News & Views Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Music Major Graduation Gifts – Jazz Studies Wednesday, May 13, 2015

The world of a musician or collegiate music major is often foreign and strange to those outside of the profession.  Parents, family and friends are often at a loss as to what graduation gifts might be most useful to high school graduates who plan to major in music, or college graduates pursuing music as a profession.   The members of our knowledgeable staff at Stanton’s have all been in their shoes, and we recommend these gifts ( in a variety of price ranges,) we could have used when we graduated!

For high school graduates becoming Jazz Studies majors:

jazz deckJazz Deck by Brian Switzer (90572008)………………………………….$19.95

Decode chord changes & learn how to play jazz IMMEDIATELY.  By breaking down the complex and overwhelming lexicon of jazz into tangible tidbits of musical information, Jazz Deck helps players take a systematic and hands-on approach to learning how to interpret chord changes. The multi-dimensional presentation is suitable for players of all levels and instruments.

how to play jazzHow To Play Jazz and Improvise by Jamey Aebersold (V01)………………$19.95

This book includes chapters on scales/chords, developing creativity, improv and modes, practical exercises/patterns and licks, Dominant 7th tree of scale choices, nomenclature, chromaticism, scale syllabus, and more. This complete improvisation set, along with Volume 24, MAJOR AND MINOR, can greatly open your ears and improve your playing.  Did you know? To date there are over 130 different Play-Along books from Jamey Aebersold.  Click here to see some of our favorites!

realbookThe Real Book Vol. 1 (00240221)…………………………………$39.99

The Real Books are the best-selling jazz books of all time. Since the 1970s, musicians have trusted these volumes to get them through every gig, night after night. The problem is that the books were illegally produced and distributed, without any regard to copyright law, or royalties paid to the composers who created these musical masterpieces.

Hal Leonard is very proud to present the first legitimate and legal editions of these books ever produced. You won’t even notice the difference, other than that all of the notorious errors have been fixed: the covers and typeface look the same, the song list is nearly identical, and the price for our edition is even cheaper than the original! Every conscientious musician will appreciate that these books are now produced accurately and ethically, benefitting the songwriters that we owe for some of the greatest tunes of all time!

For college graduates in Jazz Performance and Education:

aria light and manhassett standManhassett Music Stand (M48)…………………………………………$57.95

Aria Brio Music Stand Light (BRIO)………………………………….$129.00

Gigging musicians never know what they’re going to find when they arrive at a job.  Floppy stands, bad lighting (or no lighting at all!) and no access to an electrical outlet are common problems.  This Manhasset stand is the choice of musicians everywhere; sturdy, lightweight, and relatively easy to transport.  The Aria Brio Stand Light comes with an LED bulb that lasts for up to 100,000 hours and a rechargeable battery.  Use it plugged in when you can, or charge it ahead of time for 3.5-15 hours of light (depending on brightness.)

 

teaching music through performance in jazzTeaching Music Through Performance in Jazz(G7268)……………….$43.95

Teaching Music Through Performance in Jazz CD’s (CD772)……..$39.50
Teaching Music through Performance in Jazz brings together insights from top jazz educators and invaluable analysis of the best repertoire published for jazz ensembles.  Leading jazz educators and musicians contribute chapters on topics such as: “Why Teach Jazz?” by Wynton Marsalis; “A Multi-Cultural Approach to Jazz Education” by Ronald Carter; “Rehearsal Techniques: A Holistic Approach Integrating Composition, Improvisation, Theory, and Cultural Considerations in the Rehearsal” by Ron McCurdy; “The Rhythm Section: The Band within the Band” by Reginald Thomas; and “Promoting a High School Jazz Band” by Ron Modell. In addition, this book includes Teacher Resource Guides to more than 65 of the top jazz charts, broken down into developing, intermediate, and advanced categories. Each Teacher Resource Guide includes vital information on the composer, the composition, historical background, technical requirements, stylistic considerations, musical elements, form and structure, listening suggestions, and additional references.

Teaching Music through Performance in Jazz Volume 2 is due out soon, and Stanton’s own Ben Huntoon is a contributor.  Check with our instrumental department for availability, or for more information and gift suggestions at 1-800-42-MUSIC ext. 2.

Ben Huntoon is the Jazz Education Consultant at Stanton’s Sheet Music. He received bachelors and masters degrees in music from Capital University and The Ohio State University respectively. As a professional trumpeter, Ben is accomplished in a wide variety of genres and has performed throughout the Midwest on many stages over the past 30 years. He also teaches trumpet, coaches brass ensembles and serves on the jazz faculty at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio.


< Previous|Next >