Jazz Jam Sessions

'Jazz is there and gone. It happens. You have to be present for it. That simple.'
- Keith Jarrett

Are you a newcomer to jazz who would like to gain valuable experience improvising and interacting with other musicians of different levels?
Are you a student of jazz improvisation who would like put all those licks and scales into practise in a live setting?
Is playing jazz a pastime that you'd like to enjoy more frequently in the company of other like-minded musicians?

jazz Playing regularly with other musicians is extremely important for the aspiring jazz musician. Jazz students spend endless hours 'woodshedding' - trying to sound like their idols and discovering their own voice. The ultimate benefit of all this practise is to allow them to express themselves more freely through their instruments and to communicate with other musicians through the language of jazz. The New School now provides an invaluable outlet for students and musicians to do just this.

Regular Jazz Jam Sessions are a monthly event at the New School in 2010-2011, taking place on Friday evenings, 6.30 - 8 pm. Unlike many other jam sessions, these take a structured, supervised approach with the aim of helping aspiring musicians to grow and develop their playing. An experienced jazz musician/ teacher from the school will be present to facilitate and supervise each Jazz Jam Session.

The ultimate aim of our Jazz Jam Sessions is to give students of all levels and backgrounds an outlet to play improvised music with other musicians and students. Participants are encouraged to join one of the New School's Jazz Ensembles to further develop their skills.

Currently-enrolled students at the New School are asked to contribute €3 at each session, and external students/players are asked to contribute €6, to help cover music and expenses.

Jazz Jam Session Tunes

Our first three jam session tunes are a basic blues in F, 'Autumn Leaves' and 'There Is No Greater Love'. Below are YouTube videos of the tunes, as well links to printable chord charts for the last two (from myrealbook.com). Jazz Jam Session participants should practise playing over these tunes before coming to the session.

Blues in F

Autumn Leaves (Stan Getz)

Autumn Leaves (Chet Baker)

Autumn Leaves chord chart

There Is No Greater Love (Sonny Rollins)

There Is No Greater Love (Miles Davis)

There Is No Greater Love chord chart

Our Jazz Jam Sessions will resume again during the 2011-2012 school year.