Jazz Improvisation and Performance

The following jazz improvisation syllabus is used for the MUSI 3601, “Jazz Improvisation and Performance” course at the University of Connecticut, taught by Professor MacDonald. This course is the second in a two-course jazz improvisation sequence, following MUSI 1601.

Course #: MUSI 3601, section 1.  Two credits
Description: intermediate techniques of contemporary jazz performance
Prerequisite: MUSI 1601, Intro to Jazz Improvisation
Semester: Spring 2026
Instructor: Earl MacDonald, Professor of Music & Director of Jazz Studies
Class meeting time: Tuesdays, 4 – 6 PM
Classroom: MUSB 109
Earl MacDonald’s Office: MUSB 207
Office Hours: Wednesdays at 10 a.m., and by appointment

Course Overview

This course focuses on the bebop tradition as a foundational language of modern jazz improvisation. Rather than treating bebop as a historical style to be copied, we approach it as a living system of melodic logic, rhythmic precision, and expressive intent—one that continues to inform contemporary jazz performance.

Students develop fluency through close listening, memorization, transcription, and application. Emphasis is placed on internalizing phrasing, time feel, and harmonic clarity, allowing improvisation to emerge from understanding rather than habit. Technique is addressed not as an end in itself, but as a means of achieving coherence, direction, and presence in performance.

The course bridges analysis and practice. Classic repertoire, idiomatic phrases, and common harmonic frameworks serve as shared ground, preparing students to improvise with confidence in ensemble settings while remaining responsive to the moment.

Student Learning Outcomes

This course prepares students for the realities of jazz performance: rehearsals, jam sessions, ensemble work, and professional settings where listening, adaptability, and stylistic awareness are essential. By developing a working command of bebop language and its underlying principles, students strengthen their ability to contribute meaningfully within collaborative musical environments.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Perform from memory the melodies and improvise coherently over the harmonic progressions of the jazz standards listed in the course outline.
  2. Construct well-shaped improvisations over common and extended chord progressions using a range of intermediate and advanced techniques introduced in class.
  3. Quickly assess the form and harmonic structure of a jazz standard and improvise effectively in real time.
  4. Analyze and articulate appropriate improvisational strategies for both conventional and complex harmonic contexts.
  5. Perform three transcribed solos by memory, demonstrating stylistic accuracy, rhythmic authority, and attention to nuance.
  6. Integrate concepts from transcription, listening assignments, and prior coursework to begin improvising with greater intention, continuity, and stylistic authenticity.

 

Course format & content:

Concepts & Improvisational Approaches: 20%

The course will teach and apply the following concepts through targeted exercises, assignments, and evaluations. These activities will reinforce learning and ensure a thorough understanding, culminating in the direct application of these concepts to the selected repertoire.

  • two-beat secondary dominants, applied to Jordu, blues, rhythm changes
  • mixolydian passing tone (a.k.a. “the bebop scale”)
  • chromatic and diatonic enclosures
  • triplet rhythmic groupings
  • altered dominant resolutions
  • diminished scale applications, patterns
  • tritone substitution
  • minor ii-V-i’s: scales and linear options
  • blues melodies
  • rhythm changes
  • manipulating transcribed phrases
  • phraseology

Transcribing: 35%

Solo transcription is an invaluable tool for discovering jazz vocabulary. It helps students visualize and analyze the lines musicians play and understand how these lines relate to the given harmonies. Additionally, playing along with transcribed solos allows students to develop their swing feel through imitation and to learn subtle nuances of articulation.

To maximize the benefits of transcription, you will complete three solo transcriptions: one over the harmonic progression of Sweet Georgia Brown, one based on I’ve Got Rhythm, and one on Woody ‘n’ You. Each transcription will contribute 15% to your final grade. For Sweet Georgia Brown, a minimum of one chorus must be transcribed and learned, while a minimum of two choruses is required for the other two songs.

Find pre-approved solo suggestions here: https://www.earlmacdonald.com/approved-solos/

Vocabulary Catalog: 15%

Students will extract, collect, and categorize linear material used in various harmonic contexts. This evolving collection will grow throughout the semester as we explore and document specific types of musical phrases (“licks”). See Week 3 in the schedule below.

Tunes: 30%

Jazz musicians are expected to have extensive repertoires of memorized songs from the American Songbook and compositions recorded by famous jazz artists. These pieces are the foundation for our improvisation. The following six commonly performed pieces were chosen for their harmonic challenges, which frequently appear in other compositions. To receive full marks (5% per song), students must memorize each piece, perform the heads accurately, and integrate the improvisational concepts taught into their solos.

Grading Scale:

Grade Letter Grade GPA
93-100 A 4.0
90-92 A- 3.7
87-89 B+ 3.3
83-86 B 3.0
80-82 B- 2.7
77-79 C+ 2.3
73-76 C 2.0
70-72 C- 1.7
67-69 D+ 1.3
63-66 D 1.0
60-62 D- 0.7
<60 F 0.0

Schedule:

[View horizontally on a phone.]

