Protocols

FromFundamentalsofJazzImprovisation:

WhatEverybodyThinksYouAlreadyKnow

Dr.MarkWatkins
DirectorofJazzStudies
BrighamYoungUniversityIdaho

2010byMarkWatkins
Materialshereinareprovidedforpersonaluse.Nopartmaybereproduced
withoutwrittenpermissionfromtheauthor.

Protocols

Leader/sideman

Leader;Thepersonthatsetsupthegigoristhedesignateddirectoroftheensembleisthe
leader.

Sideman:Asidemanisamemberofthegroupbutnottheleader.Theleadergenerallycallsthe
tunesanddesignateswhoistosolonext.

Repertoire

Thereisastandardrepertoireforjazzmusicians.ItconsistsoftunesformtheGreatAmerican
Songbook(primarilyshowtunes),jazzstandardswrittenprimarilybyjazzperformersforjazz
performance,bluesheads,rhythmchangesheads,Latintunes(especiallythosebyAntonio
CarlosJobim),andballads.

Everyregioninthecountryhasitsownsetofexpectedrepertoire.Onemustgotogigs,playin
theareaforawhile,andlearntheliterature.Amongstregionaltunesthereismusicthatjazz
musiciansaroundtheworldallknow.(Seethetunelistsherein.)

IntrosandTags

Onemustcometothegigknowingstandardwaystobeginandendtunes.Theleaderwill
quicklyinformthegroupwhatwillbeappliedtothetuneathand.(SeetheIntrosandTags
sectionherein.)

Countoff

Thereareseveralwaysthataleadermaywishtostartatune.
1. Counthalfnotesforabarwithnumbers1and2,thenquarternotesforabar1234thus:

2. Alsocommonistosayaand3inthefirstbarofthecountoff.Thisismoreaccurateto
thebestbeingstated.

3. Someleaderswillsubstituteagutturalsoundforthelasttwobeats.Itisintendedtobe
bothmoreaccuratetothebeatandtocreateanattitudetowardthemusic.

Signals

Pointingtooneshead:Whentherehasbeenenoughsolos,theleadermaypointtohisorher
headtoindicatethatitistimetoplaythehaedout.(Theheadisthetuneuponwhichthe
performanceisbased.)

Pointingtoasideman:Duringtheperformanceofatune,theleadermaypointtoasideman
indicatingthatheorshewilltakethenextsolo.

Holdingupfingers:Thiscanhavetwomeanings.Inablues,itmayrepresenttheupcoming
chord;fourfingersequalthesubdominant(orfour)chord.Inalargerensemblewherewritten
backgroundsarepresent,theleadermayholdupfingerstorepresentthenumberofmeasures
leadinguptothebackgroundentranceorshoutchorusentrance.

Holdingupafist:Generally,thismeansthegroupistoproceedtothenextsection:nextsolo,last
repetitionbeforebackgroundsenter,lasttimethroughthechangesbeforeshortorheadout,etc.

Vocalists

Vocalistswillcalltunesinthekeythatisbestsuitedtotheirrange.Instrumentalistswillneedto
transpose.

Whenaccompanyingavocalist,windplayersandsometimesguitarists(dependingontheirrole)
canaddcontrapuntallines.Theselinesareusuallyplacedwheresustainednotesoccurinthe
melody.

MultipleHorns

Melody:Itisimportanttodesignatewhichhornwillplaythemelody.Jazzinterpretationofa
melodiclineisarudimentofimprovisation.Notwoplayerswillinterpretamelodyinthesame
way.Iftherearetwoplayers,thesecondcanembellishsimilarlytoaccompanyingavocalist.If
therearethreeplayers,onemightchoosetosustainnotescreatingapadfortheotherplayers.

Backgrounds:Thereareprotocolsforaddingbackgrounds.Generally,hornsdontplay
backgroundsduringpianoorbasssolos;theymayormaynotforaguitarsolo.Whenonehorn
playerplaysbackgroundsforanotherhornplayer,thebackgroundplayeroftenplaysguide
tones(3rdsprogressto7ths,7thsto3rds)orcolortonesofchords(9ths,13ths,11thsonminor
chords,alterednotessuchassharp11,sharpofflat5,sharporflat9).Whentwohorns
providebackgroundsoneplayershouldindicatearhythmiccontext.Notesarechosenfromthe
structuraltonesofachord:3rdor7th.Thismaybepredeterminedorjustfirstcomefirstserved.
Whentherearethreeplayersprovidingbackgrounds,theplayernotstartingona3rdor7thplays
acolortones.Choicesproceed3rd,7th,colortone.