so where do you even start when teaching a young band the different styles they may encounter? Below is a set of suggestions from Dr. Dave Stamps about where to start as well as some additional resources.
NOTES
Dave's Suggestions
Listen!
This is the most important thing you and your students can do to understand the stye and feel of different kinds of jazz. If they know what to expect then they'll know more what to do themselves.
Get listening to be a part of your classroom culture
Incentivize
Group listening
Brief assignments
For teaching swing to young students:
Give them a chance to figure out how 3 fits into 1
Metronome work, say "tri-pu-let" or "doo-du-la" over and over so they get a feel of how that fits
Repetition!
Gradually, have them bring out the "la" to feel the upbeat strength
For rhythm section players:
Swing: Feel in 2 or in 4
Bass
Half notes on I and V for a 2-feel
Walking bass line for 4-feel
Can also be used for R&B, 6/8 & 12/8 time
Drums
"Broken" ride cymbal rhythm for 2-feel
Steady ride cymbal rhythm for 4-feel
Straight-eighth: ballads, rock'n'roll, Latin charts
For Latin charts, the emphasis is on the clave to drive time, not just the quarter note
Clave is often written into the drums
2 - 3
3 - 2
Most common in jazz: Brazilian bossa nova, samba, etc.
For bass: tumbao - fits into the clave
For reference, listen and talk to people who play this music authentically
Funk
Swing-based
Straight-eighth
Parliament Funkadelic
Bass-driven, drums are simple, bass acts more like a melody line
"Swunk feel"
Fusion of funk and swing
Yellowjackets
Dave Wecke Band "Swunk"
Bass is walking and a melody-based feel
Drums are driving in straight 8ths but the ride cymbal is swinging
RESOURCES