Unlocking the Mysteries of the Jazz Ensemble Score

Presented By

MIKE TOMARO
INTRODUCTION Jazz pedagogy began as an oral tradition. If a person wanted to be a jazz player, he found a working jazz musician to teach him the basics as well as the more elusive aspects of the music. Unfortunately, due to this apprenticeship process, a standard of teaching was never established. This lack of consistency continues into present day. Chord symbols, articulations (or the lack of them) and notation can still differ greatly from one chart to the next. This clinic is designed to help the jazz ensemble director, novice or experienced, interpret all the aspects of a score in order to more effectively rehearse and perform with any jazz group. CONSIDERING AN ARRANGEMENT FOR YOUR BAND The selection of a chart that fits your ensembles ability level is of the utmost importance. Here are several factors that should be considered when deciding if a chart is right for your band: Lead trumpet and trombone ranges Easy and mid-level jazz ensemble music written today rarely exceeds a written G on top of the staff for lead trumpet, somewhere between D-F for trombone. More difficult material obviously exceeds these ranges.

Many directors look for these top notes in the lead brass parts and stop there. However, one very important factor that is usually overlooked is the top note for the rest of the section. If the high notes are a matter of unison writing, octave transpositions can often be employed.

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More importantly, look for harmonized ensemble sections to see if the section players are required to play beyond their individual abilities, range-wise. Trumpets are almost always written in close position, that is, all four or five notes of the voicing span no more than an octave. Below is a typical four-note close position voicing that could be found in a jazz ensemble setting.

Notice the close proximity of the top three voices, all three spanning only a minor 3rd. This voicing is quite tense. Even if the lead player can negotiate his note, the 2nd and 3rd players must be equally as comfortable with their notes for this voicing to be played effectively. Unless a chart is way beyond the abilities of a band, range-wise, there are usually only a few of these questionable voicings. One possible solution is to create a drop two voicing from the close position one. This merely involves the dropping of the 2nd voice (the one directly below the top voice) one octave. The drop two version of the above close position voicing is shown below.

Notice that the dropping of the 2nd voice has resulted in lower, more comfortable pitches for all the section players. Also, the employment of this voicing has lessened the tension by eliminating the tight cluster of notes at the top of the voicing. This drop two function may need to be used on one or two voicings appearing before and after the offensive one in order to create smoother individual lines for each player. Style and tempo These two factors often go hand in hand. For example, can your band swing at slow tempos as well as fast ones? Can they correctly place 16th notes that occur in a funk chart? Can the rhythm section effectively carry off a samba, jazz waltz, etc.? These kinds of questions should influence your music selection. For information on special rhythm section grooves, search the internet. There is a wealth of information on this subject on several different websites. Presence or absence of written-out rhythm section parts This decision is a crucial one, especially with inexperienced players. If you choose a chart that only contains chord symbols for piano, guitar and bass and your rhythm section has never dealt with these, the performance will never succeed unless youre willing to teach them how to play walking bass lines and chord voicings. Difficulty of improvisation sections Many of todays arrangements contain scales for improvisation or sample solos; many older charts do not. Some charts have easier improvisation

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sections designed for less experienced players. Still others have only chord symbols in the solo parts. Watered-down rhythms This particular factor can be found in pop tune arrangements. The arranger simplifies the rhythms to the point where the original melody is almost unrecognizable. When students see these rhythms, they usually ignore them and play the melody as they know it from the CD. This creates two negatives First, it is doubtful the band will guess the recorded rhythms correctly so they play the melody together and second, they are not reading the written rhythms so they are developing bad rhythm reading habits. IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE SCORE TO CONSIDER Metronome marking Adherence to this is imperative to the proper performance of a chart. Always rehearse with the correct tempo in mind. Most composer/arrangers take a lot care to indicate the optimum tempo for a particular arrangement. If an actual marking does not exist, here are suggested tempo ranges for some of the more common style indications:

