Jazz Combos

The Vision:

• To serve the mission of the Institute for Jazz Studies: “To restore IMPROVISATION to the landscape of music education in our community, by empowering musicians of all ages both to CREATE their own new music and to COLLABORATE with others in its creation.”

• To train students with one of the most effective musical idioms for nurturing holistic musicianship.  These students will “breathe with two lungs,” ie, they will play “by sight” and “by ear.”

Overview:

Jazz combos are a wonderful opportunity to explore jazz improvisation, literature and practices in a safe and welcoming environment.  They are perfect both for students who are new to jazz as well as those who have lots of experience.

The Details:

• Meet weekly (a full hour of instruction and jam time) at our Wheaton Campus

• FALL SEMESTER: 12 weeks - Sept 16 - Dec 7, 2024 (No Classes Nov 25-30)

• SPRING SEMESTER: 12 weeks -Feb 17 - May 14, 2025 (No Classes Mar 31-April 6 and April 14-19)

• SUMMER TERM: 6 weeks - June 2 - July 12, 2025

• 1 hour of rehearsal and coaching each week.

• Exciting Public Performances!

• Performances may include: being featured at Bellas Artes Monthly Student Jam Sessions, Fall Parlor Concert, Spring Recital Performance, IJS Battle of the Combos and possible performances at Jazz Up Glen Ellyn 2025!

• In the past our combos have performed at exciting events such as the Bellas Artes Jazz Brunch and Jazz Up Glen Ellyn!

• SPECIAL FOR FALL SEMESTER: Students participating in our jazz combo program will participate in a small group masterclass coaching with internationally recognized performing artist Fareed Haque!

• Combos will be scheduled according to instructor and student availability

• NEXT STEPS

  1. FILL OUT A PLACEMENT REQUEST FORM:

  • This will provide us with your schedule availability and pertinent background information.

  • Once we receive all placement requests, we will group/place students accordingly, and notify everyone.

  2. FILL OUT JAZZ COMBO ENROLLMENT FORM

  • You will receive a link to this form once you have been placed in a combo. Please wait to be notified about your placement.

  Once we have received your enrollment form, our Office Manager, Megan, will schedule your tuition payment.

• Contact: kevin@baschoolofmusic.com for questions.

The Requisites:

• No prior experience with jazz needed; however students need to have at least 3 years of experience with their instrument and must be enrolled in private lessons with their instrument (open to non-BA students); or must have demonstrable proficiency and have an ability to read music, knows basic major/minor chords, and play scales.  Specific proficiencies include:

  • Guitar: students should read notes in first position, be able to transition comfortably between basic chords and be able to play a pentatonic scale and a major scale.

  • Piano Method Levels: Faber 3+, Suzuki 3+, AIM 3+

  • Strings: Suzuki Book 3

  • Woodwinds: A few years experience in a band program at school, or instructor approval.

• Placement auditions will be scheduled on an as needed basis with BA Faculty and may include a prepared a piece (does not have to be jazz) you have been working on, as well as the tune Blue Monk.  An audition may also include some basic sight-reading and some improvisation.

• Students will be placed in groups according to their age/experience in order to make sure all students have the most valuable experience.

• Combos will be range from to 3-8 students

• Space will be limited so we may not be able to guarantee a spot for every student.  However we will make every effort to include as many students as possible. Our goal is to turn no one away.

• This ensemble should only be supplementary to private lessons

Pricing per student:

• $30/session. $360 for 12 weeks (fall/spring terms), $180 for 6 weeks (summer)

• Receive a discount for referring a friend that is new to BA (5% per friend, up to 10% for the first semester they are enrolled).

• Register for 2 combos and receive 10% off the second one.

Instructors:

Courses will be taught by BA Institute for Jazz Studies faculty members Matt Peterson, Sean Rzewnicki and/or Kevin Brown, all of whom have extensive backgrounds in Jazz and perform professionally throughout the Chicagoland area.  For detailed biographies see below. 

Course Syllabus

Description:

This is a small jazz combo rehearsal as well as an introduction to the styles of jazz and improvisation in general. We will make sure to cover the fundamentals of theory and jazz history but will spend a ton of time playing the music.

Objectives:

• Develop a repertoire/setlist of at least 4-5 tunes in a variety of jazz-related styles.

• Become comfortable with improvising – this includes the general concept of making up melodies on the fly, swung 1/8th notes, and specific knowledge of jazz scales and harmony.

• Develop a strong ear for playing with others – listening to others and making music together instead of fixating on just your part.

• Learn the basics of jazz theory – especially chords and scale types.

• Improve at sight-reading music - reading rhythms, melodies, and interpreting chord symbols quickly.

• Memorize the most common jazz song forms: 12-bar blues, AABA (including rhythm changes), ABAC, etc.

• Become comfortable with the format of a jazz jam session. This includes knowledge of basic jazz tunes, knowing how to start and end a tune, soloing protocol, etc.

