IAJE-MA

International Association For Jazz Education

Massachusetts Chapter

As I begin another term as president I would like to thank all of the

festival hosts, executive board members, festival judges, composition committee members, jazz artists and educators who have assisted in furthering the mission of our association over the past year. Last year was one of our most successful years with a record number of bands participating on the elementary, junior and senior high levels. Our state membership continues to grow and I feel that we have made significant improvements in our festivals as well as increasing our students exposure to live jazz. Last year we hosted the Joyce DeCamillo Trio, The Four Freshman and provided free tickets to a Count Basie concert for our students. What an event the Choir/ Combo Festivals was, many thanks to Rick Falco and all of the WPI students who helped out. This year we hope to continue to host various local jazz artists for clinics and performances at some of our other jazz festivals. We will be returning to University of Lowell again for the state finals and I would also like to personally thank, Dan Lutz, Deb Huber and all those awesome U Lowell Band students for their help.

I would like to encourage all of our educators to make an effort to bring in local jazz talent, I assure you the results will be well worth it to your programs. There is funding available if you look for it. Our state chapter will be continuing our jazz initiative, please contact George Murphy at Foxborough High School for details. I would like to encourage all of our performer members to make an effort to contact area schools and offer your assistance with local programs. A local artist can really be inspirational to young players. To see and hear live jazz is probably the most inspirational way to promote American music. To our members who are in businesses and institutions; please continue in supporting jazz concerts and clinics on a local and state level. I am excited about our state chapter as we enter the new millennium, lets just keep on swinging. If you have any ideas about how to help to promote jazz, please feel free to contact me, at PJPitts@aol.com.

Paul J. Pitts

PRESIDENT IAJE/MA

The Massachusetts Music Educators Association All-State Conference will be held from March 16-18th at the Sheraton Ferncroft in Danvers. Dr. Don Bastarache, professor of music at Westfield State College, has put together a host of clinics which are sponsored by the Massachusetts I.A.J.E. Unit. These clinics cover a host of topics interested to teachers with a wide range of interests from Jazz in the elementary school classroom to performance at the High School level. All clinics will be in the Camelot Room. The schedule will be as follows:

Time: Clinic Clinician

10:00am Beginning Improvisation Don Bastarache

1:00pm Elementary Jazz Band Stanley Ellis

3:00 Critique the Judges Panel

4:00 Vocal Jazz Davis Gierch

5:00 All - Member Meeting all I.A.J.E. members

8:00am Vocal Jazz Davis Gierch

9:00 Vocal Jazz Jan Shapiro

11:00 Classroom Improvisation Paul Goldstaub

12:00pm Say it With Music Ann Maggs

1:00 What to do with Your Middle School Drummer Brent Ferguson

2:00 Jazz Rhythm Section Alan Veudreuil

3:00 Classroom Improvisation Paul Goldstaub

8:00 Big Band Concert I.A.J.E. All-Stars

10:00am Techniques for Improvisation Paul Combs

11:00 Jazz Drumset Techniques Fred Buda

12:00 Applications of Electronic Percussion Mario DeCeratiis

Here are some events that you may want to attend that are of special interest to jazz lovers.

March 31 Maynard Ferguson Dedham High School (781)461-5986

Jan 11th Berklee College #1 Ensemble directed by Greg Hopkins Boston Latin

February 26 Berklee Jazz Festival Boston

March 24 Northfield Mt. Herman Jazz Festival Northfield

March 25 2nd annual HS Jazz Festival with a performance by the

Smithsonian Jazz Orchestra Umass, Amherst

April 7,8 Williams College Jazz Festival featuring the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and Billy Taylor Williamstown

April 25 Holyoke Community College High School Jazz Festival Holyoke

Ongoing events also at (call individual organization for a schedule):

Berklee College of Music - Boston

New England Conservatory - Boston

Regatta Bar - Cambridge

Ryles - Cambridge

Scullers - Cambridge

Point Breeze - Webster

March 18th - Reggie Wally

March 25th - Ron Stone and the Milestones

April 8 - Chico Hamilton

November 18th - Maynard Ferguson, clinic and performance.

As part of a weeklong celebration of Herb Pomeroy's 70th Birthday, MIT will host "The Art of Directing a Jazz Ensemble". Mr. Pomeroy will critique rehearsal techniques and offer guidance to three jazz ensemble directors invited from the Massachusetts public schools. The event will be held on Friday, April 28, 2000 at Killian Hall located on the MIT campus and is free and open to all Massachusetts jazz educators. The Berklee College of Music Jazz Orchestra, with director Greg Hopkins, will serve as the demonstration ensemble.

For more information regarding this and other Herb Pomeroy 70th Birthday events, contact Fred Harris at fharris@mit.edu or at 617-452-2283.

