30 January
Dear Jazz Combo Students and Parents:
I’m excited to be kicking off the jazz combos in 2023. It is my sincere hope that this is a fun and rewarding experience. There are a few expectations for the combo classes so that we can maximize our time playing music together.
The focus of combo class is to learn to work together in a small group, to develop improvisation skills, learn jazz songs, and learning to play in the jazz style. This will require you to do some individual PRACTICINGand LISTENING to jazz music.
It is expected that you will do the following throughout the week:
1. Listen to professional recordings of the songs we are rehearsing.
2. Practice improvising our songs with play along recordings. I highly recommend that every member of the Combo (except the drummers) gets a Smart Phone app called “iReal Pro”. If you don’t want to get that app, you can find play along recordings for these songs on Youtube.
3. Drummers are absolutely expected to play along with the professional recordings of the songs we are doing. They are also required to ask that their drum teacher practice trading 4’s with them on swing tunes during their lesson time.
4. You will need to have some sort of speaker system that allows you to play along with the recordings.
5. WollCon regularly presents live jazz shows. You are strongly encouraged to attend these or any live jazz shows. I will keep you posted about these shows in the weeks to come.
Performance:
Towards the end of each term WollCon hosts a Jazz Showcase where all the jazz combos perform in a festival style at The Wollongong Conservatorium.
NEW TIME: The first Jazz Showcase is scheduled for Saturday April 1st from 12:30-3PM.
Many of you have sporting, work, or other commitments and I respectfully ask if you can give your coach or leader plenty of notice and consider attending our performance as there aren’t very many.
If you have an important commitment that means you cannot attend a performance, please let me know at least 2 weeks in advance.
It is not acceptable to miss a performance due to a part-time job unless I have not given you enough notice for you to change your work schedule.
Okay! Cool! Looking forward to jamming some music!
Eric Dunan
0423 809 316
ericd@wollcon.com.au
A copy of this note is on www.dunanbandman.com