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The purpose of this study was to determine whether an Aebersold play-along recording is an effective tool for becoming a more proficient jazz improviser. Participants (N=35) were undergraduate and graduate trumpet, trombone, and saxophone students enrolled in the jazz program at a mid-sized university in the mid-western United States.The study followed a pretest/posttest design in which participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental or control group. Both groups were asked to record a pretest of improvisation over two choruses of F blues, along with a rhythm section playalong recording. Three expert judges evaluated these pretest performances using the Instrumental Jazz Improvisation Evaluation Measure (IJIEM). Participants self-reported a total of four hours of individual practice over the next thirteen days, the control group practicing F blues without the aid of accompaniment and the experimental group practicing with a play-along accompaniment compact disc provided by the researcher. Participants recorded two choruses of improvisation as a posttest on day fourteen, which were subsequently evaluated by the three expert judges, again using the IJIEM. The pretest and posttest results for all three judges were then averaged and compared for differences.The results reveal a significant difference with positive gain scores in both groups. While both groups showed higher mean gain scores, the experimental group experienced a fifty-six percent gain over the control group (not statistically significant). / School of Music

Jazz musicians traditionally learned jazz improvisation by transcribing other musicians they admired in order to absorb, assimilate and retain important stylistic elements of jazz. Indeed, many famous jazz musicians have testified to the importance of transcribing as part of their jazz education. By the latel960's, jazz increasingly gained acceptance as a legitimate American genre within academia. As jazz studies programs became more formalized in colleges and universities, a plethora of methods and materials have followed suit. Lately, critics of these programs claim that many of the procedures, methods and materials used have abandoned the aural-imitative tradition. This study examines the current use of and the viability of future jazz education methods based primarily on aural-imitative procedures.Forty-one jazz faculty from universities and colleges throughout the United States participated in an interview process. An open-ended questionnaire survey was used to elicit responses. Each was asked a series of questions directly related to transcribing. The responses were recorded via cassette and were transcribed verbatim. In addition, four music teachers at schools at four schools for the blind were asked a similar series of questions. Their interviews responses were analyzed for similarities and differences.The results suggest that current methods do not contain adequate aural representations and that transcription could be a viable alternative to current methods. A practical system based on the transcription paradigm could and should be developed. Current digital technologies and Internet developments may help facilitate an all-transcription based methodology. Certain recordings and solos have become recognized as `masterpieces' that deserve to be transcribed and studied. The insights gained from school for the blind suggest that certain musical aspects may be beet gained from an aural-centric perspective. / School of Music

The purpose of this study was to determine the status of jazz programs in secondary schools of Indiana for the 1991-1992 school year. Data were gathered by means of questionnaires sent to the directors of twenty-six successful Indiana high school jazz ensembles. Information sought was divided into five major sections: (1) General Information, (2) Teacher Profile, (3) Facilities and Equipment, (4) The Jazz Program, and (5) Budget and Finance. Responses were obtained from 76.9 percent of the total sample, and the data were tabulated and presented with comparison of the findings.The majority of the performances by the successful jazz programs surveyed were for public relations purposes, festivals, and formal concerts. One-half of the jazz band directors were members of IAJE. IAJE members were more active academically. Ninety-five percent of the jazz band directors indicated that their jazz ensembles attend an average of 3.3 competitions each year. Seventy percent of the jazz ensembles rehearsed in the fall during marching band season. Eighty percent of the jazz band directors had their students sing their parts during rehearsals. Sixty-five percent of the jazz band directors had their jazz ensembles sight-read at least 1-2 times weekly. Eighty percent of the jazz programs operated on a budget of $1,000 or more per year. / School of Music

