Presented by Lindsey Snarr Partridge
[email protected]
http://lindseypartridge.musicteachershelper.com/home
801.628.9354
2011 UMEA Convention, St. George
lesson adapted from Kirk Marcy, 2006 IAJE TTI
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Jazz education programs have traditionally been geared toward training instrumentalists, not vocalists.
Often choir directors are coming from a primarily choral background, and have little jazz training. The
following are tips and tools to empower the choral educator, and help them feel like vocal jazz,
specifically scat, is more accessible.
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Listening is paramount in performing jazz music. If you don’t know what it sounds like, you can’t
perform it correctly. The same stands for scat singing.
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Assign an artist to each student of which he/she needs to become the authority.
 Students can share a brief biography
 Share music – burn a copy of the CD, and take turns listening
 Can do quizzes to ensure they’re listening
 Use vocalists and instrumentalists
See the attached sampling of jazz artists (in no particular order).
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Don’t know the style  NEED to listen
Wrong notes –BIG fear
Choosing rhythms
Words/syllables
Confidence
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Kevin Mahogany – “I’m Walkin’” from Portrait of Kevin Mahogany album
 Syllables
 Range
 Rhythms
 Repetition
Discuss what is heard. Listen together, and point out different elements within the four categories.
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Starting work in the 12-bar blues is a simple place to start, as it’s a familiar chord progression to most
students, and there is a lot of commonality between the chords.
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Cup a hand over your mouth connected to the other hand cupped over the ear, creating a direct
pathway from one’s mouth to one’s ear. Begin ALL scat singing this way.
 A safe way to practice
 Everyone is participating
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 NO pitch, ONLY rhythm
 Chance to play with syllables. Simple is best. Pair syllables together.
i.e. doo, dah, dee, day, daht, dop, dn, dl, boo, bah, bee, bay, baht, bop, yah, wah, voo,…, foo,…,
m, n, etc.
 Important: RESTS are just as important as notes
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 Tools for picking notes: repetition, step, skip
 Start with whole notes ONLY
 If you hit a wrong note, a right one is only a step away (refer to chord progression).
 Start with one set of 12 bars  Feedback. Repeat process as necessary.
*** Bucket of Wrong Notes – Everyone has a bucket of wrong notes they will sing throughout their
lifetime. It is perfectly fine to sing a wrong note. The sooner you sing all of your wrong notes,
the sooner your bucket is empty, and they are all gone.***
 Move to half notes  Feedback. Repeat process as necessary.
 Quarter notes  Feedback. Repeat process as necessary.
 Eighth notes (swing style)  Feedback. Repeat process.
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 Feedback – Any good notes? Any bucket notes? Good rhythms? Share specifics.
 Repeat 12 bars – unannounced, go for 24, 36 or 48 bars
 Get feedback. Ask for specifics about what went well.
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“Your concert has been selling out every performance (after all, there was only one seat). Consequently,
you have enough money to invest. You’ve decided to add a seat to your concert hall… Concert Hall for
Two. Thankfully, there’s always a dress rehearsal before you open a new show.”
 Give students a good practice, 36-48 bars

Spread pairs throughout the space. Each pair decide between the two who is going to scat first (paper,
rock scissors is a good, fun and quick way). Each take turns with 12 bars (total of 48 bars).
 Feedback – “Tell me something good you heard in the concert you attended.” Allow for lots of
people to respond. Ask for specifics, as best they can offer.
 Trade who scats first and repeat process. Students respond with positive things they heard.
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RHYTHM IS POWER. If the rhythm is wrong, it sounds and feels wrong, even if the pitch is
correct. If the pitch is wrong, and the rhythm is right, it feels better. Let rhythm be the primary
focus.
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Repetition – If you liked it the first time, immediately do it again (and again, and again)! It
provides the listener with some familiarity, and prevents you from having to come up with
something new, and often gets better each time you do it.
Don’t scat above your ability level. As confidence improves, the bar will naturally raise itself.
If you hear something you like, steal it. Borrowing an idea from a jazz artist and using it is a
compliment, and considered to be paying it forward.
Don’t underestimate the power of the rest. Rests punctuate scat, and give it more meaning. It
also builds anticipation for what will happen next.
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Rotate partners, decide who will scat first, repeat the process. Get feedback. As the students hear
positive things going on, they will try to use those things in their own improvisation. Encourage them to
remember rhythm (rests), repetition (including stealing ideas) and simplicity. After 1 or 2 concerts with
that partner, rotate again.
