Jazz Piano Proficiency for Jazz Major Pianists

Jazz Piano Proficiency for Jazz Major Pianists

JAZZ KEYBOARD PROFICIENCY

for Undergraduate and Graduate Jazz Piano Majors

*Page examples are from: Stylistic II/V7/I Voicings for Keyboardists by Luke Gillespie (available from Professor Gillespie or Jazz Piano AI).

ii/V7/I Voicings:

Be able to play the following progressions: key circle (p. 18), half steps ascending/descending (p. 21), whole steps ascending/descending (p. 22). Practice different rhythms, focusing on placing the “dotted quarter/eighth note” rhythm on different beats of the measure, articulating long-short and short-long rhythmic patterns.  Play all requirements at a minimum of quarter note = 120.

I.  Voicings:

• Dropped note voicings (p.29 Ex.1a, 1c)

• Dropped note altered voicings (all of p.34)

• Rootless voicings for both hands (p.36 Ex.1a, b, or c; p.37 Ex.3a, b, or c)

• Rootless voicings for left hand (p.37 Ex.5, 6)

• Rootless altered voicings (p.38 Ex.7-10; p.39 Ex.14-17)

• Red Garland voicings (pp.40-41, all examples)

• Minor ii-V7-I voicings (p.44 Ex.3a, 3d; p.45 Ex.5a, 5c; p.49 Ex.13a, 14b, 14f; p.51 Ex.15a)

• Tritone substitutions (p.54 Ex.3b, 6)

• Tritone ii-V7 substitutions (p.58: D-7/G7/Ab-7/Db7/C in all keys, using root & rootless

voicings)

• Minor third substitutions (p.59: D-7/G7/F-7/Bb7/C in all keys, using root & rootless

voicings)

• “So What” voicings (p.65 Ex.1; p.66 Ex.6; p.67 Ex.16)

• Contrapuntal voicings (p.78 Ex.14; p.79 Ex.16a; p.82 Ex.23a; p.83 Ex.25a

• Bitonal voicings (p.94 Ex.1 in all keys)

• Latin comping pattern (handout)

• Blues voicings (all keys) (handout)

II.  Repertoire:

play melody with left hand shell voicings and rootless voicings; comp with both

handed root and rootless voicings; improvise on changes

• Tune Up                           • Body and Soul

• Satin Doll (12 keys)            • ‘Round Midnight

• Afternoon in Paris               • Stablemates

• Half Nelson                        • Just Friends (12 keys)

• Groovin’ High                      • Confirmation

• Autumn Leaves (12 keys)      • Donna Lee

• Blues for Alice                    • Well, You Needn’t (Monk and Miles)

• Maiden Voyage (using “So What” voicings)      • Ask Me Now

• Blues changes, comping, soloing (12 keys)

III.  24 hour piece: You will be given a new piece to prepare (melody in RH, chords in LH, and two-handed comping) the day before your test.  The tune must be memorized.