I haven't had lessons in a while but want to start playing again. I've done some jazz work, but nothing major. Anyway - I'm roughly grade 6 standard at the Assoc. Board Classical syllabus. I want to get some jazz music that will maintain and improve technique of this standard without having to revert to the classical pieces but not sure what to get!

The jazz syllabus only goes to grade 5 and will probably be different to the classical syllabus technically.

Basically - I'm looking for (written) jazz music that would be of a suitable technical standard for me to play. I can't really find anywhere where I am that stocks the books so I can't see the music to help me decide, can anyone advise me?

Thanks!

QUOTE (anu @ Feb 26 2004, 02:44 PM)

The jazz syllabus only goes to grade 5  and will probably be different to the classical syllabus technically.

Most classical musicians I know wouldn't even be able to pass the grade 1 jazz without a lot of work. It's VERY different - I suggest you just buy a grade 1 jazz book and start from there.

By the way, do you feel like being helpful and actually saying you play?

Thanks for the reply.

I play alto sax.

btw, I'm doing beginners work on improvisation/scales etc - I just want to get some written music that will read as a similar standard to grade 6 Classical ABRSM, so that my technical/music reading skills don't start to diminish seeing as I'm not pushing myself so hard on those aspects so much when I do improv etc. Although I have to do work on the structure of jazz music at the beginner end, I don't see why I should play music requiring the technical skills (for use of a better word) of a beginner?

I hope this reply meets to your satisfaction

this makes it a little easier - I'm a sax teacher.

Soon after my grade 6, I started with Jazz. The important thing was, for me, to continue playing my grade 7 music for that exam, while I did jazz music (the jazz syllabus wasn't around then). The classical music builds up your note-reading, the jazz builds up your jazz technique and theory (I do hope you've looked at your jazz scales, tey have little in common with classical scales!)

I find teaching jazz a nightmare - few pupils are able to do the ideal thing of doing grades in tandem classically and jazz, and those who want to do one then the other end up screwing up.

I agree with David, classical and jazz are very different disciplines it is possible to be proficient in both categories but it will require a lot of extra hard work. Try and find an established Big Band in your area and see if they'll let you sit in, that will keep you challenged at grade 6+ also material that you can read www.jazzbooks.com look for Aebersold material, there's about a 100 volumes in total. That should keep you busy for a few decades!
No way round it really it would really be in your interest to start grade 1 jazz just so that you can get to grips with improvisation and jazz scales which are more modal based.