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7901 Bailey Cove Road
Huntsville, AL 35802
Phone:256.881.1075
Fax: 256.881.1054

Directors:
Bill Connell
Theo Vernon

Website maintained by
Rex Simmons

Grissom High School Jazz Band Requirements

Audition material for the high school students will be handed out in March or early April each year. You will be required to play some jazz scales, etudes and play along with a backgound CD with some improvisation. All of this material will be available from Mr. Vernon in the band room. You are to record all of the audition materials onto a cassette tape or CD and turn it in to Mr. Vernon. Be sure to label the cassette tape/CD with your name and instrument.

Incoming 9th Graders or Middle School Students

To be a rhythm section member of one of Grissom's Jazz bands, you will be required to play some jazz blues scales, etudes and play along with a jazz recording. All of this material is available below. You are to record all of the audition materials onto a cassette tape or CD and turn it in to Mr. Vernon at Grissom by the last day of the school year. Be sure to label the cassette tape/CD with your name and instrument.

Requirements

Saxophone – Trumpet – Trombone

Open enrollment for all 9th grade students that play the above wind instruments!
All Rhythm Section players must send in an audition recording. The requirememnts are listed below.

Piano

1. Blues scales – two octaves (two hands): Bb – F – C – G (played in swing 8th notes. Quarter note = 120bpm)
2. Etude
3. Chord “comping” with background recording to “Satin Doll” one time through the tune. Listen to recording “with your instrument” to get ideas for rhythms to play.

Guitar

1. Blues scales: Bb – F – C – G (played in swing 8th notes. Quarter note = 120bpm)
2. Etude
3. Chord “comping” with background recording to “Satin Doll” one time through the tune. Listen to recording “with piano” to get ideas for rhythms to play.

Bass

1. Blues scales: Bb – F – C – G (played in swing 8th notes. Quarter note = 120bpm)
2. Etude
3. Construct (create) a bass line with background recording to “Satin Doll” one time through the tune. Listen to the recording “with bass” to get ideas for a bass line.

Drums

1. Play 16 measures each of the following styles at appropriate tempos:
   • Swing – medium tempo (quarter = 120bpm)
   • Swing – fast tempo (quarter = 172bpm)
   • Latin – medium tempo (quarter = 128bpm)
   • Rock – medium tempo (quarter = 96bpm)
2. Etude
3. Play along with the tune “Hava a Nice Day” (be sure to record yourself with the track “without drums”). Listen to the recording “with drums” to get ideas on what to play.

Instrument	Scales	Music	Audio Files
Piano	Scale Sheet	Etude Satin Doll	Satin Doll with instrument Satin Doll without instrument
Guitar	Scale Sheet	Etude Satin Doll	Satin Doll with instrument Satin Doll without instrument
Bass	Scale Sheet	Etude Satin Doll	Satin Doll with bass Satin Doll without bass
Drums		Etude Basic Drumbeats Have a Nice Day	Have a Nice Day with drums Have a Nice Day without drums

Links

For information on jazz styles, improvisation, scales, etc., click on the following links and have fun!

Red Hot and Cool Jazz

Jazclass

PBS Jazz Links