While each class will include a review of previous material, only the new topics for that day are shown to avoid redundancy. Assignments will appear only on the days they are given and due, though they may require work over several weeks. Be sure to check the rightmost column for test and due dates to stay on track.

 

Week Content Assignments Tests/Due Dates
Week 1
Tues, Jan 20		 • 2-beat V7 patterns
• cycle applied to blues, rhythm changes
• Jordu
• Major neighbors
• mixolydian passing tone/bebop scale: rules for descent		 Due 2/10:
• 2-beat dominants
• major enclosures,
• Jordu
• descending mixoPT		 None
Week 2
Tues, Jan 27		 • mixo neighbors
• Dig analysis
• solo transcription		 • Dig
• transcription #1:
Dig or Bright Mississippi –
Due 2/17		 None
Week 3
Tues, Feb 3		 • combining mixoPT lines to form extended streams • Confirmation
• vocabulary catalog assignment.
Due 4/21		 None
Week 4
Tues, Feb 10		 • altered dominant resolutions
• Confirmation		 • dominant resolutions • 2-beat dominants
• Major neighbors
• Jordu
• dominant cycle applied to the blues
Week 5
Tues, Feb 17		 • rhythm changes:
analysis, breakdown, linear approaches
• triplet rhythmic groupings		 • Solo transcription #2: due 3/10
rhythm changes. 2 choruses, minimum		 • transcription #1: Dig
Week 6
Tues, Feb 24		 • rhythm changes: harmonic options & superimpositions
• manipulating transcribed phrases		 • rhythm changes composed étude: due 03/24 • Dig
Week 7
Tues, Mar 3		 • diminished scale patterns
• Confirmation review		 • Solo Transcription #3: Woody ‘n You. 2 choruses, minimum
• Confirmation review		 • rhythm changes, 1 chorus transcribed (not performed)
Week 8
Tues, Mar 10		 • Woody ‘n You
• minor ii-V linear approaches: scalar options, superimpositions		 • Red Cross (rhythm changes) • Confirmation
• transcription #2: rhythm changes (2 choruses, played)
Spring Break
Mar 15–21

–

 – –
Week 9
Tues, Mar 24		 • phraseology • phrase structure analysis assignment: due 03/31

 

 • dominant resolutions
• diminished scale patterns
• rhythm changes composed étude
Week 10
Tues, Mar 31		 • Up Jumped Spring
• playing in 3 – rhythmic possibilities		 • Up Jumped Spring
• rhythmic possibilities page
• two-beat dominants applied to rhythm changes: due 4/4		 • rhythm changes: Red Cross
• phrase structure analysis assignment
Week 11
Tues, Apr 7		 • tri-tone substitution • tri-tone application • transcription #3: Woody ‘n You
• rhythmic possibilities page
Week 12
Tues, Apr 4		 • blues melodies
• pentatonic applications		 • repertoire review • Woody ‘n You
• F mixo PT
• two-beat dominants applied to rhythm changes
Week 13
Tues, Apr 21		 • requested topics (Giant Steps, etc.) None • vocabulary catalog
• Up Jumped Spring
Week 14
Tues, Apr 28		 None None • Jam Session

Important Note: This online jazz improvisation syllabus and class schedule are dynamic, evolving, and regularly updated documents. Students are advised to check them frequently for the latest information.

Communication policy

E-mail is the instructor’s preferred method of communication with students. Please allow 24-hours for replies. When requesting a meeting with me outside of my office hours, please submit several meeting time options. Please address me as Professor MacDonald.

Copyright

All course materials, including lectures, notes, handouts, and displays, are protected by copyright law as my original work. You are welcome to take notes for personal use, but further sharing or commercial use is prohibited without my permission. I will specify at the start of the semester if recording lectures is allowed, and any authorized recordings must not be copied, shared, or used commercially.

Reflections on Jazz and Learning

Jazz improvisation is not the accumulation of options, but the ability to choose with clarity under pressure. This course asks students to slow down, listen deeply, and engage the tradition with respect and curiosity. Bebop serves as our point of entry because it demands precision, accountability, and a clear relationship to form.

Progress in improvisation is rarely linear. Periods of uncertainty are not signs of failure, but evidence that new understanding is taking root. Students are encouraged to remain patient, committed, and attentive to process. The habits developed here—focused listening, disciplined preparation, and reflective practice—extend far beyond this course and form the basis of a sustainable artistic life.

Academic and Conduct Policies for Students

⇒ https://provost.uconn.edu/syllabi-references/

This page provides students with centralized access to policies related to academic integrity, conduct, discrimination and harassment, attendance, and accommodations, offering clarity on the standards that shape their classroom experience.

Some useful telephone numbers:

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