Faculty

Middle School Big Band

A big band open to advanced middle school musicians. Students develop their knowledge of jazz style and ability to improvise through rehearsal and performance. This class focuses on the importance of playing together as an ensemble utilizing a wide range of jazz standards and original compositions appropriate for the middle school musician. Students have several performance opportunities each quarter. A fall, winter, spring quarter commitment is required for this ensemble. Instrumentation: 5 saxes; 5 trumpets; 5 trombones; piano; bass; drums; and guitar.

Saturday 10am - 11:30am KEITH JOHNSON (10 WEEKS) $170

High School Big Band - "Studio Band" (Grades 9-12)

An award-winning ensemble for advanced high school musicians. Students develop technique, knowledge of jazz style and an ability to improvise through standard and contemporary big band literature and performance. This ensemble performs frequently throughout the Bay Area and participates in national jazz festivals and competitions throughout the United States. Students also have the opportunity to participate in clinics and workshops with leading Bay Area jazz educators. A fall, winter, spring quarter commitment is required for this ensemble. Instrumentation: 5 saxes; 5 trumpets; 5 trombones; piano; bass; drums; and guitar.

Friday 4:00pm - 6:30pm KEITH JOHNSON (10 WEEKS) $170

High School Jazz Combo (grades 9-12)

An ensemble designed for high school musicians interested in gaining a greater understanding of jazz theory, further developing improvisation skills and expanding their jazz repertoire.

SECTION I, Saturday 10:00am - 11:30am JOHN YI (10 WEEKS) $360
SECTION II, Friday 4pm - 5:30pm MARTIN (MARTY) WEHNER (10 WEEKS) $360

A high energy ensemble focusing on the classic funk hits of James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, Earth Wind & Fire, The Meters, Herbie Hancock, Tower of Power and Motown's Funk Brothers. Vocalists and horns encouraged!

Saturday 10:00am - 11:30am JOE BAGALE (10 WEEKS) $360

Designed for middle school musicians interested in playing jazz and developing improvisation skills. This ensemble covers a wide range of repertoire from John Coltrane to James Brown. Students play innovative arrangements focusing on stylistic accuracy and developing coherent solos in a friendly, non-competitive environment.

Thursday 4:00pm - 5:30pm KASEY KNUDSEN (10 WEEKS) $360

This Downbeat award-winning ensemble is designed for the advanced-level high school student player who is competent in the bebop language and wishes to explore with their peers, through rehearsal and performance of relevant compositions, the post-bop harmonic, melodic, rhythmic and formal innovations of artists such as Coltrane, Shorter, Corea, Hancock and Brecker. Students are encouraged to write and arrange for the group and have opportunities to record on occasion. These ensembles are invited to perform at numerous venues throughout the Bay Area including the prestigious Monterey Jazz Festival! Enrollment on a by-audition basis per quarter. Please call the Jazzschool to schedule an audition appointment.

Monday 6:15pm - 7:45pm MICHAEL ZILBER (9 WEEKS) $325

Advanced High School Jazz Workshop II (Grades 9-12)

Monday 4:30pm - 6pm ERIK JEKABSON (9 WEEKS) $325

Jazz Piano for Kids

An introduction to jazz piano, this class for all ages covers basic rhythmic, melodic and harmonic terminology with an emphasis on improvisation. Instructor addresses all aspects of interpreting a "lead sheet" and provides students with a basic approach to playing and improvising over a jazz "tune" in both solo and group formats. Students learn major, dominant, minor, half-diminished and diminished seventh chords, simple open voicings, and voice-leading techniques. Instructor introduces the major, minor and blues scales, provides an introduction to functional harmony and also addresses the concept of "comping." Chord extensions and rootless voicings may be covered as progress allows.'

Prerequisite: two years of piano lessons and ability to read music. Knowledge of major scales helpful.

Sunday 3:00pm - 4:30pm JENNIFER CLEVINGER (10 WEEKS) $360

DRUMS

Rock & Funk Drumming

This class serves as an introduction to basic rock and funk grooves. Class plays along with CDs and students are encouraged to bring in their favorite recordings.

Prerequisite: Drum Set Technique for Beginners or equivalent.
Class text: "Funky Primer" by Charles Dowd and "Syncopation" by Ned Reed (available in The Bassment).

Monday 8:15pm - 9:45pm JOE BAGALE (9 WEEKS) $325

Vocal Jazz Performance for Young Musicians

Drawing from the "Great American Songbook," this hands-on class for middle and high school boys and girls focuses on singing classic jazz repertoire. Performance techniques include correct use of the microphone, stage presence, simple breathing and learning to sing with a rhythm section. This class concludes with a performance for family and friends in the Jazzschool's Hardymon Hall!

Monday 4:45pm - 6:15pm Jessica Neighbor (9 WEEKS) $325