Course overview
In this course students will continue to develop the fundamental skills that provide the foundation for a career in jazz. Students will study tunes on the first year tunes list which at this point focuses on traditional jazz tunes, riff-tunes from the Swing era and some simple jazz standards. Students will analyse solos performed by the greats on some of these tunes, explore relevant chords and scales, create simple bass lines, and explore simple reharmonisation concepts. Students will also develop aural skills through interval recognition, rhythmic dictation, chord and scale recognition. One of the weekly sessions will be spent continuing to develop core keyboard skills so the students can more easily grasp the concepts explored. Students will learn to play simple jazz accompaniments, basic bass lines and some jazz voicings on the piano.
Course learning outcomes
- Following on from MUSI1022 Musicianship 1A, this course provides the broadening of the fundamental harmonic language to encompass more sophisticated techniques to create jazz language with a variety of harmonic devices.
- Develop practical skills on instrument/voice to execute jazz language suited to the course “Tunes List”.
- Develop awareness and control of rhythmic devices and articulation common in jazz styles.
- Develop awareness of the roots of the music as a Black American art form and its historical context as it relates to the evolution of the harmony and rhythm of jazz.
- Develop skills in creative jazz soloing and group interplay.
- Develop piano skills as a tool for understanding harmony.
- Develop critical thinking and problem solving through the composition of original solo material.
- Develop skills through improvisational exercises in groups.
- Develop understanding of the jazz ensemble and how the various roles interact.