This session is designed for directors seeking guidance in working with vocal jazz rhythm section. Responsibilities of each rhythm section instrument will be explored including drum set components, groove, fills, and effects; bass amplification, bass lines, groove, and choosing between electric or acoustic; keyboard types, patch selection, and comping. Other topics will include establishing time, achieving dynamic balance, count-offs, conducting from within the ensemble, organizing band sectionals, and director-student musician communication. Through listening excerpts, and practical demonstrations, attendees will gain tools for helping rhythm sections become more stylistically informed and collaborative partners in the vocal jazz ensemble. Black American music is the foundation of jazz and much of our cultural identity. This clinic aims to preserve this legacy and honor this essential art form.
** This demonstration includes a live rhythm section with vocal jazz ensemble, most likely CSULB Pacific Standard Time
Target Audience
Choral and/or Jazz Band Directors
Additional Notes
Clinician Info
Gerhard Guter
California State University Long Beach
Gerhard Guter is Assistant Professor of Music Composition at California State University Long Beach. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Miami, Master of Music in Jazz Studies from CSULB, and Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition from the University of Arizona.
Gerhard is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, producer, and vocalist. He has written and produced music for The History Channel, World of Warcraft, and Celebrity Cruises. Gerhard’s arrangements and compositions are available through iJazzMusic, eJazzLines, UNC Jazz Press, Sheet Music Plus and Anchor Music Publications. He has served as audio editor, mixer, and mastering engineer for numerous collegiate and professional recording projects. In 2019, Gerhard was the winner of the Sheet Music Plus Popular Choral Music Competition. A certified Avid Pro Tools Operator, he has directed numerous instrumental and vocal jazz ensembles, teaching nearly forty different college and university-level courses.