Jazz Studies

• Comments about the Jazz Studies Program
• Upcoming General Performances and Events
• Upcoming Faculty Performances and Events
• Faculty List (includes audio recordings, website links and more.)
• Videos from various Preformances (available to view online)
• Faculty Interviews

Coordinator Contact Information: Dr. Edward Joffe
201 • 200 • 3091 Email: EJOFFE@NJCU.edu

Be sure to check out the ... UPCOMING FACULTY PERFORMANCES/EVENTS

 

 

Monday, October 19, 2009
7:30pm
Margaret Williams Theater

James Moody

 

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Audition information:

 

Tuesday December 15, 2009 at 10:00am
Saturday, February 27, 2010 at 9:00am

Saturday, April 17, 2010 at 9:00am

In addition to performing all major and minor scales, the prospective student will be asked to perform selections from the following repertoire lists by memory, along with sight-reading. A faculty rhythm section will accompany all performances. A piano, guitar amp, bass amp and drum set will be provided. Admittance to any music major program is based solely upon the results of this audition after the University has accepted the student’s application. Placement in required music major core classes will be based on the results of placement exams to be given after the student has been admitted to the department.

UNDERGRADUATE INSTRUMENTALISTS

Blues
Tenor Madness (Bb+)
Billie’s Bounce (F+)
Au Privave (F+)
Now’s the Time (F+)

Standards
Scrapple from the Apple (F+)
Blue Bossa (C-)
Doxy (Bb+)
Satin Doll (C+)

 

*Choose one composition from each category.

NJCU Jazz Ensemble at the Blue Note

Ballads
Body and Soul (Db+)
Round Midnight (Eb-)

I Can’t Get Started (C+)

Sophisticated Lady (Ab+)

Medium Swing

Confirmation (F+)
Invitation (C-)
Like Someone in Love (C+)

Well You Needn’t (F+)

Up Tempo
Cherokee (Bb+)
Airegin (F-)
Anthropology(Bb+)
Giant Steps (B+)

*Choose one composition from each category.

 

JAZZ VOCALISTS

NJCU Jazz Vocal Ensemble at the Blue Note

Undergraduates

Autumn Leaves
Misty
Satin Doll
Blue Monk
Take The "A" Train

Green Dolphin Street

 

Graduates

No More Blues

How High the Moon

The Song Is You

Ornithology

The Jazz Studies program offers students a chance to develop their improvisational, compositional, and ensemble skills through intensive classroom work and performance opportunities. A faculty of world-class New York area jazz and recording artists work with the students in private lessons and ensembles such as The NJCU Jazz Ensemble, The Lab Band, The Studio Orchestra, The Jazz Vocal Ensemble, Jazz Guitar Ensemble, The Brazilian Ensemble, The Afro-Cuban Ensemble, and Combos. These groups perform regularly in jazz clubs throughout New Jersey (Trumpet’s, Cecil’s) and New York (Birdland, The Blue Note), in local schools, at jazz festivals, as well as on campus. The jazz studies area has just released their new CD – “Hope”.  Prospective jazz students will receive a free copy after completing the music department application.

 

Clinicians and Recitalists (1992–2009)

Jerry Bergonzi	Fred Hersch
Joanne Brackeen	Michael Holober
Ray Brown	Charles McPherson
Billy Byers	Bob Mintzer
Bill Charlap	Dick Oatts
Buddy DeFranco	Maria Schneider
Gary Foster	Don Sebesky
Al Grey	Marvin Stamm
Barry Harris	Clark Terry
Jimmy Heath	Phil Woods
Mike Longo

Guest Artists Who Have Performed with The NJCU Jazz Ensemble (1992–2009)

Toshiko Akiyoshi	Sir Roland Hanna	Rufus Reid
Jerry Bergonzi	Barry Harris	Claudio Roditi
Michael Brecker	Jimmy Heath	John Scofield
Randy Brecker	Eddie Henderson	Dave Stahl
Paquito D’Rivera	Jon Hendricks	Byron Stripling
Eddie Daniels	Conrad Herwig	Lew Tabackin
Buddy DeFranco	Joe Locke	Clark Terry
Peter Erskine	Joe Lovano	Dave Tofani
Jon Faddis	Charles McPherson	Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
John Fedchock	Bob Mintzer	Scott Wendholt
Benny Golson	New York Voices	Walt Weiskopf
Slide Hampton	Jim Pugh	Phil Woods
Maria Schneider	Marvin Stamm

NJCU High School Festival Clinicians (1993-2009)

John Fedchock	John Mosca
Frank Foster	Jim Pugh
Slide Hampton	Rufus Reid
Jimmy Heath	Maria Schneider
Conrad Herwig	Dave Stahl
Bob Mintzer	Walt Weiskopf

 

NJCU Jazz Faculty Wins Award

Jazz at Lincoln Center and the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs announced today ensembles who will tour with The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad program in 2009. Selected for her artistic integrity, musical ability and educational skills, one of these award-winning groups is a quartet led by Roseanna Vitro, an NJCU adjunct instructor for 15 years who heads up the jazz vocal area at the university.

The Roseanna Vitro Quartet will be one of ten American music groups from throughout the United States specializing in jazz, urban/hip hop and other American roots music including blues, bluegrass, Cajun, country, gospel and zydeco were invited to apply for the opportunity to travel abroad to promote cross-cultural understanding, particularly to countries not regularly visited by American musicians. International tour activities will include public concerts, master classes, lecture-demonstrations, workshops, jam sessions, media outreach and collaborations with local musicians.

Ensembles travel to regions including Africa, Asia, the Balkans, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East for approximately one month in the period beginning February 2009 through June 2009. The program also incorporates free performances by each ensemble hosted by Jazz at Lincoln Center at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center and at the Grosvenor Auditorium at the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C.

Ms. Vitro has toured for the Kennedy Center Jazz Ambassadors program and has directed the jazz vocal program at the Wachovia Gifted Teens Program at The New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey since 2001.