Jazz Band Overview

First formed in 1996, The Woodbury Jazz ensemble plays at community events, fundraisers, festivals, and concerts in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In 2003, the group was featured on the T.V. show, N.H. Chronicle.

Woodbury Jazz is an auditioned group made up of students who are highly motivated and self-directive. Unlike concert band, in jazz there is usually only one musician on a part. (No cheating-you have to know ALL your notes!!!). Most of the jazz band members practice daily and take private lessons. Membership is restricted to standard big band instrumentation (saxes, trumpets, trombones, piano, guitar, bass and drum set). Flutes and Clarinets, though not part of the traditional big band, are encouraged as well. Drummers must be able to read set music. With the exception of guitar & piano, students must be in concert band in order to be in jazz band. Jazz band is open to students in grades 6, 7 & 8, and it meets once a week: Friday after school 2:15-3:30.

Listening is also encouraged, and professional jazz recordings are played for the students at every rehearsal. The chart book contains 15-20 standard tunes, and what the group learns is rotated every year.

To research an artist, check out www.allaboutjazz.com

Jazz improv site: www.outsideshore.com/primer/primer/

Prominent Jazz Artists

Alto Sax:
Charlie Parker, Ornette Coleman, Cannonball Adderly, Sonny Stitt, Phil Woods, Paul Desmond, Art Pepper, Lee Konitz, Bennie Carter, Johnny Hodges

Tenor Sax:
John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Joe Lovano, Stanley Turrentine, Dexter Gordon, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Stan Getz

Baritone Sax:
Gerry Mulligan, Nick Brignola, Pepper Adams, David Schumacher, Glenn Wilson, Leo Parker, Lars Gullin, Fred Ho,Cecil Payne, Serge Chaloff

Trumpet:
Miles Davis, Dizzie Gillespie, Clifford Brown, Freddie Hubbard, Arturo Sandoval, Clark Terry, Fats Navarro, Bobby Shew, Bill Chase, Maynard Ferguson, Don Cherry, Thad Jones, Lee Morgan, Harry James, Wynton Marsallis, Louis Prima

Trombone:
JJ Johnson, Bill Watrous, Malcolm Earle Smith, Dan Barrett, Wycliffe Gordon, Jimmy
Knepper, Jack Teagarden, Ray Anderson, Tommy Dorsey, Curtis Fuller

Piano:
Thelonius Monk, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck, Earl “Fatha” Hines, Art Tatum, Count Basie, Ahmad Jamal, Chick Corea, Diana Krall, Teddy Wilson

Bass:
Charles Mingus, Ray Brown, Bob Haggart, William Parker, Arvel Shaw, Pete Washington, Curley Russell, George Morrow, Tommy Potter, Nelson Boyd

Guitar:
Wes Montgomery, Larry Coryell, Charlie Clinton, Herb Ellis, Pat Metheny, Charlie Christian, Barney Kessel, Eddie Condon, Joe Pass, Charlie Byrd

Drums:
Art Blakey, Buddy Rich, Louis Bellson, Max Roach, Elvin Jones, Gene Krupa, Shelly Manne, Charlie Parsip, Stan Levy, Jimmy Cobb, Billy Higgins

Vocals:
Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Nancy Wilson, Johnny Mercer, Dianna Krall, Bobby McFerrin, Chet Baker, Tony Bennet, Ray Charles, Diane Shuur, Bessie Smith, Sarah Vaughn, Josephine Baker, Shirley Horn

While this list is certainly not everyone, it will get you started into some giants of jazz. You may also want to research the following big bands:

Big Bands:
Woody Herman and the Thundering Herd
Buddy Rich Big Band
Bob Mentzer Big Band
Count Basie Jazz Band
Charles Mingus Big Band
Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra
Stan Kenton Band
Mel Lewis and Thad Jones Jazz Orchestra
Don Menza Big Band
Louie Bellson Big Band
Maynard Ferguson Jazz Band
Sammy Nestico Big Band
Airmen of Note
University of North Texas Lab Bands
Glenn Miller Orchestra
Bill Watrous Big Band
Dominic Spera Big Band
Duke Ellington Jazz Orchestra

Finally, it’s all about the listening. Standards are jazz tunes that all professional musicians know. Many of these tunes are in your jazz binder. Listen to various recordings, and different arrangements to understand the music better.

In the Mood
It Don’t Mean a Thing
Sing, Sing, Sing
Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
All Blues
Tenor Madness
Giant Steps
Minnie the Moocher Summertime
Tuxedo Junction Watermelon Man
Woodchopper’s Ball One O’Clock Jump
Sweet Georgia Brown
In Walked Bud
A Night in Tunisia
St. Thomas
C Jam Blues
Blues By Five
Footprints
Mr. P.C.
Take Five
Take the “A” Train

Many more tunes at this link: www.outsideshore.com/primer/primer/ms-primer-12.html