Active Outline

General Information

Course ID (CB01A and CB01B)
MUSI D009B
Course Title (CB02)
Jazz Piano II
Course Credit Status
Credit - Degree Applicable
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Course Description
Development of the ability to play intermediate jazz piano arrangements from lead sheets in a variety of jazz styles and settings using knowledge of jazz theory, jazz piano techniques, and improvisational skills. Improvisational skill on the piano is developed through the application of scales determined through the use of jazz theory and harmonic analysis, and the application of techniques for melodic development.
Faculty Requirements
Course Family
DA - Class Applied Performance - Jazz and Non-Western

Course Justification

This course is accepted transferable to CSU and UC, particularly for Jazz Studies music majors. The course belongs on the AA degree in Music. Intermediate skills needed by music students for performance in most musical styles within the music department.

Foothill Equivalency

Does the course have a Foothill equivalent?
No
Foothill Course ID

Course Philosophy

Formerly Statement

Formerly Statement
(Formerly MUSI D069B.)

Course Development Options

Basic Skill Status (CB08)
Course is not a basic skills course.
Grade Options
  • Letter Grade
  • Pass/No Pass
Repeat Limit
0

Transferability & Gen. Ed. Options

Transferability
Transferable to both UC and CSU

Units and Hours

Summary

Minimum Credit Units
1.5
Maximum Credit Units
1.5

Weekly Student Hours

TypeIn ClassOut of Class
Lecture Hours1.02.0
Laboratory Hours2.00.0

Course Student Hours

Course Duration (Weeks)
12.0
Hours per unit divisor
36.0
Course In-Class (Contact) Hours
Lecture
12.0
Laboratory
24.0
Total
36.0
Course Out-of-Class Hours
Lecture
24.0
Laboratory
0.0
NA
0.0
Total
24.0

Prerequisite(s)

MUSI D009A or by instructor consent

Corequisite(s)

Advisory(ies)

ESL D261. and ESL D265., or ESL D461. and ESL D465., or eligibility for EWRT D001A or EWRT D01AH or ESL D005.

Limitation(s) on Enrollment

Entrance Skill(s)

General Course Statement(s)

Methods of Instruction

Lecture and demonstration

Discussion of assigned listening

Discussion of arranging options in class

Ear training exercise-chord and melody recognition

Supervised practice

Assignments

  1. Working from lead sheets provided in class, practice and perform original solo piano, jazz piano trio, or solo accompaniment arrangements of jazz tunes on the piano. Apply the elements of jazz style, jazz harmony, jazz piano arranging techniques, and jazz improvisation discussed in the course to the performance.
  2. Practice playing the natural and altered extensions on the 5 basic 7th chord types, in all keys.
  3. Compose an improvisation over a set of chord changes by first doing a basic harmonic analysis of the given tune in order to determine scale choices, and then using effective melodic techniques such as tonal sequence to build a melody.

Methods of Evaluation

  1. Midterm piano performance of a jazz arrangement, evaluated for appropriate applications of jazz piano styles covered in the first half of the class, accurate playing of jazz harmonies, including the use of natural extensions, and improvisation based on appropriate scale choices and effective melodic structure.
  2. Final piano performance of a jazz arrangement, evaluated for appropriate application of jazz piano styles covered throughout the course, accurate playing of jazz harmonies, including altered chord extensions, and improvistion based on appropriate scale choices and effective melodic structure.
  3. Participation in class activities, homework assignments, practice, classroom demonstrations, and performance; evaluated for accuracy of chords, melody, and improvisation.

Essential Student Materials/Essential College Facilities

Essential Student Materials: 
  • Blank music staff paper
Essential College Facilities:
  • Digital piano with headphones for each student
  • Jazz song lead sheets
  • Sound system for playing audio recordings
  • Extensive collection of jazz piano recordings
  • Chalk boards for music notation demonstration

Examples of Primary Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisherDate/EditionISBN
None.

Examples of Supporting Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisher
Levine, Mark. "The Jazz Piano Book". Petaluma, CA: Sher Music Co., 1990
Levine, Mark. "The Jazz Theory Book". Petaluma, CA: Sher Music Co., 1995

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Course Objectives

  • Expand awareness of jazz styles and apply fundamental elements of those styles to performance on the piano.
  • Read and play on the piano all types of jazz chords, including extended and altered chords.
  • Play on the piano melodic improvised jazz material based on scales derived from harmonic analysis and an understanding of commonly used scale choices in jazz improvisation.
  • Create, from lead sheets, stylistically appropriate jazz piano arrangements for solo, solo accompaniment, and piano trio settings.

CSLOs

  • Demonstrate the ability to perform expanded jazz styles such as bebop, boogie-Woogie, and calypso on the piano.

  • Demonstrate the ability to perform the natural and altered chord extensions on the 5 types of 7th chords, along with improvising on appropriate scales that align with those chords.

Outline

  1. Expand awareness of jazz styles and apply fundamental elements of those styles to performance on the piano.
    1. Introduction to bebop
      1. Performing basic bebop melody lines on piano
      2. Use of basic chromaticism in bebop lines
      3. Use of sparse chord voicing under a bebop melody
    2. Expanding the blues style: New Orleans and boogie-woogie
      1. Typical New Orleans and boogie-woogie bass lines
      2. Common New Orleans and boogie-woogie idioms
    3. Calypso
      1. Harmonizing the melody in the calypso style
      2. Basic calypso bass rhythms
  2. Read and play on the piano all types of jazz chords, including extended and altered chords.
    1. Natural chord extensions
    2. Altered chord extensions
  3. Play on the piano melodic improvised jazz material based on scales derived from harmonic analysis and an understanding of commonly used scale choices in jazz improvisation.
    1. The tonal center approach to scale choice
      1. The ii-V-I chord progression and its role in establishing the tonal center
      2. Finding the tonal centers in a jazz tune
      3. Scale choices for a given tonal center
    2. The chord/scale approach by using common scale choices for the 5 basic 7th chord types
    3. When to apply the tonal center approach versus the chord/scale approach
    4. Using diatonic sequence in an improvisation
  4. Create, from lead sheets, stylistically appropriate jazz piano arrangements for solo, solo accompaniment, and piano trio settings.
    1. Solo piano arranging
      1. Splitting the notes of the extended chords between the two hands
      2. Use of a walking bass line in the accompaniment of a solo piano arrangement.
      3. Use of a boogie-woogie or New Orleans bass line in a solo piano accompaniment
    2. Intermediate endings in jazz piano arrangements
      1. The use of the iii-vi-ii-V turnaround
      2. Vamp endings
    3. Intermediate piano arranging for jazz piano trio (piano, bass, and drums)
      1. Using 4-note left hand voicings
      2. Effective accompanying ('comping) rhythms
    4. Arrangements for accompaniment of a soloist
      1. The role of the left and right hands
      2. How to incorporate an improvised piano solo
      3. Performing rubato sections with a soloist

Lab Topics

  1. Students will practice expansion of styles to include bebop, New Orleans and boogie-woogie, and calypso.
  2. Practice reading and playing jazz chords presented in standard chord symbol notation including extended and altered chords.
  3. Practice improvising melodic jazz material based on various scales derived from harmonic analysis and understanding of common chord choices.
  4. Practice creating intermediate level, stylistically-appropriate solo and piano trio jazz piano arrangements.
  5. Practice harmonic and melodic ear training skills.
Back to Top