The Jazz Language

Undergraduate

This course will present the essential elements of the "jazz vocabulary" to instrumentalists and vocalists. The language of jazz consists of the common melodic phrases, rhythms, harmonies, and core Jazz Standards that jazz musicians play today. Students will practice learning phrases by ear, which they will then transcribe and write in 12-keys. Students will also learn short solos as a class, by ear. Students will leave the course with a strategy for continuing their improvisational development in the months and years to come.