The Gainesville Big Band began as the Gainesville Community Jazz Band. Since 2007, the band has brought big band jazz to Gainesville and the surrounding areas. The GBB is a 18 piece jazz band that plays a wide range of big band styles such as traditional swing, dance, latin, and contemporary jazz. The musicians have a deep passion for jazz and a commitment to presenting quality performances to all audiences in Gainesville or wherever the GBB may travel.

GBB

GBB

Audition Requirements

Gainesville Big Band Audition Requirements



The Gainesville Big Band regularly performs for public and private events. We present the highest quality performances for all of our clients. The expectation for potential new members is that they can play and read at an advanced high school level or college level . Please use the following materials as a guide. If you can secure an equivalent of the materials listed that demonstrate your skills, then you may use it.  If you have any questions please contact us at gvillebigband@cox.net. 


1. Books:
a)  The improvisation materials are selected from the Jamey Aebersold series.

 b) All exercises are selected from: Stylistic Etudes in the Jazz Idiom by Lou Fisher, (second edition) Houston Publishing, 1995 – ISBN –0-7935-5595-7.

c) It is the responsibility of the player to secure copies of the music.


2. Audition Material for all sections
a) The specific prepared exercises for their instrument as shown in the Gainesville Jazz Band requirements. Performers should use appropriate jazz articulation (not necessarily indicated).

b) Lead Trumpet - This is a separate audition, however you must also audition for section trumpet.

c) Improvisation will be two choruses of “Fast Blues in F” from Jamey Aebersold’s Volume 2 Nothin’ But Blues AND muscians will play the melody to “I Got Rhythm” (not the melody in the Aebersold volume) then improvise one full chorus of “I Got Rhythm” in Eb major (track 3) from Jamey Aebersold’s Volume 47 “I Got Rhythm Changes in All Keys.” You may opt out of improvising but it is strongly encouraged. 

d) Sight-reading exercise to demonstrate the musician’s reading ability. The musician will have thirty seconds to study the piece before playing it.

e) Rhythm section players expect to play with the full ensemble for sight-reading


3. Vocalist Audition Material: 
 Vocalist will sing:
a) It Don’t Mean A  Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) with the full ensemble.

b) Scat for one chorus. 

c) Sing their rendition of My Funny Valentine. 

d) Sight-read with full ensemble.


Prepared Material:

Saxophones (Alto, Tenor, Bari)
 From Stylistic Etudes in the Jazz Idiom:
 Swing Etude #4 Measure 1 to end of measure 23
 Ballad #5  Measure 17 to the end

Trumpet
 From Stylistic Etudes in the Jazz Idiom:
 Swing Etude #2 Beginning to beat two of measure 16
 Latin/Funk #5  Measure 15 to the end (Lead trumpet take Latin/Funk up an octave)

 Trombone
 From Stylistic Etudes in the Jazz Idiom:
 Swing Etude #4  Beginning to the end of measure 28
 Ballad Etude #2  Beginning to beat three of measure 12
  
Bass Trombone 
From Stylistic Etudes in the Jazz Idiom:
 Latin/Funk #5  Beginning to the end of measure 24

 Piano
 From Stylistic Etudes in the Jazz Idiom:
 Swing Etude #2 Beginning to end (w/ solo, sign, and coda)

 Guitar
 From Stylistic Etudes in the Jazz Idiom:
 Swing #5 (All of it)

 Bass
 From Stylistic Etudes in the Jazz Idiom:
 Ballad # 5  Beginning to end of measure 12
 Latin/Funk #4 All of it

Drum Set
 From Stylistic Etudes in the Jazz Idiom:
 Latin/Funk #3 (all of it)

 Swing Etude #3 (all of it)

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