Books
The Artist Entrepreneur: Finding Success in a New Arts Economy
by Ronald C. McCurdy, Richard E. Goodstein, Eric J. Lapin
The twenty-first-century art world offers performers and professionals an unrivaled variety of opportunities, but also requires a never-before-seen investment in skills beyond artistic talent. Today’s artists must build sustainable success in this new arts economy through collaborative big-idea thinking that celebrates a continual engagement in creative process.
Presenting creativity as a process with unlimited applications, The Artist Entrepreneur empowers young artists to step into the new arts landscape and build their own careers. Along the way, the book demystifies essential business skills from self-promotion, branding, touring, and intellectual property exploitation to contracts, revenue sources, and bookkeeping. Addressing students from across the artistic spectrum, this book offers practical exercises to develop individual skills while empowering a new generation of artist entrepreneurs with the promise of a new arts economy.
Meet the Great Jazz Legends
Short Sessions on the Lives, Times & Music of the Great Jazz Legends
Introduce a new generation of music enthusiasts to 17 legendary jazz artists who have enriched the world with their incredible talents. Dr. McCurdy's illuminating stories about the lives, times and music of these great jazz musicians span the entire twentieth century, from early New Orleans Jazz through the Golden Age of Swing plus the avant-garde and jazz fusion eras. Includes units on Louis Armstrong, James P. Johnson, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonius Monk, Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Clifford Brown, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Charles Mingus and Herbie Hancock. Now available with CD, students can listen to examples of each legend's recordings to fully understand the beauty of jazz music!
Teaching Music through Performance in Jazz - Volume 1
by Ronald Carter , Wynton Marsalis , Ronald C McCurdy , Ronald Modell , Reginald Thomas
Teaching Music through Performance in Jazz continues in the best tradition of the Teaching Music series, bringing together insights from top jazz educators and invaluable analysis of the best repertoire published for jazz ensembles of all skill levels.
This book is the ideal tool for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the preeminent music for jazz ensembles by seminal jazz composers.
In addition, leading jazz educators and musicians contribute chapters on topics such as: “Why Teach Jazz?” by Wynton Marsalis; “A Multi-Cultural Approach to Jazz Education” by Ronald Carter; “Rehearsal Techniques: A Holistic Approach Integrating Composition, Improvisation, Theory, and Cultural Considerations in the Rehearsal” by Ron McCurdy; “The Rhythm Section: The Band within the Band” by Reginald Thomas; and “Promoting a High School Jazz Band” by Ron Modell.
Approaching the Standards
by Ronald C. McCurdy & Dr. Willie L. Hill, Jr.
Approaching the Standards for Jazz Vocalists is an innovative, user-friendly approach to vocal jazz improvisation. Designed for the individual or group and male or female vocalists, this book and sing-along CD contains ten classic jazz songs selected from and correlated to Approaching the Standards Volumes 1, 2 and 3. Included are the same essential features as the instrumental books: CD demo, clearly written improvisation examples, jazz vocabulary, transcription opportunities, informative composer insight and a useful discography. Whether beginning their studies or improving their vocal jazz skills, all serious singers must have this book! Titles are: Now's the Time * Satin Doll * Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise * Summertime * I Got Rhythm * Honeysuckle Rose * Tenor Madness * Bye Bye Blackbird * Secret Love * Take the "A" Train.
African Americans and Popular Culture (3 Vol Set)
by Todd Boyd with a chapter by Ronald C. McCurdy
The African American influence on popular culture is among the most sweeping and lasting this country has seen. Despite a history of institutionalized racism, black artists, entertainers, and entrepreneurs have had enormous impact on American popular culture. Pioneers such as Oscar Michaeux, Paul Robeson, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Langston Hughes, Bill Bojangles Robinson, and Bessie Smith paved the way for Jackie Robinson, Nina Simone, James Baldwin, Bill Russell, Muhammad Ali, Sidney Poitier, and Bill Cosby, who in turn opened the door for Spike Lee, Dave Chappelle, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, Tiger Woods, and Michael Jordan. Today, hip hop is the most powerful element of youth culture; white teenagers outnumber blacks as purchasers of rap music; black-themed movies are regularly successful at the box office, and black writers have been anthologized and canonized right alongside white ones. Though there are still many more miles to travel and much to overcome, this three-volume set considers the multifaceted influence of African Americans on popular culture, and sheds new light on the ways in which African American culture has come to be a fundamental and lasting part of America itself.