Jazz Saxophone Curriculum


Level I

Goals

Development of basic rhythmic sense (self contained time feel)

Development of basic jazz phrasing concepts, (swing eighth note interpretation, characteristic articulation and style)

Ability to improvise over simple harmonic frameworks such as:

  • Basic 12 bars blues
  • One or two chords of relatively long duration
  • Modal tunes.

Methods

  • Niehaus, L. – Basic Jazz Conceptions for Saxophone, Vol. 1
  • Larry Teal – The Art of Playing the Saxophone

Sample Solos

  • NYSSMA Levels 1 and 2

Improvisation Concepts

  • Major and Minor pentatonic scales.
  • Blues scales introduced.
  • Introduction to Modes of Major Harmony
  • Motive soloing and Development

Improvisation

  • Jamey Aebersold Vol. 24 Major and Minor

 


Level II

Sample Solos

  • Level 2 and 3 NYYSMA
  • Performance: Solofest and ECMS recital encouraged

Method

  • Niehaus, L. – Basic Jazz Conceptions for Saxophone, Vol. 2

Theory

  • Intervals
  • Ear Training – Singing and recognizing intervals
  • Jazz sequences introduced based on intervallic relationships
  • Pentatonic and blues sequences
  • Modes of Major Harmony continuation
  • Attention to color tones of scales

Jamey Aebersold Vol. 1 – How to Play Jazz and Improvise

 


Level III

Sample Solos

  • Levels 3 and Level 4 NYYSMA

Performance

  • One Solofest per year required
  • ECMS recital encouraged

Theory

  • Modes of Major Harmony continuation
  • More on Jazz sequences based on intervallic relationships
  • Ear Training – Singing and recognizing more complex intervals
  • II-V-I Patterns
  • Understanding and use of the circle of 5th
  • Diatonic triads and 7th chords in all major and minor keys
  • All Major, Minor, Diminished and Augmented Triads Straight and Broken Patterns All Keys.
  • Understanding of functional harmony (V-I, v-I, ii-V I, I VI ii V, etc.)

Jazz Repertoire

Introduction of Modal Tunes

  • So What
  • Cantaloupe Island
  • Little Sunflower
  • More on Bb Blues

Keep working on more tunes accordingly

  • Jamey Aebersold Vol. 1 How to Play Jazz and Improvise
  • Jamey Aebersold Vol. 21 Getting it there
  • Jamey Aebersold Vol. 3 II-V-I

 


Level IV

Solos

  • Level 4 and5 NYYSMA

Performance

  • Solofest in January required and one ECMS recital performance required

Theory

  • Ear Training – Ability to discern all 7th chord types
  • Triads All Cycles and Permutations by Memory
  • Arpeggios of all 5 Basic Chord Categories (Major, Minor, Dominant, Minor 7th b5 and diminished) All keys all Invertions by Memory
  • More on major and minor II-V-I
  • Ear Training – Singing and recognizing Major minor diminished and augmented triads

Jazz Repertoire

  • Blues in Bb, F
  • Blue Bossa
  • C Minor Blues

Jamey Aebersold Vol. 54, Maiden Voyage
Charlie Parker Omnibook

Musicianship

  • Ability to sing simple solos
  • Doing and analyzing simple Jazz transcriptions for development of the language.
  • Listening to Favorite Jazz Artist
  • Common Notes and Voice Leading Exercises
  • Chord Tones Exercises
  • Introduction of more complex chord progressions and tunes

Ensembles

  • Perform in school jazz ensemble and all county jazz ensembles.
  • Perform regularly in small group setting. (Combo)

 


Level V – Diploma Level

Sample Solos

  • NYSSMA Levels 5 and 6

Skills and Techniques

  • Continuation of Level I through IV Skills
  • Whole Tone, Diminished and Augmented Scales Introduced
  • Melodic and Harmonic Minor Scales and Related modes

Jazz

  • Coker – Patterns for Jazz
  • Nelson – Patterns for Improvisation
  • Baker – Bebop

Theory

  • Utilization of Bo-bop era non-harmonic tones or approach notes patterns:
  • Upper diatonic Neighbor
  • Lower Chromatic Neighbor
  • Rotation/Enclosure
  • Double Chromatic Approach

Jazz Repertoire

  • Various Real Books focusing on Standards
  • Ex. Take the A Train, Night in Tunisia, Autumn Leaves, All the Things You Are
  • Jamey Aebersold Vol. 54, Maiden Voyage
  • Charlie Parker Omnibook

Musicianship

  • Ability to sing simple solos
  • Doing and analyzing more complex Jazz transcriptions for development of the language
  • Listening to recordings of jazz artist specializing on your particular saxophone.
  • More on II-V-I, Sequences etc.
  • Ear Training – Ability to discern all 7th chord types

Performance

  • One regularly schedule ECMS recital required during senior when graduating at this level of playing.
  • One Jazz Solofest required during school year. Participation in honor bands (concert and jazz) encouraged.

Level VI – Honors Level

Sample Solos

  • NYSSMA Level 6 and other non- NYSSMA solos

Jazz

  • Coker – Patterns for Jazz
  • Nelson – Patterns for Improvisation
  • Baker – Bebop
  • Ricker – Advanced Etudes (Pentatonic, Augmented, Coltrane)

Theory

  • Mastery of levels I through V
  • Ear Training – Ability to discern tritone and harmonic substitutions Tetratonics

Jazz Repertoire

  • Various Real Books focusing on Standards
  • Ex. Just Friends, Rhythm Changes, Cherokee, etc.
  • Jamey Aebersold Vol. 54, Maiden Voyage, Vol. 34
  • Charlie Parker; Omnibook. Use of other transcriptions books depending on student interest to develop his/her own voice.

Musicianship

  • Ability to sing more complex solos. Motive Soloing and Motive Development continued.
  • Doing and analyzing more complex Jazz transcriptions for development of the language
  • Listening to recordings of jazz artist specializing on your particular saxophone.
  • Introduction of various techniques of out-side improvisation
  • Introduction of Free Form improvisation

Performance

Required

  • Pass special 20 minutes jury for permission to perform in solo recital.
  • Prepare and perform in one full length solo recital during senior year.

General

  • Perform at Solofest in Jazz
  • Audition for honor bands
  • Prepare for college auditions
  • Attend live performances

 

Last updated: October 7, 2008


Student Handbook Table of Contents