Alan Simon Post #2

In our discussion on "History and Issues in Jazz Education" it surprised me that programs for jazz in colleges and universities had such a slow growth. As Dr. Porter explained:

1) North Texas (1947),

2) Berklee (1954) with first degrees in 1966

3) Indiana University

4) Rutgers (1971).

It took until the 80's for many other schools to open up, and JALC to "legitimize” the concept: Juilliard having a program with a degree and a jazz ensemble. It may be a fluke, but here is my 2 cents: around 1977-78 Paul Jeffrey was employed by Teachers College at Columbia to lead a big band. This was open to the public and met once a week at the college. I was a member of Jeffrey’s octet at the time, which included Ricky Ford on tenor sax, and Jack Walrath on trumpet, among many other fine musicians. For a short period, we rehearsed and performed at Lincoln Center as a 20 piece band under the name "The Juilliard Jazz Ensemble". Perhaps it was never official since the majority of the band was made up of ringers, and only a handful of Juilliard students on flute, trombone, and clarinet. This was I believe the first attempt of Juilliard to present jazz, but I'm not sure if any actual 3 credit course was offered-it was probably an elective. The arrangements were from all over, but several were by Paul himself, and he would blow us all away when he went from conductor to tenor sax soloist. Many of us attended a Carnegie Hall concert soon afterwards to hear Paul with Thelonious Monk, with Monk junior-(a little kid at the time) on drums-later known as TS Monk.

As a Berklee student, Gary Burton's composition and big band arrangement "The Sick Rose" from 1963, was for a student piece highly accomplished and made for great music. Did I hear a little Gil Evans influence? I believe Bob Brookmeyer was mentioned.

The discussion on Aebersold and the originator of this concept being "Music Minus One" piqued some personal experiences with this media as a tool of jazz education. Music Minus One LP entitled "For Pianists Only" conceived and Arranged by Mal Waldron. The piano music includes "improvised" Jazz choruses on some great standards from the 30's and 40's. The accompaniment is by Teddy Charles (vib) Al Schackman (G) George Duvivier (b) and Ed Shaughnessy (dr). One other MMO LP that I have enjoyed practicing with is the Orchestral accompaniment for theMozart Piano Concerto #23 in A major, K.488. I could only keep up with the slow middle movement (Adagio). The orchestral reduction is below the solo piano part, and whenever the orchestra is silent, metronomic cue taps are audible in order to keep the whole movement together without a conductor. What a terrific learning tool. The third and last play along that I own in LP rather than Cassette or Cd form is the All "Bird"-Ron Carter, Kenny Barron, Ben Riley and YOU Play! Ten Bebop Jazz Originals by Charlie Parker. Vol 6 of New Approach..jazz..improv. by the great entrepreneur and businessman Jamey Aebersold. It was so much more difficult to play along with records than CD's!