Jazz Ukulele?
Jazz Ukulele? – Just what is Jazz Ukulele
?
Jazz, is the style where the repertoire/songs are drawn from and encompases a wide range of musical styles. Ukulele, is the instrument that you are performing this Jazz
on. It's actually that simple.
And with that description behind us we can draw on a rich resources of material from the jazz guitarists point of view as well as the not so vast field of ukulele artists focusing on jazz.
Checkout what the National Museum of American History
says about: What is Jazz?
:
Jazz is a kind of music in which improvisation is typically an important part. In most jazz performances, players play solos which they make up on the spot, which requires considerable skill. There is tremendous variety in jazz, but most jazz is very rhythmic, has a forward momentum called "swing," and uses "bent" or "blue" notes.
Don't Get Around Much Anymore: the Muse and Magic of JAZZ UKULELE MAVEN CURT SHELLER by Lil' Rev
by Lil' Rev Published: Summer, 2019, Ukulele Magazine
Check out the complete article at:
ukulelemag.com/stories/jazz-ukulele-curt-sheller
Just What is Jazz?
Personally for me – jazz is improvisational music. Whether it's a simple re-phrasing of a standard melody or full blown improvisation. It's all about spontaneously creating music - spontaneous composition or at times spontaneously combustion.
Personally for me – jazz is improvisational music. Whether it's a simple re-phrasing of a standard melody or full blown improvisation. It's all about spontaneously creating music - spontaneous composition or at times spontaneously combustion.Most people will say they don't like "Jazz," based on previous pre-conceptions of what it is or bad performances from what they perceived as Jazz. However, play them some excellent music without telling them it's Jazz and they'll most likely like it.
I (Curt) fell in love with the improvisational aspect of that style of music and creating my versions of classic songs. In my mid twenties I hooked up with Paul Byrne a teacher in Phoenixville, PA USA who was teaching out of Jaworski's Music Centre
( Founded 1958 and now closed ). Then I really started to come into my own when I started studying with the great Chuck Anderson
. I studied with Chuck for over 30 years and is still a valuable resource and mentor. Both Paul and especially Chuck studied with and the great Dennis Sandole
– You can't do any better than to fall into that lineage.
Here's WikipediA's take on it.
Jazz — a music genre that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th century American popular music. It's West African pedigree is evident in its use of blue notes, improvisation, polyrhythms, syncopation, and the swung note. (from WidipediA)
Hooked on Jazz!
I got turned on and hooked on playing jazz guitar in my early 20's by Paul Byrne and have been playing and a serious student of all things jazz guitar and music ever since.
Like a lot of guitar players my age, it all started around 1963-64. It was rock 'n' roll and the British Invasion that got me into wanting to play guitar. Discovering Jazz in my 20's opened up the possibilities of the guitar. Re-discovering the ukulele in 2003, I naturally started exploring developing my jazz repertoire on the ukulele.
There's a lot of mystic surrounding learning playing Jazz on guitar or ukulele. But it's not as hard as you might think. Is it musically more complicated than rock or country - definitely more is required, but well worth the effort, just think of it as an artist with a bigger box of crayons, more color possibilities.
In addition to studying jazz guitar for the past 40 plus years. I've been a private music teacher for the majority of those years with up 70 students a week at times of all ages, levels, styles, and instruments.
My background and training as a graphic artist and some computer and web programming chops. It allows me to present my material concisely, well researched, tested, and in an organized and professional manner. All that with making it easy and accessible to apply to ukulele.
Just like jazz guitar, jazz on ukulele is an advanced form of ukulele and is not usually your first introduction to the ukulele. After the fundamentals of the ukulele are covered, here is what would be typically involved in learning jazz ukulele.
Organization is essential when learning to play any music on the ukulele or any instrument. A real jazz guitar or jazz ukulele teacher would help. Here is my organization of the subjects and material that you would cover in a balanced jazz ukulele program of study. For all my students" lessons are customized to their particular experience and goals.
