Casa Valdez Jazz

The Essential Casa Valdez
For the improvising Jazz musician

By David Carlos Valdez
Jazz Harmony for Improvisation- chord/scales
The Best of Casa Valdez Jazz Blog
To quickly find scales for these common chords-
C7 #11 Up a fifth melodic ( melodic minor!
C7 "# (or ##! Up a half step diminished (C# dim!
C7 "1$ (or %! Whole-tone from root
C7 "# "1$& or C7 alt& or C7 ## "1$& or C7 "# ## "1$ #11
Up a half step melodic minor
C7 "# "1$ Up a 4th harmonic minor

C-7("'! Up a half step Maj (C# (a)! or up a minor 3rd melodic minor (*" melodic
minor! or don a hole step harmonic minor or up a 4th harmonic minor (+ harmonic minor!
C sus7 ("#! !on a hole step melodic minor (B" melodic minor!
C ma)7 #' !on a minor 3rd melodic minor or don a minor 3rd harmonic minor
Here are some important rules for substitution:
"# $ou may add the related ii-% &efore any '% and add the related '% after any ii-%#
(# $ou may add a )"" to any major or dominant chord#
3# $ou may su&stitute any chord for another chord as lon* as it has to of the same notes#
4# $ou can actually add a dominant seventh chord a fifth a&ove &efore any chord# +his
creates some nice tension and resolution, and can also create a delayed resolution if the
resolution chord is pushed later in the &ar#
*,am-le.
Cma)7 /
Becomes-
7 Cma)/
0
1hen analyzing a tune to determine a--ro-riate scales for "lo2ing& first look at the dominant
se3enth chords and 2here they are resol3ing4 5ook only at the root motion6 the quality of the ne,t
chord ((a)& min& sus& *CT! is not im-ortant4
7f a dominant se3enth chord is mo3ing do2n a 'th to the ne,t chord& then you ha3e the freedom to
alter that chord ho2e3er you 2ish (2hole-tone& diminished& altered dominant& 5ydian dominant&
*CT!4
7f the dominant se3enth chord is mo3ing do2n a half ste-& then only add the #11 (the 5ydian
8ominant& u- a fifth melodic!4
9lso the V7 may not go directly to its resolution& there may "e a delayed resolution4
*,am-le.
/C7 / C-7 +7/
The C7 is still resol3ing do2n a fifth ("y 2ay of the C-7! and can "e altered "y the im-ro3iser4
:emem"er that if you add alterations to a 8ominant 7th chord& start less altered and add alterations4
+or e,am-le- 7f you are -laying o3er t2o "ars of 7 going to C you may -lay a straight (i,olydian
in the first "ar and then -lay a 7#11 (8 melodic-! for the first t2o "eats of "ar t2o and an 7
altered dominant (9" melodic-! in the last t2o "eats of the second "ar4 ;ou 2ould not 2ant to start
2ith the 7 altered dominant and T<*= -lay a straight (i,olydian "efore resol3ing in "ar three4
This is >?.
7 7#11/7"1$ 7alt/ Cma)7 /
This is not.
7alt 7"1$/ 7#11 7/Cma)7 /
The first e,am-le has for2ard harmonic motion6 the second has "ack2ards harmonic motion4
<ere is an easy 2ay to hel- you analyze chord changes4 This is the 2ay Berklee teaches chord
analysis4 7t hel-s you see the ii-V7s and the V7 resolutions& so you can easily determine 2hen
you are free to make chord-scale su"stitutions4
@se "rackets to mark ii- V7s and dotted "rackets to mark ii-7 su"V7s (e,am-le. 8-7 C#7!
8ra2 arro2s from V7 to 7 resolutions (e,am-le C7 to +ma)& or C7 to +7& or C7 to +-7!
$
-ymmetrical -cales-!iminished, Whole-tone . -ymmetrical Major
7n modern 2estern music 2e use a system of tuning that di3ides each octa3e into t2el3e equal
semi-tones4 @sing this system 2e find that there are only a certain num"er of -ossi"le 2ays to create
symmetrical scales4 The ear hears these scales differently than other scales "ecause they are
e,-ressions of -ure relationshi-s of 2hole num"er inter3als4 1e -ick them out immediately and can
easily -redict the ne,t note4 The system that 7 outline here is found in =icholas AlonimskyBs classic
"ook BThe Thesaurus of Acales and (elodic Catterns4 This "ook has influenced generations of
classical com-osers and Jazz im-ro3isers alike4 The -ure definition of a symmetrical scale is a scale
that co3ers one or more octa3es 2ith equal inter3allic scales "et2een each note4
The first symmetrical scale ha--ens 2hen you di3ide one octa3e equally into t2o -arts (or the 1.0
scale!4 This is a scale that consists of )ust t2o different notes& in the key of C -C D +#4 The ne,t one
is the 1.$ scale& or the augmented triad- C& *& 9"4 =e,t is the 1.E scale or the diminished 7th chord-
C& *"& "& 94 F9gain& remem"er that scales can ha3e any num"er of notesG4 7f 2e di3ide one octa3e
equally into si, -arts 2e get the 2hole-tone scale or 1.H scale4
The t2o symmetrical scales that 2e use in Jazz im-ro3isation are the 2hole tone scale and the
diminished scale4 The diminished scale is really )ust t2o 1.E scales (augmented chords! a 2hole ste-
a-art4 5etBs deal 2ith these t2o in more detail since they are used the most in Jazz im-ro3isation4 9
diminished scale fits o3er a dominant se3enth "# and/or ## chord4 Ao o3er a C7"# you 2ould -lay
the diminished scale a half-ste- u-. C# diminished4 There are many common diminished licks that
e3ery young Jazzer thinks are great 2hen they first disco3er them4 These are really cool until you
realize that )ust a"out e3ery )azz -layer on the -lanet o3er-uses them at the "eginning of their
careers4 They are as clichI as you can -ossi"ly get4 9s a matter of fact& it is hard not to sound clichI
2hen using this scale4 Because they are symmetrical you must -lay them @=A;(*T:7C955; in
order to sound interesting4 The Alonimsky "ook is a great -lace to find interesting non-clichI
diminished and 2hole tone -atterns4
Aome ideas for hi--er diminished (and 1T. #1-$! -atterns.
14 Clay -atterns 2ith inter3als that contain 2ider inter3als
04 9dd leading tones/a--roach notes that are outside the scale
$4 7nstead of using E note re-eating -atterns (like usual clichI -atterns! use ' or 7 note -atterns& so
they shift around in the "ar4
E4 Think of the diminished scale as t2o diminished chords& alternate "et2een the t2o chords4
'4 9lternate "et2een diminished scale and the diminished scale a half ste- u-4 :emem"er to kee- in
mind that diminished scales resol3e do2n in half ste-s4 8iminished scales mo3ing do2n in half ste-s
are like 8ominant se3enth flat ninth chords mo3ing around the circle of fifths4 7f youBre -laying o3er
a dominant se3enth flat-ninth chord you can -lay the diminished scale u- a 2hole ste- from the root&
then the diminished scale a half ste- "elo2 that (u- a half-ste- from the root of the dominant chord!4
This im-lies a V7"# of V7 to V7"#4
E
>riginal chords.
7"# / 7"# / Cma)7
;ou -lay.
9 dim /9" dim /Cma)7
7m-lying this.
87"# /7"# /Cma)7
*ach diminished chord has e,actly the same notes as T<:** other diminished chords4 *ach
dominant 7th "# chord is therefore almost e,actly the same as three other dominant 7th "# chords4
C7"# is related to. *"7"#& +#7"# and 97"#4 These chords are the same e,ce-t for >=* =>T*
difference (the roots!4
Ao hereBs 2here things get interesting4 ;ou may su"stitute any of these chords for any other chord
9=8 T<*7: :*59T*8 ii-7s4
Cut in to -ractice it looks like this.
>3er.
/8-7 /7"# /Cma)7
;ou may su"stitute.
/+-7 /B"7"# /Cma)7
>:.
/9"-7 /8"7"# /Cma)7
>:.
/B-7 /*7"# /Cma)7
>r e3en hi--er.
/8-7 /+-7 9"-7 /Cma)7
Bo" (o3er reminded me that 2hen youBre adding su"stitutions you can use the related ii-7s
rather than the V7s4 Bo" says that Chil 1oods often does this4 This seems fairly o"3ious yet
most -layers donBt do this 3ery often4
'
1e kno2 that Trane 2as 3ery dee- into the Alonimsky "ook4 8uring his Bsheets of soundB -eriod he
used this ty-e of su"stitution4 ;ou could call this ty-e of su"stitution a B+our Tonic AystemB4 5ater on
Trane started e,-loring 1.$ and 0.$ su"stitutions& these are the classic iant Ate-s (Countdo2n& +ifth
<ouse& ect! BThree Tonic AystemB su"s4 This system s-a2ned a school that is sometimes called the
BJe2ish Tenor AchoolB 6! The key e,-onents of this school are Brecker& rossman& 5ie"man and the
late great Bo" Berg4
There are other -layers& like sa,o-honists :ick (argitza and the =orth2estBs Burt 1ilson 2ho ha3e
thoroughly incor-orated this system into their -laying4 This is a modern B=e2 ;orkB sound4 The three
tonic system is used not only o3er ii-7 V7s "ut also o3er almost anything and e3erythingJ 7t has so
much internal momentum that it can "e used as a 2ay to go outside 2ithout losing for2ard motion4
Cersonally 7 find it really hard to use the three tonic system 2ithout sounding too much like 7Bm
-laying -atterns4 7 find the four tonic system a "it easier to use 2ithout sounding stiff4 Bo" (o3er
once told me that he thought that the three tonic system had ruined the course of modern Jazz4 7 do
see his -oint4 1hen 7 2as at Berklee a tenor -layer 7 kne2 had T-shirts made 2ith one of the most
famous rossman lick on it& the one that sounds like this- 2eeee-"a-da-"a-doo-"e-ahh4 9ny Ate3e
rossman fan kno2s )ust the one 7Bm talking a"out4
>ne more symmetrical ty-e scale is called the BAymmetrical (a)orB scale4 This e,otic
sounding scale is made u- of three ma)or triads ma)or thirds a-art4
C *" * 9" B C
This is nice o3er a Cma)7& *ma)7& and 9"ma)7 chords since it has leading tones to each note of the
ma)or triad4
There are other symmetrical scales in AlonomiskyBs "ook )ust 2aiting to "e a--lied to Jazz
im-ro3isationJ
H
/asic ii-% '% chord su&stitutions
<ere is a 3ery common ty-e of ii-7 V7 su"stitution4 To do this one you sim-ly turn the ii-7 into a
secondary dominant of the V7 or V7 of V74 This is an easy su" to make "ecause all you are doing is
changing the quality of the ii-7 from minor to dominant& 2ith or 2ithout alterations4 <ere are )ust a
fe2 of the many 2ays to do that.
>3er.
8-7 / 7 / Cma)7 /
Clay.
87 /7 /Cma)7 /
>r.
87"# /7"# / Cma)7 /
>r.
87alt /7alt /Cma)7 /
>r.
8%7 /%7 /Cma)7 /
>r you could turn the ii- into a su"V of V& like so.
9"7#11/7 /Cma)7 /
7
0oolest ii-'% su&stitution ever
<ere is a really great and easy to make su"stitution that 7 often use4 7tBs a straightfor2ard 2ay of
su"stituting a V7 of V7 in -lace of the ii-7 in a ii-/V7/74 This is one of Bo" (o3erBs fa3orite de3ices
and you can really see 2hy once you gi3e it a try4
+irst remem"er that you may su"stitute any related ii-7 in -lace of a V7& or 3ice 3ersa4
9ll you ha3e to do is to -lay a minor a half ste- u- o3er the ii-7 and then -lay a regular V7 (or
-ossi"ly an altered V7!4
Ao o3er.
8-7 / 7 /Cma)7
;ou 2ould -lay-
*"-7 /7 /C ma)7
This im-lies the related V7 of the *"-7& 2hich is 9"74
9"7 is the su" V7 of V& or the tri-tone su" of the secondary dominant of V74
Ao the su"stitution is im-lying this.
87 alt /7 /C ma)7
K The "eauty of this su"stitution is that it is so easily calculated on the fly6 it sounds 3ery outside
yet soon resol3es -erfectly and com-letely to the V74 The tension of -laying a half ste- a2ay from
the minor is total& yet the resolution is so strong that it makes -erfect sense to the ear4
7tBs sim-le& yet elegant and easily to -ut into -ractice4
L
/o& Mover1s ii- '% su&s
;ou can "lo2 o3er these su"s 2hile the rhythm section is -lays a standard ii-7 V7 7ma)74
>3er.
/-7 / C7 /+ (a)7
Clay.