Swing 8ths and 16ths The amount of swing is determined by the tempo. The slower the tempo, the harder the 8ths or 16ths should swing. Consequently, the faster the tempo, the straighter the 8ths and 16ths. Dynamic range Examine the score to find the softest and loudest dynamics of a chart and their locations. This analysis of the breadth of the dynamics will help to fine tune the overall level of the band. Song form Knowing the form of the tune will facilitate a better understanding of the format of the arrangement (see below). Each time through the form is referred to as one chorus. Format of the arrangement By locating these typical parts of an arrangement, you can now rehearse a chart in musical segments, rather than by rehearsal letter or number. Most charts fall into some variation of this well-worn format: Introduction Melody (1st chorus) Improvisation choruses with or without horn backgrounds Ensemble shout Optional return to the melody Ending. Once the melody has been exposed, the arranger may insert interludes written outside of the form of the song or other ensemble sections written within the form to separate multiple solo sections.

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The ensemble shout chorus constitutes the climax of the chart. This chorus is sometimes called the arrangers chorus as it is comprised of new melodic material composed by the arranger atop the chord changes of the tune. It is most typically the loudest section of the arrangement. However, it can be preceded by a soft shout. Layers of activity It is important to understand the density of a chart for purposes of balance. There are usually no more than three layers of activity in any chart in addition to the rhythm section. These layers should always be dynamically balanced according to their importance. They are: Melody always assumes primary importance Countermelody secondary importance Rhythmic accompaniment an extension of piano comp figures, these typically assume the lowest level of importance

The layers are typically combined in the following manners: One layer Melody Two layers Melody and countermelody, melody and rhythmic accompaniment Three layers Melody, countermelody and rhythmic accompaniment

Unison vs. Harmony Another important analysis that should be an ongoing occurrence during a rehearsal is the examination within individual horn sections, the entire brass section and the entire ensemble of when these groups are in unison and when they are in harmony. The obvious reason here is that when these groups are in unison (e.g., four trumpets playing the same pitches); there is a dynamic strength that is not present when the same group is playing in harmony (e.g., four trumpets playing four different pitches). Players should be urged to either lessen their dynamic when in unison or, more typically to push the dynamic level when in harmony. HORN SECTION ISSUES Section balances Lead players should always be slightly louder than the rest of the section, not sticking out of the section. Consequently, section players must play up to the lead player. One of the worst cases of balance problems occurs when one of the tenor players in the band is the strongest in his section. In this situation, a harmony part sticks out over the melody. Lead players should also learn to play as consistently as possible because the rest of the section should be listening to them for proper interpretation. Half and whole steps in horn voicings One of the most important aspects of jazz harmony are the tensions created by half and whole steps. These are not mistakes; players should understand that these intervals must be played with confidence and in tune.

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Note releases a notes release is as important as its attack. It is important for a horn section to release notes together, whether they occur in the middle of a phrase to catch a breath or at phrase ends. In most charts there are three typical scenarios: Releases are rhythmically orchestrated. This is the most precise way to indicate releases.

Unfortunately, a disparity exists between older and newer charts as to how these are indicated. Most of todays writers assume that students are taught to play a note for its full length, so if a whole note is written, it will be released on the 1st beat of the next measure. Older writers tended to add an extra 8th to this, so that if the same length was desired of the whole note mentioned above, it was written as a whole note tied to an 8th.

Releases are indicated with breath marks. Typically found in the middle of a long phrase.

This is a less exact method to indicate a release as it does not indicate precisely where the release should occur. The typical interpretation of the breath mark is to release the note before the mark just long enough to catch a quick breath in order to continue the phrase. No releases are indicated. It is up to the director and players to decide where to release specific notes.

There are obvious problems here. The only solution is to mark the releases. This is accomplished with a dash and the place where the release is to occur ( 4, 4 ). Releases occur either on the downbeat or upbeat; downbeat releases are strong, upbeat ones are subtler.

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Quarter Notes and syncopated figures Contrary to todays charts, earlier jazz band music always assumed that quarter notes were played short, so no articulations were ever present. In fact, there were rarely any markings on the music. This was part of the apprenticeship to learn which notes were long and which were short. Consequently, early jazz band charts, especially those written during the big band era, contain many misleading rhythms. Below is an extreme example taken from Buck Claytons One Oclock Jump.

