Jazz Arranging and Composition Workshop


Jazz's perpetual dilemma is the tense relationship between written parts and improvised parts. Exploring jazz from the Swing Era to the Contemporary Jazz Scene, this workshop outlines the principal techniques of arranging and composing for a Jazz ensemble, regardless of the size. To register for this workshop, visit www.tusciainjazz.it.


Day One:
Outline of Discussion Topics
   1) The Instruments: families and timbral considerations

   2) Transposing and non-transposing instruments

   3) Oral vs written arrangements

   4) The Melody, Harmony, Rhythm and Harmonic Rhythm

Day Two:
Outline of Discussion Topics
   1) Composition techniques

   2) The solo instrument

   3) Basic arranging devices: Intros, Codas, Interludes, Vamps, Ostinatos, Shout Choruses

   4) The arrangement for Singers

Day Three:
Outline of Discussion Topics
   1) Composition techniques

   2) Re-harmonizing a melody

   3) The Rhythm in the arrangement (the Swing feel)

   4) The Contra-fact

Day Four:
Outline of Discussion Topics
   1) Composition techniques

   2) The trio configuration (from the classic piano/guitar/sax trio to modern Jazz ensembles)

   3) The quartet with and without an harmonic instrument (T. Monk, G. Mulligan, O. Coleman)

   4) The quintet (Parker-Gillespie, Davis-Coltrane, Davis-Shorter, Golson-Farmer, Roach-Brown, Johnson-Winding)

Day Five:
Outline of Discussion Topics
   1) Composition techniques

   2) Artist Highlight: Horace Silver, Cannonball Arderley

   3) The Sextet (e.g., Jazz Messengers, New Orleans, The Jazztet)

   4) The Jazz Big Band (e.g., Ellington, Basie)

Day Six:
Outline of Discussion Topics
   1) Composition techniques

   2) The “Tuba Band”: Gil Evans, John Lewis

   3) The double quartet (Ornette Coleman)

   4) The Jazz Big Band (T. Jones, M.Lewis, G. Mulligan, JLCO)