A-JAM Jazz Mentorship: AUDITION MATERIALS - IASJ TOP 10 TUNES TO KNOW IN JAZZ

Auditions for the A-JAM program are held annually--the week before Thanksgiving--by appointment only. To join A-JAM in the spring term, you must have successfully completed a basic course in improvisation, which is offered in the fall semester. For further information on A-JAM auditions and to schedule your audition appointment, contact Dr. Katchie Cartwright, 210-486-4828, and see the Palmetto Arts calendar.

Prepare: 2 contrasting jazz pieces of your choice

Bring: 3 copies of your written music (lead sheets, C-concert)

Scales/arpeggios: Major and minor, all keys

Sightreading: chordal (lead sheet), rhythmic, and melodic

Once accepted in the program, you'll learn some of the most important jazz standards. Here, listed in order of popularity, are the top 10 tunes to know for auditions and jam sessions among participating members of the International Association of Schools of Jazz (The Hague, 2010), with standard keys for women singers indicated along with standard instrumental keys. Links are to downloadable PDFs of sheet-music (and some videos).

Download the entire packet of Top 10 tunes, each in 2 keys.

Potential A-JAM students should begin working on these now! Memorize a couple of them for your audition. Listen to authoritative versions of the pieces performed by the tunes' originators.

12-bar blues (various tunes and keys, minor and major). There are zillions of blues tunes in the jazz idiom. Here's one vocal and one instrumental:

Centerpiece, C

Now's the Time, F

"I Got Rhythm" changes (various tunes and keys, including original); singer key for original = C (inst = mainly Bb). There are scads of jazz tunes based on "Rhythm changes" We call these contrafacts.

All the Things You Are; singer key = Eb (inst = Ab)

Stella by Starlight; singer key = G (inst = Bb)

There Will Never Be Another You; singer key = Bb (inst = Eb)

Body and Soul; singer key = Ab (inst = Db)

Autumn Leaves; singer key = Cm or Dm

Original French lyrics with translation

Have You Met Miss Jones; singer key = C (inst = F)

Footprints; key = Cm (this is an instrumental tune; singers should scat the melody or harmony)

Softly as in a Morning Sunrise; singer key = Gm

Below is the earlier list (2000, Paris). Titles in bold are in both versions of the list. Links are to downloadable PDFs of sheet-music. Most of the tunes are the same. Best idea is to learn all tunes on both lists...