Recent Jazz Release!

With The Ten-Minute Jazz Series, Southern Music Company is pleased to announce its reappearance in the field of educational music for jazz ensemble.

The Ten-Minute Jazz Improv Series is a classroom method designed to help the director successfully teach improv in jazz ensemble classes, through a carefully planned series of short lessons that progress logically through chord-types and their corresponding modes, from dominant 7ths to full-circle changes.  Carefully worded easy-to-understand lessons also explain music forms.  Supplements to the series included the Ten-Minute Jazz Scale Inventory (O39), an excellent foundation for the improv series, drilling students on modes, blues, pentatonic and whole tone scales in keys of B-flat, E-flat, and F concert.

Also, the Directors Guide to the Rhythm Section (O42), is a "must" for getting your rhythm section going for the year, and a great reference to 6 basic jazz beats.  Personal comments and specific examples provided by current professionals on piano, guitar, bass, and drums.

The Ten-Minute Jazz Warmup (O38) $45.00.  This method, designed for the beginning/intermediate jazz ensemble, is divided into four parts which can be used separately in instructional or clinic settings or played nonstop as a daily warm-up in less than 10 minutes.

• Part 1 is the Jazz Chorale, indispensable for developing good tone quality, blend, balance, pitch, dynamics and phrasing. The rhythm section also is given opportunity to work on playing "time," a definite underlying beat throughout, without rushing or slowing.
• Part 2 works on "Doo-dots", an articulation exercise and a tool for teaching basic swing rhythms.
• Part 3 includes all Major Scales written with swing-style articulations and arpeggiated Major 7th chords.
• Part 4 covers "Kicks" a 12-bar blues-style exercise in playing upbeats and downbeats with precision.

O44 Ten Short Jazz Chorales for Warmup/Tuneup - Uses varied tempos and styles and supplements the 10 Minute Jazz Warmup.

Volume 1 - Dominant 9th Chords of the Ten Minute Improv Series (O40) introduces 3 dominant-ninth chords on B-flat, E-flat and F concert, and their corresponding mixolydian scales.  Improv is based on the 16-bar blues form; includes the bonus jazz chart, "So Long Mr. Jitters".

Volume 2 - Major 9ths-Dorian Mode (O41) discusses two minor-ninth chords (Cm9 and Fm9) and the Dorian mode.  The jazz-waltz bonus chart "Dorian's Waltz" gives plenty of space to practice and teaches kids the A-B-A form.

Volume 3 - Major 9 Chords (O43) builds to an easy bossa setting built on 3 major-ninth chords.  Lessons show how major and pentatonic scales and the lydian modes adapt to the major ninth chords for improv.  Bonus chart: "The Major's Bossa".

Volume 4 - The II-V-I Progression (O45 ) - Lesson: ii7-V7-I in 3 keys in a 32 bar swing A-B form, leads to B-flat, Gmin., and E-flat. Includes Min7b5 chord.

Volume 5 - I-vi-ii-V-I Progression (O47) - Lesson: Be-bop AABA form, bridge in circle of fourths, secondary dominants

Volume 6 - Rhythm Changes -- The "Turnaround" (I-vi-ii-V) (O46) - Lesson: Chord Progression in full circle of fourths. Bonus chart "A Season Departs"

Volume 7 - "A Season Departs" (O47) - Lesson: Chord progression in full circle, showing ii-V-I in Major and Relative minor.

Jazz Playalong CD - Companion to the Ten-Minute Jazz Improv Series including Vol. 1-6. (O49CD) This is an excellent demonstration of a number of tunes and lessons found in the Ten Minute Improv Series. Give your students the opportunity to hear how these lessons are applied by professional players. $10.95

About the Composer

Jim Mahaffey was Assistant Professor of music and staff arranger at Auburn University and Troy State University, where he also served as Director of the Jazz Ensemble and Music Theory Instructor (1970-1985). He has taught at all levels, from elementary through graduate school, in Alabama, Georgia, and Texas during a teaching career of 34 years.

Mahaffey played lead trumpet for such outstanding performers as Billy Butterfield, Warren Covington and The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, June Christy, Art Mooney, and Fred Waring. He has written over 90 arrangements and original pieces for concert and jazz bands, including his exclusive "Studio Lab Band Series".

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