The Directors Jazz Band

This ensemble will meet weekly on Sundays throughout the school year. Fall Semester will run September 21st to December 7th with performance on December 14th, 3:00 pm at The Royal Room. Spring semester will run January 11th with performance May 3rd. 

Pricing: Fall Semester $550, Spring Semester $650, Full-Year Discount $1,100. Tuition support available.

The Directors Jazz Band is an exciting opportunity for experienced youth musicians to work with the Northwest’s top directors and jazz educators. Featuring some of PNW’s most highly acclaimed jazz band directors rotating throughout the year and giving students a multitude of perspectives and opportunities for feedback and growth. The 2025/2026 school-year will feature:

	Scott Brown - Director Emeritus, Roosevelt High School
	Chris Bruya - Director Emeritus, Central Washington University Jazz Studies Program
	Jim Sisko -  Director, Bellevue College Jazz Band
	Deb Schaaf - Director, Roosevelt HS JB3, Jazz Night School Big Bands
	Alex Dugdale - Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Award-Winning Multi-Instrumentalist
	Hannah Mowry - Director, Roosevelt High School Bands

Seats are filled by audition only. Audition materials are due by September 12th. Steps to audition:

1. Complete registration by selecting your instrument and checking out.
2. Submit audition materials as specified below.
3. If you are not placed in the band, tuition will be refunded.

Homework: Learning parts and working on assignments provided by directors.

Student Requirements: Punctual attendance and desire to learn and improve. Responsible communications with program coordinator. Responsibility for safekeeping of music. Ability to read advanced jazz band music.

Important Note About Placement - Jazz Night School is dedicated to finding the best learning experience for everyone involved. Some of the criteria we consider in determining ensemble placements include: matching student ability levels, compatibility of individuals in the groups (students and instructors), allowing the highest number of students to participate, student availability, and date of registration. Despite our best efforts, there is always a chance that an individual may not be able to be placed in an ensemble. If a student is not placed in The Directors Jazz Band, we will strive to offer them a spot in another Jazz Night School ensemble.

Audition Requirements

Record a video introducing yourself and performing the elements listed below for your instrument, then email the file to debs@jazznightschool.org.

Everyone:

Introduce yourself, telling us:

• What school you go to 

• What instrument(s) you play 

• What year you are in school

• What ensemble(s) you participate in at your school 

• If you take lessons or participate in groups outside of school

• Why you want to join The Directors Jazz Band

• What you are listening to these days

This is a chance to give us a glimpse of who you are, be your awesome self and have fun with this!

Horn Players:

Part 1: Chromatic Scale
Full range of horn for saxes, lowest comfortable note to highest comfortable note for brass. Legato eighth notes at Quarter Note = 72 bpm or higher. Strive for even tempo, rich, full sound and consistent tone.

Part 2: Choice piece
Pick a Jazz selection that demonstrates your strengths and passions as a musician. This can be a transcription, etude, or jazz standard. Length must not exceed 90 seconds. Be sure to introduce your piece, clearly stating the name of the piece and the artist/composer. If you transcribed it yourself, let us know!

Part 3: Improvisation
Improvise over two choruses of 12-bar blues in the key of your choice, playing over a backing track or with a live rhythm section. Please be sure that both you and your accompaniment are clearly audible in the recording!  

Piano:

Part 1: Voicings
Use a jazz standard of your choice, record one chorus of comping with two-handed voicings. Please use a metronome or backing track without piano, iReal Pro is recommended. 

Part 2: Choice piece
Pick a Jazz selection that demonstrates your strengths and passions as a musician. This can be a transcription, etude, or jazz standard. Length must not exceed 90 seconds. Be sure to introduce your piece, clearly stating the name of the piece and the artist/composer. If you transcribed it yourself, let us know!

Part 3: Improvisation
Improvise over two choruses of 12-bar blues in the key of your choice, playing over a backing track or with a live rhythm section. Please be sure that both you and your accompaniment are clearly audible in the recording!  

Guitar:

Part 1: Voicings/Comping
Use jazz standards of your choice to demonstrate various voicings and comping styles you are comfortable with. Freddie Green style comping as well as typical swing style rootless voicings are recommended. Brazilian and afro-cuban style comping is also welcomed. Using a backing track without guitar if possible, iReal Pro is recommended.  

Part 2: Choice piece
Pick a Jazz selection that demonstrates your strengths and passions as a musician. This can be a transcription, etude, or jazz standard. Length must not exceed 90 seconds. Be sure to introduce your piece, clearly stating the name of the piece and the artist/composer. If you transcribed it yourself, let us know!

Part 3: Improvisation
Improvise over two choruses of 12-bar blues in the key of your choice, playing over a backing track or with a live rhythm section. Please be sure that both you and your accompaniment are clearly audible in the recording!  

Bass:

Part 1: Walking
Play one chorus of walking bass over a jazz standard of your choice at a medium tempo. The line should be improvised and include both 8th notes and triplet figures. Feel free to play one chorus of solo, though it is not required. If possible, use a backing track without bass, iReal Pro is recommended. 

Part 2: Other Styles
Play a written bass line in a brazilian, afro-cuban, or funk/rock style from an arranged piece of music. This can be from a big band part, jazz choir chart, transcription, or any other written source. Use a metronome, or play along with a recording if possible. 

Part 3: Tempo
One or two choruses of walking over a jazz standard or 12-bar blues at a fast tempo (200 bpm or faster). Use a backing track without bass if possible, iReal Pro is recommended. 

Drummers:

Part 1: Swing
Play Medium Tempo SWING FEEL, full kit. Establish a groove, add fills and hits, play for 12 bars (one blues chorus), then solo for one chorus minimum/two choruses maximum and bring it to a strong close.

Part 2: Afro-Cuban
Play a 6/8 Afro-Cuban groove of your choice. Play for 16 bars.

Part 3: Ballad
Play a ballad feel using BRUSHES. Play for 16 measures in 4/4 time, Quarter note = 60-72bpm. Add cymbal textures, rolls with mallets, varied hi-hat sounds (in addition to crisp hi-hat on two and four) and create drama.

Part 4: Shout Chorus
Kick a Big Band shout chorus! Choose your favorite shout chorus from a Big Band swing tune and demonstrate set-ups and fills as you play the groove. SING the shout chorus while you do the set-ups! (Singing doesn’t have to be pitched, it can just be the horn rhythms with syllables, for example “Doo-dot, DAT, ga-doo DAT” for example.) Be sure to STATE THE TUNE, BAND, and DRUMMER, from which you are doing the shout chorus.