Do you play trumpet, saxophone, trombone, piano, guitar, bass (upright or electric) or drums? If so, please consider auditioning for one of the jazz bands at UConn. Those who are selected can earn General Education credits for enrolling in big bands (MUSI 1115) and/or combos (MUSI 1120). Enrollment permission numbers will be issued by the instructors.
Auditions for placement in the UConn Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Lab Band and jazz combos will be submitted electronically. Students are to video record themselves playing:
- A 12-bar blues (or jazz standard of your choosing,) with recorded accompaniment from jazzstandards.com. For your convenience here are direct links to Billie’s Bounce (F blues): https://www.learnjazzstandards.com/jazz-standards/billies-bounce/ and Sonny Moon For Two (Bb): https://www.learnjazzstandards.com/jazz-standards/sonnymoon-for-two/
For the blues performance, we would like you to play the head twice, followed by 3 choruses of improvisation, and then the head once again.
Pianists and guitarists: please “comp” for two choruses prior to playing the out-head.
Bassists: In addition to demonstrating your improvisation skills with a play-a-long track, please record 2 choruses of bassline walking on a 12 bar blues in F, at a metronome marking of quarter note = 144.
Drummers: in lieu of the above, demonstrate the following “feels,” playing each sample for approximately 30 seconds.
· Medium swing
· Bossa Nova
· Samba
· ¾ jazz waltz
· 12/8 afro Cuban
· Up-tempo swing
· Brushes at a ballad tempo
· Swing brushes on the snare at a medium-up tempo
Finally, to demonstrate your soloing, trade 4 measure phrases with yourself, alternating swing time-keeping and soloing.
- Any song (jazz or otherwise) which will serve as a representation of your musicianship (demonstrating sound, accuracy, rhythmic interpretation, facility, etc.) A prepared jazz transcription or etude would be preferable, but a classical excerpt would also be acceptable.
Please upload your video audition to the following Google drive before 5 PM on Thursday, Sept. 2nd:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1pM-ojQvmlbDjMxJgWAl_X94t6uoeszsU?usp=sharing
Label your video with your name and instrument (John Coltrane – tenor saxophone).
Rehearsal Times:
Starting this semester, jazz combos will have a set meeting time within the Department of Music’s master schedule. If you plan to play in a jazz combo please keep the following time slot available within your weekly schedule: Mondays from 5 – 6:30 p.m in room 109. A guitar ensemble will meet on Wednesday 5 – 6:30 p.m.
The jazz big bands (Jazz Ensemble and Lab Band) rehearse on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 - 4 PM.
Jazz Area Meeting:
Finally, a brief jazz area meeting will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 8th at 5 PM in room 109, to discuss the new class format for jazz combos and to answer any questions.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Sincerely,
Professors MacDonald, Mastroianni, Maher, August and Nelson.
For more information, contact: Professor MacDonald at earl.macdonald@uconn.edu