Young Jazz Federation Scholarship
Since our inception in 1983, the SLO County Jazz Federation has awarded scholarships to deserving music students from middle school to college age.
Our scholarships range from $300-$750. These awards are funded by the San Luis Obispo County Jazz Federation. The winners will play in a concert on March 17th with a professional rhythm section.
Scholarship auditions will be held on
Thursday, February 29, 5-7pm
Scholarship winners will perform on Sunday, March 17th at 4pm
Location:
Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church
1701 Fredericks St., SLO
Each audition will last approximately 10 minutes. All applicants except drummers (drums instructions are below these) will be asked to perform the following:
- Two choruses of improvisation over a concert key B-flat or F blues (judges’ choice) with a recorded Jamey Aebersold rhythm section or YouTube play-along equivalent.
- One of the five following tunes (applicant’s choice) with (recommended) or without mp3 accompaniment.
- “Doxy”
- “St. Thomas”
- “Tenor Madness”
- “Pent-Up House”
- “Oleo”
- The written melody should be performed, and one chorus of improvisation is required for college and university students but is optional for high school and middle school students. All mp3’s and scores will be provided at the audition. The mp3’s for the audition backing tracks are provided for download below.
- One piece of the applicant’s choice. This piece should showcase the applicant’s melodic and technical abilities, stylistic breadth, and expressiveness.
Accompaniment Tracks
Right-Click on the play button and select download audio to save to your device.
Doxy
St. Thomas
Tenor Madness
Pent-Up House
Oleo
Below are the PDF’s of the five Sonny Rollins tunes for each instrument.
C Treble Clef Charts
Eb Charts
Bb Charts
Bass Clef Charts
For additional rhythm section and vocalist requirements select an option below
Vocalists
Same requirements as above (you may find lyrics to these Sonny Rollins songs on YouTube but if not, you can scat the melody)
Guitarists and Pianists
Same requirements as above; in addition, you will be asked to comp for one chorus of the tune chosen for #2 above.
Bassists
Same requirements as above; in addition, you will be asked to walk a bass line for one chorus of the tune chosen for #2 above.
Drummers – Follow ONLY the directions listed below
- Perform the following grooves:
- medium swing
- Latin/bossa nova
- funk
- up-tempo swing
- waltz
- ballad (with brushes)
- Trade four bars of time with four bars of solo in swing and bossa nova feels.
Scholarship auditions will be held on Thursday February 29th, 5-7 pm, at Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church (1701 Fredericks St., SLO). You must be available to audition during this time in order to apply for the scholarship. Scholarship winners will perform at the concert with a rhythm section at Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church at 4 pm on Sunday, March 17th. Previous winners of the scholarship while in high school are not eligible to apply for another scholarship unless they are attending Cuesta or Cal Poly; previous winners from Cuesta or Cal Poly are not eligible to apply for another scholarship unless they are attending the other school. No one is eligible to apply for a third scholarship after winning two scholarships.
Dave Becker Media 