.

3. Follow articulations from the start. Accents and legato markings go a long way towards helping you interpret the style of the piece.

4. Use what you already know when approaching a challenging rhythm. Your musical knowledge will help you figure it out! Some strategies you may recall from band class:

o BASIC RHYTHMS “How does this go?” Sing it; then play it. Hear yourself sing it in your head as you play. This is especially helpful for basic rhythms you’ve played many times – keep those solid!

o TIES “How long do I hold this note?” Play it without the tie. Then, put the tie back in and play it again. Listen to the smaller note values in your head as they come together to produce the longer sound.

o RESTS “How long is this rest?” “When do I come in?” Imagine the rest is a note of the same value. Sing it using “du” and “du-de”.