/9" melodic- / 8" melodic- /+ (a)7
/-7 9"7#11 / 8" (a)7 8" mel- /+ (a)7
/9"-7 / mel- 8" mel- /+ (a)7
/-7 9"-7 / "(a)7 8" mel- /+ (a)7
/B dim / B" dim /+ (a)7
/-7 B"-7 / 8"-7 /+ (a)7
/9"-7 8"7 / 8"-7 "7 / + (a)7
/9"-7 8"7 / B"-7 / + (a)7
/9"-7 8"7 / B"-7 8"-7 /+ (a)7
/9" mel- / B" mel- / +
Modes of the Harmonic Minor -cale
#
The harmonic minor scale is considered "y some to "e the homely sister of the elegant and useful
melodic minor4 ;es& itBs kind of clunky4 ;es& it makes you 2ant to do the snake charmer dance4 Just
like the melodic minor the harmonic minor scale generates some modes that are 3ery useful for
im-ro3isation4 <ere they are.
>n a C- ma)7 you 2ould -lay a harmonic minor from the root
>3er a minor ii/V7 you 2ould -lay harmonic minor from the root
+or e,am-le.
8-7"' 2ould take a C harmonic minor scale starting on 8 (do2n a 2hole ste-!.
8 *" + 9" B C (root& "#& "$&11 "'& 1$& "7!

=ote. 9 more modern sound for a half-diminished chord 2ould "e to -lay a melodic minor from the
"$rd!
>n a 7"# chord you 2ould -lay a C harmonic minor scale starting on (u- a fourth!.
9" B C 8 *" + (root& "# &$ &11 &' &"1$ &"7!
This is a classic Be"o- a--roach to V7"# chords6 some call this an 9ugmented-Chrygian scale4
Bird used this scale on minor tunes all the time and it is distinctly -re-Trane "o-4 The altered
dominant (2hole-half! scale for the most -art su--lanted this sound in the -ost-"o- -eriod4
>3er a (a) 7th chord you can -lay a harmonic minor scale from the third4
Ao o3er a ma)7 chord you can -lay a B harmonic minor scale starting on .
B" B C# 8 * +# (root& ##& $& #11& '& 1$& 7!
This is called a A-lit Third (a)or Acale4 >f course you 2ouldnBt 2ant to hang out on the ##4 This
scale is 3ery close to the Aymmetrical (a)or Acale& 2hich is made u- of three ma)or triads a ma)or
third a-art (C& *"& *& & 9"& B! or C triad%* triad%9" triad4
>3er a minor #("'! chord you can -lay a harmonic minor starting on the fifth4
>3er a 8-#("'! you could -lay an 9 harmonic minor scale starting from 8.
8 * + # 9 B C (root& #& "$& #11& '& 1$&"7!
;ou could call this a (inor 5ydian/(i,olydian scale4
>3er a (a) # (#'! chord you can -lay a harmonic minor scale do2n a minor third4
1M
Ao o3er a 8 (a)7(#'! chord you can -lay a B harmonic minor scale starting on 8.
8 * +# 9# B C# (root4 #& $& 11& #'& 7!
This is called a (a)or 9ugmented Acale4 =otice the clunky natural 11& a melodic minor scale from
the same root 2ould gi3e you a #11 instead4
>3er a diminished 7 ("#! chord you 2ould -lay a harmonic minor scale u- a half ste-4
Ao o3er an 9dim7 ("#! chord you can -lay a B" harmonic minor scale from 9.
9 B" C 8" *" + " (root& "#& ##& $&#11& "1$& 1$!
=o2 2e are stretching things "ut you could think of this scale as an alternati3e to the 9ltered
8ominant scale4
>"3iously some of these scales are more useful than others& and most are not quite as hi- as their
melodic minor counter-arts4 These scales do offer some different fla3ors to add to your harmonic
-antry and are 2orth e,-loring4
-pecial 2unction !ominant 0hords
A-ecial function dominants are dominant se3enth chords that do not resol3e do2n a fifth or do2n a
half ste-4 These dominants ha3e reasona"ly strong resolutions to tonic 7ma)7 chords and can "e used
"y the im-ro3iser or arranger as su"stitutes for V7 chords4 Though these s-ecial function dominant
chords do not ha3e as strong resolutions as V7s or su"V7s& they are strong enough to "e used as su"s
for these chords4 A+8 chords can "e used to create a more desired "ass line or to harmonize hard to
3oice melody notes4 A-ecial +unction 8ominant Chords can "e used "y the im-ro3iser to create
interesting re-harmonized lines o3er e,isting chord changes4 >ne thing to kee- in mind 2hen you are
creating re-harmonized lines or chord changes is that you may al2ays -recede these A+8s 2ith their
related ii-7s4
<ere are the A-ecial +unction 8ominants.
K 77 this is used in "lues -rogressions as a tonic dominant4 7t also sometimes resol3es to the 7ma)7
tonic4
K 777 this chord is closely related to the "V77 and the #7V-7"' (they all share the same tri-tones!4 7t is
normally analyzed as V7/V (secondary dominant function!& e,ce-t 2hen it resol3es directly to 7
2hen it acts as a A+84
K 7V7N used in "lues -rogressions& resol3es to an 774 7V7 is diatonic to melodic minor& and has a
su"dominant function in that conte,t4
11
Blues conte,t. /C7 /+7 /C7 +7 /C7
(inor conte,t. /C-H 7("1$!/ C-H +7/ C-H /
K "V77 N usually analyzed as a su" V7/V4 1hen resol3ed directly to 7 it creates a s-ecial function
cadence4 This chord is deri3ed from the chromatic harmony of the 1#th century4 This chord is closely
related to the 7V- chord& although it is not diatonic to the minor key4 This chord is said to ha3e an
altered su"dominant minor function4
K V777 Nthis is usually analyzed as a V7/777& e,ce-t 2hen it resol3es directly to 74 Aince V777 is not
associated 2ith any -articular area 2ithin the key& its function is sim-ly cadential4
K "V777 Nthis chord is deri3ed from natural minor and has a su"dominant minor function4 This is
an e,am-le of modal interchange4 The 7V-7 is often used 2ith the "V777 in a su"dominant minor
-attern like so. /C- /+-7 B"7/C- //
<o2 do 2e a--ly this kno2ledgeO
9s im-ro3isers& 2e need to "e a"le to create 3alid and functional chord -rogressions on the fly4
A-ecial function dominants can hel- us do this4
K 1e can add A+8s after V7s& "efore resol3ing to 7.
/8-7 7/9"7 Cma)7/
This creates a delayed resolution& 2hich is al2ays interesting4
K1e can use them at the 3ery end of a tune for a cadenza& right "efore the last chord of the tune4
K1e can add the A+8Bs related ii-7 and su"stitute or add to an e,isting ii-7/V7/7.
/8-7 / 7 /Cma)7 / (original!
/+-7 /B"7 /Cma)7 / (su"stitute!
/8-7 7 /+-7 B"7 /Cma)7 / (su"stitute!
K 1e can also use them as -assing chords to "reak u- a "land 7ma)7 section in a tune.
/7 / Cma)7 /Cma)7 / Cma)H / (original!
/7 / Cma)7 9"7 /Cma)7 87 /Cma)H / (2ith A+8s!
/7 /Cma)7 *"-7 9"7/Cma)7 9-7 87 /Cma)H / (2ith added related ii-7s!
The "est 2ay to get used to the sound of the A+8 chords is to sit do2n at a -iano or 2ith a guitar
and -lay through all of them4 Try -laying them one at a time and resol3ing to 7ma)7 after each one4
For example:
Cma)7 /C7 /Cma)7 /87 /Cma)7 /+7 /C7 /9"7 /Cma)7 /B"7 /Cma)7
/B7 /Cma)7 /
10
+riad 3airs for Jazz
ary Cam-"ell 2rote a "ook called Triad Cairs4 (r4 Cam-"ell is a -rofessor at @ni3ersity of (iami&
2hich has a highly res-ected Jazz -rogram4 <is "ook thoroughly details ho2 to use -airs of triads in
Jazz im-ro3isation4
7n his introduction (r4 Cam-"ell e,-lains the im-ortance of triad -airs in im-ro3isation.
Why Practice Triad Pairs?
1. By limiting note selection to six tones each triad consisting of three!" a more concise sonority is
created. For example" the con#entional chords used in the $a%% idiom are oftentimes associated &ith
parent chord'scales of se#en or more tones melodic minor" ma(or" minor" harmonic minor" and so
on!. )endering these scales in the form of triad pairs yields more #ariety in tone color and suggests
no#el melodic possibilities.
*. +ach of the triads expresses a tonality. By using t&o triads" bi'tonal effects are created. This effect
is multiplied &hen the triad pair is used o#er a root tone that is not present in either triad.
,. The structure and -tensile strength- of triads gi#e the melodic line an independent internal logic.
The -stand alone- sound is oftentimes enough to ma.e a strong" effecti#e melodic statement
regardless of ho& it is or isn/t! relating to the harmony o#er &hich it is being used. 0t sounds
-right-.
1. The triads offer a s.eleton structure to base lines on. This can be #ery helpful in modal settings
&here there are no diatonic" cycle'forth root mo#ements or resolutions and &here each chord
change may last a long time for instance" four" eight" or sixteen measures!-
<ere is an e,am-le of the conce-t a--lied to a C melodic minor tonality.
9 C melodic minor scale contains the follo2ing triads-
Cmin 8min *"% + (a) (a) 9dim Bdim
The -ossi"le triad -airs are.
Cmin/8min 8min/*"% *"%/+ (a) + (a)/ (a) (a)/9dim
9dim/Bdim Bdim/Cma)
>f these the -referred selections are.
1$
Cmin/8min *"%/+ma) +ma)/ma)
These are the chords that a C melodic minor scale can effecti3ely "e a--lied to.
Cmin(ma)7! 8sus("#! *" (a)7(#'! +7(#11! 7("1$! 9-7"' B7alt
K >ne of the most "asic triad -airs is (a)or triads a 2hole ste- a-art4 This one triad -air is
e,-lored e,hausti3ely in 1alt 1eisko-fBs "ook 7nter3allic 7m-ro3isation (9"ersold -ress!4 7 f you
ha3e e3er heard 1alt -lay you 2ill hear him use this 9 5>TJ 7t can "e used o3er 9=; (a)or chord
and any 8ominant chord 2ith a natural #th and 1$th4 These t2o triad triads contain the follo2ing.
1st triad- root& $rd& 'th
0nd triad- #th& #11th& 1$th
>ther triad -airs co3ered are.
K (a)or Triads a half ste- a-art
K (a)or Triads a Tri-tone a-art (2orks 2ell o3er dominant se3enth "# chords from the root!
K (inor triads a half ste- a-art
K (inor Triads a Tri-tone a-art
9nd on and on444444444
<ere are is a triad -air idea for a /ii-7 /V7 /7 (a).
>3er a.
/ 8-7 /7alt / C (a) /
Clay.
/ triad + triad / *" triad 8" triad / C triad 8 triad /
<ere is the same conce-t a--lied to a diminished scale.
>3er a C7"# chord you can -lay a C# diminished 7th chord& a 8# diminished 7th chord& also 9& +#&
*"& and C ma)or triads4
9ll these ideas 2ill o-en your -laying u- and "reak you out of the linear rut that Jazz -layers often
fall into4 7f you start 2ith some of these ideas and then start adding more outside triads to the mi,
1E
you can come u- 2ith some 3ery modern and interesting lines4 Try adding some -assing tones
"et2een the triads to smooth things out4
7 2ould highly recommend ary Cam-"ellPs Book Triad Cairs to any -layer looking for ne2
im-ro3isational material4 This "ook 2ill really o-en u- your lines and gi3e you some ne2 ideas for
-laying o3er chord changes4 7t is also good for im-ro3ing sight-reading and technique4
Harmonic Minor +riad 3airs
5etBs e,amine ho2 triad -airs 2ould 2ork 2hen the triads are taken from the harmonic minor
scale.
7f 2e take the diatonic triads from a C harmonic minor scale 2e get the follo2ing triads.
C- 8dim *"% +- (a) 9" (a) Bdim
These are the -ossi"le triad -airs from C harmonic minor scale are.
C- /8dim 8dim/*"% *"%/+- +-/ (a) (a)/9" (a)
9" (a)/Bdim Bdim/C-
*ach of these triad -airs 2orks o3er e3ery chord that a C harmonic minor scale fits o3erJ
The chords that take a C harmonic minor scale 2ould "e.
C-ma)7 8-7"' *"ma)7(#'! 7("#&"1$! 9"ma)7 (careful here& im-lies a s-lit-third ma)or
scale!
(Clease refer to the cha-ter B(odes of the <armonic (inor scale for JazzB if these donBt make sense to
you!
