Amazing Place!
Jazz is an important part of the musical life in the CU College of Music and the CU Boulder campus, with a lively schedule of big band concerts on campus, and weekly Combo performances off campus. The Jazz Ensembles have gained national acclaim, and have recorded several CDs. Jazz ensemble concerts often feature top guest jazz artists. Jazz Studies students annually win numerous prestigious Downbeat awards for excellence. Throughout the school year, top jazz bass artists perform in the Denver/Boulder area. Many, including John Clayton, Marc Johnson, John Goldsby, Mark Dresser, Reggie Workman, Stafford James, have come to the College of Music to work with CU double bass students.
JAZZ BASS
The bass has been called the heart and soul of jazz music. A good bass line with rock-solid time moves the music forward with an irresistible energy. Being able to play jazz gives any bass player versatility, opening doors to many professional performance opportunities. Interested double bass students work on jazz bass fundamentals in their regular bass lessons. Many College of Music jazz classes are available to undergraduate bass students wishing to study jazz.
UNDERGRADUATE JAZZ BASS STUDIES
Double Bass professor Paul Erhard draws upon his extensive background playing jazz (see home page link to Paul Erhard) to teach Jazz Bass Class. In Jazz Bass Class, double bass majors learn the essentials of playing jazz bass: playing good bass lines, keeping steady time, playing solos, and learning tunes. The CU College of Music Jazz Studies Program offers many excellent courses, including Jazz Theory, Jazz Scoring and Arranging, Jazz Combo and Jazz Ensemble. In the regular double bass studio lessons, Paul Erhard teaches Jazz to interested students. In addition, students can take Jazz bass lessons with the CU College of Music Jazz Bass Instructor Mark Simon (see Jazz Studies). A supplemental Jazz Certificate is available for undergraduate double bass majors who have taken a sufficient number of classes in the jazz area. The College now offers a Bachelors in Jazz Bass which combines study in jazz and classical double bass.
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| Big Band Rehearsal |
At
a swinging Jazz Gig |
Jazz
Clinic, RM String Bass Festival |
GRADUATE JAZZ BASS DEGREES
At the graduate level, masters and doctoral programs are available for jazz bass players: the Master of Music Performance & Pedagogy, and the Doctorate in Jazz Studies. The CU College of Music is one of only a few music schools offering the Jazz Doctorate degree. Jazz bass players at the graduate level have a curriculum of jazz courses which includes lessons with CU College of Music Jazz Bass Instructor Mark Simon. Classical lessons are also available with Paul Erhard. For more information, contact Dr. John Davis, director of Jazz Studies (see Jazz Studies). Many jazz bass majors at the graduate level have been awarded Teaching Assistantships.
Amazing Place!