Two prime examples of misleading rhythms are present here. The first is an assumption that the quarter note in a syncopated figure is always played short. The other involves the final 8th note in the first measure and the first one in the second measure. Though these two notes are tied, they are played as if they were written as an 8th note followed by an 8th rest.

This same figure could occur in the middle of a measure as well.

If the One Oclock Jump example were played correctly by classical standards, the saxophonists would never play a short note or breathe. Luckily, the second figure is much less prominent in todays music. However, the 8th-quarter-8th syncopation still exists. Most often, the quarter is marked with a staccato articulation.

Many of us have instead adopted the idea of writing a syncopation as two 8th notes followed by an 8th rest and a third 8th note.

Slurs These are actually referred to as phrase markings in jazz band charts. They supposedly serve the purpose of marking the beginning and endings of phrases. They are actually quite

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confusing though, as most of the time they do not define the phrase at all and those who dont know any better have their students read these as written. By unknowingly slurring all the notes under a phrase marking, we lose any sense of direction by prohibiting the tonguing of the natural accents of the line.

Articulations these are also commonly misinterpreted. Here are the five most commonly used articulations accompanied by proper performance instructions.

Those who are knowledgeable in the area of jazz performance practices will tell you that the only necessary articulations are those that define note length. Accents are unnecessary if one can properly interpret the peaks and valleys of a jazz line. In fact, there are quite a few charts out there that only contain a few dots and dashes. The following is a quick way to interpret the natural accents of a line. In most cases, swing 8ths can be interpreted by accenting the upbeats of the line.

Exceptions occur when a line contains an upward or downward leap. Upward leaps are accented, while downward leaps are unaccented.

Thats it, plain and simple. Remember that the same rules apply to straight 8th note music as well as swing. In order to instill good performance practices in student groups, directors should be on the lookout for extended strings of 8th notes with no accents. With a little examination, the contour of the line will bear out its own natural accents. Swing 8ths It is by now common practice to treat 8th notes written in a swing style as rhythmically approaching 8th note triplets.

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Additionally, there are three other facets of a well-played swing line that must be involved. They are: Tonguing of the notes Degree of accent Amount of swing

The amounts of these items present in a line are dependent on tempo. At slow tempos, every 8th should be tongued. Up-beat 8ths are accented heavily as are the natural accents of the line as discussed above. The amount of swing is almost an exact triplet feel.

As the tempo increases, every other 8th is tongued. In addition, the initial note of each line and natural accents are tongued. The accents in this situation are a bit less pronounced and the swing 8ths begin to straighten a bit.

At fast tempos, only the initial note of each line and selected accents are tongued. The swing 8ths are now almost straight.

In shuffle funk tunes, 16ths are swung in exactly the same manner as the 8ths described above.

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RHYTHM SECTION ISSUES Starting with the drums, there are notation problems that have existed since the big band era that still crop up. Before continuing, here is a key to the different drums and cymbals of the drum kit.

Below are several ways arrangers have indicated a swing time feel throughout the years.

The first and oldest, quarter notes on the bass and snare lines, makes absolutely no sense by any standards. The second shows a typical swing pattern in the ride cymbal, but a four on the floor bass drum part. This style of playing the bass drum became pass as soon as amplification was invented for the bass. Another missing element is the hi-hat played on beats two and four with the foot. The third consists merely of four slashes with the word time written above. This is incredibly vague for those who have no idea what time is. The last example, the one I use, shows the following important items; the ride cymbal pattern, the hi-hat on two and four, and the possibilities of decorating the basic swing feel with snare and bass drum chatter. Even my pattern isnt accurate as it shows the incredibly repetitive quarter-two 8th ride cymbal pattern. The reality of the ride cymbal is that the pattern can be comprised of combinations of quarters and eighths as improvised by the drummer.

Another interpretation problem exists concerning the use of the crash cymbal to kick the band. When using the crash cymbal for these purposes, it should always be reinforced by the bass drum.

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Drum fills and solos are often misinterpreted by drummers to mean fill up the measure with arrhythmic stuff that doesnt even hint at the time. Drummers should realize their job is to always provide the band with a clear sense of the time, whether playing a basic groove, playing fills or soloing. Always remember that less is more. Setting up figures this refers to a preparation note the drummer plays on the downbeat preceding a rhythmic figure played by the band. The set-up always occurs on the downbeat, regardless of the actual figures start on the downbeat or upbeat.

