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Jazz Guitarists To Be Familiar With


“…it is helpful if the college/university is in a community (usually urban) that will create performing opportunities in the surrounding community along the way – not just performances within the school…” --- Pete Smyser


What Are The Graduation Requirements? MF: Developed capacity as described above in all facets of jazz


guitar playing/musicianship and development of artistic qualities needed for a professional career. There are also other requirements as set by the Dean that relate to ear training, musicology, and a myriad of other subjects FP: At UM juries are very demanding as mentioned above, but


are only required freshman and sophomore year. At Elmhurst, juries are each semester but are shorter and only involve one tune per jury. Senior recitals are required by both schools, and most students do a Junior recital as well. NF: This varies from school to school. In addition to course work students also have to do one to two recitals.


“…it is much more difficult for a student to complete their degree in a remote rural community and then attempt to suddenly move to a more urban area (such as NY, LA, etc.) in search of working/performing opportunities…” --- Pete Smyser


Being There Is A Broad Range Of Styles Of Jazz, What Is Your Definition Of Jazz Guitar And How Does It Apply To Your Program?


BS: Our program overall leans towards an acoustic jazz esthetic,


but in a very broad sense. MF: I try to prepare the student to be competent/knowledge-


able in ALL aspects of jazz guitar from solo to ensemble playing in all styles including swing, Brazilian and other Latin Jazz styles, bebop, post-bop, modern/avant guard styles as well as odd meter playing. NF: Jazz guitar is very broad these days but I would say that it is a style that combines the tradition and history of jazz from the 30s to the present day. A good jazz guitarist has deep roots in the history combined with his/her own unique original creative voice. FP: Jazz guitar over the decades has become more layered and


multi-faceted as the players have absorbed the influences of musical culture. There are straight-ahead arch-top players, solid body elec- tric players with pedal boards and multi-stage gain amplifiers, nylon string Latin and Gypsy Jazz players, and so on. For me there are two values that supersede everything else. One is that the culture is heading into an unknown future, so the best preparation is to im- merse the student in the fundamentals. The other is that at the end of the day, the world doesn’t need another Wes Montgomery. We need people who absorb the culture they live in and who define that culture in their art. Call me crazy, but I know the world needs us.


TEMPO 30


In summary, young guitarists wishing to pursue jazz studies in college can generally expect to receive a solid foundation in “tradi- tional” jazz music - a style which prevailed from the late 1930’s – 50’s. Moreover, students will learn to employ a variety of skill sets and/or techniques from various sub-genres such as the Latin, Afro-Cuban or Bossa Nova styles. This is most likely to be the norm rather than the study of more “modern” styles such as fusion, smooth jazz, acid jazz and the like. Traditional jazz guitar was cultivated by such players as Freddie Green (guitarist for The Count Basie Band) whose “four to the bar” style set the standard in big band guitar playing,;Wes Montgomery, whose pioneering octave and block chord soloing has become established jazz guitar technique; or the chord melody solo- ing of Johnny Smith or Joe Pass. This all happened during an ap- proximate period of forty years (approximately 1937-1974) which may be, to coin a phrase, “The Golden Age of the Jazz Guitar.” Though there have been many guitarists with innovative approaches and significant contributions before and after this period of time, none have resonated or transfixed the imagination of other players and aficionados with such vigor.


the NJMEA, Guitar Foundation of America and Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society. He is proud to endorse The Guitar Wheel, D’Addario Strings and Guitar Picks by Steve Clayton, Inc. You can learn more about Tom by visiting www. tomamoriello.com


rently teaching General Music/ Guitar Class & Chorus at Read- ing Fleming Intermediate School in Hunterdon County. He also teaches at Hunterdon Acad- emy of the Arts in Flemington, NJ. He is a graduate of Rowan University and Shenandoah Conservatory and has presented guitar workshops for various music organizations including


Thomas Amoriello is cur-


Freddie Green, Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino, George Benson, Django Reinhart, Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, John McLaughlin, Stanley Jordan, Al DiMeola, Herb Ellis, Charlie Christian, Eddie Lang, Phil Upchurch, Grant Green, Barney Kessel, Bucky Pizzarelli, Tal Farlow & Joe Pass


guitar studio for close to two decades. Most recently he was a guest lecturer at the 2012 Guitar Foundation of America International Festival and Competition in Charleston, SC and is the author/founder of The Guitar Teaching Blog. For more information about Matthew please visit: www.matthewablan.com


MARCH 2013


elementary music educator in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a graduate of SUNY Stony Brook and The Cleveland Insti- tute of Music as well as holding a Masters in Music Education from Case Western Reserve Uni- versity. Ablan’s list of teaching credentials include having served as adjunct instructor of classi- cal guitar studies at Allegheny College in Meadville, PA and maintaining a successful private


Matthew S. Ablan is an


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