Improv Pathways: Beginning Jazz Improvisation Method
Have a jazz ensemble? Whether your are new to improvisation or a killer soloist, it is challenging to teach the right things in the best order, and nearly impossible to find the time to do it during your busy rehearsal schedule. Through years of experimentation and development we've created an amazing jazz improvisation method that is educationally powerful, fun to use, and easy to fit into your jazz band rehearsals.
Learning Jazz Improvisation Has Never Been More FUN!
For The ClassroomImprov Pathways is easy to incorporate into regular rehearsals, and was created by an active music educator who understands the need to spend most of your time learning charts for upcoming concerts. Each page of the Teacher's Manual tells you ALL you need to know to provide smooth lessons with little preparation.
Improv Pathways can be used in smaller bands or full jazz ensembles. All correlated music is available for both Combos and Big Bands. Your students will enjoy the lesson activities, and will LOVE working on improvisation! Click here to see reviews by several school teachers. |
Packed with Play-Along TracksAll audio tracks were recorded by the Crescent Super Band, which has been recognized as one of America's most outstanding youth big bands by multiple Downbeat Magazine awards, several Grammy Awards, and the Essentially Ellington program.
Not only will you hear great examples of style and improvisation, you will get to practice soloing with a rhythm section that is complemented by a complete big-band horn section! The highly-energy experience of playing along with a full jazz ensemble is unmatched in any other jazz improvisation method or play-along series. |
For Private StudyImprov Pathways is easy to use on your own. Audio tracks provide guidance and examples at every turn of the page. Each lesson is concise and interactive, with plenty of written material to teach you the next step along each pathway to improvisation.
In addition to developing improv skills you can learn to play 6 fun jazz charts with solo sections that correlate to the scales you have been working with. Click the audio example below to hear samples of the charts: |
18 Interactive LessonsEach of the 18 lessons provides a mixture of different pathways to explore, and offers new ideas and skills in a progressive, step-by-step manner. Each lesson takes about 30 minutes to complete. However, you can spend hours practicing and perfecting the skills from each lesson using the accompanying play-along tracks. If you work on one lesson per week, the entire method can be finished in 5 months.
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Affordable for Individuals and BandsThe complete 48-page book with 2 CDs is available at my online store for under $18 (including free shipping to US locations). PDF eBook options are also available for under $12, with downloadable audio tracks. For school band teachers several reproducible options make Improv Pathways very affordable for your students year-after-year.
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Improv Pathways YouTube VideosI have over a dozen YouTube videos to help you get started with jazz improvisation. My most popular video is Level 1: Call & Response, which gets you started in the easiest possible way. Other videos help you learn more advanced jazz patterns, show you how to transition to the IV Chord, and show a 45-minute presentation on teaching jazz improvisation at the Ohio Music Educators Conference. Visit my YouTube Channel to see a list videos that can get you started improvising right away for free!
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