To a--ly these in an informed and meaningful 2ay you should first try them at the -iano4 Clay the
chord 2ith your left hand 2hile -laying each the triad -airs as alternating ar-eggios to hear 2hich
ones 2ork the "est4 Aome triad -airs sound hi--er than others so decide 2hich ones you like and
2rite them do2n4
This is quite a lot che2 on4 1hen youBre finished try the same thing for the modes of melodic minor4
This 2ill o-en u- ne2 2orlds of t2o-tonic-triadic -ossi"ilities for youJ
!i*ital 3atterns
1'
9t some -oint in almost e3ery Jazz musicianBs de3elo-ment he/she usually 2orks on digital -atterns4
By digital 2e mean "oth fingers and num"ers4 8igital -atterns can "e hel-ful for learning to -lay
o3er changes that mo3e around a lot& like iant Ate-s or Ata"lemates4 TraneBs solo on iant Ate-s is
-acked full of digital -atterns4 ;ou can tell that he -racticed many of them "efore recording the tune4
The do2n side to -racticing digital -atterns is that they sound like digital -atterns& "ut they can "e
good for getting your fingers 2orking fast o3er difficult changes4
<ere are some digital -atterns in order of difficulty4 +irst try -laying the -atterns around the circle
of fifths then half ste-s and 2hole ste-s (u- 9=8 do2n!4 =e,t try -laying them o3er a tune 2ith a
lot of changes that are t2o "eats long and mo3e around a lot& like iant Ate-s or Ata"lemates4
(9 1-$-'-$ -attern o3er a Cma)7 chord 2ould "e C-*--*& >3er a C-7"' it 2ould "e C-*"-"-*"!
1-0-$-1
1-0-$-'
1-$-'-7
1-$-'-$
'-$-0-1
'-$-1-$
$-'-1-$
7-'-$-1
$-0-1-'
1-0-$-7
$-0-1-7

>"3iously you could kee- going and going 2ith these4
9t first )ust -ractice one -attern at a time4 Then start mi,ing them u-4 ;ou might alternate "et2een 1-
0-$-' and '-$-0-1 for e,am-le then e3entually incor-orate all of them at random4
9s 7 said earlier& Coltrane used these digital -atterns all o3er the -lace 2hen -laying on all of his $-
tonic com-ositions (iant Ate-s& Countdo2n& Aatellite& Ae3enth <ouse& ect!4 7tBs hard to -lay linearly
o3er these ty-es of tunes "ecause of their ra-id harmonic motion4 The goal is to "e a"le to -lay o3er
these ty-es of tunes and not "e forced to rely on digital -atterns at all4 This is 3ery difficult to do4
+he controlled frea4 out- outside/inside playin*
7m-ro3ising o3er changes takes many years of dedicated -ractice to master4 7t is a highly
intellectually demanding act that requires kno2ledge of music theory as 2ell as an e,cellent memory
and quick thinking4 >nce -layers get a "asic gras- of Jazz im-ro3isation it is often hard for them to
let go and -lay "y ear again& as they did 2hen they first started to im-ro3ise4 5ong "efore they 2ere
thinking a"out symmetrical scales or tri-tone su"s they )ust follo2ed their ears and let their fingers
do the 2alking4 >nce they are "lo2ing "e"o- lines through changes 2ith some -roficiency they find
1H
it hard to trust only their ears to na3igate for them4 7 often try to get my students to mo3e outside "y
disengaging their rational minds for )ust a moment at a time4 7tBs almost harder to get an intellectual
-layer to -lay "y ear than it is to teach an ear -layer to learn Jazz harmony4
7 like hearing "e"o- -layers 2ho are a"le to ste- outside 2ithout using set harmonic formulas4
There are many -ost-"o- -layers 2ho use harmonic de3ices in order to take it outside& fe2er 2ho are
a"le to -lay freely "y ear and then dro- right "ack inside4
7t can "e hard to con3ince a student 2ho has 2orked hard to -lay o3er changes to ignore them&
e3en if it is )ust for short -eriods of time4 7 may cross out a fe2 chord changes and tell them to )ust
"lo2 2hate3er they hear o3er those "ars4 7 tell them not to -lay anything that is harmonically related
to the changes -layed "y the rhythm section4 They should then try to land on the ne,t 2ritten chord
change 2ith a strong chord tone4
7 try to get them to feel comforta"le 2ith -laying totally outside "y ear for )ust a "ar at a time4 This
is like -o--ing the clutch in a stick shift 3ehicle4 The rational mind is forced to disengage from its
calculations and com-utations 2hile the ears and the fingers momentarily take the reigns4 1hen the
BclutchB is re-engaged the rational mind takes o3er again 2ithout losing its -lace in the tune4
9fter the student is comforta"le 2ith one "ar of cosmic freak out 7Bll ha3e them try for a fe2 more
"ars at a time4 7tBs also nice to 2ork your 2ay outside and then 2ork your 2ay "ack inside using
chord su"stitutions4 +or e,am-le letBs take the first fi3e "ars of the "ridge of B1hat is this thing called
lo3eOB
The 2ritten changes are.
C-7 /+7 /B"ma)7 /B"(a)7 /9"7 ("#! /
5etBs try -laying the first chord of the "ridge and then 2ork our 2ay out using strong resolutions&
then right "efore the 9"7 ("#! 2eBll -lay a fe2 changes to get us "ack inside4
C-7 B7 /*7 97/+:*9? >@TJ / *-7*"7 /9"7 ("#! /
By "eat three 2e are starting to head outside& culminating in a si, "eat cosmic freak out in the third
"ar and the first half of the fourth "ar4 Beats three and four ste-s us "ack inside 2here 2e land on
terra firma in "ar fi3e4 @nscathedJ
This e,am-le sho2s ho2 2e can gradually mo3e outside using standard diatonic harmony& -lay
free for a fe2 moments and then ste- "ack inside 2ithout anyone kno2ing 2hat hit them4 1e 2ea3e
the -sychedelic freak-out seamlessly into the tonal harmony4 7t doesnBt come as so much of a shock
(2hich isnBt al2ays "ad! to the listener& and the transition from inside to outside and "ack 2ill "e
much smoother4 ;ouBll "e a"le to -lay like 9rchie Ahe-- e3en at a Bar (itz3ah or your hotel lo""y
gigJ
5isten to eorge arzone or *llery *skelin for their a"ility to ste- across the line "et2een inside
and outside -laying 2ith ease4 +ree -laying doesnBt al2ays ha3e to dri3e the grandmothers out of the
17
room (my grandmother used to ask me 2hen she came to my gigs if 7 2as going to -lay any of that
Bdri3e the grandmothers out of the room musicB!4 randma 2onBt e3en kno2 that anythingBs 2rong
"efore youBre "ack from your full-fledged +:*9? >@T4
5andy 3orter1s /e-/op harmonic devices
7 started studying 2ith -ianist :andy Corter last year4 7tBs "een years since 7 had a formal lesson
2ith any"ody4 :andy has one of the dee-est harmonic and rhythmic conce-ts 7B3e e3er encountered&
-lus he is my fa3orite sa,o-honistBs (Charles (cCherson! fa3orite -ianist4 7n my first lesson 2e
looked at a cou-le of standards and :andy ga3e me some ne2 ideas to think a"out4 >ne interesting
harmonic de3ice he sho2ed me 2as a classic Bo- delayed resolution for a (a)or chord4 1hen you
ha3e a (a)or chord all you do is -lay a diminished chord/scale from the root of the (a)or chord and
then resol3e to the (a)or chord4
Ao in the conte,t of an ii-7 V7 7ma)7 it looks like this.
8-7 / 7 / Cdim C (a)7/
Aim-le& )ust really nice classic Be-Bo-4
9nother thing :andy does is use a melodic minor u- a fourth o3er a (a)or chord& 2hich then
resol3es to a (a)or H chord4
Ao o3er t2o "ars of ma)7.
C-ma)7 / H /
This is something Charles (cCherson likes to do and it sounds quite cool4 7t suggests a ma)or
Be"o- scale "y "ringing out the #' of the ma)or4 ;ou could look at this as a s-ecial function
dominant "7 2ith a #114 ;ou should really try to "ring out the melodic minor sound 2ith this one
and then resol3e to the Hth of the (a)or4
:andy sho2ed me some four tonic su"stitutions o3er a (inor chord4 <e had me -lay o3er Aolar and
o3er the first t2o "ars of C minor 2e su"stituted four different dominant 7th ## chords& resol3ing
after each one to the C melodic minor4 This is kind of a 3ariation of Barry <arrisB diminished su"s
2here you can su"stitute any dominant se3enth chord (inor thirds a2ay from any other 8ominant4
*,am-le. o3er a C7 you can -lay an *"7& "7& or 97
1hat 2e did 2as this-
>3er.
C-7 / C-7 /C-7 / C-7 /
1e -layed this.
1L
87alt Cmel- / +7alt Cmel- / 9"7alt Cmel- / B7alt Cmel- /
;ou can also think of it like this.
*"mel- Cmel-/ +#mel- Cmel-/ 9mel- Cmel- / Cmelodic- / (e,ce-t the last one!4
:andy sho2ed me an interesting 2ay of a resol3ing a dominant 7th ("#! chord4 <e thought it
sounded like something that Cedar 1alton 2ould -lay& someone 2ho is definitely 2orth emulatingJ
>3er a C7("#! resol3ing to an + you 2ould -lay.
9 triad& 9" triad& +# triad& then resol3e to +
This creates a descending triadic line that leads to the tonic4
This 2orks for chordal as 2ell as for single line instruments4 Just "e 3ery clear as you -lay your
triads or triadic line4 (a)or triads are al2ays 3ery strong and are a"le to su-ercede almost any
harmony they are -layed o3er4 7n this case the triads are dra2n directly from the chord-scale and
descend in ste-2ise motion& 3ery strong motion indeed4
6uestions from -ammy 7pstein
2Hey 3a#id"
4ou/#e definitely got good stuff on your blog5 6o&" &hen you ta.e a lesson from )andy" and he
tal.s about" say ii'7'0dim'0ma(8" ho& do you implement that on your horn? 9nd ho& do you teach
single note players to implement on the horn? 3o you ha#e a set of lic.s that &or. for 0 dim to 0
:a(" and &or. them in each .ey? 0 say one can/t simply do scales o#er the patterns...no hip solos
come from merely scales my opinion! and the other example" o#er ;olar: <'8 =<'8 =<'8 = <'8 = We
played this: 38alt <mel' = F8alt <mel' = 9b8alt <mel' = <mel' <'8 = or you can thin. of it li.e this:
+bmel' <mel'= F>mel' <mel'= 9mel' <mel' = <melodic' = something you spo.e about months ago...
or +b'8 =9b'8 =<ma(8 Ho& do you implement these substitutions in your playing? 3o you come up
&ith lic.s that -ma.e- the changes" and then practice the lic.s in t&el#e .eys? 9s 0 see it" gotta ha#e
structure i.e." lic.s" patterns" call it &hat you &ill! or scales sound (ust li.e scales" nothing more"
leading to nai#e solos that simply don/t &or.. 4our thoughts? From sunny 9ustin" ;ammy?
Aammy&
9s a horn -layer studying 2ith a -iano -layer there is a little translating that 7 must to a--ly certain
ideas& "ut not much4 Cianist can certainly flesh out chords su"stitutions in a 2ay that horn -layers
only dream of4 9s a horn -layer a--lying chord su"stitutions you need to "e clearer than a chordal
instrumentalist does4 9s you mo3e further a2ay from the key of the original changes you need
outline the chords in a more direct 2ay4
1#
Aingle note lines can suggest chordal structures strongly enough to create con3incing ad3anced re-
harms if there is enough clarity in the lines4 This doesnBt mean -laying only digital -atterns (for e,-4
1&$&'&$! or -laying all the notes in e3ery chord4 Create strong melodic lines 2ithout running scales or
chords4
9s for licks for 7 diminished to 7 ma)7 resolutions6 take a look at my symmetrical scale article for
diminished ideas4 *3eryone should "e familiar resol3ing from diminished to (a)or or any other
chord4 8o2nload the :ay Bro2n diminished lines that 7 -osted for many of the most common
diminished -atterns4 1rite some -atterns of your o2n and learn them in $ keys& 2hich 2ill get you
10 keys& 2hat a dealJ
Catterns should "e learned so you can use them as the tem-lates for creating your o2n lines4 7Bm
not "ig on learning all your lines in e3ery key4 ;ou need to "e a"le to trans-ose ideas to different
keys& "ut -ractically s-eaking if you really learn e3ery ne2 line in all 10 keys then youBll end u-
re-eating yourself like crazy4 The listener 2onBt recognize that you -layed lick Q in four different
keys& theyBll )ust hear redundancy4
1e 2ant to ha3e 3ariety and "alance in our solos4 8onBt -lay too chordally/3ertically >: too
linearly/modally& ne2 ideas >: re-etition4 8onBt -lay too many -atterns >: freaky lines4 The
chord/scale a--roach needs "e "alanced 2ith the de3elo-ment of motifs& and the motifs should "e
dra2n from rele3ant material (the melody& ideas that the rhythm section is com-ing& your o2n and
othersB solo ideas& quotes from other tunes that ha3e similar changes& ect!4
:emem"er B959=C* and V9:7*T;J 7f ideas are not "eing de3elo-ed in your solo then no
matter ho2 many cool lines you -lay your solo 2ill seem static4 +ocusing on all this theory and re-
harmonization& chords and scales& can distract you from taking sim-le melodic ideas and making
melodies4
:andy has "een trying to 2ean me a2ay from relying on modes too hea3ily&R 5ess Trane& more
BirdJR This allo2s you to outline re-harmonized chords 2ithout o"literating the underlying harmony
2ith a hail of notes4 9fter all a scale is much more dense than a chord4 Try to choose your chords
consciously6 donBt )ust randomly -lay 2ider inter3als4 Be -re-ared to )ustify the chords that youBre
outlining4
:andy had me do something that 2as meant to hel- melodic a2areness4 <e had me im-ro3ise
"lues choruses& "ut 7 had to -lay the e,act same chorus t2ice in a ro24 This of course eliminated
many unim-ortant notes and forced me to -lay stronger& sim-ler melodies4 9nother thing :andy
suggested 2as to "e a2are of 2hen 7 -layed a really good idea and then let it "reath for a second or
t2o4 <o2 2ill the listeners a--reciate your "est shit if you ne3er lea3e them time to digest your
amazing linesO <o2 2ill they hear the true e,tent of your geniusO
8th note lines
0M
Jazz musicians tend to -ractice Lth-note lines more than anything else4 This can lead to a string of
Lth-notes common on most "andstands4 <ere are a fe2 things you can think a"out in order to make
your lines sound more interesting4
14 Cractice antici-ating the chord changes "y an Lth-note
04 Cractice delaying the chord changes "y an Lth-note
$4 Cractice -ur-osely slo2ing your Lth-notes do2n and then s-eeding them u- to catch "ack u- 2ith
the time
E4 +ocus more on the direction of your lines4 8onBt )ust s2oo- from to- to "ottom o3er and o3er4
:eally try to change direction une,-ectedly4
'4 Clay a line and then ans2er it in another octa3e4 Create a dialog 2ith yourself in different octa3es4
H4 Try 3arying your dynamics 2ith the sha-e of the line& higherSlouder& make this effect 3ery
-ronounced4
74 8is-lace notes une,-ectedly into different octa3es 2hile -laying a smooth line4
L4 Try 2riting re-eating '& 7 or # note -atterns4 These 2ill shift around in the "ar and create 3ery
interesting effects4
#4 Cractice re-eating notes une,-ectedly in your lines4 This can make the most clichI Bo- lines
sound 3ery fresh4 Aa,o-hone -layers can do this 2ith alternate and o3ertone fingerings4 By doing
this& the tongue is not needed in order to -lay re-eated notes4 This is hel-ful at fast tem-os4
1M4 Be more a2are of 2hen you are -laying horizontally and 2hen you are -laying 3ertically4
(ost -layers tend to2ard one or the other4 Change this u- consciously4
114 Ahift "et2een s2inging 3ery hard to -laying straighter legato Lth-notes (straighter& not like an old
un-s2inging Caucasian!