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After several sessions, ask for volunteers who would be willing to share a set, 12 bars each. Give them
feedback. Keep all comments positive.
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 Scat Pass – When working individually or as a group, everyone should be expected to
participate. When asking for performances for the class, a “scat pass” policy should be instated.
Everyone has their bad days, and a bad experience in a solo situation could destroy a student’s
confidence in trying to improvise.
 You (as the teacher) MUST be willing to participate. You can not only provide them a good
example if you are proficient, but more importantly, if you are a novice as well, you making
mistakes gives your students permission to try, fail, and try again. Allow yourself to grow with
them.
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When starting to scat to a piece, simply vamp the section to scat over and over. Start with “Concert Hall
for One.” Continuously get feedback and it will be apparent when the students are ready to try
performing for the class (can skip pairing off). One idea is to draw their names out of a hat to give all
students the chance to try (Remember your “scat pass” policy.).
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 Trade 2’s or 4’s – In pairs, students scat 4 bars each (or 2 bars, depending on what you choose),
taking turns. It is a great way to develop short ideas, learn how to borrow others ideas and
make them one’s own as well as help develop a conversational style. It’s also a great way to
feature several students in one song.
 Choose soloist(s) in front of an audience – Have all students practice the scat solo for a given
song (a simpler solo is best), and in front of the audience, draw the soloist(s) from the hat. It
impresses the audience that the student is improvising on the spot, and makes them far more
forgiving if a mistake is made.
 Give the solo to several people – If there are repeat performances, allow several students to
have a chance to solo. If there is only one performance, repeat the solo section several times,
giving many students opportunity to solo. Choir can sing “back-up” underneath.
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Instrumentalists
Instrument/Specialty
piano
piano
piano
piano
piano
piano
piano
piano, bandleader
piano, bandleader
piano, bandleader
guitar
guitar
guitar
guitar
bass
bass
bass
bass
drums
drums
drums
drums
drums
sax
sax
sax
sax
sax
sax
sax
sax
trumpet
trumpet
trumpet
trumpet
trumpet
trumpet, voice
trombone
trombone
trombone
trombone
composer, singer, piano
Artist
Oscar Peterson
Chick Corea
Herbie Hancock
Bill Evans
Thelonius Monk
Jelly Roll Morton
Dave Brubeck
Duke Ellington
Count Basie
Thomas "Fats" Waller
Russell Malone
Joe Pass
Wes Montgomery
Al DiMeola
Eddie Gomez
Ron Carter
Christian McBride
Stanley Clarke
Max Roach
Shelley Mann
Buddy Rich
Art Blakey
Jeff Hamilton
Charlie Parker
John Coltrane
Bob Mintzer
Michael Brecker
Coleman Hawkins
Lester Young
Cannonball Adderley
Sonny Rollins
Miles Davis
Randy Brecker
Kenny Dorham
Louis Armstrong
Dizzy Gillespie
Chet Baker
Erbie Green
JJ Johnson
Bill Watrous
Andy Martin
Antonio Carlos Jobim
Vocalists
Vocal Groups
(scat singers in bold)
Ella Fitzgerald
Lambert, Hendricks and Ross
Sarah Vaughn
The Real Group
Billie Holiday
Beachfront Property
Joe Williams
New York Voices
Billy Eckstine
Manhattan Transfer
Dinah Washington
Take 6
Nat King Cole
Singers Unlimited
Anita O'Day
Hi-Lo's
Sheila Jordan
Harry Connick, Jr.
Shirley Horn
Diane Reeves
Kurt Elling
Diana Krall
Tony Bennett
Chet Baker
Jon Hendricks
Karin Allyson
Dee Dee Bridgewater
Jane Monheit
Bobby McFerrin
Al Jarreau
Louis Armstrong
Leo Watson
Eddie Jefferson
Mel Tormé
Mark Murphy
Kevin Mahogany
Betty Carter
Janet Lawson
Carmen McRae
Darmon Meader
Pandora.com is a great way for students to learn of other artrists. Make a ‘radio station’ of a given artist
(i.e. Ella Fitzgerald), and Pandora will select other music that is like that artist. Students can quickly
learn music from several artists.
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The following is a list of a few of some popular vocal jazz arrangers, a short description of their style, and
where you can find their music. It’s important to think about what style you would like, who your strong
soloists are, and what difficulty level would be right for your choir.*
My recommendation to you would be to visit the websites of these publishers and spend some time
listening to clips/viewing samples of their work. You’ll be able to find out what will work best for you,
and likely find new arrangers yourself.
If you’re having trouble finding literature by these arrangers, your local music dealer could assist you in
finding the publishers and arrangements.
Arranger
Kirby Shaw
Michele Weir
Paris Rutherford
Kerry Marsh
Matt Falker
Dave Barduhn
Ken Kraintz
Laurie Cappello-Marcy
Darmon Meader and
New York Voices
Description of Style
Leans toward simplicity. Good for beginners.
Some arrangements are more for show choir,
but can find some solid straight ahead jazz
vocal arrangements that are very nice.
Straight ahead jazz, usually with a twist. Very
inventive arrangements with varying degree of
difficulties.
Nice arrangements in varying degrees of
difficulty in the straight ahead jazz genre, and
also some pop arrangements in a jazzy style.
Student of Paris Rutherford. Very edgy
arrangements particularly good for festivals.
Very inventive with substitute chord changes
and many wordless (scat syllable)
arrangements.
Well put together arrangements in a straight
ahead jazz genre.
Excellent vocal arrangements that are not too
edgy, more middle of the road, and some pop
tunes. He likes to do pieces with a sense of
humor and he also arranges many of his
original tunes.
Good arrangements for your choirs, focuses
on beginning to intermediate. A lot of original
music with good and fun messages.
Much experience with the jr. high and high
school voices. Arrangements geared toward
the developing ear/voice.
Excellent arrangements, intermediate to
advanced, from top the vocal jazz group. Jazz
standards and original jazz tunes with thick
chords. Darmon does traditional choral
arrangements as well, with some great
dissonances to help the singer get used to
tuning ‘jazz’ harmony.
Where Can Purchase
Hal Leonard
sheetmusicplus.com
a-capella.com
michmusic.com
Hal Leonard
UNC Jazz Press
kerrymarsh.com
Sound Music Publications
(smpjazz.com)
mattfalker.com
Sound Music Publications
Sound Music Publications
Sound Music Publications
Sound Music Publications
Shawnee Press
Alfred Publishing
ejazzlines.com
a-capella.com
Phil Mattson
Greg Yasinitzky
Vijay Singh
Cathy Jensen-Hole
Clare Fischer
Kirk Marcy
Jennifer Shelton Barnes
Steve Zegree
Deke Sharon
Gene Puerling
One of the more respected jazz arrangers.
Great arrangements, many on upper difficulty
level.
Good charts, intermediate to difficult. Straight
ahead jazz genre – jazz standards.
A real mix of songs from blues to bebop, to
religious/gospel arrangements in a jazz style.
Good arrangements for you to college level.
Lots of jazz standards with fresh
arrangements, middle of the road jazz. All
difficulty levels.
Excellent arrangements, usually difficult, edgy
and creative.
Has great arrangements for younger choirs as
well as college level. Good, solid, straight
ahead jazz.
Good arrangements for young choirs, ago
appropriate lyrics.
Approachable jazz from the beginner to the
advanced. Straight forward arrangements.
More in the a cappella genre, but has some
good straight forward jazz arrangements.
ejazzlines.com
a-capella.com
singers.com
ejazzlines.com
UNC Jazz Press
Sound Music Publications
UNC Jazz Press
www.arts.unco.edu/uncjazz
UNC Jazz Press
UNC Jazz Press
Sound Music Publications
UNC Jazz Press
Shawnee Press
Hal Leonard
Alfred Publishing
a-capella.com
Hal Leonard
One of the great arrangers in legit vocal jazz.
Alfred Publishing
Various levels of difficulty.
Shawnee Press
*information compiled in part from Kelly Eisenhour, 2007 IAJE Teacher Training Institute
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Jazz Singer’s Handbook, Michele Weir
Vocal Improvisation, Michele Weir
Singing with Style: Jazz Vocal Warm Up, Singing Technique & Vocal Style Singing Lessons, Susan Anders
Blues Scatitudes, Bob Stoloff
Scat!, Bob Stoloff
Guide for Jazz and Scat Vocalists, Denis DiBlasio
Approaching the Standards for Jazz Vocalists, Willie Hill Jr.
The Complete Guide to Teaching Vocal Jazz, Steve Zegree
Vocal Jazz Style, Kirby Shaw
Vocal Jazz, The Art & Technique, Phil Mattson
Jazz and Show Choir Handbook: 2nd Edition, Doug Anderson