It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to be the editor of the I.A.J.E./MA - Unit Newsletter. I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this edition of the newsletter. Since this is my first time serving as your editor I am looking for your input on how we can better serve our membership through this Newsletter. If you have suggestions for articles, comments, concerns, potential articles, or events that you would like to see published.

Plans are currently in the works for a summer Newsletter that will re-cap all of the events from the school year. Included will be a list of festival participants, pieces performed with arrangers/publishers. Also, look for more articles on Jazz and jazz pedagogy.

Please send comments to David Jost at (508) 836-7720W, (508) 881-7506H, email: djost@ma.ultranet.com.

Again, we will be sponsoring a booth at the MMEA All-State Convention in Danvers, March 16-18. We will need volunteers to staff the booth during exhibition hall hours during the Convention. If you would like to volunteer please call: David Jost at

(508) 836-7720W, (508)881-7506H, email: djost@ma.ultranet.com.

If you have a concert or other jazz related event that you would like listed here, please send them to David Jost, Westborough High School, 90 West Main St. Westborough, MA 01581 or email to: djost@ma.ultranet.com

March 1 - Southeastern District Senior Jazz Festival, Foxborough High School

March 2 - Northeastern District, Beverly High School

March 6 - Western District, West Springfield High School

March 7 - Central District, Algonquin Regional High School

March 8 - Cape Cod District/Coastal, Mashpee High School

March 9 - Snow Date

March 25 - State Finals - U. Mass Lowell

April 8 - Jazz Choir/Jazz Combo Festival, WPI

April 24 - Composition Contest Deadline

May 27 - Hatch Shell, Boston

May 1 - Western District, Easthampton High School

May 2 - Northeastern District - Lexington Middle School

May 3 - Central District - Hale Middle School, Stow

May 4 - Southeastern District - Stoughton Junior High School

May 27 - Senior High School - Showcase at the Hatch Shell, Boston

June 3 - Middle School / Elementary School Showcase, Stanley Park, Westfield MA.

February 6 - Ramada Inn, Auburn

June 18 - Ramada Inn, Auburn

September 10 - TBA, tentative schedule

December 3 - TBA, Tentative schedule

State Finals - Dan Lutz - host, UMass Lowell

State Finals - Paul Pitts - chair

Choir/Combo Host - Richard Falco, WPI

Choir/Combo Chair - David Jost, Westborough High School

Historian - Tom Everett, Harvard University

The rhythm section may be considered the lighting in the painting created by the jazz arranger. As such, it is dynamic and flexible with arrangers leaving more room for interpretation by rhythm section players than by any other member of the ensemble. With this freedom comes exciting opportunities for creative input on the part of the jazz band director who can enter the arranger’s domain through the door of the rhythm section. Emphasis should be placed on fresh perspectives and language relative to bringing the appropriate "lighting" to areas of an arrangement rather than the reading of parts. Building rhythm section concepts early in the academic year is a small investment which will yield big dividends. The objective is to have fun while getting this section to sound great as an independent musical unit.

WHO ARE THESE PLAYERS? These young musicians often have had quite varied opportunities in music making such as rock bands, church groups, musicals, ska bands, "originals" bands, etc. Their listening and transcription experiences often far outweigh those of other band members. Directors should take advantage of this background.

HOW TO: Directors might try experimenting openly with their players, discussing results and allowing musicians to enter the creative process. Students may make suggestions and find their own comfort zone by exploring their unique strengths.

LANGUAGE: Avoid tired cliches such as "too busy" or "its dragging here".

Replace these phrases with extra-musical ones which carry visual or visceral images: thin this texture; buoyancy; drive; target area; lift; space. Point out big band vs. combo writing in the same arrangement as well as peaks and placid sections. These terms help students anticipate and react to compositional sections in exciting ways.

LISTENING: Federal law should require all directors to supply rhythm section players with professional demo recordings! Music is an aural art, after all, and these students are adept at taking musical elements from recordings. Given the strong visual memory associated with piano, guitar, vibes and bass, young players tend to memorize harmonic gestures and play

exactly the same way with each performance. When given an aural frame of reference, students may relax their approach without fear of being lost in the form, and initial voicing choices may be more stylistically appropriate. The value of listening to a professional interpretation of an arrangement early in the learning of a piece cannot be overemphasized.

RHYTHM SECTION SPECIFICS: Especially in exposed areas like solos, have only one harmonic instrument playing. This will help build reactive playing skills. Vary harmonic instruments in different compositional sections.

Drums: Think orchestration of each compositional section; simple is better; play on edge of the beat for lift; NO back beat (2 and 4) on the snare.

Guitar: Use top 4 strings for voicings; while fingering traditional left hand voicings, use fingers and pick to extract 2-3 notes; double flute or soprano sax parts. Schools might purchase a used jazz guitar (hollow body with F holes) for $300-400.