This study compared the effects from the use of aural and notated exercises as pedagogical procedures for teaching harmonic accuracy to beginning jazz improvisation students. The methods of pedagogy were identified from published pedagogic and historical sources, the results of oral and written traditions of jazz pedagogy. The performance objective was produced from a review of the related literature as a recognized and measurable characteristic of jazz improvisation. The purpose of this study was to compare measurements of harmonic accuracy, following the use of notated and aural exercises as experimental procedures of jazz improvisation pedagogy. A lesson plan, materials, curriculum and outline were developed followed by student recruitment and participation. A total of 20 student volunteers participated in the methods of pedagogy (aural or notation). Data collection consisted of a musical background questionnaire and pre and posttest performance recordings. Student recordings were evaluated by six judges using the “experimental performance evaluation measure.” Statistical analyses were conducted, including comparisons of pre to posttest effects between, and among the methods of pedagogy. Although all student participants performed mostly from notated music prior to this study, students who received the aural method of pedagogy produced greater improvement for all measurement items. While the aural method produced no differences between grade level, the notation method produced significantly lower scores for 9th graders compared to 12th graders; no other significant grade level differences were noted. Conclusions were that although many sources of pedagogy do not include aural exercises as the predominate activity, beginning improvisers who have more experience reading music than playing by ear, learn better from aural, than notated exercises.

The purpose of the study was to develop and evaluate a comprehensive first semester college jazz improvisation curriculum. Specific problems concerning the evaluation of the curriculum were, (a) to assess achievement in music theory fundamentals, (b) to assess achievement in jazz listening, (c) to assess improvement in jazz improvisation performance, (d) to assess student attitudes toward jazz improvisation and the curriculum. Based on the findings, the conclusions were as follows students benefited from the study of jazz improvisation, utilizing the developed curriculum, in the areas of, (1) knowledge of music fundamentals, namely, chord spelling, scale spelling and harmonic analysis; (2) identification of jazz tunes, composers, musical forms and prominent jazz performers; (3) improvisation performance in a jazz style, and (4) positive attitude toward improvement in jazz improvisation.

This essay has two primary purposes: (1) to make a case for jazz education and (2) to suggest ways in which jazz education can more prominently and profitably feature in post-Apartheid South African education. Justifying jazz education and determining how it can best fit into South African education both require a clear conception of what jazz education is in its various forms. Thus, the essay begins by attempting a holistic definition of jazz education as education in, about, and through jazz followed by a systematic consideration of the many and varied educational outcomes jazz education is capable of achieving. Thereafter, an overview is presented of jazz education as it presently exists in South Africa. Employing criteria derived from the essay's discussions, South African jazz education is evaluated and suggestions are made for how it can be further developed. / Thesis (M.Mus.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Mus.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1988.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Mus.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1999.

The purpose of this study was to design and develop instructional units for teaching jazz piano comping to collegiate music students possessing basic piano skills but limited experience in jazz performance. In establishing bases and rationale for the instructional units, a number of issues were considered. These issues were (1) the need for teaching jazz piano comping, (2) a definition and explanation of the musical elements and characteristics of jazz and jazz comping, (3) an understanding of the African and European transmission traditions and musical characteristics that contributed to the development of jazz, (4) a review of literature relating to jazz piano comping, including jazz, music teaching and learning, and learning theory literature, and (5) a review of jazz piano comping practice from the swing era to the present, as reflected in the work of selected central jazz pianists. The twenty-four instructional units present basic harmonic and rhythmic materials of jazz piano comping. Harmonic materials include seven basic chord structures, harmonic extensions and alterations, upper-structure triads, II-V-I cadences, tritone substitution, chord successions, and typical chord progressions. Rhythmic materials include typical jazz rhythms. Each instructional unit is comprised of (A) presentation of a theoretical concept, (B) exercises for learning the particular concept, (C) a chord progression containing the particular concept, (D) a list of recorded examples of the chord progression for examination, and (E) suggested song titles for realization by the student. The instructional units are organized into four chapters of six units each. Instructional Units I through VI focus on individual voicings, organized into cycles of descending fifths. Units VII through XII focus on the II-V-I cadence and tritone substitution. Units XIII through XVIII focus on short chord successions. Units XIX through XXIV serves as a "summing up" of material presented in the first eighteen units. Overall, this work is designed to guide the student to technical proficiency, theoretical understanding, idiomatic fluency, and a creative approach to jazz piano comping. / School of Music