“You’re born with a spark... to search for the truth, for the best you can be. Practice. Discipline. Preparation. Try and try again. Then one day you‘re on top and they say you're an overnight success, ”a “natural.” You smile, you know.” - Anonymous
Here Are A Few Of The Elements That Would Be Typically Covered In A Well Rounded Musical Education
These are if you're going it alone or with a
Technique
Technique is the physical control and coordination needed to play an instrument or sing. It involves position, efficiency of motion and effort, as well as exercises to develop specific physical skills.
LESSON: Technique Lessons
I'm a firm believer that your never going to do anything musically that your fingers haven't done before. They can be trained to a very high level to do what they have been trained to do and hopefully at the right time.— Curt Sheller
Theory
Theory is the established body of principles behind music. It includes scales and chord building, intervals, progressions, resolution, harmony, motion, power, color, chord substitution, keys and time signatures, rhythm, melody, etc.
From a core foundation of the principles of music you can build and derive additional information from that same foundation.
Basically, just understanding it all works.
LESSON: Theory Lessons
Ear Training
Ear Training is the development of the active and passive capacity to relate to music aurally. It includes the ability to recognize and reproduce melodic and harmonic intervals, chords, chord progression, rhythm, melody and harmony.
LESSON: Ear Training
Reading
Reading is the ability to reproduce music from written notation. It includes five phases; note recognition / alternate note locations, rhythm recognition, fingering considerations, communication terminology and interpretation.
Reading can be at a casual pace to learn a musical passage or at a pro level having never seen the music before.
LESSON: Reading Music Lessons
Repertoire
Repertoire includes the songs within a musician's performance ability. These songs maybe memorized or read. They may be literal reproductions or creative interpretations.
LESSON: Repertoire Lessons
Improvisation
Improvisation is the ability to spontaneous create melody over a predetermined chord progression. It involves scales, alternate fingerings, arpeggios, intervalic development, sequences, embellishments, superimposition, rhythm, motifs, development techniques and idiomatic considerations.
LESSON: Improvisation Lessons
Musical Idioms
Musical Idioms is the study of music and the musical styles it involves well developed categories as; Rock, Blues, Country, Jazz, Bluegrass, Classical, Folk, Urban and Fusion. It also includes subdivisions and specializations.
LESSON: Music Idioms / Styles Lessons
Songwriting
Songwriting is the creation of original music based on a single melodic line with a chord progression. Lyrics may or may not be included.
LESSON: Songwriting Lessons
Arranging
Arranging involves the choice of instruments, tempo, rhythmic feel, form, intros, endings, interludes, solos, harmonies, and instrumental accompaniment of a song.
LESSON: Arranging Lessons
Composition
Composition is the creation of original music based on multiple simultaneous and compatible melodies. It historically involves the classical forms but frequently includes more sophisticated levels of contemporary music.
Orchestration
Orchestration involves the choice of instruments for a composition. This choice is based on the ranges and colors of the instruments which best represent the mood and creative intent of the composer.
Interpretation
Interpretation involves the ability to perform a song or composition in a unique and personal way. These skills involve a interrelated set of disciplines which include, theory, ear training, technique, dynamics, embellishments, phrasing, and rhythmic flexibility.
All this leads to the development and nurturing of the artist within us all.
As you can see, it's quite a list. Don't despair! Like the proverbial journey of 1000 miles (1609.344 km), it can get done one step at a time. The biggest problem is organizing those steps. Of all ukulele and guitar-based forms, jazz is the most difficult to go it alone. That's one reason there are more Jazz majors in college now than at any other time in history.
My personal development and belief support the private teacher model. I was lucky enough in my jazz development to study jazz guitar and all things music with Chuck Anderson. I continue to use Chuck as a valuable resource regarding all aspects of my music career.
There is a great need for customized, dedicated personal teaching. The old European model of master and apprentice works well in this field. It, of course, needs some modern updating. But by and large, this model is more useful than the collegiate model. I would not recommend one try and go it alone when learning the more advanced topics that are part of the jazz repertoire .
Go the Lessons Section and get started...
