From: ujwb@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu (Jeff Beer)
Subject: Re: Jazz Beginner
Organization: Educational Computing Network
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 18:02:50 GMT

In article <ALLMUSIC%92081813491450@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU> Michelle May <MAMAY@WAYNEST1.BITNET> writes:
>After years of being asked, "Why don't you try to play more jazz?"  I think
>I'm finally ready to go for it.  Here's the scoop:
>
>I have played violin and flute for twenty-two plus years.  I have mostly
>played classical, but have branched off into easy listening (because I play
>a lot of weddings).  My association with jazz playing has been sporadic--I
>played in a jazz orchestra for two years (had a chance to play behind Joe
>Williams and Dizzy Gillespie).  I can READ anything you put down on a staff;
>but when it comes to improvisation--I'm lost.  I can hear what I want to do
>in my head, but it never seems to come through the instrument.
>
>Can someone recommend where I can begin on this quest to become more familiar
>with jazz playing?  I will probably do most of the work on violin because it's
>the instrument I play most.  Scale books, theory and just general good books
>on the subject would be helpful.  I have a very diverse record collection and
>have many classic jazz albums from my grandfather's collection--if you could
>recommend some listening "assignments". . .

Playing:

The best thing for improvisation is to improvise.  So if you are at a
school, find out where the jam sessions are and sit in.  There may be
some improvisation classes.  If you are not at a school, find out where
there are jam sessions at clubs, and go there.  If you are not in a town
where there are jam sessions, it will be tough.  But you can play along
with the records that you have, just improvising over the music.

When you play, you have to listen.  You have to always listen.  You hear
where the rhythm section goes, and that helps you decide what to play.
In the beginning, you follow them.  If you play something that is
comfortable with what the rest of the band is playing, you are on your
way.  Later on, you sometimes play in opposition to them.

Both are fun, but sometimes one thing is more fun than the other.

In the Miles Davis Quintet, Wayne would sometimes show up to the gig
drunk, so drummer Tony Williams would get mad and try to mess him up
by playing the most off the wall, destructive stuff.
When this happened, often the most creative music would result.
Though it may seem unbelievable, remember, both involve great listening
on each player's part.  That is the key.

Books:

There may be some of value, I think it would be better to buy fake
books (or better yet, see "for the ear") and learn bebop tunes and
standards.  If you have the records, play along with them on the tunes.
If you have a basic knowledge of how chords on a lead sheet are
constructed, I don't think you need the theory books.  Or maybe so, but
as long as you can see a chord, and know why those notes are chosen, you
don't need them.  If you go into a store and look at a book and it looks
like it will be of use, then buy it.   But learn tunes by Bird, Diz,
Miles, Monk, Mingus, Coltrane, and Shorter.   It might be good to get
a piano book that has chord voicings, and practice them.  Then when they
play them, if you can identify them by ear, you won't need too much
theory.  If you play jazz tunes and solo transcriptions
with the chords on the piano, you might be able to get the alterations
by ear.

For the ear:

Learn tunes off the record by ear, then transpose them into all 12 keys
by ear.  The more you can do this by ear, then the less theory you need
to know, because you are going directly from hearing something in
your head to playing it on your horn.  Of course, a little theory helps
this, but really just in the case of identify which scale degree it is,
and how it is altered.

If you haven't done it much, transcribe solos.  That helps your ear.  
Then you can make exercises with parts of them, transposing them by ear 
into 12 keys.  Start with simple idiomatic licks.  Don't go overboard and 
become annoying like Michael Brecker ;)

For violin:

Ray Nance (with Duke Ellington) is a good player to listen to.  He 
is not so complex harmonically that you will have trouble analysis how
he relates to chords, but his concept of swing is modern enough so
whatever lessons you learn from him won't sound old fashion.

For the music:

Louis Armstrong (pre-modern master of soloing)
Duke Ellington (straddles traditional and modern)
Charlie Parker and Dizzy Guillespie (founders of modern jazz)
Miles Davis (changed the music about 5 times)
John Coltrane ( virtuoso improvisor that defineds much of jazz)
Ornette Coleman ( melodic playing )
Art Blakey (good tunes to learn)

Jeff
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU