Foreword and Acknowledgments
How to use this book:This texr reflects the basic way in which I have taught my jazz theory and improvisation courses at a variety of primarily college-level institutions over the past twenty years. The state of jazz pedagogy has changed radically during that time, as have my per-sonal educational perspective and experience.
This text constitutes an updated, hopefully more clearly orga-nized version of my 1983 rext/azz Theoy, reflecting the changes in my teaching style and organizational method which have been a result of this evolving experience, both musically and pedagogi-cally. It is designed in a topic-by-topic format, including biblio-graphy, discobiblio-graphy, and relevant suggested assignments at the end of each chapter. The discography is quite specifically related to the musical examples referenced in the text, and all the record-ings are listed in their curently available forms, so that even an institution or individual wishing to start from scratch in reaching such a course could do so. Likewise, I feel that the bibliography is quite comprehensive, relevant, and up to date.
When I began writing Jazz Tbeovy nearly twenry years ago, jazz pedagogy was at a much more formative stage, and my own teaching experience had been primarily defined by my experiences in institutions with well-established jazz programs. Having spent a good deal of time since in liberal arts institutions, or in other educational and musical situations where the primacy of the jazz idiom (or even its validity as a field worthy of serious academic pursuit) was not taken for granted, I have had to reassess the assumptions one makes in structuring such a course of study. The text, then, can be regarded as a fleshed-out syllabus, reflect-ing the manner in which a course can be taught today in a liberal arts or undergrade institution, where students need first of all to be acquainted with the basic language of jazz harmonic theory, ‘,,, then taken progressively through an examination of the various topics necessary to achieving an understanding of jazz harmony &d improvisation. The text’s organization is also designed to Show the teacher and student alike how to integrate the various ,xxcellenc pedagogical resources available today into a structured
study of music.
The order in which these topics are explored has been carefully organized so that the student can proceed from the most access-ible concepts in harmony and improvisation to those which are most complex. Once a foundation of basic theoretical language has been established, the topics of modal playing, melodic embel-lishment and improvisation, form, and the Blues are presented. More complex theoretical topics such as the uses of secondary and substitute Dominant harmonies, key-of-the-moment, inter-polated chords, modal interchange, and Blues and “I Got Rhy-thm” variations are then introduced. This order of topical discus-sion does not mirror the historical evolution of the music, rather
it introduces the concepts in an order which has proven mosr accessible to students, moving from the simpler improvisational concepts through the most complex.
I cannot overstate the importance of doing many, many, in-class performance projects to reinforce what is being studied in the text. Every assignment or exercise which is done should reflect the fact that, first and foremost, jazz is an aural tradition. To study melodic variation, listen to and transcribe several interpretations of the same melody. To study Blues, write one! Several transcrip-tions should be undertaken over the course of the year, per-formed by the transcriber and collectively analyzed by the class. When studying “Rhythm Changes,” write one! Eartraining and keyboard voice-leading exercises should be a regular part of the in- class routine.
Having established artists make guest appearances to speak with, coach, and orhenvise share their experiences with the students is an invaluable method of enlivening and enriching the course-work. Guest artists have had a terrific impact on the programs I have developed.
I welcome any comments or suggestions on how the organization of this text works for you, or how it might be improved. I would also be happy to communicate with anyone who might want some help in setting up or implementing this sort of curriculum. Finally, I would be remiss were I nor to thank the various people whose behind-the-scenes work helped ro make this text what it is. Thomas M. Zentawer and Michael Ebert, whose expertise in graphic calligraphy brought the musical examples to life, Dan Richter for his editorial assistance; Ann Maggs, whose attention to detail and knowledge of the recorded jazz repertoire created our bibliography and discography, Fred Tillis for being an inspi-ration, mentor, and role model for an aspiring jazz advocate for over twenty years, and of course Hans Gruber, for making our work available to you.
This book is dedicated to the great masters of the jazz tradition, the most important artform to have evolved in the 20th century, in hopes that in some small way it will help give something back IO this wonderful tradition which has so enriched all of our lives.
