THE groove curriculum

Can you imagine...

... a modern school music curriculum that is based on music fundamentals, that develops creative and expressive skills while providing students the path towards higher order thinking skills?

Have you wondered why...

... kids get tired of repetitive school ensemble classes, bored of their expensive private lessons, or quickly forget what they spent years learning?

Isn't it time...

... that students learned the real world skills of the most creative, expressive and dynamic musicians in the business: jazz musicians?

Jazz as a Curriculum

Jazz is not
a style!

Jazz is a codification of musical art. Why just play what's written when you can learn something by ear, commit form to memory, interpret an original, improvise, harmonize and learn socially?

Jazz musicians
learn the math!

Music theory is applied math, but when you only learn it in one context, it is limited. When you play a perfect melody, an eventful chord progression or a driving rhythm, your brain lights up and your body feels good!

Jazz musicians
improvise & COMPOSE!

Jazz musicians are not just performers, they are all composers, arrangers and improvisers. Playing jazz should not be a rote learning process or rigid stylistic imitation, but rather an ongoing discovery of creativity.

A Case for a Modern Music Curriculum

I have spent my adult life both as a real musician and a school music teacher. These are two completely separate worlds! I've always wondered why the two worlds don't connect. Where I work in Colorado, the state's music standards are based on classical music models, include "general music" only to Grade 5 and after that, split into band/choir/orchestra. As a skilled and experienced musician, I find the music standards inflexible and out-of-touch with what matters to real musicians.

I'm studying for my Doctor of Arts in Jazz Studies at the University of Northern Colorado. Why did I pick jazz studies? Because when my own high school music teacher gave us a real book and the opportunity to lead our own jazz combo, I started taking music seriously. It was all because of jazz: using lead sheets, learning all the chords, solo improvisation, performing in public gigs, earning money and applying music theory.