Combo Levels--GJCW
- Beginner/Advancing Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
How to decide which combo level?
- Read the combo level descriptions below
- Look at the audition directions and music for each level, linked below:
Accomplished jazz improvisors have honed a wide range of skills that allow them to improvise over jazz standards fluently and musically, but all players are “in progress,” working to get more comfortable in more keys, to play at different tempos, or to learn new tunes. While experience playing in school big bands is helpful, improvising fluently in smaller jazz combos requires a deeper understanding of jazz theory and experience taking solos on multiple tunes.
The combo level descriptions below are provided to help students decide where they are, generally, on their journey towards mastering jazz improvisation as well as to help them decide which combo level to choose while registering.
Mr. Chapin’s and Mr. Rivera’s Saturday Afternoon Combo in 2019.
Beginner/Advancing Beginner Level
Students entering grade 7 through adult, who can read music, and who want to begin exploring jazz are welcome in our workshops.
Our combos for beginners and advancing beginners are best for players who…
- Know all the notes on their instrument
- Are new to improvising or have a bit of experience playing in school band or a workshop like this
- Have some or no training in jazz music theory
- Are just beginning to learn about how to improvise over a song
- Pianists, vibists, and guitarists should be familiar with some chords
- Bassists should know the notes in the basic positions on the bass
- Drummers should be able to keep steady time and have some experience playing a drum set
- Vocalists should be able to sing an octave range, sing on pitch and to read notes
Click here to see Beginner/Advancing Beginner Audition Music
Mr. Rarick’s and Mr. Nielsen’s Sunday Evening Combo in 2019
Intermediate Level
Our combos for intermediate players are best for anyone who…
- Has played in school jazz bands
- Can improvise over the blues with the blues scale
- Is working on “playing the changes”—hitting chord tones and using the correct scale for each chord while improvising
- Has developed at least a beginning understanding of jazz music theory and chord progressions like the ii-V-I
- Pianists, vibists, and guitarists should have a beginning knowledge of jazz chord voicings and comping rhythms
- Bassists should have beginning knowledge of how to walk a bass line
- Drummers should be able to keep steady time and be able to play swing and latin drum beats
- Vocalists should be able to sing a jazz tune and have a beginning knowledge of how to improvise (scat)
Click here to see Intermediate Audition Music
Mr. Barclay’s Monday Afternoon Combo in 2019
Advanced Level
Advanced players…
- Have multiple years of experience improvising (have taken multiple solos) over tunes in jazz band or while playing in jazz combos
- Are comfortable improvising over ii-V-I’s and other chord progressions in multiple keys, able to target and lead into chord tones
- Can play swing, Latin, and jazz waltz tunes with a good sense of time and feel
- Pianists, vibists, and guitarists should have a through knowledge of jazz chord voicings and comping rhythms
- Bassists should be able create walking and latin bass lines at faster tempos
- Drummers should be able to play a variety of jazz beats at various tempos and volumes, while keeping solid time
- Vocalists should be able to sing a variety jazz tunes and have experience scatting
Click here to see Advanced Audition Music
