Course overview
Jazz Musicianship 3 builds on the theoretical and practical skills developed in Jazz Musicianship 2A and 2B. Students explore melodic, rhythmic and harmonic features of advanced jazz standards and contemporary jazz tunes through study of relevant texts, audio and video files, musical scores and transcribed solos. This knowledge is applied by way of group exercises which focus on advanced chord progressions (including non-functional harmony and Coltrane changes) extended and altered chords and modified scales (including tetratonics (triad + 1), pentatonics and hexatonics). There is a continued focus on the development of the student's rhythmic awareness through the playing of odd meters, polyrhythms and displacement. Students will be encouraged to compose music in the styles discussed in class.
Course learning outcomes
- Demonstrate an understanding of advanced rhythmic, melodic and harmonic concepts used in contemporary jazz music.
- Apply advanced rhythmic, melodic and harmonic concepts through improvisation, performance, preparation and participation in contemporary jazz contexts.
- Create original musical compositions incorporating advanced rhythmic, melodic and harmonic concepts explored in the course.
- Identify advanced rhythmic, melodic and harmonic devices through aural and written analysis.