Below are the three ways that drum parts are notated. They are listed from the most specific to the least specific. Notated rhythms using specific instruments.

Here everything should be played exactly as written. Slashes with rhythms written on top of staff.

These rhythms indicate rhythm section or horn kicks. Rhythm section kicks are notated on 1st space F and horn kicks on 5th space G (treble clef). Both are written using filled note heads. A basic time feel is maintained while the playing of these rhythms is at the discretion of the drummer. He may choose to play all or some of these. Slashes or time pattern

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This indicates a basic time feel. The type of pattern is dependent on the style of music being played. The bass is a bit less complicated to deal with. Here are the two types of bass notation. They are listed from the most specific to the least specific. Single lines. Here, the music is played exactly as written.

Chord symbols with slashes or notes

The bassist can either read the written line or, better yet, create a walking bass line or repetitive pattern using the indicated chords. The type of line or pattern is dependent on the style of music being played. The two types of notation can also be combined. When playing a walking bass line, the notes should be connected with no spaces in between. Each note should be moderately attacked, just enough to create a push. The time feel between bass and drums is essential to a successful groove no matter what the style. Contrary to popular belief, this feel is not a result of the two playing in perfect time with each other. A good time feel is created when the bassist pushes the time and the drummer pulls it back. Students should be encouraged to begin playing their own bass lines when chord symbols are present in the chart. There is not enough space in this document to teach this rather elusive art. However, many great books have been written on the subject. Urge your bassist to find them.

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Piano and guitar parts are a bit more complicated than bass parts. Here are their types of notation. They are listed from the most specific to the least specific. Single lines and fully notated chords. Here, everything is played exactly as written.

Top note of voicing with chord symbols

Each note of the melodic line is played as a vertical sonority. Rhythms and chord qualities are played exactly as notated using the written line as the top note of the voicing. Chord symbols with rhythmic notation

Each rhythm is played as a vertical sonority. Rhythms and chord qualities are played exactly as notated. Single line with chord symbols

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This looks similar to lead sheet notation and is used when the pianist or guitarist is playing the melody as a soloist. The basic melody line and chord changes are followed, however, the player is free to embellish the rhythms, harmonies, and texture. Chord symbols with slashes

The player is free to improvise a rhythmic accompaniment (referred to as comping) using the indicated chords. The type of comp is dependent on the style of music being played. Any of these types of notation can be combined within a measure. The term ad lib rhythms found above chord voicings also refers to comping. When encountering a chart that does not contain written-out chord voicings, the pianist and guitarist should be urged to create their own. The creation of three note voicings is a very effective way for these players to begin to understand jazz harmony. To begin, first find the 3rd and 7th of each chord.

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They are referred to as guide tones as they guide the harmonic movement by defining basic major, minor or dominant chord tonalities. The third note to be added to the voicings should be a color tone, that is, a note harmonically above the 7th. Chord symbols usually contain at least one color tone, whether natural or altered.

The final step is to invert the voicing so that it makes musical sense. That is, create a melodic line with the top voice that moves smoothly between chords. Avoid large leaps.

While on the subject of chords, one of the other problems that has plagued jazz throughout its history is a lack of standardization of chord symbols. Following is a listing of all known chord notations.

The rhythm sections ability to create a solid groove that fits the style indicated is essential to the music. Below are descriptions of swing feel indications along with each rhythm section members role: Swing; also referred to as a four feel drums play swing time, bass walks, piano and guitar comp Two or two-beat feel drums play swing time, bass plays two half notes per bar (these are actually usually played as a dotted quarter and 8th played twice in each measure), piano and guitar comp Shuffle drums play swing time with backbeats (2 & 4) on the snare, bass walks, piano and guitar comp

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Double- and half-time feels are not arbitrary tempo changes. Whether playing swing or straight 8ths, these should be metronomic. BEGINNING IMPROVISATION The concept of improvisation should be introduced as early as possible to students. Though this becomes quite a complicated matter, here are a few basic ideas to get students started. The three basic chord types are major, minor, and dominant. When encountering a major chord, play the major scale built from that chords root.

