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beartrumpet74 · 02-22-2007, 12:56 AM

This is a great thread and something that I have long questioned myself about in my own education. I started out playing for a living in the Navy and then on tour with blues and jazz groups, and then decided to go to school. I was struck by something the original poster said about the fact that not everyone can be the next Ingrid ( meaning a great player or up and coming artist or whatever you want to say about it)

As far as I'm concerned the major issue with jazz and schools isn't that fact that we are offering degrees for something that has a VERY hard career path, it's that we so often allow students to continue their study well past the point when it is obvious that they do not posses the skill, artistic chi I guess I call it, or the motivation to really make it ( by that I mean pay the bills and be happy) in the real world of music. I wish there were a good way to gently show these people that there may be better choices for them out in the world than that of a jazz musician or musician in general, which brings me to my next point.
I 'm not sure "jazzers" have it any harder than the rest of the music playing crowd. I know that because of the seemingly endless amount of years I have been forced to play classically, sometimes against my will, I CAN play picc at a wedding, play in a brass quintet, or something like that, BUT I can also play in a rock band, sing in a blues group, play either the lead or ride book in a big band, and I can arrange and compose big band charts, brass quintet pieces, horn section arrangements .... the list goes on and on...my point is not that I am special it's that I'm not so sure( as a matter of fact I KNOW), that the principle trumpeter of the orchestra from my city can't do many of the things I just mentioned and he IS a monster player. If anything, HIS musical education was limited by only studying classically and not having a wider exposure to playing and composing different types of music. If anything, I think the jazz people are better suited to adapt once they leave school.

WOW THIS IS GETTING LONG! SORRY !

All that being said, my honest opinion about jazz in schools is that the emphasis is in the wrong place musically (speaking of pedegogy and the style s taught), AND that if your aim is soley to perform you should do one of two things
1. Go to a school in a major city with one hell of a jazz scene like NY, LA, or Toronto, and "hook up" with people until you can quit school and play OR
2. Skip step #1, get a day job, and practice till you fall over at night and THEN hook up with cats who are playing.

NOTE: doing #2 will save you a LOT of money...

Anyway I hope I've added something here ...
Peace
Matt

02-22-2007, 12:56 AM	#9 (permalink)
beartrumpet74 Pianissimo User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 198	Re: Here is your Jazz Degree kid. Good Luck! This is a great thread and something that I have long questioned myself about in my own education. I started out playing for a living in the Navy and then on tour with blues and jazz groups, and then decided to go to school. I was struck by something the original poster said about the fact that not everyone can be the next Ingrid ( meaning a great player or up and coming artist or whatever you want to say about it) As far as I'm concerned the major issue with jazz and schools isn't that fact that we are offering degrees for something that has a VERY hard career path, it's that we so often allow students to continue their study well past the point when it is obvious that they do not posses the skill, artistic chi I guess I call it, or the motivation to really make it ( by that I mean pay the bills and be happy) in the real world of music. I wish there were a good way to gently show these people that there may be better choices for them out in the world than that of a jazz musician or musician in general, which brings me to my next point. I 'm not sure "jazzers" have it any harder than the rest of the music playing crowd. I know that because of the seemingly endless amount of years I have been forced to play classically, sometimes against my will, I CAN play picc at a wedding, play in a brass quintet, or something like that, BUT I can also play in a rock band, sing in a blues group, play either the lead or ride book in a big band, and I can arrange and compose big band charts, brass quintet pieces, horn section arrangements .... the list goes on and on...my point is not that I am special it's that I'm not so sure( as a matter of fact I KNOW), that the principle trumpeter of the orchestra from my city can't do many of the things I just mentioned and he IS a monster player. If anything, HIS musical education was limited by only studying classically and not having a wider exposure to playing and composing different types of music. If anything, I think the jazz people are better suited to adapt once they leave school. WOW THIS IS GETTING LONG! SORRY ! All that being said, my honest opinion about jazz in schools is that the emphasis is in the wrong place musically (speaking of pedegogy and the style s taught), AND that if your aim is soley to perform you should do one of two things 1. Go to a school in a major city with one hell of a jazz scene like NY, LA, or Toronto, and "hook up" with people until you can quit school and play OR 2. Skip step #1, get a day job, and practice till you fall over at night and THEN hook up with cats who are playing. NOTE: doing #2 will save you a LOT of money... Anyway I hope I've added something here ... Peace Matt