Jazz Vocals

Composer        Arranger       Jazz Vocalist       Clinician       Adjudicator

The Jazz Singers Handbook        ~         Vocal Improvisation

For more information about Michele Weir visit:

www.micheleweir.com

$29.95

Why spend years trying to figure it out yourself. Take advantage of a proven and acclaimed teacher's years of experience. Steve Zegree is the director of Gold Company (the vocal jazz ensemble at Western Michigan University) and is an internationally recognized authority on vocal jazz styles, repertoire and rehearsal techniques. This book was written to help, "classically trained" choral directors begin a vocal jazz group or improve an existing ensemble. Chapters include: "It's a Matter of Style," explaining the three general categories of vocal jazz, swing, Latin, and ballad; "Sound Reinforcement," which includes practical information on all the components of a sound system, including specific types of equipment and set-up; and "Choreography, Staging, and Programming" focusing on the great debate: shall we dance? Also covers Pop and Show styles. Includes a demo CD.

Table of Contents:

What is Vocal Jazz?
Roots and Traditions
It's a Matter of Style
Rehearsal Techniques for the Vocal Jazz Ensemble
Jazz Theory (in Reality!)
The Rhythm Section
The Art of Solo Singing
Improvisation
The Sound Reinforcement System
Staging, Movement and Performing
Listen, Listen, Listen
The Gold Company Program
Glossary
Appendix I - Vocal Jazz Discography
Appendix II - Music Review and Evaluation Form
Appendix III - For the Aspiring Solo Singer
Appendix IV - References

$24.88      $24.88

$24.95      $24.95

Blues for Bootz - Instrumental
Blues for Bootz - Jazz Style
Blues for Bootz - Reggae Style

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A comprehensive approach to vocal improvisation with rhythmic and melodic exercises, transcribed solos, vocal bass lines and drum grooves, syllable articulation etudes, and more. The CD includes call response exercises, demonstration solos by the author and sing-along chord pattern in Latin, jazz and hip-hop styles with rhythm section accompaniment.

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$24.88      $24.88

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Berklee College of Music's Bob Stoloff gives us another invaluable resource for aspiring singers with this instructional book/CD package on improvising on the blues. He covers the basics in the beginning of the book, going over basic terminology and symbols that you might encounter singing in this style, then moves on to rhythmic exercises using scat syllables. While these exercises have no recorded examples, they are very valuable to have under your belt. Stoloff then moves on to some different kinds of scales that you can use in the improvisation - major, pentatonic, and of course, the blues scale. The last chapter of the book includes eight blues "scatitudes," tunes that he wrote specifically to illustrate the techniques in the book. Each "scat" is presented in at least two different styles (like jazz, reggae, R & B, funk, fusion) and is played three times - once with the melody, once with the rhythm section playing an instrumental melody and once more with just the rhythm section. The book features each tune's melodic scat written out so you can start with that, but Stoloff encourages you to create your own over the background once you feel comfortable. For anyone looking for some great basic knowledge of the blues scale and how it works over standard chord progressions as well as some stylistic pointers, this one's for you!        (77 pp. softcover, 2003)

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Musical Terms
Chapter 1: Scat Syllables
Chapter 2: Using Accents in 8th, Triplet and 16th Figures
Chapter 3: Major and Pentatonic Scales
Chapter 4: The Blues Scale
Chapter 5: Eight Blues Scatitudes

More samples
Blues for the Bean - Instrumental Minus One
Blues for the Bean - Jazz Instrumental
Blues for the Bean - Jazz Version with Vocal
Blues for the Bean - R and B Style