MM in Jazz Studies
Oral Exam Description and
Study Guide
Prior to graduation, final oral examinations are given to all M.M. in Jazz Studies candidates. Oral examinations will emphasize jazz theory, history, literature, and pedagogy. Candidates should be well acquainted with specific recordings, dates, solos, and compositions of great/significant artists in their primary discipline (trumpet, trombone, saxophone, piano, composition/arranging, etc.) as well as sidemen who have accompanied them. The candidate should also be prepared to discuss in detail literature/methods available to the contemporary jazz educator.
Areas of emphasis for each of the aforementioned topics follow:
Jazz Theory
Scale/Chord Relationships – being able to identify scales that accompany chords
Functional Harmony
Reharmonization Techniques using Functional Harmony
Cycle Substitution
Delayed Cycle Substitution
Non-Functional Harmony
Reharmonization Techniques using Non-Functional Harmony
Analyzing Functional and Non-Functional Chord Progressions
Motive Manipulation
mi7 Pattern/Motive Transfer
Motive Planing Within Broad Key Center
Piano/Guitar Chord Voicing Techniques
Block Voicing Technique
5/9 Plane Voicings – 2 to 5 Note Voicings
Spread Voicings w/ Upper Structures
Cluster Voicings
Bass Line Construction
Walking lines
2 Beat lines
“Latin” lines
Rhythmic Theory
6/8 West African Clave
Cuban 3 – 2 Son Clave
Brazilian 2 – 3 Clave
6/8 African 3 – 2 Rhumba Clave
Cuban 3 – 2 Rhumba Clave
Cuban 2 – 3 Rhumba Clave
Cascara Patterns
3 – 2 Clave Pattern
2 – 3 Clave Pattern
Common Polyrhythms and Metric Modulations
Jazz History
Candidates should be well acquainted with the great/significant artists in their primary discipline (trumpet, trombone, saxophone, piano, composition/arranging, etc.) as well as sidemen who have accompanied them. The following topics/eras/artists/styles should be addressed:
Origins of Jazz
Early Jazz Era – Ensemble and soloists prior to the mid-1930’s
Duke Ellington and Count Basie Big Bands
Bebop Era
Hard Bop 1950s – 60s
Miles Davis Groups and Sidemen
John Coltrane
1960s-1970s Avant-Garde
Jazz-Rock
ECM/European
“Latin” Jazz
1980s-90’s Young Lions
Contemporary/Current Jazz Artists
During their discussion of each great/significant artist in their primary discipline, each candidate should be able to list and describe:
- Significant characteristics of their performance/writing style
- Significant or representative solos/compositions/arrangements
- Significant representative recordings
- Dates
- Record label
- Accompanying musicians
- Context
- Who or what was this artist influenced by? Who or what did this artist influence?
Jazz Pedagogy
The candidate should also be prepared to discuss in detail literature/methods available to the contemporary jazz educator. Specifically:
- Literature, strategies, and repertoire for teaching beginning to advanced improvisation.
Note: For any repertoire the candidate suggests, they should be able to explain why they believe it is appropriate for the given level of student (beginning, advanced, etc.). The candidate should be prepared to discuss recommended recordings, the melody, the chord progression, the form, and the strategies they would use in teaching that song to a student (or group of students).
- Literature and strategies for teaching jazz guitar, piano, bass, and drum set. Candidates should also be prepared to discuss basic technique on each of these instruments.
- Listening examples/model recordings for the introduction and teaching of common grooves/styles (swing, bossa nova, 2 beat, etc.)
- Strategies for addressing issues of time/feel/rhythm.
- Recommended beginning transcription study for trumpet, trombone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, bari saxophone, piano, guitar, bass, drums
- Strategies/literature available for teaching:
- Jazz History
- Jazz Theory
- Jazz Arranging/Composition
- Jazz Guitar
- Jazz Bass
- Jazz Piano
- Jazz Drum Set
- Jazz Saxophone
- Jazz Trumpet
- Jazz Trombone
- “Latin” styles
- Big Band Literature
- For Middle to High School level big bands
- For College big bands