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Maximizing The Potential of Your Young Jazz Guitarists
By Luke Saunders Question: How do you get young guitarists to stop playing?Answer: Put sheet music in front of them.While a comedic generalization, this jab often holds true. However, it does not have to be that way! Young guitarists bring plenty of useful skills into your jazz band, and you do not need a backgroundContinue reading “Maximizing The Potential of Your Young Jazz Guitarists”

Getting to the “Why”
In these times when American society is re-examining its history through the lens of the experiences of people of color, how does a band director in Iowa honor the roots of jazz as music created in response to discrimination and repression, while also teaching notes and rhythms? A simple way to begin may be asContinue reading “Getting to the “Why””
Al Naylor’s Musical History
JEI Hall of Fame member Al Naylor has mentored and taught thousands of Iowa jazz players. Many of them have followed him into teaching and playing professionally. Al’s music career began in his home town of Jefferson, Iowa, where his school band was directed by the legendary Jack Oatts, founder of high school jazz inContinue reading “Al Naylor’s Musical History”

Jazz Listening Resources from Kyle and Mike
We asked Kyle Engelhardt, band director at Cedar Falls High School, and UNI professor Dr. Michael Conrad to give us some examples of jazz artists, along with audio and video suggestions, that students and fans just getting in to jazz can listen and watch on their own that will help them get and keep upContinue reading “Jazz Listening Resources from Kyle and Mike”
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