104 :emem"er the farther outside you go& the harder you need to s2ingJ
01
1$4 Cractice shifting "ack and forth "et2een L
th
notes and eighth notes tri-lets or dotted eighth notes
7f you are trying to learn licks or -atterns kee- a )ournal for yourself4 *ach day that you -ractice
memorize )ust three ne2 -atterns4 *ach day after you 2ork on the three ne2 -atterns go "ack
through all the -re3ious -atterns and refresh your memory4 7f you try to learn too many e3ery time or
donBt go "ack o3er the old -atterns& you 2ill ne3er retain 2hat you are learning4
(ake sure you take time to com-ose your o2n -atterns and licks to memorize along 2ith the
classics4 Atart de3elo-ing your our style at the "eginning4 7 donBt agree 2ith those 2ho say that you
should first learn to -lay like the masters "efore de3elo-ing your o2n sound4 ;ou can -ut your o2n
touch on e3erything that you are -icking u- from the masters4 =o one 2ants to hear a -layer that
sound )ust like another -layer4 1hy "otherO
A-end time using C8s as ear-training tools4 Try to -lay "ack lines that youBre hearing on the s-ot4
7Bm not talking a"out transcri"ing4 Just try to -ick out -ieces of 2hat youBre hearing and -lay them
"ack4
!o you really need to memorize Jazz lic4s9
(aurizio (iotti& a regular reader from :ome& 2rote in 2ith a great question4
- :y saxophone teacher tells me that 0 can study music theory and harmony" but if 0 &ant to
impro#ise (a%% music 0 ha#e to listen" memori%e and play 2(a%% phrases?. The same situation &ith
learn a ne& language: you can study grammar but &hen you tal. &ith someone" you ha#e to use
idiomatic expressions because grammar is a set of theoretical roles sometimes 2a little distant?
from the current language! and pre'defined phrases are more efficient for communication.-
This is a 3ery good analogy4 Jazz is a uni3ersal language that is s-oken all o3er the 2orld4 7 can go
to Coland and call 9ll the Things on the stand and immediately "e s-eaking the same language as the
"and musically4 5icks are 3ery much like idiomatic e,-ressions& they are the elements of a musical
language that can "e understood the 2orld o3er4 (any licks are fa3orite -atterns de3elo-ed "y an
influential -layer4 These are often fore3er tied to this -layer as signature licks4 *3ery"ody kno2s
e,actly 2hom these licks came from as soon as you -lay them4 ;es& Bird and Trane li3e& "ecause
e3eryone is still -laying their shitJ
>ther licks are 2hat 7 call BCu"lic 8omainB licks4 These are -attern and lines that canBt really "e
tracked do2n to any -articular -layer4 These are the first licks that young -layers memorize as they
learn to im-ro3ise4 (ost diminished and 2hole tone -atterns are in this class4 These licks are your
garden 3ariety stale old Be-"o- licks4
8a3id Baker has done a 2onderful )o" cataloging these -u"lic domain licks in his B<o2 to Clay
Be"o-B "ooks4 These are licks are tried and true& good as gold and oldies "ut goodies4 *3eryone has
heard these e,-ressions& "ut they still carry a strong meaning and are understood "y e3eryone 2ho
s-eaks the language4 By learning -u"lic domain licks you learn ho2 to construct logical and
meaningful lines& they can also act as fillers 2hen you arenBt feeling totally s-ontaneous4
00

7f you 2ere to s-eak using nothing "ut idiomatic e,-ressions youBd sound ridiculous4
It ould &e li4e an al&atross round your nec4 if you thou*ht it as all the ra*e to jump on the
&anda*on ith the ran4 and file ho play nothin* &ut lic4s, thin4in* they ere real deal and
the creme de la cr:me# In all honesty these dime a dozen &ean counters ma4e me lose my
lunch;
5ike idioms& licks are meaningful elements of a musical language& "ut they can and usually are
o3erused4 7 once heard 8onny (cCaslin say that you need to learn the entire common licks so that
you donBt e3er ha3e to -lay them4 (any -rofessional -layers ne3er get -ast the -oint of -laying
nothing "ut licks& 2e 2ould call these guys totally deri3ati3e or B>>>>>>:7=4 True& some great
licks ne3er get old& no matter ho2 many time you hear them& "ut some dum" licks can make a great
-layer sound corny and hokey in an instant4
7t also de-ends on location4 ;ou might get a2ay 2ith -laying an old Be"o- line in 7daho that 2ould
e3oke groans from an audience in the *ast Village4 The less the listener kno2s a"out Jazz& the "etter
these corny-ass lines sound& "ecause they ha3enBt heard e3ery "eginning soloist -lay them already4
;ou can fool an uneducated audience into thinking that youBre can really -lay "y stringing a "unch of
stale licks together& itBs a fast 2ay to sound like youBre -laying :eal Jazz4
7s this really creati3eO Aome 2ould argue that it is and that the goal is to sound good& and -laying
lots of licks hel-s you sound good4 (any& many -layers take this 2ay of -laying to the e,treme and
-lay nothing "ut licks that they ha3e memorized4 They are ha--y to regurgitate dum" licks for their
entire career4
There are different a--roaches that teachers take 2ith students 2ith regards to learning licks4 The
first a--roach is to ha3e the student memorize a ton of licks in e3ery key4 The great disad3antage to
this a--roach is that the student ends u- sounding redundant "y re-eating the e,act same lick in
many different keys during a solo4 9lso if the student ne3er "reaks free of this mode of learning they
end u- sounding totally generic4 There is also no cohesion in the -layerBs solos& )ust a "unch of
unrelated -arts4
TThat guy sounds like e3ery other tenor -layer& "ut no one in -articularT
7 ha3e my students 2ork out of "ooks like 8a3id BakerBs <o2 to Clay Be"o- in order to get them
hearing ho2 lines are constructed and also to gi3e them ideas a"out ho2 to construct their o2n lines4
To me licks are like training 2heels that you e3entually take off once youB3e learned ho2 to
im-ro3ise your o2n original lines4
*3en great -layers sometimes "reak out an old Be"o- lick once and a 2hile& may"e as a nod to a
fa3orite -layer or for some kind of effect4 Aure& 7 use elements of the many different licks that 7B3e
memorized o3er the years& "ut only small -arts of these licks4 =o2 7 use licks as tem-lates from
2hich to "uild my o2n lines4 7 do sound like a Be"o- -layer 2hen 7 -lay Be"o- "ecause 7B3e
incor-orated the 3ernacular of Be"o- into my -laying o3er the years4 ;ou can hear Bird& Cannon"all
0$
and many other -layers in there& "ut youBd -ro"a"ly "e hard -ressed to -ick out e,actly 2hich line
came from 2hich -layer4
1hen 7 2as younger you -ro"a"ly could -ick out many Bird -hrases in my solos& "ut as 7 get older
7B3e created more of my o2n -ersonal 3ernacular4 The "iggest reason -layers like Co-s& Bird& Trane
and 1oody Aha2 2ere inno3ators 2as that they created their o2n -ersonal language that 2as so
com-elling that it influenced -layers for years to come4 Their -ersonal idioms "ecame the -u"lic
domain licks that e3eryone else incor-orated into their o2n -laying4
<o2 is the e3olution of the language of Jazz much like the e3olution of languageO >nce in a 2hile
a -articularly strong -ersonality comes along& say like a Anoo- 8og& and suddenly e3eryone is
-utting BizzleB on the end of 2ords4 Aometimes these foBshizzles and moBnizzles -ass like fads& other
times they 2ork their 2ay into the language and end u- in 1e"sterBs dictionary or may"e e3en
s-oken on the li-s of the queen of *ngland4 U7 du" you Airshizzle 1ynton (arshizzlisJR
;usef 5ateef used to tell his students that it is ne3er too early to start de3elo-ing an original sound
and style4 The idea that you must first learn all the idiomatic Jazz licks "efore you can really start
creating an original style is B@55A<7T4
;ou can "e 2orking on your o2n unique 2ay of -laying from the 3ery "eginning "y learning to
make e3erything you a"sor" your o2n4 ;es& -ractice the -u"lic domain licks and -atterns& "ut as you
learn them -ut your o2n t2ist on them4 8is-lace a note here and there& change a rhythm& lea3e a
note out& add an accidental& )ust do something to it4 Take different -ieces of -atterns and com"ine
them in unusual 2ays4 7 ha3e my students look at 8a3id BakerBs ii-V7 licks (the ones that are all in
the same key and stacked one a"o3e the other! and -lay the ii-7 "ar from one lick and a V7 "ar from
another lick4 7 ha3e them try all different V7 resolutions 2ith the same ii-7 "ar4 Then 7 might ha3e
them -lay the same ii-7 "ar and -lay an im-ro3ised V7 using a diminished scale& then a 2hole-tone&
then and an altered dominant& *CT4 Then 7 ha3e them -lay different ii-7 "ars 2hile kee-ing the same
V7 resolution the same4
;ou donBt ha3e to 2ait until youB3e mastered the Jazz language to start creating your o2n -ersonal
idioms4 >n the other hand if you create a -ersonal language that has no relationshi- at all to the
languages that e3eryone else is s-eaks then no one 2ill "e a"le to con3erse 2ith or understand you4
:emem"er Ate3e (artinBs routine 2hen he talks a"out 2anting to ha3e a kid and teach him to s-eak
random gi""erish for laughsO
7t all comes do2n to "alance4 9 good "alance "et2een original and idiomatic material is essential in
order to sound fresh and still sound like youBre grounded in the Jazz tradition4 ;ou donBt 2ant to
alienate the other musicians or your audience "y -laying the music of the s-heres all night4 ;ou also
donBt 2ant to sound like you slee- 2ith the >mni"ook under your -illo2 (2hich 7 thoroughly
a--ro3e of "y the 2ay! or that the only record you o2n is <ea3y (etal Be"o-4
1hy "other e3en -ulling out your horn if youBre )ust going to -lay licks that you memorized from
records and "ooksO :es-ect the tradition "y ada-ting its idioms and making them your o2n& not "y
"eing stuck -laying nothing "ut music from "efore 1#'74 Take a chance and "e creati3e& e3en at the
0E
e,-ense of sounding slo--y and "ad once in a 2hile4 Try not to use long licks& instead only use short
fragments4
7nno3ate as you emulate4 7tBs -ossi"le to sound 3ery original 2ithout thro2ing the "a"y out 2ith the
"ath2ater4
+oshizzle (onizzleO
7motional ran*e- the musician as the actor
7 see music as an art form that requires the artist to "e highly emotionally e,-ressi3e4 >ne of the
things that is usually lacking in younger -layers& no matter ho2 "urning they are technically& is dee-
emotional e,-ression4 (any -layers ne3er de3elo- this ty-e of e,-ression no matter 2hat their age4
The old saying&R ;ou need to li3e the "lues "efore you can -lay the "luesT& is 3ery true4 <o2 can a
su"ur"an teen kno2 great sorro2 or other dee- emotions 2ithout years of li3ing a hard lifeO <o2
can 2e e,-ress a com-lete range of emotions if 2e are narro2 une,-ressi3e -eo-leO 7t takes li3ing a
full life to really understand ho2 to e,-ress certain dee- or su"tle emotions in your music4 7 think
that this is true u- to a -oint4
7n many getting your heart squashed and "urnt "y a lo3er 2ill do as more for your music than
s-ending endless hours in the 2oodshed4 1e can consciously s-eed u- this gro2th -rocess if 2e
really focus on this as-ect of our -laying4 5ike e3erything& it takes -ractice to "e emotionally
e,-ressi3e4
The Jazz musician has quite a lot in common 2ith the -rofessional actor4 The actor "ecomes the
character he -ortrays "y taking on a different -ersonality in his mind4 *3en though the actor may not
feel sadness or )oy 2hile 2orking he takes on those emotional states until they feel real to him4 7f he
has a scene 2here he needs to crie the actor might think a"out ho2 his -u--y got flattened "y an ice-
cream truck 2hen he 2as si, years old4 <e reli3es that sorro2 until he cries real tears4 The actorBs
entire instrument (facial e,-ressions& 3oice& "ody language! then e,-resses the emotion or sorro24 To
the audience this a--ears to "e real4 They donBt kno2 that the actor is really crying a"out A-ot4
1e all ha3e certain emotions that 2e are comforta"le 2ith and others that 2e donBt understand or
ha3e a hard time e,-ressing4 1e may ha3e no -ro"lem feeling angry "ut canBt e,-ress tenderness& or
3ice 3ersa4 1e need to learn to use the full range of human emotion in our music e3en if 2e arenBt
use to e,-ressing all of these emotions in our daily life4
Jazz musicians in general ha3e a tendency to ha3e BdryB or unemotional -ersonalities4 This is a
hindrance to "eing an e,-ressi3e artist4 7t is -ossi"le to culti3ate the a"ility to 2ork 2ith unfamiliar
emotions "ut it takes some amount of disci-lined -ractice4 (ay"e only an Ba--earance of an
emotional stateB is -ossi"le for the actor or the musician& at least this is "etter than nothing4 The first
ste- to2ard this kind of emotional range is to try to -ur-osefully take on emotional states "efore
-laying4 Think of the time you accidentally ran your kitty o3er 2ith your Big 1heel& or the first time
0'
you got dum-ed4 5ook at the tune and try to determine 2hat is a--ro-riate4 1hat are the lyrics
a"outO 1hat is the general tone of the melodyO
<ere is a list of emotions to consider in relation to -laying music4 ;ou donBt need to understand
ho2 they directly relate to a 2ay of -laying4 Just trying to feel them 2hile -laying is enough to
affect your music.
