School of Jazzology
The Nelson Blues club has for a couple of years run a “School of Blues” free course for members … at the Barn over a number of weeks .. where they kind of mentor aspiring bluesers .. with the end promise of forming a band.
Since I joined the NJC committee .. I have suggested that they create some sort of “pathway to jam night” session .. or sessions .. with the goal of helping those that feel like they want to jam at jam nights but do not quite have the confidence level yet to try. My ideas were for a sort of regular jam night at a "half-way house” level …. so it can just function as a jam night and/or/also a “learn to jam” night.
With an idea that the sessions are NOT to provide any deep Jazz, music theory or instrument instruction. But to provide nuts and bolts information about jamming … setting the tempo … calling the tunes .. using/sharing charts …. taking turns .. “a solo is usually the full form .. e.g. 16 or 32 bars .. but sometimes you might split a solo .. the verse and the bridge with another player" …. “oh there are two guitars … ok .. then maybe don’t both play chords”. Etiquette of Jamming . .. how it goes down.
Possible Attendees
Current NJC members and Jam night attendees who have suggested that they might try … but did not have confidence to do so yet
NJC Big band members who would like to warm up for taking big band solos or appearing at jam nights
“Home players” who want to learn how jams work . .setting tempo, beat, starting tunes, taking solos, playing with others. Site Readers who have played classical and would like to try jazz jams.
Players who would like to meet other musicians to form bands or practice groups.
Singers who would like to try singing with a jazz band
VENUE / COURSE FORMAT / HOUSE BAND / MENTOR
The Barn … TBC (maybe we can do this 2,3,4 a year)
4-5 week “course” TBC .. like a Intro / 4 tune/week … Adding on 1 tune per week .. e.g. Tenor Madness, Autumn Leaves, Blue Bossa, All of Me.
Sound System by NJC
Backline of club volunteers … like Ben, Jak, Kate R ? Jane ?
Mentor - Gravitas person.
MENTOR ROLE
Experienced player or educator. Gravitas and know-how.
Role dependent on thoughts of mentors … but our focus is on fundamentals of jamming. Groove, tempo, playing together, the mechanics and nuts and bolts of playing together from the same chart, taking solos, starting, ending etc.
Telling anyone who might not be up to the necessary standard that they need to try next time. Maybe watch this time - signup next time.
AIMS
Creating another Jam night opportunity for members, musicians
creating a pathway to jam night playing ..
a pathway to band formation.
Gaining new and additional members for the club. Supporting the movement, spreading the word.
Bring people back into music.
All the stuff the club stands for basically
Cost of Course
Possibly free to NJC members (like the blues SOB)
Or a small per session charge payable in advance … like $10/session .. 4 sessions $40
Limits of scope
We are not teaching Coltrane and Charlie Parker bebop scales. Or how to play piano or drums. That is all for the students own learning, teachers etc. REPEAT: We are teaching how to call your own tune at a jam .. set tempo … how tunes begin/intro .. how you know who solos or sings in what order … how it ends ..
QUESTIONS
Will NJC agree to promote and push ? … there is no cost and it is inline with NJC mission and a growth activity.
Can we get a/some mentor(s) to commit to the month and a cohesive simple game plan ?
… depending on how our agenda is set (we can probably be flexible) …. a mature experienced player or a qualified educator/player … or maybe both / a mix … main mentor comes in after week one getting to know you first session.
Will we pay mentors .. and if so how much ?
.. I know the SOB had it more as “basics for starting a band” and used a group of volunteer mentors. That could work for us for some of the time, some jam concepts for us also … but for maybe for some things the advice is going to be even stronger from a mentor who is a stronger more experienced jazz musician or educator. It’s great to make it as good as we can .. to support local educators as well .. and we also have volunteers in roles as ever. A lot of our stuff might be simple … “you do not need to be playing on every beat while this solo is going” .. thus not rocket science.
Will HL Barn Venue and Sound System be free ? … seems so. Team to help Jak and drummers set up / pack up.
Will we have a drummer turn up each week ? .. hopefully … Kate R I hope.
If we have a house band AND course attendees that can take over the band roles .. then more to the good ? .. split duties or have a night off .. or one comp one solo … or take turns.
Should there be a fee ? .. maybe. I feel fees foster VALUING the thing and COMMITMENT. But SOB was free.
MAX / MIN ATTENDANCE
What is minimum and max attendance levels we need … ? … e.g. ideally I think a couple of each instrument would be perfect MAX number … e.g. 2 sax, 2 horn, 2 guit, 2 keys, 2 bass, 2 drums …. if some more of one instrument and less of others .. so be it. So I suggest 12 max ….. and 6 as absolute minimum ?
Then the vetting of ATTENDEES ?
The course is not a beginner musician thing. Right ? We might have to suggest some come back for future courses.
Players have to be able to play in time .. like 1,2,3,4,1,2 … they have to be able to find a C7 and an FM7 chord ? And play a basic Am scale on horn over Autumn Leaves. They have to be able to read a basic chart - the symbols. If they cannot do those things … then it’s a waste for all ..
Also … I don’t really fully know how much we need to expect .. I think our level or explainer should be like
this is a Jazz Blues in Bb7 .. the Eb is the IV chord and F is the V
this is the A minor progression section bars 1-8 .. not it’s into the relative C major section 8-16
We will not be bogged down in secondary dominants and passing diminished chords and tritone subs. You can look at lots of “Chord analsysis of Autumn Leaves online”
We will not and cannot be explaining how to do certain drum beats or how to walk a bassline .. or comping in the charleston pattern. But we can suggest homework like that ?
If someone is not strong but not part of the Rhythm section instruments … then it might be ok ? But if someone wants to drum, bass or comp on piano/guitar …. then they need to either be up to the basic standard or best not playing ?
I think it might be different for solo instruments (horns, voice … or piano, guitar, bass as soloist) … if they struggle it is not part of the ongoing groove .. ?
REJECTING APPLICANTS
I don’t imagine this will happen .. I don’t think this will attract total newbies. I think largely (semi) qualified people only will apply.
BUT if someone is just not got any of it. OR has the wrong expectation of what we offer. We should say something like …
“At this time, there are a couple of fundamentals that you need to work on before we can effectively get you into the jam program and provide value to you and the group. Maybe work on those, then sign up on our program later in the year.”
How we assess that .. who does the assessment .. and when and how soon they say it .. I DO NOT KNOW. Kinda awkward .. but if someone needs to go away and get familiar with some tunes, charts, or to practice with a metronome, work on voice or instrument or material - then it’s in everyone’s interest to get to that point.
