Step-By-Step Techniques and Practical Guidelines:

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Complete Guide to Instrumental Jazz Instruction:
Techniques for Developing a Sccessful School Jazz Program

by John Kuzmich, Jr. Ph.D. and Lee Bash

Note: all books are still available through Amazon with significant discounts at:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=john+kuzmich&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ajohn+kuzmich

This comprehensive set of books is designed to meet three specific needs: a) College music education courses dealing with jazz education; b) music teachers who have never taught jazz before but want to make it part of their regular music curriculum; and c) teachers who are looking for proven ways to turn out better jazz players and ensembles. Here's a remarkable new guide that's tailored to meet those needs comprehensively and thoroughly!

COMPLETE GUIDE TO INSTRUMENTAL JAZZ INSTRUCTION:
Book I Big Band Instruction
Book II Improvisation Instruction
Book III Combo Instruction

Written by two nationally-known music educators with a combined experience of almost 60 years in virtually every segment of jazz education, it's packed with practical daily help in virtually every phase of jazz instruction and performance. For example, you'll find:

  Step-by-step techniques for organizing a jazz education program.... from strategies for winning the approval of administrators and designing curricula, to scheduling jazz in your overall music program.

• Practical directions for setting up a large jazz ensemble, including audition and selection of musicians, arranging optimal seating and setups for rehearsals and concerts, establishing a repertory, plus directories listing sources of basic jazz literature and charts.
  Specific information on how to establish and sustain a jazz combo situation, including model programs, rehearsal techniques, numerous sources for charts, performance strategies.
  Down-to-earth advice on selecting jazz equipment, including saxophones, trombones, trumpets, drums, cymbals, auxiliary percussion equipment, bass amplifier, electric bass and piano, guitars and guitar amps, sound modifiers, PA systems, and recording equipment.
  Rehearsal techniques for improving your ensemble's tone, intonation, dynamics, breath support, blend, balance, articulation, and rhythm development.
  Extensive information about how to teach improvisation, with multiple approaches, numerous sources of methods and materials, and plenty of successful strategies that will enable even inexperienced teachers to succeed.
  Detailed blueprints for putting together a concert or festival, from selecting the right music to deciding on the format and length.
  Suggestions for getting additional money for your jazz program, including little-known funding sources and innovative fund-raising ideas.
  A multitude of ideas regarding extra-musical considerations such as programming, promoting, and succeeding with festivals or contests.

For quick access and easy use, all of this useful information is organized into logical and distinct segments that, upon completion of all three books, form a clear and comprehensive picture of virtually every activity encountered in instrumental jazz instruction.

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Book I Big Band Instruction

I. JOINING AND CREATING THE JAZZ BANDWAGON Section I arms you with hard-hitting tools to help you convince administrators and others of the validity of jazz instruction as a fundamental part of the music program...not a frill!

A. Why Join the Jazz Bandwagon? Includes a rationale and checklist for any jazz curriculum

B. How to Organize the High School Jazz Program. Provides a variety of models and scheduling options.
Demonstrates how to integrate philosophy with curriculum.

II. THE LARGE JAZZ ENSEMBLE: THE BACKBONE OF YOUR PROGRAM

A. How to Organize a Jazz Ensemble Program

• Identifies membership prerequisites.
  Helps with audition and selection criteria.
  Illustrates setups and rehearsal concepts.
  Deals with incomplete instrumentation
  Provides alternative scheduling formats.

B. Selecting Jazz Equipment

• Instrument selection.
  Accessories.
  
• Auxiliary percussion.
  Sound reinforcement.

C. Rehearsal techniques for the Jazz Ensemble Planning/organizing.
Sight reading.

D. How to Successfully Put Together a Concert Chart selection.
Putting together the program.
Assessing the audience.
Pacing, concert format, and length.
Creating a lasting impression.