9"andoned 9"laze 9"omina"le 9"rasi3e 9"sor"ed 9"sor"ed 9"surd 9"used 9"usi3e
9ccommodating 9ckno2ledged 9cquiescent 9crimonious 9dmonished 9doring 9dored
9d3enturous 9d3erse 9ffected 9ffectionate 9fflicted 9ffronted 9fraid 9ggra3ated 9ggressi3e
9gitated 9gonized 9gonizing 9greea"le 9iry 92k2ard 9lienated 9li3e 9lluring 9lone 9ltruistic
9m"iguous 9m"itious 9mena"le 9morous 9mused 9ngry 9nguished 9nimated 9nnoyed 9n,ious
9-athetic 9--ealing 9--easing 9--reciation 9--rehensi3e 9rdent 9rduous 9rgumentati3e 9rmored
9roused 9rrogant 9stounded 9ttenti3e 93oidance Beaten do2n Bemused Betrayed Be2ildered
Be2itched Bitchy Bitter Blah Blessed Blissful Blunt Boiling Bored Bothered Bra3e Breathless
Breezy Bright Broken Bruised Buoyant Bursting Callous Calm Ca-ti3ated Ca-ti3ating Careless
Caring Cele"rating Cheerful Cherishing Clandestine Clear Cold Comatose Comforta"le Com-assion
Com-etiti3e Com-lacent Com-osed Concerned Confused Congenial Content Cool Cornered
Crucified Crushed Cursed Cushy 8ainty 8efensi3e 8e)ected 8electa"le 8elicate 8elighted 8emure
8e-ressed 8esira"le 8esired 8esolate 8es-air 8es-ondent 8e3oted 8e3oured 8iscomfort
8iscontented 8isgust 8ismal 8is-assionate 8is-leased 8isregard 8isregarding 8istracted
8istressed 8istur"ed 8oldrums 8oomed 8roo-y 8ull *ager *arnest *cstatic *lectric *nchanted
*ndearing *ngaging *n)oy *nli3ened *nraged *nra-tured *nthused *3en tem-ered *,as-erate
*,ultation +anatical +ascinated +earful +er3ent +er3or +iery +lared u- +lushed +lustered +luttery
+oaming at the mouth +or"earance +ortitude +rantic +retful +rigid +risky +rustration +ull +uming
+un +unny +urious iggly leeful loomy lo2ing rateful ra3e rief rie3ing rim ri-ed
rounded ushing usto <alf-hearted <ardened <arsh <a3ing +un <earty <ea3y <o-eful <orrific
<umorous <urt <ysterical 7m-etuous 7m-osing 7m-ressed 7m-ressiona"le 7m-ulsi3e 7ndulgent
7ne-t 7nfle,i"le 7nfuriated 7nsatia"le 7nsensiti3e 7nsouciant 7ns-ired 7nterested 7ntimidated
7rre-ressi"le 7rritated Jealous Jittery Jolly Jo3ial Ju"ilation 5anguid 5aughingly 5ethargic 5ight
hearted 5i3ely 5onely 5onesome 5ong-suffering 5ost 5o3ing 5uke2arm (ad (anic (elancholy
(elodramatic (erry (indless (irthful (isera"le (oderate (ortified (o3ed =er3ous =onchalant
=um" >-timistic >3er-2rought Cain Canic Caralyzed Cassionate Cassi3e Catient Cerky Cer-le,ed
Clacid Clagued Cleasant Cleasura"le Cride Croud Cro3ocati3e Vuarrelsome Vui3ering :ash :a3ing
:a3ished :a3ishing :eady to "urst :ece-ti3e :eckless :econciled :efreshed :e)ected :e)ection
:e)oice :elish :e-ressed :esentful :esigned :esistant :omantic Acared Aedate Aeduced Aeducti3e
Aeething Aelfish Aensational Aensual Aentimental Aerious Ahaken Ahame Ahy Ailly Aimmering
Aincere Ainking Amug Anug Ao"er Ao"ering Aoft Aolemn Aom"er Aore Aorro2 Aorro2ful Aour
A-arkling A-astic A-icy A-irited A-ry Atoic Atranded Atressed Atunned Au"dued Au")ugated
Auffering Aunny Aurrender Ausce-ti"le Aus-ended A2eet Aym-athy Tame Tantalizing Tantrumy
Tem-erate Tender The "lues Threatened Thrilled Tickled Tight Tight-li--ed Timid Tingly Tolerant
Tormented Tortured Touched Tranquil Trans-orted Tre-idation Trou"led T2itchy @ncomforta"le
@nconcerned @nconscious @ncontrolla"le @ndone @nfeeling @nha--y @nim-ressed @sed Ve,ed
Victim Victimized Vi3acious Volcanic Volu-tuous Vulnera"le 1arm 1armhearted 1eary 1elcomed
1hining 1insome 1istful 1oe 1oeful 1orked u- 1orried 1ounded 1retched ;earn ;earning
;ielding Wealous
0H
These emotions are tools to the im-ro3iser& )ust like 2hole tone -atterns or $-tonic lines4 1ork 2ith
them& make them your o2n& mi, and match until you find something you like then make them -art
of your -ersonal musical language4 :emem"er& these emotions do not ha3e to reflect your
-ersonality in any 2ay& 2ear them like masksJ
7n certain s-iritual traditions this -ractice is called conscious in3ocation- certain scents& colors&
sha-es also hel-ed to -ut the -ractitioner in tune 2ith the energies called u-on4 1e donBt ha3e that
lu,ury on the "andstand& unless cigarette smoke is 2hat you need to tune in4
Thin. about this" practice and then F++@ and P@94.
2ree Jazz and +he function of freedom
The to-ic of inside/outside -laying is something that 7 feel is an im-ortant issue to address& -artly
"ecause 7 -ersonally struggle 2ith it in my o2n -laying4 The free mindset is a com-letely different
one than that of straight-ahead& or for that matter any other style of )azz4 7tPs a much more meditati3e
mindset4 ;ou ha3e to listen more to 2hat your ear is telling you to do& "y tem-orarily strangling your
rational mind4
1hen 7 -lay free music 7 feel like my lines might go in any direction at any time& it feels like 7Pm
)ust trying to get my mind out of the 2ay so my "ody can -lay 2hat it 2ants4 7t is much easier for
this to ha--en if the audience (and the other musicians! is already e,-ecting and e,ce-ting of the
-ossi"ility of freedom4
7 donBt hear many modern Jazz musicians 2ho incor-orate totally free -laying 2hile -laying an
inside gig4 (ost )azz -layers 2ill -lay BoutsideB at certain times& "ut itBs not really free4 They 2ill use
techniques or formulas to take them outside and get them "ack inside4 They might use three-tonic
lines& sequences& 10-tone lines& con3erging chord changes or -re-2orked out -atterns4 These
methods do take them BoutsideB and "ack "ut they really lack the s-ontaneity and intuition of free
-laying4 There are a fe2 -layers 2ho really do incor-orate free -laying 2ith straight-ahead6 -layers
like eorge arzone& *llery *skelin& and Jean-(ichelle Cilc4
To me itBs as if the mind cannot "e in these t2o modes at the same time4 They seem mutually
e,clusi3e in my e,-erience4 The rational mind is more constricti3e and deals 2ith 2hat is already
kno2n and defined4 7t calculates and a--lies the rules of musical harmony& form and rhythm4 7t is
reacti3e rather than acti3e can only rearrange already kno2n elements4
The function of the mind that is used in free -laying& letPs call it the a"stract mind& is 87959T7V*4
7t -uts together entirely ne2 com"inations of notes and can e,-ress inner feelings "y 2ay of -ure
a"straction4 7t doesnPt e,-ress things in logical or linear 2ays6 it is a"o3e logic and linear time and
s-ace4
07
Aince most of us canPt o-erate using "oth these modes of functioning at the same time& the "est 2e
can ho-e for is "e a"le to mo3e "et2een them fluidly4 To -lay freely o3er changes you canPt "e
thinking ho2 the notes you are -laying relate to the changes (or lack of changes!4
Ceo-le say that in order to -lay outside you first must learn to -lay inside4 7Pm not so sure that this
is true4 7 donPt think the Bo- -layers can learn to "lo2 free music "y -racticing inside -laying4
9lmost the o--osite is true6 it "ecomes harder for most -layers to let go of their rational minds once
theyP3e mastered musical theory4 They donPt 2ant to let go and )ust let their Xfingers do the 2alkingP4
Trane 2as the shining e,am-le of someone 2ho had totally mastered Bo- harmony and then started
to2ard freedom4 This 2as a rare musician indeed4 7 think that Trane had so thoroughly mastered
inside -laying that there 2as no2here else to go "ut out4 <e had the a"ility to function on the
a"stract -lane 2hile his rational mind 2as a"le to sli- into a ty-e of automatic consciousness4 <e no
longer needed to think a"out keys or scales4 <e "ecame an Bear -layerB& "ut 2ith a mastery of
musical theory4
There are still great Be-"o--ers out there 2ho ne3er learned any theory at all4 YCheck out ear -layer
and master Bo- sa,o-honist Vince 1allace4Z 9t one time this 2as the rule rather than the e,ce-tion&
fa3oring a more natural and organic sounding style of Jazz4
The difference "et2een the rational mind and the a"stract mind is 3ery much like the difference
"et2een the ear and the eye4 The eye is like the rational mind6 it can only see the surface of things
and only in a direct line of sight4 The eye also -ercei3es only one octa3e in range& 2hereas the ear
can hear almost ele3en full octa3es4 The ear can also hear things that are hidden from the eye& far
a2ay or "ehind closed doors4
(ost young -layers learn to -lay )azz more "y their eyes than 2ith the ears4 This 2as not the 2ay
Jazz musicians learned to -lay in the first half of the t2entieth century4 7t 2ould "e hard for us to
choose if 2e 2ere forced gi3e u- either our sight or our hearing4 Ao 2e should also equally 3alue our
rational mind and our a"stract mind4 1hen 2e learn tunes 2e should learn ho2 the changes sound as
2ell as memorizing the changes4
7B3e noticed that it is easier to -lay free music if it is a BfreeB (read non--aying! gig4 @nless youB3e
de3elo-ed an audience for your free -laying or youBre in *uro-e4 7f you are 2orried a"out clearing
the cro2d out or -issing off the clu" o2ners you really canBt loosen u- enough4 (y goal is to make
my free -laying flo2 right into my straight-ahead -laying4 7 2ant it to "e seamless4
Motivic development
5etPs talk a"out 2hat goes into a solo "esides the nuts and "olts of the music theory4 9 lot of -layers
come out of music school -laying B@:=7= J9WW4 They "asically learn to -lay tons of shit o3er
changes4 7t is nice to "e a"le to lay do2n sheets of sound at the dro- of a hat4 7 2onBt deny that4 But
2hat kind of artistic content is thereO 1hat is the -erson saying "esides& TCheck out this "adass
shitJRO
0L
7 2as lucky to s-end a lot of time 2ith <er" Comeroy 2hile 7 2as at Berklee4 7 -layed lead alto in
his Brecording "andB and also -layed in his small im-ro3isation ensem"le4 <e made us de3elo-
motifs4 <e 2ould ha3e us start a motif and de3elo- it as 2e -layed through our solo choruses4
7f 2e thre2 in a -re-2orked out lick he 2ould sto- the 2hole "and and call us on it4 *ach idea had
to "e a de3elo-ment of the last& e3entually the motif 2ould get too com-le, and 2e 2ere then
e,-ected to start 2ith another sim-le motif4 This is a much different 2ay of thinking that 2hat most
-layers use4 *3eryone has some cool licks that theyB3e 2orked out in the 2oodshed& ho2 can you not
hel- thro2ing them inOJ
<er" sa2 these BlicksB as irrele3ant to im-ro3ising in the moment4 They al2ays stood out like a sore
thum"s 2hen com-ared to ideas that 2ere de3elo-ed naturally& s-ontaneously and musically4 <e
actually -lays this 2ay himself6 itBs a 3ery com-ositional 2ay of thinking4 <er" is truly one the great
im-ro3iser/com-oser/arrangers/teachers/"andleaders of all time4 7 had heard of moti3ic de3elo-ment
"efore studying 2ith <er" Comeroy "ut 7 hadnBt really considered the -ossi"ility -laying this 2ay
e,clusi3ely4 <er" used to -lay 2ith Bird "ut e3en Bird didnBt -lay this 2ay& he had a ton of licks and
he -layed them often4
+red 5i-sius 2rote a great "ook called B9 Creati3e a--roach to Jazz im-ro3isationB4 7n it he gi3es
nice short ideas for e3ery ty-e of chord in e3ery key4 9fter this he has ta"les to sho2 ho2 the ideas
can "e -layed o3er different chords and keys4 +or e,am-le a B7 alt lick 2ill also 2ork o3er a C-ma)7
chord and a +7#11 chord4 Then he talks a"out all the different 2ays that a -attern can "e de3elo-ed4
<e then 2ould take a -attern from the "ook and sho2ed 2hat the -attern 2ould look like if it 2as
com-ressed& re3ersed& stretched& trans-osed& fragmented& ect4 <e 2anted you to -ractice using each
one of the methods of changing ideas4
This is the same thing that <er" 2as trying to get us to do4 7f you learn all the different 2ays that
you can -ossi"ly transmute an idea then you 2ill ne3er "e at a loss 2hen youBre trying to de3elo- a
motif4 7t then sto-s "eing a"out ho2 many licks you can memorize and "ecomes a"out learning ho2
to mess 2ith any gi3ing -attern or idea4
5icks are like a crutch that gets you 2alking& "ut e3entually cri--les you if use it too long4 The
-ositi3e feed"ack from the audience can e3en kee- a Ulick -layerR de-endent on his "ag of licks4 7t
really comes do2n to the fact that a lick is something that kee-s you from hearing 2hat the music
should sound like in the moment4
7 tell my students that if theyBre going to memorize licks& at least they should make u- their o2n
licks4 Take a lick and change it someho2 to -ut your mark on it and make it yours4 7f you learn a lick
in all keys then guess 2hat& youBll -ro"a"ly end u- -laying the same lick in a "unch of keys4
The listener doesnBt al2ays hear that the lick is in 8" this time and * last time& it )ust sounds like
youBre re-eating yourselfJ Ao although it 7A a good thing to "e a"le to do& it can make you sound
redundant4 7tBs "etter to learn ho2 a single lick (if you must use licks! can "e used o3er many
different ty-es of chords4 This 2ay the lick sounds totally different in each harmonic situation4
0#
1here do 2e get these motifsO There are many different 2ays to come u- 2ith these motifs4 7tBs
usually "etter if you donBt )ust -ull them out of your ass6 rather take them from e,isting material4 >f
course fragments of the melody are al2ays a good -lace to start4 <o2 a"out quotes from other tunes
2ith similar changesO
;ou may 2ant to start your solo 2ith an idea that the -re3ious soloist left off 2ith4 Be sure to -ay
attention to 2hat the soloists "efore you are -laying so you can refer to their solo ideas4 FBe sure to
make your rhythmic ideas drive your solo development rather than thinking of harmony as
primary4G Take ideas from the rhythm section as they com- for you6 al2ays "e reacti3e to 2hat they
might thro2 out there4 Take u- ideas that you may ha3e dro--ed earlier in your o2n solo4 ;ou may
e3en 2ant to use motifs from tune that the "and has already -layed or from your o2n solos on these
earlier tunesJ This gi3es continuity to the entire -erformance4
Vary these motifs "y learning to change e3ery -ossi"le element6 sha-e& direction& range& dynamics&
tim"re& -lacement in time (lay "ack or s-eed u-!& duration& and articulation4 This takes constant
-ractice "ut the -ayoff in your o3erall musicality 2ill "e immense4
(otific 8e3elo-ment
14 :e-etition
04 Trans-osition
$4 (ode Change
E4 9ddition (start& middle& end!
'4 Aequence
H4 *m"ellishment or >rnament
74 9ugmentation (-itch& rhythmic!
L4 8iminution (-itch& rhythmic!
#4 7n3ersion (u-side do2n!
1M4:etrograde ("ack2ards!
114:etrograde in3ersion (u-side do2n D "ack2ards!
$M
1048is-lacement (-itch& rhythmic!
<n positive audience feed&ac4
7P3e come to "elie3e o3er the years that the audience hardly e3er has any clue a"out ho2 good the
music is4 >nly if you see a great musician in the audience 2ill anyone kno2 anything a"out 2hat
you are doing4 Ao this means that com-liments mean almost =>T<7=4 They usually mean
something like- they liked ho2 the horn -layer 2as s2aying "ack and forth or that the guitarist had
really shiny hair& or that the drummer made a lot of cool faces4 ;ou think that you 2ant someone to
say that you sounded good& "ut that 2ould )ust mean that you looked cool -laying on stage4
7f 7 go "y this assum-tion then 7 2onBt "e emotionally attached to the audiencePs reaction4 7 ha3e to
assume that my idea of 2hat sounds good is more de3elo-ed than that of the cro2d4 >nce in a 2hile
our tastes 2ill ha--ily coincide& 2hen 7 2ill feel that 7P3e -layed good music& and they 2ill feel that
theyP3e heard good music4 Just "ecause there are more of them than me 7 donPt fall for the natural
human tendency to think that theyPre right4 7 ha3e "etter things to think a"out 2hen 7Bm im-ro3ising
than 2hat the cro2d thinks4 7f 7 feel that 7 -layed really great& then the fact that no one cla--ed for
me doesnPt affect my satisfaction one "it4
7f you donPt gi3e a shit 2hat the audience thinks& then you 2ill "e free to really rela,&4 Then you
2ill "e a"le to s2iftly -ull yourself out of any musical hole that youP3e dug for yourself 2ithout
losing the natural flo24 7f you care 2hat theyPre hearing then 2hen you hit that X2rong noteP youPll
say to yourself& U+@@@@@@C?JJJR4 This "reaks the natural flo2 "ecause it "rings you "ack to self-
consciousness4 =o audience& no self& only music4 This is of course the ideal4
* If you are thinking about the audience when playing then you are not concentrating on the
music enough.

(y 2ay of thinking 2onPt al2ays get you the most chicks& "ut youPll -lay "etter music4 7f you 2ant
more com-liments then go find a really great sham-oo and conditioner& -ractice mo3ing around
2hile -laying and making scrunchie faces in the mirror4
5ots of -layers get into music "ecause they 2ant -ositi3e feed"ack from -eo-le4 7 think that these
-layers didnPt get enough com-liments from their -arents or 2ere -icked on in school4 ?no2 that
2hat you are doing is 2orth2hile4 8onBt listen through someone elseBs earsJ
1hen 7 2as young my dream 2as to "e disco3ered and recognized "y the ne,t generation of young
-layers (or e3en t2o or three generations do2n the line!4 7 2anted to "e se3eral decades ahead of my
time4 They 2ould ho-efully say& R(an& too "ad Valdez didnPt make many recordings in his time&
they )ust didnPt understand his genius "ack then4R
$1
<peners, =imiters and 3airs of <pposites
>ne of the things that seem to hel- my -laying the most is teaching ad3anced students4 7 am
challenged to analyze and descri"e my -ersonal conce-ts and a--roaches to Jazz im-ro3isation4
;esterday as 7 2as teaching a lesson 7 realized that 7 like to start out my solos 2ith an a"stract theme4
7 look for something that has an interesting sha-e to start my solos 2ith4 7t may not e3en "e such a
strange sha-e or rhythm& or it may )ust "e a -attern that lays funny on the horn4 7 do this in ho-es that
7Bll stimulate something ne2 in res-onse to it4 7t doesnBt need to "e a com-lete idea& )ust an
introduction for 2hat 2ill follo24
+or me the first statement is 3ery im-ortant in de3elo-ing the rest of the solo4 7 2ant to feel like 7Bm
circling the tune like a 3ulture& 2aiting for the right time to dro- in and de3our my carcass4 The first
statements of a solo should ha3e some relationshi- 2ith either the tune or the -rior solo4 7t should let
the listener kno2 that a ne2 section of music has started4 These first statements also act as a "ridge
for 2hat came "efore4 7tBs a mood change4 7 may not e3en ha3e a -articular mood in mind6 it may "e
)ust an e,-ression or a ty-e of look that you may gi3e someone4
Aometimes& )ust for a change of -ace& 7Bll gi3e myself BlimitersB4 This means that 7Bll -ick a fe2
s-ecific limits to different factors of my -laying4 7 might set a limit on the range of )ust the first
chorus& for e,am-le only -laying "et2een lo2 8 and middle 4 9nother a--roach 2ould "e to limit
the dynamics that are you use& an e,am-le 2ould "e to -lay only -iano on the 9 sections and only
forte on the "ridges4 ;ou might limit yourself to a cou-le of ty-es of articulation or one ty-e of
inter3al4 ;ou could also limit yourself directionally& like only -laying lines that ascend4 7f you
com"ine more than one BlimiterB you can really get some cool effects that you might not come across
any other 2ay4
By using limits in this 2ay you can create some 3ery interesting and unique te,tural effects4 ;ou
donBt ha3e to use limits for your entire solo& may"e )ust in the "eginning or for a short -eriod of time
in the middle or at the end4 ;ou might try s2itching from a set of limiters to the o--osite (or
com-lementary! set of limiters half2ay though the solo4 Aome limiters 2ould "e "etter used for free
-laying6 they can gi3e structure and 3ariety 2hen there is little form in the music4 9n e,am-le of a
limiter "est used in free situations 2ould "e to only -lay flat or shar-& or to only -lay alternate
fingerings4
5ike any technique or musical de3ice it takes some -ractice to get from the conscious mentation
stage to the intuiti3e reaction stage4 9t first& limiters are an entirely intellectual -rocess& "ut 2ith
some -ractice they "ecome automatic and natural4 >f course some limiters 2ill -ro"a"ly ne3er "e
totally s-ontaneous& like deciding to only -lay (a)or or 8iminished triads o3er an entire tune4
Aometimes you need to set limits in order to focus 2hat youBre 2orking on4
The idea of limiters is also related to 2hat 7 like to think of as the ta"le of o--osites4 This is an
ada-tation from an idea from an ancient document called the ta"let of <ermes4 The fourth -rinci-le
from this document is the -rinci-le of -olarity4 7t reads like this.

$0
2+#erything is 3ualA e#erything has polesA e#erything has its pair of oppositesA li.e and unli.e
are the sameA opposites are identical in nature" but different in degreeA extremes meetA all truths are
but half'truthsA all paradoxes may be reconciled.?
This Principle embodies the truth that 2e#erything is dual?A 2e#erything has t&o poles?A
2e#erything has its pair of opposites?A these phrases are old Hermetic axioms. 0t explains the old
paradoxes that ha#e perplexed so many" and &hich ha#e been stated as follo&s: 2Thesis and
antithesis are identical in nature" but different in degree?A 2opposites are the same" differing only in
degree?A 2the pairs of opposites may be reconciled?A 2extremes meet?A 2e#erything is" and isnBt" at
the same time?A 2all truths are but half'truths?A 2e#ery truth is half'false?A 2there are t&o sides to
e#erything?" etc.