Bass: Play on the edge of the beat; stand close to and watch the drummer's ride cymbal; sound acoustic; work Latin music: Samba, Bossa Nova, Afro Cuban, Salsa.

Piano: Listen, don’t just read; relax and let others play; work comping skills.

Vibes: 3rds and 7ths of chords; double flute or soprano parts; play montunos & accents

Aux. Perc: Think coloristically (like concert band); do not play continuously; purchase good videos for basic tone strokes and stylistic rhythms; work within compositional forms.

Professor Falco is Director of Jazz Studies at Worcester Polytechnical Institute, and is a festival host and adjudicator for I.A.J.E.

The Jazz Choir/Combo Festival will be held on Saturday, April 8 at WPI in Worcester. This event is open to all school Jazz Choirs and Jazz Combos from around the state. The WPI Jazz-Group, IAJE, and Point Breeze Restaurant will have prominent jazz drummer, Chico Hamilton, present a clinic during the afternoon prior to his evening performance at Point Breeze in Webster.

The fee structure for all I.A.J.E. sponsored festivals is as follows:

District festivals - $150 members/ $200 non-members

State Festivals - $200 members / $250 non-members

ticket prices for non-members:

District Festivals:

$4 adults

$2 students and seniors

State Festivals

$5 all non-members

Any school hosting an event has the opportunity to have one participation fee waived for that day.

As part of our Jazz Initiative Outreach Program, the IAJE executive board would like to invite you and your band to participate in a clinic/workshop offered by some of our more experienced colleagues in the jazz field. The concept is to bring jazz educators together with jazz performers, to provide the best of both worlds in jazz education to out schools. If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, or are interested in more information, please fill out the form below and return it, ASAP!

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Director______________________________ School ____________________________

Phone #______________________________ Fax_____________________

Please initiate a clinic/workshop for my Band ________(you will be contacted with details)

Please call to discuss the possibility ____________

Send to: Mr. George Murphy

Assistant Band Director, Foxboro High School Music Dept.

120 South St.

Foxboro, MA 02035

Phone: (508)543-1624 Fax: 508-543-1670

IAJE/MA will again be sponsoring the Robert Ayasse Memorial Composition Contest for High School and College Musicians.

This contest is available for High School and College Musicians who are enrolled as a full time student (under 25 years of age) in a public or private school in Massachusetts. Each student must be sponsored by an active IAJE/MA member. There are four categories for compositions: High School Combo, High School Big Band, College Combo, and College Big Band.

Each Composer of the winning pieces will receive a cash award and, if possible, will have the composition performed. Additional entries may be awarded an "Honorable Mention" when appropriate. The committee reserves the right not to award a winner if no entry is deemed to be outstanding.

Prizes will be awarded as follows:

$150 High School Combo Composition Winner

$200 High School Big Band Composition Winner

$150 College Combo Composition Winner

$200 College Big Band Composition Winner

The deadline for all compositions (include scores, parts, and tapes) is April 24, 2000.

For more information or an application contact:

Nominations for the year 2001 IAJE/MA Lifetime Achievement in Jazz Award/ Outstanding Jazz Educator Award are currently being accepted.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual who has made substantial and significant contributions over several years to jazz education in Massachusetts.

1. The award is not restricted to members

2. The award may be given whenever appropriate.

3. Nominations should be made to the President and contain significant background material on the nominee.

4. Nominations will be submitted to the Executive Board. The board will vote by secret ballot and a two-thirds majority will be required.

5. The award will be presented in a public forum to be announced. The award will consist of a personal plaque and the recipient’s name will be added to the IAJE Massachusetts permanent plaque.

Please send Nominations to:

Paul J. Pitts, President

IAJE Mass. Unit

81 Seaverns Ave.

Boston, MA 02130

Past Recipients:

1994 Herb Pomeroy

1995 Don Bastarache

1996 Lawrence Berk

1997. Rick Stepton
1998. Frank Patterson
1999. John LaPorta 
2000. Dennis Wrenn

The executive board voted at their December meeting to allow inner-city schools an opportunity to participate in Division B at the Senior High Festivals. It is hoped that more inner-city schools will take advantage of this opportunity to showcase their students achievements.

Paul J. Pitts

Boston Latin School

Robert Pereira

Quabbin Regional High School

Dennis Wrenn

Algonquin Regional High School

David Jost

Westborough High School

David Sporny

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

George Murphy

Raymond J. Novak

Dr. Roger W. Farnsworth

David Daquil

Russell D. Campoli

Joseph Whalen

Jeffrey Bolduc

Donald Moultrap

John J. Kearns

Southeast Jr. Chair

Stanley Ellis

Elementary Chair

David N. Jost

Jazz Choir/Combo Chair

Don Bastarache

Westfield State College

James O’Dell

Boston Conservatory

Return address:

David Jost

Publicity Chair/ IAJE-MA

8 Lands End Way

Ashland, MA 01721

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