• Become familiar broadly with the history of jazz, from late 19th century/early 20th century New Orleans to present-day jazz.

• Develop your own personal voice on your instrument. (Don’t worry, this is a lifelong objective that the greatest jazz musicians are still working on!) This could include composing your own jazz pieces.

Expectations:

• Be warmed up and ready to play by the designated start time of class – instruments set up and in tune.

• Spend time practicing your music on your own throughout the week – minimum of 5 days a week of practice.

• Spend time listening to a variety of jazz during the week. Periodically, listening recommendations/assignments will be given by the instructor.

• Bring all music we are working on, pencil, and paper to every rehearsal.

• All students should own a copy of the Real Book, Vol. 1, 6th edition (published by Hal Leonard) as well as a metronome. A great, free metronome app for iOS and Android is here: http://www.frozenape.com/

Instructor Bios:

Matt Peterson

Originally from Seattle, WA, Matt Peterson is a jazz and classical pianist and composer.  He has composed for film, theatre, and Internet productions, and has performed as a soloist and in a variety of groups around the country. 

Matt holds a Bachelor’s in Piano Performance and Composition from Wheaton College, where he studied with Daniel Horn and Howard Whitaker. He also holds a Master’s in Jazz Studies from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. 

In 2010, he was invited as the overall winner of the Ben Heppner Concerto Competition to perform Gershwin’s Concerto in F with the Wheaton College Symphony Orchestra.  In the summer of 2013, he worked as a pianist and percussionist with the Disneyland All-American College Band at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA. He was an invited performer at the 2013 Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival with the Indiana University Quartet.   

Matt has studied jazz under Luke Gillespie, Nicole Mitchell, Bradley Williams, Steve Houghton, and David Baker and has had the privilege of sharing the stage with Curtis Fuller, Peter Erskine, Gordon Goodwin, Gregg Field, and Wycliffe Gordon. Matt performs in a number of jazz groups around the Chicago area.

He is passionate about music education and believes in the art of simultaneously encouraging students’ self-confidence and self-worth and challenging them enough to stretch their abilities and broaden their horizons.

Kevin Brown

Canadian-born guitarist Kevin Brown is an experienced educator, performer, and composer in the Chicago area. He holds a B.M. in guitar performance from the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music and a M.M. in Jazz Composition from DePaul University. 
Some of his primary instructors have included Peter Ulrich, Willie Wiebe, Larry Roy, and Stephen Ramsdell with additional lessons and masterclasses with Scott Hesse, Mike Allemana, Steve Coleman, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Rez Abassi, John Patitucci, and many others.
He has performed with musicians such as Jimmy Greene, Benny Golson, Jon Irabagon, and Marquis Hill and has appeared in some of Chicago's top venues for jazz including the Green Mill and the Jazz Showcase. Kevin has performed at the Chicago Jazz Festival, The Chi-Town Jazz Festival, Jazz Up Glen Ellyn and the Iowa City Jazz Festival.
Kevin Brown is an adjunct faculty member at Trinity Christian College where he directs the jazz ensemble and teaches private lessons in guitar and composition.  In addition to teaching jazz guitar and combos at Bellas Artes he also serves as director for the Institute for Jazz Studies.

Sean Rzewnicki

Sean Rzewnicki is bassist, composer and educator from Chicago, Illinois. He has experience performing in a variety of settings from jazz & classical to rock & funk; giving him a deep bag to pull from when teaching or in the studio. Sean enjoys teaching and works to develop a unique program for the needs and desires for individual students and groups.

Sean has earned his AA degree from Musicians Institute (2011) studying with Putter Smith and Michael Menelle. In 2020 Sean earned his Bachelors in Jazz Studies from California State University, Northridge; studying with renown educator Gary Pratt. Sean also studied classical bass with Dr. David Young at the Colburn School of Music in LA. Currently, Sean is completing his Masters Degree at Northern Illinois University, studying with Marlene Rosenburg.

Sean performed with a variety of groups while living in Los Angeles including: Phat Cat Swinger, The Battle of the Big Bands, The Opera by the Glass Orchestra, The Christian McBride Big Band, CSUN Jazz A Band and the LAPD Jazz Orchestra & Concert Bands. He has recorded and toured with rock bands Elodie & The Free Notion, The Evening Guests, Toy District and Stumpwaller. Additionally, he has maintained residencies at the famous Hollywood Piano Bar, Harvard & Stone, Disney California Adventure & the Hotel Constance in Pasadena.

In 2020, Sean moved with his wife to Seoul, South Korea. In addition to studying the Korean language and working as an actor, he performed at Club Evan’s and Burn in Hal Jazz Clubs as wells as playing the Daegu International Jazz Festival. Sean returned to Illinois in the fall 2021 and can now be found performing with the NIU Jazz Orchestra, NIU Jazztet & Jade Moon Jazz band.

When not engaged in his studies or career as performer and educator, Sean can be found biking, reading & enjoying live music throughout Chicago-