The Principle of Polarity explains that" in e#erything" there are t&o poles" or opposite aspects"
and that 2opposites? are really only the t&o extremes of the same thing" &ith many #arying degrees
bet&een them. For example: heat and cold" although 2opposites? are really the same thingA the
differences consisting merely of degrees of the same thing. @oo. at your thermometer and see if you
can disco#er &here 2hot? ends and 2cold? begins5 There is no such thing as 2absolute heat? or
2absolute cold?A The t&o terms 2heat? and 2cold? simply indicate #arying degrees of the same
thing" and that 2same thing? &hich manifests as 2heat? and 2cold? is merely a form" #ariety" and
rate of 7ibration. ;o 2hot? and 2cold? are simply the t&o poles of that &hich &e call 2Heat?" and
the phenomena attendant thereupon are the manifestations of the Principle of Polarity. The same
Principle manifests in the case of 2@ight? and 23ar.ness"? &hich is the same thing" the difference
consisting of #arying degrees bet&een the t&o poles of the phenomena. Where does 2dar.ness?
lea#e off" and 2light? begin? What is the difference bet&een 2@arge and ;mall?? Bet&een 2Hard
and ;oft?? Bet&een 2Blac. and White?? Bet&een 2;harp and 3ull?? Bet&een 26oise and Cuiet??
Bet&een 2High and @o&?? Bet&een 2Positi#e and 6egati#e??
The Principle of Polarity explains these paradoxes and no other Principle can supersede it. The
same Principle operates on the :ental Plane. @et us ta.e a radical and extreme example D that of
2@o#e and Hate"? t&o mental states apparently totally different. 9nd yet there are degrees of Hate
and degrees of @o#eA and a middle point in &hich &e use the terms 2@i.e? or 23isli.e"? &hich
shade into each other so gradually that sometimes &e are at a loss to .no& &hether &e 2li.e? or
2disli.e? or 2neither?. These opposing sentiments are simply different degrees of the same thing.
Can musical -rinci-les also "e seen in this 2ayO
<o2 a"out these for a start.
<orizontal-Vertical
Ahar--+lat
+ast-Alo2
9scending-8escending
Bright-8ark
$$
Ahort-5ong
8ense-A-arse
Consonant-8issonant
5egato-Atacatto
----fff
:ushing-8ragging
7nside->utside
Tradition-(odern
Aensiti3e-9ggressi3e
Aad-<a--y
Vi"rato-8ry
<igh-5o2
Alo--y-Clean
Atraight-A2inging
The more you "ecome a2are of all of the o--osites& the more you can determine 2here your
-laying is on the scale of the o--osites and the more you can "ring "alance and 3ariety to your
-laying4 Aome -layers may "e totally una2are of letBs say the Aad-<a--y o--osite and al2ays -lay
ha--y sounding solos& ne3er 3arying the le3el of ha--iness4 Aome of the 1est Coast s2ing -layers
might do this4 By consciously -laying to2ard the o--osite -oles of your usual -laying you can "reak
yourself out of some real ruts4
92areness of the musical o--osites can really hel- gi3e you a "etter idea of all your musical
o-tions for im-ro3isation4 7f you arenBt a2are of these o--osites then you could end u- getting stuck
in a rut 2ith regards to your o3erall sound and te,ture4 *3en the mental and emotional sets of
o--osites can hel- you gi3e more 3ariety and de-th to your im-ro3isation4
We must de#elop our abstract thin.ing in order to fully understand such an abstract art form li.e
music.
+hesaurus of -cales and Melodic 3atterns- >icolas -lonims4y
(ark Ao2lakis asked& T7s there a good 2ay to -ractice out of the Alonimsky "ookO 8o you
trans-ose that shit or )ust run o3er it in the key of C to get more ideas4 7tBs 3ery interesting "ut dense
harmonically& 7 ne3er considered all the different -ermutations that are there4T
7B3e ne3er gotten round to trans-osing the Alonimsky material4 The 1.H are 2hole tone& 1.E
diminished and the 1.$ can "e used o3er 2hole-tone or three tonic -rogressions& each one of those
already co3er se3eral keys4 The diminished and 2hole-tone -atterns are cool "ecause they are "ased
on the scale "ut not all the notes are diatonic to the scale4 That makes them close enough to use in
$E
-lace of a 2hole-tone or diminished scale4 :emem"er also that as long as you mo3e a -attern in
minor thirds or 2hole-ste-s it sounds like diminished or 2hole-tone res-ecti3ely4
The 10-tone -atterns donBt need to "e trans-osed either4 ;ou )ust need to land on a good note 2hen
they resol3e4 This is "ecause they ha3e no key center& )ust a -o2erful gra3ity to the final tone4 7n fact
you can really think of all symmetrical scales as ha3ing a strong dominant function& so you can get
-retty 2ild and loose 2ith them4 Just make sure you resol3e them strongly& youBd "e amazed 2hat
you can actually get a2ay 2ith and still sound good4
9nother 2ay 7 like to -ractice from the "ook is to read through in a loose manner4 7 might )ust
follo2 the sha-es of the lines "ut use different notes4 TA(C is great for o-ening your ears u- to ne2
directional motion in lines4 There are sha-es in TA(C that you )ust donBt run across in Jazz4 7t also
can introduce you 2ays of co3ering larger inter3allic s-ace& the first scale in the "ook (the 1.0 tri-
tone! is a good e,am-le of this4 (any -layers -racticing out of AlonimskyPs "ook tra- themsel3es in
a -rison of starting their lines from the "ottom of the horn& heading straight to the to- and mo3ing
"ack do2n to the "ottom4 7 call this the BAlonimsky :oller Coaster AyndromeB4 There is one of my
-eers in -articular 2ho does this all the time4 This cat is a great guy and a truly fantastic -layer& "ut
u--do2n-u--do2n thing really gets on my ner3es4 Take that "ook a2ay from himJJJ
7 think 2hat Trane and generations of -layers found in TA(C 2ere lines that had so much for2ard
motion that they could "e used o3er 9=;T<7=4 These lines are strong enough to make outside
-laying sound logical4 Tonal harmony is after all mainly a"out for2ard motion& so the lines found in
TA(C offer a2ay to still retain for2ard motion 2hile -laying outside4 7t )ust "ecomes a matter of
"eing a"le to resol3e these lines in a logical 2ay4
5ater in the "ook there are some 3ery e,otic sounding -entatonic scales like the Ja3anese -elog
scale& the Ja-anese <ira-Joshi scale and Acria"inBs -entatonic scale from Aonata num"er 74 These all
could "e used o3er 3arious ty-es of C7 chords4 They could also fit o3er other chords 2ith a little
ingenuity4 9ll these e,otic scales still sound uniquely e,otic no matter 2hat chords they are -layed
o3er4
7nternalizing e,otic scales takes the same -ractice as any other scale4 Try -racticing them in
different keys and try fitting them o3er different chords4 >nce you ha3e an idea 2here these e,otic
scales can fit and ha3e them under your fingers start thro2ing them in4 9t first they 2ill sound
contri3ed& later 2hen you start to hear them in your imagination they 2ill come out more naturally4
Cart of the usefulness of e,otic scales is that they sound so different from the scales 2e normally
use4 @sually 2e 2ant to create a contrast to standard diatonic chord/scale harmony 2hen 2e "reak
out an e,otic scale& so itBs ok to sound contri3ed at first4 5isten to ;usef 5ateef to hear someone 2ho
uses a lot of e,otic scales and uses them 2ell4
The Bi-tonal 9r-eggios section of TA(C is a to-ic that has already "een thoroughly fleshed out in
ary Cam-"ellBs Triad Cairs "ook4 These -airs of triads offer a gold mine for the Jazz musician4 +or
more on this to-ic see my Triad Cairs articles4
$'
+or me TA(C offers an entire ne2 2orld of Bdirectional ideasB4 The lines in TA(C snake&
inter2ea3e& s-iral& con3erge D di3erge& )um-& lurch& and infra-inter-olate4 Cracticing this "ook 2ill
"reak you free of o3erly sim-listic 3ertical/horizontal conce-ts of linear thinking4 TA(C has "een
2ithout a dou"t one of the main modes of transmission of contem-orary classical ideas to the Jazz
2orld4 There is still much in TA(C that has "een unta--ed4 Can you imagine 2hat 2ould Jazz sound
like in thirty years if young -layers 2orked out of TA(C instead of 8a3id BakerBs Be"o- "ooksOOO
More -lonims4y ?uestions
V. Carlos&
<ey& can you ela"orate more on this idea of Tresol3ingT your harmonic linesO >"3iously things like
taking the leading tone of a dominant to the tonic make sense to me& "ut in your last email regarding
Alonimsky you said the follo2ing4444
TJust make sure you resol3e them strongly& youBd "e amazed 2hat you can actually get a2ay 2ith
and still sound good4T
and 44
TTonal harmony is after all mainly a"out for2ard motion& so the lines found in TA(C offer a2ay to
still retain for2ard motion 2hile -laying outside4 7t )ust "ecomes a matter of "eing a"le to resol3e
these lines in a logical 2ay4444T
9. Charles (cCherson has an e,ercise that he makes his students do4 <e has them -lay totally
outside o3er dominants and then land on a strong chord-tone on "eat one of the ne,t resol3ing "ar4
<e says if you resol3e on the do2n"eat 2ith a strong chord tone you can -lay anything and it 2ill
sound like Be"o-4 This is )ust a"out true& e3en though it does sound quite e,treme4
V. :elated question4 8o you use diminished stuff freely against dominants resol3ing to "oth (a)or
and minor& or )ust for dominants resol3ing to ma)orO 7B3e heard "oth suggested and can you
s-ecifically tell me ho2 you resol3e a diminished scale& like do you actually try to resol3e each
dissonance (flat #& shar- #& shar- 114444! or )ust go to the 5ydian mode/melodic minor of the tonic and
lea3e it at thatO
9. 7 do use diminished modes 2hen resol3ing to ma)or or minor chords4 To determine 2hat chord-
scales are a3aila"le 7 only look at the root motion of the chord that the dominant resol3es to4 7f the
root motion is going do2n a fifth (u- a fourth! then anything is fair game& no matter 2hat chord
quality the resolution is4 ;es& there are scale choices that are smoother as far as 3oice leading 2hen
resol3ing to a minor chord& like a harmonic minor scale from the fourth and/or and altered dominant
scale4
:emem"er that if the dominant chord is mo3ing do2n a half ste- in root motion you only should
-lay a 5ydian dominant (e3en if the #11 isnBt notated! "ecause it is functioning as a tri-toneJ
$H
Ber.lee teaches that certain tensions are a#ailable for each of the secondary dominant chords:
V7/77 "#& #&##& "1$
V7/777 "#&##& "1$
V7/7V #& 1$
V7/V "#& #&##& 1$
V7/V7 "#& ##& "1$
The most im-ortant thing is to 2atch for root motionJ Where do the dominants move to9 8onBt
2orry a"out resol3ing indi3idual tensions& this 2ill dri3e you nuts and slo2 you do2n4 Aome -eo-le
2ould argue 2ith me& remem"er 7 consider myself a -ost-"o- -layer& 2hich to me is like an a"stract
e,-ressionist -ainter4 The rules are a "it more rela,ed and 7Bm looking to use a more B-ainterly
techniqueB& 7 donBt 2ant -hoto-realism in my -laying4 Ao 2hat if a fe2 lines "leed o3er or if some
can3as sho2sO ;ou could follo2 stricter rules than 7 do as far as finding scales for chords& "ut mine
kee- you out of trou"le and you can al2ays "reak them if they get too constraining4
3romotin* your *i*s
To "e a 2orking Jazz musician requires one to constantly "e "ooking and -romoting gigs4 7tBs
getting less and less common to ha3e steady gigs anymore4 The -layer is usually res-onsi"le for
doing much of the -romotion that the clu" o2ner used to do4 The clu" may ha3e an ad in a 2eekly
-a-er or a listing in the entertainment section& "ut many times this isnBt enough to ensure a decent
cro2d4
1hen 7 2as younger 7 didnBt take -romoting my gigs 3ery seriously4 7 )ust cared a"out making the
music good and -inning do2n the ne,t gig4 7f you donBt dra2 many listeners to your gig it doesnBt
really matter ho2 good you -lay4 ;ou -ro"a"ly 2onBt get many more gigs there in the future4
Besides& ho2 much fun is it to -lay to an em-ty houseO
7B3e found that -osters are not al2ays the "est 2ay to ad3ertise your gigs4 Costering is e,-ensi3e
and time consuming4 7f itBs a "ig sho2 that needs -romotion& consider ha3ing a -rofessional
-ostering com-any -ut u- 1MM or 1'M -osters4 These com-anies usually charge around 'M-HM cents
-er -oster4 They ha3e 2ell-esta"lished routes and kno2 2here all the high traffic s-ots are4 They
"lanket the city in a 2ay that is im-ossi"le for an indi3idual to do4 7f you are going to take the
trou"le to do this& make sure you ha3e a great eye-catching -oster4 ;ou should "e a"le to find an
ine,-ensi3e struggling -rofessional gra-hic artist at a reasona"le -rice (try CraigBs list! if you arenBt
artistically inclined4
