The Real Jazz Pedagogy Book: How to Build a Superior Jazz Ensemble

About The Real Jazz Pedagogy Book

Dr. Ray Smith is able to share in the pages of this wonderful book ideas and approaches gleaned from over 4o years of successful jazz teaching to help solve common, recurring problems that stand in the way of creating a superior jazz ensemble. He has been blessed with many insights and approaches that are effective and have allowed him to consistently turn out a superior jazz ensemble year after year and countless private students who have gone on to be very successful. His former students include many respected college and high school band directors as well as some who are writing music in Hollywood and others who are leaders in the Jazz Education Network. No matter where you are in your teaching career, you will find a wealth of help within these pages. Auxiliary to the book are a series of videos that are priceless examples of fine jazz teaching and problem solving. The videos include demonstrations by Smith but also show him working with bands in the public schools and at the university. Although tailored specifically to jazz big band directors, the majority of the principles in the book and videos apply equally well to private jazz teaching and to vocal jazz pedagogy.

About the Author

Dr. Ray Smith is the educator's educator. He is a master pedagogue and is respected as such by all of his peers. When he does clinics for educators, they flock to find out what they can learn. This book represents teaching ideas from more than forty years of directing jazz bands. The proof is in the pudding as they say. Smith's Brigham Young University Big Band, Synthesis, has literally toured the world (Western Europe, Russia and Siberia, Scandinavia, British Isles, Japan, China, Brazil, and the Baltic States), performed at numerous jazz festivals both in the USA and internationally (Montreux, Umbria, North Sea, San Sebastian, Loule, Birmingham, Wigam, Marlboro, Edinburgh, Kongsberg, Pori, Lionel Hampton, IAJE, and JEN), and received accolades repeatedly (Downbeat Top University Jazz Band, Downbeat Outstanding Performance, 1st Place Pacific Coast Collegiate Jazz Festival, 1st Place Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, MusicFest USA Finals, NAJE-Epcot Festival Winner, and more); and recorded 20 CDs, and has performed as the Harry James Big Band aboard the Queen Elizabeth II from New York to London. In 2019, the big band will tour Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic.

Dr. Smith's teaching is informed by his world class performance skills, and his performing credits are equally impressive as his teaching credits. As a performer, Smith is equally at home in either classical or jazz-related styles and is adept at all five of the woodwind instruments. He has well over 200 CD credits and has recorded on many film scores and television themes (The Sandlot, The Swan Princess, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, ESPN, Buick, and Chevy to name a few). He is a member of The Recording Academy and a voting member in the Grammy's.

Smith's pedagogical credentials stem from learning from his mentors: David Baker, Dominic Spera, Jamey Aebersold, George Ross, and Newell Dayley. In 1998, he was given the Voice of Jazz Award for the State of Utah; and in 2008, he was recognized by the International Association for Jazz Education as the first Utah Jazz Master, a lifetime achievement award "for profound contributions and virtuoso performance in the field of jazz in Utah."