Similar to others, Alexander (1989) points to the lack of training of Jazz educators as a key issue with the current music education system. Additionally, he believes educators possess a low level of commitment to teaching. Students want to take it upon themselves to learn, but not enough resources for them. At an improvisation clinic in London, people were proclaiming to have learned more in three days at the seminar than they did in three years of music programs at college. What was the key? The leaders of the clinic, Jamey Abersold and David Baker, identified keys that improvisers need and demonstrated ways to develop those skills. They broke down improvisation by discussing the key parts, doing ear training, playing, signing, analyzing records and and answering questions. This helped to alleviate the mystery surrounding improvisation, and the thought that it is just a skill developed by and/or inherent in the great jazz musicians. The authors emphasize learning jazz improvisation through instruction books and play-along records can help students break away from the lack of understanding of improvisation in the formal education system.



According to West (2015), some of the common features of jazz education noted in existing research include, “listening to jazz, using mentors and peer teaching, and modeling for students. This makes sense when we recall how the early jazz musicians handed down their art to the next generation. Those learning jazz usually did so aurally by imitating more experienced mentors and/or peers. It seems only natural that jazz educators would extend these practices into the school setting by modeling for students and creating space for students to listen to jazz and interact with one another in a jazz community of learners” (37).

But West combines a number of these other research papers to formulate some opinions about the teachings of improvisation. He notes, like others, that Jazz teachers spend little time on improvisation despite students’ struggles with learning the concepts. He recommends that although improvisation is a key component of jazz, it is not unique to the discipline (38). Improvisation, West argues, should be taught separately and be viewed more as a basic component of all types of music