Musical Storytelling for Jazz Soloists

Group Course in Combo Format

 

Next sessions begin soon: Wednesday April 3rd at Bloom School of Jazz in Chicago; and Saturday March 9th at PM Woodwind in Evanston.

For more information, call (773) 860-8300.

Details:

~ 8-week course
~ Final session is a recording session at a pro studio
~ 7-person maximum
~ Cost: $950 (some scholarships available)
~ Focus: World-class soloing

Who teaches the course?

The Bloom School of Jazz founder David Bloom, winner of Jazz Educator of the Year award in 2017, will show you how to create dramatic, prideful storytelling solos with his innovative exercises. For fifty years, he has helped thousands of intermediate to professional musicians in many genres take world-class solos. Some notable Bloom alumni include Mark Colby, Paul Von Mertens, Anthony Wonsey, Steve Rodby, Rob Mazurek, Larry Gray, Ryan Cohan, and Cliff Colnot. Bloom is also a guitarist, flautist, and composer and has dozens of albums to his credit as a producer.

Who is this course designed for?

Any intermediate or advanced instrumentalist who wants to learn the values of the jazz masters and apply them to soloing. You will deepen your ensemble experience and hone your ability to deliver dramatic storytelling solos. All instruments are welcome.

What skills are needed to take the course?

Prerequisite skills: fluent with major scales and arpeggios, and able to play the melody of and improvise on at least five tunes in the categories of modal tunes, major and minor blues and standards.

What’s the structure of the course?

This is a course in a jazz combo format including a rhythm section. This course meets weekly for 8 weeks, in 2-hour sessions. The final week is a recording session at a professional studio. In the playing portion, harmonic formats for soloing include modes, major and minor blues, and standards. David Bloom will train you how to listen back to recordings of yourself, assess and elevate your playing. Expect 4 to 5 hours per week outside of class to practice course material.

What will happen in the course?

You will be trained through Bloom’s innovative musical storytelling exercises to deliver world-class solos in an ensemble. Each exercise highlights musical values and sensibilities used by the jazz masters including the power of: dynamics, rhythm, motivic development, and dramatic arc. You will solve musical problems while gaining many new approaches to musical storytelling for your solos.

You will:

~ Develop higher musical standards and in-depth listening skills to achieve less reflexive, and more reflective playing.

~ Dig deep into your musical potential and awaken your muse to explore musical possibilities with soul and imagination.

~ Break bad habits and obtain new ideas and flexibility to make each chorus progressive; learn how to stay loyal to an idea for an entire solo.

~ Use the 10 Commandments of Jazz Soloing by David Bloom, important philosophies and principles for guiding and prioritizing the best approaches to soloing. If you subscribe to and absorb the 10 Commandments, you will end up playing world class solos.

~ Record your solos in a professional recording studio and you will receive the tracks.

Where will your music be at the end of the course?

~ Musical standards heightened 
~ Listening radically deepened
~ Increased confidence when soloing 
~ Improved playing in any group experience
~ Reflective, deliberate playing without meandering
~ Understanding what makes a solo world-class 

Locations and Times:

Downtown Chicago:

Wednesdays at 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM; 8-week course starts Wednesday April 3, 2024, at Bloom School of Jazz, 226 S. Wabash, Chicago.

Evanston:

Saturdays at 12 Noon - 2:00 PM; 8-week course starts Saturday March 9, 2024, held at PM Woodwind, 822 Custer Avenue, Evanston, IL.

Recording session is held at a professional recording studio.

To register, or for more information: Call (773) 860-8300.

David Bloom    jazz combo 

 

 jazz combo  jazz combo  

Still need time to polish up before entering a combo?

We offer top level Private Instruction.