Jazz Curriculum for Beginners

photo by Yuske Frutate at Array Studio 2017

Below are various approaches we might take depending on where your starting point is. Repertoire is representative, it will vary from student to student. 

Jazz Piano Level 1

In level one we explore the foundations of Jazz piano: the Blues. Our repertoire includes a Boogie Woogie, Swing, Be-Bop, and Rock Blues tunes from various decades.

Tunes we will cover:

• C Jam Blues
• Blue Monk
• Dundas Blues Boogie Woogie
• Chitlin’s Con Carne
• Your requests

Curriculum outline:

• You will learn the blues scales in the keys of C, Bb, and F and some basic licks to get your started improvising idiomatically. 
• You will learn how to play major, minor, tri-tones, and dominant 7th chords to accompany yourself through the tunes.
• I will teach you basic techniques in using a fakebook effectively.
• Next we will cover the five types of Jazz chords (major 7th, dominant 7th, minor 7th, minor 7th flat 5, and diminished 7th) in the same keys as our blues scales.
• Our technique studies will take us through the major scales and arpeggios of C, Bb, and F major.
• I will work with you on jazz ear training so that you don’t get lost while improvising.
• I will encourage you to read Jerry Coker’s jazz books to help you hear what is going on in a Jazz Performance and prepare you for Jazz Piano Level 2.
• When you finish this introductory unit you will have a firm grasp of the 12 bar blues form. And, you will be creating basic blues solos with good swingin’ rhythm.

Jazz Piano Level 2

In level two we will explore Jazz Standards:

• Take the A Train by Duke Ellington
• Satin Doll by Bill Strayhorn
• Doxy by Sonny Rollins
• St. Thomas by Sonny Rollins
• Your requests

Curriculum outline:

• We will explore Song Forms AABA.
• We will work in more depth the art of working with a fakebook.
• Using call and response techniques with me, you will jump into the fine art of jazz improvisation.
• You will learn to play left hand 2 note Be-Bop voicings taught to me by Sonny Stitt.
• I will teach you to recognise and play the standard Jazz Harmonic progression iim7-V7,I maj7 in the jazz keys.
• I will introduce you to the basic jazz modes of Dorian and Mixolydian in the jazz keys.

When you finish this second level you will have better grasp of the path ahead in your jazz quest. I will have you swingin’ and bopping!

Advanced Jazz Piano

You will explore modern Jazz Piano: rootless voicings of Bill Evans. Students working at this level pursue their own repertoire interests with guidance from me.

Here is my lesson plan outline: Your level and time available determines which activities we can cover in a single lesson.

Jazz/Blues Lesson Planning 

YouTube video of the week/Jazz History
Lick of the week
Ear Training

• Intervals
• Playback
• Chord Identification
• Counting and staying in place

Jazz Technique

• Major scales
• Minor scales
• Formula patterns
• Broken chords
• Arpeggios

Voicings

• Sixty Jazz Chords
• Sonny's Thumbs
• Rootless voicings
• Quartal chords

Repertoire
Music Theory

• Key signatures
• Time Signatures
• Scale constructions
• Intervals
• Diatonic 7th chords
• Ii7-V7 major and minor keys

Jamming

I look forward to working with you soon.

David Story

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