Jazz Ensembles

Examiner comments and recordings

The following exemplar recordings and comments set out to give guidance on the basis on which an assessment will be made at the three different levels.

There are ten performances covering the Initial, Intermediate and Advanced levels, and detailed comments and an overall grading are given for each performance.

Initial Level

Curtain Call Blues
Peter Churchill

You all played with energy and an overall sense of the swing groove. The drum patterns had some variety and colour but a more secure lock between bass and drums was needed, and the bass could have had more connection and control overall to create an authentic walking bass line. Piano comping was descriptive but could have included more colourful chords and more incisive rhythmic placement. The pushes at the end of the head caused some unsteadiness in the ensemble each time but you found the shape of the melody. The front line played with control and tightness for the most part, and with dynamic variety, although there was room for further clarity in the detail to give extra authority to the rhythmic drive. Solos all had some melodic contour, albeit with room for more control of rhythmic placement to add to the blues-scale based language. There was a genuine sense of discovery and creativity in the solos as well as idiomatic shapes in all the solos – much of the playing had clear character.

Result: B-

Initial Level

Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Anon

There was a mainly secure pulse here although the drums needed a simpler pattern, and the bass more connection in both 2-feel and walking, to really give the swing feel groove and consistency. Piano chords provided the basic harmony but could have had more idiomatic voicing and greater precision in their rhythmic placement. The head had room for more embellishment and variety of phrase shape, but some interaction in the front line gave a sense of classic jazz style - despite many voices in near-unison making the tune unclear in some sections. There was room for more variety of texture behind the solos, which mainly expressed the form clearly but needed a greater sense of conversation, and in some instance more idiomatic melodic shape, to add real character. Overall, there was scope for more ease with the style throughout, but some good harmonic details were found.

Result: C+

Intermediate Level

All Blues
Miles Davis

The general texture was idiomatic and well balanced with an obvious knowledge of the original informing many aspects of the performance. The groove was well maintained and mainly authentic though piano voicings could have been lower and the bass could have moved away from the opening figures to provide more variety and evolution. However, the whole rhythm section worked with a sense of interaction between chord instruments and some rhythmic interplay between piano and drums made for a good variety of energy levels. The guitar solos had some effective contrasts in approach and tone, and there was a strong sense of sensitive accompaniment from the piano here. The trumpet would have gained from more authentic vibrato and open tone in the head, but much of the solo was well shaped and the melody was accurate, sensitive and well phrased - with generally well centred intonation and some fluent embellishment. The alto solo had some confident energy though there was room for further dynamic restraint and control of phrase-length in this style. The piano solo had inventive harmonic choices, with scope for more melodic identity to fit with the good tonal variety and idiomatic rhythmic placement.

Result: A-

Intermediate Level

I Wish I Knew
Billy Taylor

The groove was well defined and flowed confidently in the rhythm section, with the drums providing stability throughout, although the bass could have dug in more solidly for extra energy still. A good variety of colours and comping styles behind solos shaped the overall form. The horn section playing was rather loose rhythmically in places, with a more consistent approach to phrasing needed in opening sections, but the second chorus had some effective textures and a sense of interaction - despite some crowded moments. In the last head section the trumpet led with authority. The alto solo had some assured and stylish shape although some phrases could have sat more comfortably with the harmonic detail. The trumpet solo was mainly fluent, with scope for more controlled pitch in places and a more consistent expression of the groove and, although the ending wasn’t fully tight in the ensemble and accurate in individual parts, inventive formal ideas and a good dynamic build added shape and evident style to your arrangement.

Result: B

Intermediate Level

That Old Feeling
Fain & Brown

This had some confident swing feel in many places but also sections that needed more forward motion for full effect. A good lock between bass and drums was generally maintained. The piano needed to leave more space, and some chords were not accurate, but comping was otherwise effective. Overall in the horns tone needed more clarity and flexibility to make the most of some clear stylistic sympathy. There was a lack of improvisation in general - the solos were more in the form of paraphrases and repeats of the melody rather than original melodic shapes based on the chord sequence, and for this to be effective more dynamic control and contrast was needed along with tighter ensemble. Despite needing more rhythmic punch and variety, the ending had some originality in the shaping and the horn section chords were both effective and idiomatic to the melody.

Result: C

Intermediate Level

ID
Dan Monkton

You maintained a good sense of groove through the winding melody, although there was room for a fuller tone and more precise intonation. The trumpet mispitched from time to time, but there was a clear sense of ensemble between the horns. There was some inventive and colourful drumming which maintained the pulse confidently, with a good feeling for space and connection through the whole rhythm section. The bass played fluently and inventively. A good dynamic contour was heard during the opening head section though there was room for more light and shade later on, and at quieter dynamics there was a tendency to lose tonal energy. The guitar played a mainly fluent solo that addressed the harmony and played some good melodic contours; stronger rhythmic placement would have added authority to the solo lines. This was a well-shaped original composition with some interesting harmony and a good chromatic melody.

Result: B+

Advanced Level

Well You Needn’t
Thelonius Monk

Bass and drums had a good sense of lock and a well-maintained sense of swing, with good time in the opening bass line. The guitar played fluently through the head and the solo was well-shaped with some mature language and clear, developmental phrase structure over the chord sequence. The bass solo flowed conversationally and also demonstrated a good understanding of the harmony and a sense of groove and line. Although this was a small ensemble there was room for more dynamic contrast overall, and in places rhythms could have been firmer, but some assured swing feel and solos made this a convincing performance.

Result: A

Advanced Level

Skylark
H Carmichael

There was some fluent and mature playing from both piano and saxophone in the first section of the head, with some expressive embellishment of the head by the saxophone and a confident and stylish knowledge of the harmony demonstrated in the piano. The transition into double time was less successful, and some of the form and contour of the melody was lost, though you both recovered quickly and ended safely with an expressive use of a final Lydian mode. Some saxophone phrases clashed with the harmonic background, but tone was stylish and flexible in most phrases.

Result: B

Advanced Level

Nica’s Dream
Horace Silver

The Latin groove was fluent, and the rhythmic detail of the head was well expressed by the rhythm section. The bass could have walked with more energy in the swing sections, and there was a little slowing down here. The horns played tightly in most of the head, with a good sense of balance, accent and ensemble, though for both tone could have had further focus and there were some slips of intonation. The trumpet solo was mainly fluent with some simple smooth melodic contours; tone became rather hazy and production needed more energy and focus to add rhythmic detail. The saxophone played with a good sense of style and mostly well focused tone, expressing many elements of the chord sequence in some flowing lines – and with a variety of shapes and directions in the language. Overall there was a good sense of form and colour in the arrangement, with lots of characteristic detail in the stops and pushes, giving a strong sense of overall ensemble.

Result: A-

Advanced Level

Confirmation
Charlie Parker

The head had energy and detail, though there were occasional fluffs in this demanding melody. Driving rhythms and stylish accents gave strong shape for the most part. The rhythm section maintained a good swing groove although there was room for more energy and variety from the drums despite good dialogue with the piano. The bass walked confidently and expressed the changes clearly, and the piano comped with imaginative rhythmic shape and some stylish voicings. The complex harmony of this tune was mainly handled well by the soloists though the horns needed more fluency and rhythmic variety to add the required chord detail to some diatonic lines, and rhythms needed more flexible placement midway through. The guitar and piano solos found authentic bebop language, had some well-structured phrase shapes, and led the ear well through the changes. The overall feeling from the group was of confident performance and good ensemble, with a secure and well projected ending.

Result: B+