Firstly we need to understand what the term improvisation means in the jazz sense?

I’ve learnt from my studies that jazz improvisation can be defined as a creative and explored way of expression and performance as well as freedom of voice and creative innovation, and in its own right to breathe and just be. As quoted from Wyton Marsalis the famous jazz trumpeter and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Centre, “In Jazz, improvisation isn’t a matter of just making any ol’ thing up. Jazz, like any language, has its own grammar and vocabulary. There’s no right or wrong, just some choices that are better than others.” (What Is Jazz Improvisation?, n.d.). In jazz musicians make up solos and express their voice on the spot, this skill is called improvisation. The great jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins say’s “Improvisation is the ability to create something very spiritual, something of one’s own” (Jazz Improvisation, n.d.) Throughout my teaching journey and hīkoi so far I have felt a deep connection between this term improvisation and teaching. In many ways, they are very similar. I will be exploring these ways through my own composition experience and connections through pedagogical practices, I will be unpacking this in this space.

As a jazz composer, I am ultimately listening, having an open mind to music and creating melodic ideas or riffs to build and develop. These are also relationships I have with my teaching experience thus far. In an interview at the 2017 Newport Jazz Festival with jazz composer and orchestra leader Maria Schneider she talks about her experiences with teaching jazz composition she says “When I teach I do not have a specific thing that I teach, I try to listen, and get inside of what it is their voice is” (JazzTimesVideos,2018). This is an important step in jazz composition and important in relation to teaching. Listening is the most important step we can make as a kaiako in one's learning journey. As stated in the ministry of education document Tātaiako the competency Manaakitanga shares the importance of valuing culture, beliefs, integrity and respect to māori ākonga but to all, and I believe listening is an important value we must also attain to truly know who our ākonga are and how to build grounding relationships that guide their learning through all school years.

I wrote a composition called Bopping the Changes at the end of 2019. This composition was an original work I performed at my final Jazz performance for my degree. This composition Is based on changes of Rhythm Changes. The rhythm changes is the second most common progression apparent from the 12 bar blues chord progression. As explained from the Jazz Piano website “ The Rhythm Changes are a chord progression based on the song I Got Rhythm by George Gershwin”, “The song is 34 bars long (32 bars with a 2 bar outro), the rhythm changes ignores the outro and just keeps the 32 bar form, It has an AABA form with standard 8 bar sections, It is originally in the key of Bb major” (Walk That Bass, 2018)

My composition was written for Trumpet, Trombone, and rhythm section which includes guitar, piano, drums and bass. The process began with me developing a rhythmic idea and developing this melody over the first 16 bars. The B section changes tonality and here I developed a progressive melody to play over this 8 bar change. The chords in the B section are all dominant chords that relate to the five written like (V) in roman numerals. The A section moves in patterns in two fives (ii-V’s), in different keys F major, G major and Eb major. The bass follows chord tones in other words colour tones identify important notes in the chords. The colour tones add flair and excitement into the song, which I imagine closely in teaching. The colour tones in improvisation add impact and change to the colour and sound chords make. In a chord Cmaj7b5 (C major seven flat five). We have the notes C, E, Gb, Bb. The three is the E and Seven is Bb, the Gb is also the flat five adding a different colour or sound to this C major chord. When we are teaching lessons using pedagogical approaches such as teaching through inquiry, this leaves much room for asking questions and providing talk moves to keep kōreoro moving forward with our ākonga, and changing direction. I see a connection with the colour tones the bass plays when we as kaiako guide the kōrero surrounding this when our tamariki are sharing and communicating thoughts, ākonga are provided with a space to express themselves and their thinking. They are the colour tones and essential in moving the music or in this metaphor approach teaching journey forward.

A quote from Jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis states “Through improvisation, jazz teaches you about yourself. And through swing, it teaches you that other people are individuals too. It teaches you how to coordinate with them.” (Marsalis, n.d.). What draws me to Jazz improvisation and teaching is the fact that at its core values it's about whānau and community and identity. When we teach we are responsible for the well-being and education of all tamariki in our classes, it can’t all be put on the shoulders of one person. It takes a village and team whānau to teach ākonga in our classrooms. This is similar to Jazz performance and improvisation where the band is a whānau where a lot of trust is built up while performing on stage together. Improvisation is a very creative, spiritual and vulnerable type of being, if everybody is on the same page, and the intent and respect is given to improvisation, magic is then made and a connection with the audience will be given. When teaching again if the whole team is on the same page and connections are built with ākonga this is where the teaching and growth of learning begins. The New Zealand Curriculum talks about inclusive practice “Ko te ākonga te pūtake o te ako - The learner is at the centre of learning” (Inclusive Practices / Kia Ora - NZ Curriculum Online, 2016). I like this quote because it reflects our practice as kaiako to take care of our ākonga in all teaching lessons. This makes it clear within the inclusive practice we need to keep tamariki at the heart of all we do and adapt our practice to the level's our ākonga are working at. This relates nicely to the metaphor because improvisation requires a lot of care, thought and voice, just like our ākonga that we teach. The tamariki in our classes each have their own voice, thoughts, ideas and mana for sharing. Improvisation requires experimentation, integrity and expression, when I improvise this is an expression of my voice, and sharing this with the audience. It’s important to see that improvisation is an expression of creativity, adaptivity, and wairua.

As a kaiako pitomata, there is much improvisation, flare and excitement for ako that happens in the classrooms in aotearoa each day. I am looking forward to continuing this journey as a kaiako and expressing the need and value of improvisation all through my own learning and teaching experience, but enabling a class environment for ākonga to improvise and cherish ako too.

Me mahi tahi tātou mō te oranga o te katoa - We should work together for the wellbeing of everyone.

1. L. (n.d.-a). What is Jazz Improvisation? JAS. Retrieved June 11, 2021, from https://jazzaspensnowmass.org/what-is-jazz-improvisation/

2. Jazz Improvisation. (n.d.). A Passion for Jazz. Retrieved June 11, 2021, from https://www.apassion4jazz.net/improvisation.html

3. JazzTimesVideos(9 July,2018). Maria Schneider on teaching jazz and composition. Maria Schneider on teaching jazz and composition - YouTube

4. Walk That Bass. (2018, October 17). Rhythm Changes Explained. The Jazz Piano Site. http://www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-lessons/jazz-chord-progressions/rhythm-changes/

5. Marsalis, W. M. (n.d.). Wynton Marsalis Quotes. BrainyQuote. Retrieved June 13, 2021, from Wynton Marsalis - Through improvisation, jazz teaches you... (brainyquote.com)

6. Inclusive practices / Kia ora - NZ Curriculum Online. (2016, October 17). New Zealand Curriculum Inclusive Practice. https://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Inclusive-practices

7. Sutton, R. (2021, June 13). An idea whose time has come. Whakatauki: He Waka Eke Noa. https://whakataukihewakaekenoa.blogspot.com/2018/02/an-idea-whose-time-has-come.html