III. APPLIED JAZZ TECHNIQUES: DEVELOPING YOUR JAZZ SECTIONS

A. The Sax Section

• Jazz basics of saxophone playing.
  Tone production and intonation.
  Woodwind doubling.

B. The Brass Section Jazz basics of brass playing.
Tone production and intonation.
The role of the lead player.
Blending volumes and tone quality.
Special brass effects.

C. The Rhythm Section The role of the rhythm section.
Playing behind soloists.
The specific role of each instrument.
Getting the best sound from each instrument
Auxiliary percussion.

D. The String Section Various applications.
Amplification considerations.
Chart sources.
Jazz articulation techniques for strings.

IV. PUTTING IT TOGETHER

A. Budgeting and Funding: Survival of the Fittest Finding the funding.

B. Promoting Your Program Through Special Activities Making use of the media.
Hosting a jazz festival.
Concert touring.

C. Have I Been Successful? A Self-Evaluation Checklist

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Book II Improvisation Instruction

I. OBTAINING AN IMPROVISATION OVERVIEW

A. Towards a Comprehensive Approach to Improvisation Historical overview.
Understanding the role of improvisation within music education.
Identifying the elements of jazz improvisation.

B. Standard Approaches to Teaching Improvisation Making use of "chops," ears, and theory.
Making use of chords.
Three traditional approaches.

C. How to Use This Book Helpful guide to maximizing the use of this book.

II. GAINING LISTENING SKILLS

A. The Importance of Listening: Developing and Attaining Basic Skills Aural perception applications.
Historical-analytical applications.
Understanding solo construction.

B. Generating a Listening Focus Designed to Aid Improvisation Style perspectives.

• Gearing the solo to the size of the ensemble.
  Where's the groove?
  Jazz-rock and Latin jazz.

C. Identifying Improvisation Strategies from Guided Listening Activities How to analyze recorded solos.
Transcriptions

III. IMPROVISATION: THE PRIMARY TOOL IN JAZZ CREATIVITY

A. Teaching Improvisation to an Individual Student Working at specific levels.
How to organize improvisation practice.
Chord/scale selection.

B. Teaching Improvisation in a Heterogeneous Classroom Basic group improvisation techniques.
Three main approaches.
Using five minute warm-ups.

C. Teaching Improvisation in a Combo Setting Special attributes.
Scheduling considerations.
Basic comping styles.

IV. USING MATERIALS TO ENHANCE INSTRUCTION

A. Guidelines for Using Published Improvisation Methods. More than 20 of the most popular methods are reviewed and critiqued.

B. Maximizing Improvisation Instruction via Published Materials. Selection criteria.
Extensive bibliography and source listing.

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Book III Combo Instruction

A. Why the Jazz or Rock Combo? The role of the combo.
Confronting the issues of the combo in the education setting.
Basic needs.
Creativity: the key ingredient provided in the combo.

B. Getting Started. Curricular guidelines.
Selecting students.
Scheduling considerations.
Model programs.

C. Materials for the Combo Basic literature.
Developing a repertory.
Chart sources.

D. Applied Techniques for the Jazz or Rock Combo The role of the director.
The rhythm section.
Melodic instruments.
Combo rehearsal techniques.
The importance of listening during rehearsal.
Self-generated MIDI accompaniments.

E. Selecting Jazz Equipment Drum kits.
Amplifiers.
Digital keyboards.
Sound systems.

F. Teaching Improvisation in the Combo Setting Rehearsal guidelines.
Comping considerations.

G. How to Successfully Put Together a Performance. Selecting effective charts.
Promoting your program.
Jazz festivals and contests.

In short, the GUIDE gives you practical techniques for building all aspects of a successful school jazz program. It will be an indispensable reference for the experienced jazz educator and an ever-ready assistant for the instrumental teacher who is seeking to make jazz an integral part of a complete music education.

Each book is $22.95 and together there are over 600 pages of text in three books. There will also be a special three-book set being made available at a discounted price.