Teaching Jazz Overview

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Samir Kambarov and Dr. Ansyn Banks have been teaching at the Jamey Aebersold School of Jazz Studies for several years now. And in that time, they have had several opportunities to teach across the globe. Ironically, one of the biggest issues they have observed has been the lack of an effective resource guide that educators could use when teaching jazz improvisation. In an attempt to address this need, Samir and Ansyn decided to create Teaching Jazz. Teaching Jazz is an all-inclusive, jazz resource guide that’s easy to follow and understand. Teaching Jazz could be used as a curriculum for novice jazz educators, or as a supplement to enhance one's pre-existing syllabus.

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Teaching Jazzis supported by NEA Jazz master educator Jamey Aebersold and creator of Jazz Everyone, Willie Thomas.  Both Willie and Jamey have granted the authors of this program permission to use some of their concepts/materials in Teaching Jazz. Using some concepts from Jazz Everyone, and Jamey Aebersold’s Play-a-Longs recordings, they have created 6 lesson plans which cover foundational topics for jazz improvisation. (Scale vocabulary, the Blues, II-V-I progression etc...). Each lesson plan includes step by step instructions so there’s no guess work for the instructor. A number of the lessons plans have been divided into two or three sections which are lesson plans within themselves.  Teaching Jazz’slesson plans have been imbedded with approximately thirty-four demonstration videos. In these videos, Samir and Ansyn demonstrate style, phrasing, articulations, and offer commentary that assists in the teaching process. Samir and Ansyn produced all of Teaching Jazz’scontent themselves including recording a number of their own "play-a-longs" to best fit Teaching Jazz'sneeds.

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They also felt it best to offer three live video sessions for every educator who decides to use Teaching Jazz.  These video sessions will allow creators to interact with their classes and offer assistance as needed.  It is the opinion of the authors that Teaching Jazzis a truly unique teaching tool that’s long overdue.  With Teaching Jazz, it is our goal that students will gain a deeper understanding of jazz improvisation, and will grow into confident improvisers!