Abstract
Robert Larson
Photo by Leah O’Connell
Performing jazz offers our students the opportunity to participate in a unique group activity, where notated passages are blended with exciting moments of improvisation. At the same time, expectations have risen over the years as middle and high school jazz ensembles have proved that they can perform at a very high level. This expectation of quality, however, has led to the reduction of a primary element of jazz—improvisation—as more and more directors opt to use written solos in place of improvisation. In an era when artistic teaching standards emphasize creativity, this is truly unfortunate.
Because a typical jazz arrangement blends written notation with improvised sections, it is rare that a middle or high school jazz ensemble performance is excellent from beginning to end, especially when the student soloists are actually improvising. How often do we hear a middle or high school jazz ensemble sound fantastic until the solos begin? At that point, we often hear young musicians struggle through unfamiliar harmonic changes, doing the best they can. When the solos end and the arranged part of the tune resumes, the band again sounds great. When we hear a professional band, the improvised solos are often the highlight of the performance. When we hear that kind of playing at the high school level, it is extremely exciting and gratifying, but uncommon.
Composers and arrangers have dealt with this in an understandable way—by writing out solos. As a result, one of the pillars of jazz expression is completely removed from the performance. This is understandable, because band directors often don’t have the background to help their students navigate these improvised sections. Kevin Watson cites studies by Cindy Bell (2003) and Susan Byo (1999) in which they reported that lack of training in improvisation makes the implementation of Standard 3 (“Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments”) in the National Standards for Music Education the most difficult to achieve. 1 These directors may be very skilled at preparing the notated portion of their band’s repertoire. However, improvised sections remain for the students to either read the notation of an “improvised” solo (that is not improvised at all) or fend for themselves as they rely on their ear to come up with something that “sort of” fits.
What can be done to help a student play a solo when the director lacks experience with improvisation in his or her own musical life? Paul Simon once said, “Improvisation is too good to leave to chance.” 2 Band directors simply need to provide some basic tools to young improvisers, and these tools are within the grasp of any music educator. The following tips should help alleviate this situation and allow students the thrill of contributing their own voice and ideas to a performance.
Finding the Key: Identifying V Chords
The most important information a band director can provide an improvising ensemble member is to simply identify the key centers. This helpful tip will do wonders to improve a solo. We remember from theory courses that there is only one V7 chord per key. These structures, called “dominant sevenths,” are built with a major triad and a minor seventh. For example, F7 (F, A, C, and E-flat) is found only in the key of B-flat (or B-flat minor when using harmonic or melodic minor scales). Therefore, identifying the V chord of a key allows us to examine the chords around it and to map out which major or minor scale to use. The seventh chords in the key of B-flat are B-flat maj7, Cmin7, Dmin7, E-flat maj7, F7, Gmin7, and A half-diminished seventh. Notice that there are two major sevenths, three minor sevenths, one half-diminished seventh (which often serves as a substitute for V or as a ii in the relative minor key), but only one “dominant” seventh—the F7. It’s called “dominant” because it is built on the dominant scale degree. Dominant, or dominate, is a powerful word, and the V chord dominates the harmonic passage. This is valuable information for an improviser.
As an example, I’ve chosen the Freddie Green composition “Corner Pocket” that was made famous by the Count Basie Orchestra. This classic tune is in the very common AABA form. The chords used for the improvised section are illustrated in Figure 1.
“Corner Pocket” Chord Progression
A few simple suggestions for a student will make creating a solo over this chord progression relatively easy. You’ll see that by first identifying the F7, G7, B-flat7, and C7 chords as V chords, we can identify the major and minor scales necessary to improvise in the correct key centers. Jazz modulates frequently and often very rapidly—that is an important characteristic of the music. Remembering that dominant seventh chords always function as V, however, makes following the harmony much simpler.
After identifying the V chords, and therefore the key centers, examine the chords around the V chords. The process is outlined in Figure 2. The V chords are circled as a first step, and key centers are therefore located. The second step, where the analysis is completed, is illustrated with the key, followed by a colon, followed by the roman numerals. In the first system, the Cmin7 “belongs” to the F7, as does the B-flat maj7. These three chords form the ubiquitous ii-V-I progression so common in jazz. Notice that the G7 is functioning as the V of C minor, so in the overall key of B-flat, it is a secondary dominant—a V of ii. In the analysis that follows, I simply indicated the key (C minor) and the roman numeral (V) rather than the symbol V/ii. The performer needs the clearest information possible, and the traditional secondary dominant analysis symbol can be confusing for some, especially novice improvisers.
“Corner Pocket” Harmonic Analysis
Adding Major and Minor Scales
Now that the chords have been properly analyzed and labeled, indicate the major and minor scales throughout the progression by simply notating on the student’s music the keys to be “in” at the appropriate times. Providing a separate sheet with the solo chord changes notated along with the scales can be helpful. It will take lots of practice for the student to know where he or she is in the music. That’s where the director calling out the keys—loudly!—during rehearsal will probably be necessary.
This process is illustrated in Figure 3. Notice that I’ve simply notated ascending versions of the scales according to the key. There are four keys in “Corner Pocket”: B-flat, C minor, E-flat, and F. I’ve included reminder accidentals throughout as well. I’ve used C harmonic minor for the G7, as that scale has the B-natural—which is the third of the G7. Students would be encouraged to practice these scales in various note values, and in ascending and descending motions. Most important, the player will want to keep his or her place in the music—this is not easy—and shift to the new key at the appropriate time. Finally, listening to recordings of great soloists playing “Corner Pocket” is obviously a very important step, and YouTube has made this an almost effortless search process.
“Corner Pocket” Scales
A sample solo, using only the scales indicated in Figure 3, is illustrated in Figure 4. The repeats and the DC from the previous figures have been eliminated, as the solo would obviously flow through the entire form (AABA). As I composed this solo, I did my best to imagine creating this spontaneously because that is the goal—not to simply read the notes but to truly invent it on the spot.
A “Corner Pocket” Sample Solo
The solo follows the key centers exactly. It weaves around the important chord tones (like thirds and sevenths), and has a satisfactory shape. While it is missing some elements that a professional would probably employ, it works well because the melodic line is always in the correct key at the correct time.
Accept the Challenge!
Playing jazz is challenging, and improvising is a significant reason why; just playing in the correct key, at the right time, is daunting. But information is power, and getting the student to play in the correct key can provide a burst of self-confidence that leads to wonderful creative moments. Students will also appreciate the effort of one another as they all attempt this difficult task. Andrew Goodrich writes of mentoring in jazz ensembles, where camaraderie among student musicians is fostered naturally in the jazz setting. 3
In the liner notes to the Miles Davis album Kind of Blue, pianist Bill Evans describes a Japanese art form where pen can never leave paper until a gesture is completed, thus eliminating any reflection or long-range thinking: What is revealed may lack the complexity of a work of art that was pondered over and reflected upon, but the improvised artwork contains a deeper meaning that is possible only through a spontaneous act. 4 Thus, while the notated solo may be of higher “quality,” the improvised solo contains a spark that only the performer can provide. Furthermore, improvised solos, by their nature, vary with each performance. If we can give students better guidance as they navigate this challenging form of expression, they will have the opportunity to perform their own solos, adding their unique voice to a jazz performance.