When encountering a dominant chord, play a major scale built from that chords root with a lowered 7th degree. This scale is known as the Mixolydian mode.

When encountering a minor chord, play a major scale built from that chords root with lowered 3rd and 7th degrees. This scale is known as the Dorian mode.

After this, the only things a beginning student of improvisation should be concerned with are playing rhythmically with the rhythm section, not against it, and to concentrate on playing the correct notes on the correct chords. All the tough stuff comes later!!

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Mike Tomaro has been the Director of Jazz Studies at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA since 1997. This saxophonist, flutist, clarinetist, composer, arranger and educator earned his B.S. degree in Music Education from Duquesne University and his M.A. degree in Saxophone Performance from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. Prior to his appointment at Duquesne, he lived in the Washington, D.C. area for seventeen years as a member of the Army Blues Jazz Ensemble, a unit of the prestigious Pershings Own U.S. Army Band. While a member of this group, he served as its Enlisted Musical Director and performed for Presidents Reagan, Bush and Clinton as well as heads of state from around the world. He also composed and/or arranged much of the Army Blues repertoire and was featured as a soloist on several of the groups albums and CDs. Mike is a Yamaha Performing Artist and endorses Vandoren reeds, mouthpieces and ligatures exclusively. Mike has four nationally released recordings under his own name that showcase his talents as both performer and writer Forgotten Dreams (Seabreeze Jazz), Dancing Eyes (Seabreeze Jazz), and Home Again (Positive Music). His latest CD, Nightowl Suite (Seabreeze Jazz), features his compositions and arrangements as performed by the Three Rivers Jazz Orchestra, a group that he co-founded. Additionally, Mike has also been featured on many other CDs as performer and/or arranger, most notably on Nancy Wilsons last two Grammy Award winning releases, Turned To Blue and RSVP, the New York Voices, A Day Like This, Sheryl Baileys A New Promise and the 21st Century Swing Bands Pittsburgh Jazz Legacy, all on the MCG Jazz label. On the last two releases, Mike is prominently featured as the main arranger as well as a soloist. Mikes music has been performed by the likes of jazz greats David Liebman, Wayne Bergeron, Ivan Lins, Claudio Roditi, Mike Stern, Ernie Watts, Bobby Shew, Randy Brecker, New York Voices, Al Vizzutti, and many more, as well as high schools, colleges and universities around the world. His orchestral arrangements have been performed by the Pittsburgh and National Symphony Orchestras. Over one hundred fifty of his compositions and arrangements have been published by Doug Beach Music, Hal Leonard Publications, and Walrus Music. Mike also recently scored all the music for MCG/Opera Theater of Pittsburghs production of Duke Ellingtons musical Beggars Holiday. As a performer, Mike has worked with such diverse artists and groups as Rosemary Clooney, Ray Charles, Michael Feinstein, Linda Ronstadt, Debby Boone, Johnny Mathis, Wayne Bergeron, Terence Blanchard, Louis Bellson, Terry Gibbs, Dizzy Gillespie Tribute Big Band, Woody Herman Orchestra and the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, where he is featured on their latest DVD, Live at MCG. In his hometown, he is a member of the Pittsburgh Jazz Legacy Band, and has performed with guitarist Joe Negri, Pittsburgh Symphony, River City Brass Band, Pittsburgh Ballet and Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble in addition to leading his own small groups and the aforementioned Three Rivers Jazz Orchestra. He is also a member and co-artistic director (with trumpeter Sean Jones) of the newly formed Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra. Additionally, Mike has co-authored the textbook Instrumental Jazz Arranging: A Comprehensive and Practical Guide (Hal Leonard Publications), with his long-time mentor, Dr. John Wilson, who was Director of Jazz Studies at Duquesne University from 1972-1996. Mike was associated for many years with the now defunct International Association for Jazz Education and is currently affiliated with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers where he has received an ASCAP Plus award for the past eight years, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Music Educators National Conference and the newly formed Jazz Education Network. Mike is in great demand both nationally and internationally as a guest soloist, adjudicator, and clinician. For more information on his activities, visit his website at www.miketomaro.com.