Master Class: Dr. Renata Bratt – Teaching & Learning Jazz Using Elements of Suzuki Method

You can learn jazz songs and the reimagine the melody with jazz phrases by listening and copying what you hear. Using elements of the Suzuki Method, cellist Dr. Renata Bratt has been successfully teaching jazz improvisation to students and teachers of all ages since 2000. Teaching & Learning Jazz Using Elements of Suzuki Method will provide an in-depth look at employing Suzuki Method techniques in jazz. Bring your instrument or just your voice. String instrument players are especially encouraged to attend.

Outline:

Listening to jazz songs: Students can be familiar with a variety of songs that are blues or early jazz standards.  In Suzuki Literature we first learn children’s songs, then Bach.

Singing and playing jazz songs: We can learn to sing songs first. In Suzuki literature, this song is “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” Early blues songs such as “Worried Man Blues” have the same element of interest– they’re fun to play and sing.

Variations using the melody and then using the chords of the melody. In Suzuki literature variations of the melody are explored in book 1.

All songs can feature scales and arpeggios for the chords, jazz rhythm practice for the tune and “riffs”, “blue note riffs” allowing students to explore the sound of the chromatic upward movement of the third for each major chord, sample jazz riffs (in question and answer format), individual chord accompaniment patterns, and full chords for accompaniment and improvisation.

1. Worried Man Blues in D. 16 bar Blues form. Major Pentatonic and Blues Scales for the I, IV and V and Blues scales for the I and ii chords. Major pentatonic and Blues scales for the V chord.

2. The Down Hearted Blues in D. 12 bar blues (tune in ABA form) composed by African American composers Lovie Austin and Alberta Hunter in 1924. Major and minor Blues scales for the I and IV chords, Dorian scale for the ii chord and Mixolydian (Dominant) scale for the V chord. Original in key of D!
3. I Want to Be Happy in G. 32 Bar jazz song in G (AABA) by Vincent Youmans and Irving Caesar in 1925. Extensive use of ii7 V7 I cadences in the key of G in A section, key of C and key of Am in the B section. Teaches ii V cadence patterns in 3 keys.

Can’t make it in-person? You can join virtually! Click here to register.