Newsgroups: bit.listserv.allmusic
Date:         Tue, 18 Aug 1992 19:13:07 EDT
From:         Rick <MMLRICK@UBVM.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: Jazz Beginner

To Michelle and anyone else following this advice:
Bob takes a keyboard/scale/harmony approach, saying you first need to learn
your chords & scales, then proceed to tunes gradually. Russ says to forget
the books and listen to the recordings and get the swing feel in your head
and ear-- a more aural approach. To which Sonia urges you to plunge in and
play, and not worry about mistakes and be too much of a perfectionist. All
of which I heartily agree with. Even at the risk of overburdening you with
advice I'll dive in with my own thoughts about this.

I've known lots of people who seem to match your description of yourself.
They were extremely talented musicians coming from a classical background.
They could play the hell of anything put in front of them, with beautiful
expression, too. But once you pulled away the printed page from them they
could not play anything but scales or arpeggios (or whatever recital pieces
they were preparing and memorizing at the time.) This would drive me nuts;
I would launch into diatribes (which I'll spare the list) about the failure
of American/European music education to teach ear-training to young musicians.
"Which came first: the sounds or the printed notes??" I would rave obnoxiously
to these poor musicians, thinking that my insistence alone would have magically
transformed them into mighty improvisors. Obviously I was taking the wrong
approach, and I regret my youthful impatience.

To me learning to play jazz is a combination of serious listening, singing,
playing with other more-experienced-but-sympathetic musicians, and learning
chords, scales and melodies. As you already have mastered reading, I wouldn't
recommend Bob's "method book" approach as much. (Just my opinion, Bob; I know
it's worked for you and no doubt many others.) Where was I? oh yeah -- put
away the printed material. Play melodies by ear. Play along with whatever
music you like to hear. Embellish it. Mess about with the phrasing -- vary
it rhythmically. If you're used to playing one of those easy-listening tunes
you play at weddings in the key of F, try it (without reading the music!)
in, say, D-flat. Phrase your violin as though it were another instrument.
A wind instrument-- play shorter lines; "breathe" with it. Try imitating
a blues guitar; or play it rhythmically with a percussionist's sensibility,
not a violinist's. Listen to the great jazz singers and the way they
interpret melodies. Try to imitate them on your instrument. Listen to a lot
of blues and discover its various permutations in jazz and rock musics.
Find kindred souls who also play -- if they play something that interests
you don't hesitate to ask them to show you what they're doing.
Listen to different styles of jazz if you can, and find what appeals to you
most; and use that as a starting point for developing your own personal
style within it.
    I'll stop now. Just like Bob, Sonia and Russ (no doubt others too)
I wish you lotsa luck, but lotsa enjoyment too. Have fun.
    A-do-dee-oh-do,
    Rick
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