On-Going Series of Feature Jazz Education Articles in JAZZed magazine

In addition to being a music tech columnist for School Band & Orchestra (SBO) magazine since 1998, JAZZed magazine, which has over 16,000 music educators as subscribers and 82% are identified as jazz educators, has me now authoring an extended series of jazz articles covering most instructional areas of jazz education.  I will be focusing in on separate feature articles covering combo/improvisation, combo charts, arranging/composing books, jazz strings, big-band charts, transcribed solos, interviews of prominent jazz artists and groups, etc. that could lead to separate articles over many years to come.

Below are three completely different suggestions to jump-start potential articles that could incorporate some of your publications,

• Improvisation materials entitled:  "Essential Jazz Instructional Materials"   I reviewed over 1,200 improvisation reviews for IAJE between 1975 to 2008.  Check out the unique, concise formula of annotated synopsis plus editorial commentary at http://www.kuzmich.com/articles/Surveynewteachingmaterials.pdf as a sample article. This column was run in nearly every issue of the Jazz Educators Journal for 22 years before IAJE went bankrupt.  And was a rather popular column because it was a one-stop shop for music educators for jazz instructional  materials.  And over a period of time, an outstanding resource and a vital part of the Jazz Educators Journal and should be equally as important for JAZZed magazine.
  
  The structure of these reviews can be organized from: the eight categories below plus annotated reviews in a one or two paragraph format to further clarify what each review publication offers music educators with an emphasis on its "how to" features.
  
  1. Title- Author - Publish - Date Published - Price - Web Site, Address
  2. Level of Teaching Application:  i.e., EL, MS, HS, College, Educator and/or Professional
  3. Teaching Approaches:  i.e., Scalar/Chordal, Theory, Ear Training, Patterns
  4. Musical examples of Solos:  i.e., Written, Recorded
  5. Play-along Recordings:  i.e., .MP3, .CD, DVD
  6. Primary Teaching Application:  i.e., Classroom, Individual
  7. Discography:  i.e., General and/or Correlated Discography
  8. Web site and contact telephone number

Content of these reviews can cover a variety of teaching materials appropriate for jazz education teaching applications.

1. Instructional Videos
2. Improvisation Books
   
3. Play-Along Recordings
4. Large Ensemble Charts
5. Combo Charts
6. Pedagogy Books and Materials
   
7. Music Technology Tools
   
8. Jazz History Materials
9. Jazz Anthology Discographies
10. Jazz Curriculum Model

• Status of music publishers.  I am contemplating a series of articles featuring the major jazz education publishers and what kinds of offerings they have for music educators and/or new releases such as:  Alfred, Hal Leonard, Kjos, Jamey Aebersold, Barnhouse, Sher music etc. plus a host of smaller jazz specialty publishers. The important thing is to focus attention on what makes each publisher unique for music educators.  Check out the creative, informative reviews I did of Hal Leonard Big-Band Charts at http://www.banddirector.com/article/pg-music-and-cd-reviews/vip-shortcuts-for-selecting-jazz-band-charts-?productguide=532.  This article represents pertinent information for music educators to use rather than reporting with a simpler, traditional listing of products.  In order to compile such a series if articles, I will design a questionnaire to better define each publisher's publications and send to you accordingly for your input.  If interested in being featured, please advise, and I'll send you a questionnaire and you may be included in the first waves of this informative series.

• Pedagogy considerations.  I intend to focus in on must-use publications for jazz educators in the trenches where I have spent 43 years teaching in the public schools.  I do have a small shopping list of must-have jazz publications, but please advise me what your top recommendations are so I can plan the article(s accordingly.  For example in jazz technology, I did an article for SBO in their August 2012 issue:  http://sbomagazine.com/technology/4240-34improvisation-tools.html and could update the entire article to current jazz technology products that represent cutting-edge instruction.  The scope of the editorial content would be to show-case teaching materials most pertinent for music educators in the trenches.