(ass media is the musicianBs "est friend4 (ake sure you send out your -ress releases for your gigs
a"out t2o 2eeks "efore they ha--en4 8onBt send out -romo for a fe2 days "efore your gig and
e,-ect to get media co3erage4 (ake an effort to -ut together email 9=8 fa, lists for e3ery -a-er and
radio station in to2n4 et -romo material to all of them4 (ake sure your -ress releases are
interesting and short enough so they can "e -rinted or read 2ithout needing any editing4 Take the
time and read some good -ress releases to learn ho2 to 2rite a good one4
$7
K (ake sure you send a note to the music calendar editors4 These are usually different folks than
the )ournalists4
K ;ou should try to de3elo- -ersonal relationshi-s 2ith the 2riters and 8Js that co3er Jazz4 Call
the -a-ers or radio stations and find out 2ho they are and get their contact information if you can4
8onBt )ust send them C8s and -romo material randomly4 Call them 2here theyBre 2orking or 2rite
them and let them kno2 that youBll "e sending them something4 9l2ays follo2 u- after sending
-romo material4 Aay that youBre calling )ust to see if they recei3ed your -ackage/C8/-ress release4
(ake friends 2ith these -eo-le& they are in3alua"leJ Aend them free tickets to your sho2s& flo2ers&
and chocolate4 Try in3iting them to recording sessions or rehearsals4
K Try to get on the radio as a guest "efore your gig4 Ceo-leBs memories are short so do this right
"efore your gig4 (any radio stations ha3e 2e" sites and li3e music listings4 7f there is a Jazz society
in your to2n& they usually ha3e some kind of ne2sletter or calendar you can su"mit to4 CraigBs 5ist
is also free and has high traffic4
K et your demo C8s to the 8Js to -lay on their sho2s4 9gain& follo2 u-4 C8s are e,-ensi3e4
K +ind out 2hen the outdoor fairs and festi3als ha--en and start 2orking on them si, months
"efore they ha--en4 (any times these 2ill "e "ooked "y a -rofessional "ooking agency4
K Contact e3ery "ooking agency& caterer& and -arty -lanner in the -hone "ook4 These are the real
money gigs4
K 1ork on an email list4 Bring a note"ook to e3ery gig and make sure to ask the audience to -ut
their email info in it4 Trade email lists 2ith other similar "ands to e,-and your contacts4 :emem"er
to al2ays -ut your addresses in the Bcc. section 2hen you do your mailings4 This 2ay other -eo-le
canBt get your addresses 2ithout your -ermission4 7n the -ast& "ands sent out -ostcards to fans a"out
their u-coming gigs& emails are +:**4 Take ad3antage of this technology4 ;ou also may 2ant to
u-load your high quality music m-$s to a free streaming ser3er like (usic for 8ozens4com4 Then
-ut a link to the site in your e-mail gig announcements4
K et on the -hone and -ersonally in3ite -eo-le to your gig4 This is much more effecti3e than any
other -romotion method4 Ceo-le 2ill res-ond to a call much more to a call than an email4
K Talk the clu" o2ner into offering some kind of food or drink s-ecial )ust for your gig4 @se this
as a dra2 in your -romo materials4
K Aa3e e3ery re3ie2& "lur" and ad a"out your "and for your -romo -ackage4 7f no one is 2riting
a"out you& ask some esta"lished musicians to 2rite a fe2 sentences a"out your music4
K Ceo-le are al2ays more interested in musicians and "ands from out of to2n4 Bring in a -layer
from out of to2n for a fe2 gigs to generate more "uzz4 ;ouBll "e more likely to get more media
co3erage this 2ay4 Aet u- some -ri3ate students or a master class to make it 2orth2hile for them to
$L
tra3el to your to2n4 (any great -layers are looking to get out of the "ig cities and ha3e their
e,-enses co3ered4
7f you "ecome a good -romoter you can make decent money -laying e3en door gigs4 9l2ays gi3e
yourself -lenty of time to -romote gigs4 =o musician can afford to ignore this im-ortant element of
the music "usiness4 9s you start -utting some effort into -romotion it 2ill get easier4 ;our mailing
list 2ill gro2& your relationshi-s 2ith the media 2ill de3elo- and you 2ill "egin to dra2 the ty-es of
cro2ds to your gigs that 2ant to hear 2hat ;>@ are going to -lay4
5elatively 3erfect 3itch
Cerfect -itch is a great asset for a Jazz musician4 @nfortunately itBs e,tremely uncommon4 7f you
donBt de3elo- it at a young age& you -ro"a"ly ne3er 2ill4 :elati3e -itch is "eing a"le to figure out
-itches after you ha3e a reference -itch gi3en to you4 7 2as a"le to teach myself 2hat 7 call
Brelati3ely -erfect -itchB4 This is something that is some2here "et2een -erfect and relati3e -itch4
7f 7Bm listening to notes -layed on my main a,e& the alto sa,o-hone& 7 can tell 2hat -itches they are4
7B3e "een a"le to do this since 7 2as in high school4 ;ou might call this something like B-erfect alto
sa, -itchB4 7 learned Brelati3ely -erfect -itchB years later4 The 2ay 7 did this 2as "y choosing a fe2
-itches at a time (these might "e from the melody of a fa3orite tune! and singing them o3er and o3er
in a 3ery loud 3oice4 7Bd sing these four to si, notes 3ery slo2ly and )ust notice 2hat my "ody felt
like as it 3i"rated these notes4 7f you sing loud enough you can learn to remem"er 2hat your "ody
feels like 2ith these notes rather than )ust 2hat they sound like4 7t "ecomes a -hysical sensation that
is 3ery hard to forget4 *3entually you 2ill ingrain se3eral of these note com"inations into your aural
D "ody memory4 ;ou 2ill then "e a"le to relate any -itch you hear to these memorized tones4
7 tell my students that each note is like someone you kno24 There is )ust one guy named 9 natural
and he has a unique -ersonality4 ;ou donBt recognize him )ust "y the facts that he has "ro2n hair&
green eyes& 2ears glasses& and is stocky4 7f this 2ere ho2 you defined him youBd "e calling all kinds
of guys "y his name4 There is only one guy named 9 natural4 (usicians donBt kno2 each note
-ersonally "ut they 2ill get 3ery close& 2ithout e3er really locking the notes in4 They may kno2 9
natural as some2here "et2een E$L "-s and EEE"-s& "ut they ha3e ne3er really sat do2n 2ith EEM
"-s and gotten to kno2 it -ersonally4 >nce you sit do2n 2ith someone and get to kno2 him (find
out 2here he gre2 u-& 2hat his -arents 2ere like& 2hat moti3ates him! and find out 2hat you ha3e
in common 2ith him (ho2 your head& throat& chest feels 2hen you sing the note for -eriods of time!&
then you 2ill -ro"a"ly ne3er forget him 2hen you -ass him on the street4 ;ou 2onBt say&T That dude
looks really familiar& is it "ecause he looks kind of like my other friend #OR ;ou 2ill kno2 this old
friend immediately and say&T 9EEMJ 1hasu-J <a3enBt seen you since the "ridge4T
This is not some magical -rocess4 7t is )ust a matter of taking time to sit do2n 2ith these notes and
s-ending some quality time 2ith them4 9fter you 2ork on your note com"inations during your
-ractice time& remem"er to sing them occasionally during the rest of the day4 This 2ill hel- solidify
your -ersonal kno2ledge of these notes4 +irst try to sing them in your mind4 Then check them "y
singing them in your full chest 3oice4 7f youBre -atient and diligent you 2ill "e guaranteed results4
$#
@lan Jones . 5andy 3orter1s or4shop
9 2hile "ack 7 attended a Jazz com"o 2orksho- 2ith t2o of my fa3orite -layers& -ianist :andy
Corter and drummer 9lan Jones4 The class consisted of t2o sets of rhythm section -layers and me4
7B3e -layed many gigs 2ith these t2o guys o3er the years and ha3e al2ays 2anted to get a "etter idea
a"out 2hat theyBre thinking a"out 2hen they -lay4 Both these guys are true masters of their
instruments and they "oth are a"le to 2ea3e in and out of the rhythmic structure in a 2ay that is
smooth yet com-le,4 :andy has an incredi"le a"ility to create ne2 harmony that doesnBt interfere
2ith the soloist or the s-irit of the tune4 1hen 2e -lay duo gigs together 7 al2ays 2ant to sto- him
say&T 1hat 2as that right thereOT This 2as my chance to do )ust that4
They talked a"out their ideas of rhythmic feel and harmony and had us -lay as 2e thought a"out
different ideas4 9s 7 soloed :andy com-ed for me and really started to take it out there 2ith different
time feels4 <e asked me to try to lock u- 2ith him in the different time feels that he 2as
su-erim-osing4 @sually 2hen 2e -lay together and he starts to take it out there like that 7 tend to
em-hasize the original time feel o3er 2hat heBs doing& other2ise 7 usually get turned around
rhythmically4
7t 2as a little easier follo2ing him out into the rhythmic 2ilderness since 9lan Jones 2as locking
the time do2n 2ith his relentless s2ing4 7t also hel-ed that 2e 2erenBt on the "andstand4 1e also
focused on creating e,tended harmonies 2hile soloing4 7 had a tendency to -lay and think modally as
7 na3igated harmonically4 7 think this is natural for -ost-Trane sa,o-honists4 :andy asked me to
think chordally (like Bird! rather than modally (like Trane!4 <e asked me to think a"out the e,act
indi3idual chords that 7 2as su-erim-osing4
1hen 7 tried -laying this 2ay e3erything seemed to o-en u-4 *3en if the chord structures 7 2as
using 2ere far from the changes of the tune it much easier to fit them o3er 2hat 2as ha--ening4
@sing scales to mo3e outside created a much denser dissonant sound than thinking chordally4 7 found
that 7 could get a2ay 2ith some -retty outside chords ha3e them sound acce-ta"le "ecause they had
a more distinct yet less dense structure than their scale modes did4 7t 2as a re3elation4

>ne e,ercise that :andy had us do made us think a"out -laying lyrically4 *3eryone has a tendency
to -lay too many notes& cluttering our -laying and interfering 2ith our natural lyricism4 <e "rought
out a story that his kids had 2ritten and told us that since lyrically really meant B2ith lyricsB 2e
2ould -lay as if 2e 2ere -laying lyrics4 <e had us -lay o3er the tune Confirmation at a fairly fast
tem-o4
The idea 2as to -lay solos 2hile 2e 2ere reading the story& e3ery note 2e -layed 2as to "e a
sylla"le in the story and e3ery -hrase 2as a sentence4 1e 2ere su--osed to create solos that made
sense 2hile -laying e3ery 2ord of the story4 >f course :andy 2as the only one 2ho could do this for
more than a cou-le of 2ords4
EM
7t 2as an entirely different mode of thinking and it has the effect of making you -lay 3ery sim-le
and concise musical statements4 The melodies that 2e 2ere forced to create 2ere )ust com-le,
enough to tell the story4 =ot an unnecessary sylla"le/note4 1e all realized )ust ho2 much 2e tended
to o3er-lay4 7t made me think of the old adage that the first t2enty years is s-ent learning to -lay and
the ne,t t2enty years is s-ent not to -lay4
Being lyrical cannot "e done 2ith too many notes& thatPs a hard fact4 Try to make e3ery single note
really count and eliminate e3ery unnecessary note4 To do this 2e need a radical e,ercise like :andyBs
"ecause most of us ha3e "een conditioned into -laying too many notes4 This is es-ecially true 2hen
2ePre not sure 2hat to -lay4 (usicians tend to -lay a sur-lus of notes 2hen theyPre not sure of
2hatPs ha--ening4
Aeor*e 5ussell1s 1=ydian 0hromatic 0oncept1
The other day 2hile -laying a )am session 7 noticed that the guitarist had 2ritten some key centers
on to- of all the t2o-fi3e-ones4 Ao o3er the 8-7/7/Cma)7 he had 2ritten C ma)or4 (any Jazz
im-ro3isation teachers start their students out thinking this 2ay4 The students at least -lay in the
correct key& rightO >uchJ This is a sure fire 2ay to ha3e a ma)or clam festi3al4 There are not many
2orse clams than the natural 11 on a dominant or ma)or chord& this is called an a#oid note "ecause it
sounds "ad4
The great arranger and =*C -rofessor eorge :ussell teaches 2hat he calls the B5ydian Chromatic
Conce-t for tonal organization B& or )ust Bthe conce-tB for short4 <is rationale is that a (a)or #th chord
2ith a shar- 11 has more a greater degree of unity than the same chord 2ith a natural 114
K Jason ross e,-lains the reasoning "ehind the 5CC>T>-T+or :ussell& the 5ydian mode (2ith&
in the key of C& its tonic + and dominant C! 2as a more logical candidate to "ecome the -rimary
scale "ecause it suggests a greater degree of unity "et2een chords and scales4 :ussell argues that a
ma)or scale& for e,am-le C& consists of t2o tetra-chords that em"ody t2o tonalities& not one4 But if
you ada-t the ma)or scale to 5ydian mode (in the key of C that 2ould "e a C ma)or scale 2ith +-
shar- instead of +!& it remo3es the duality of conflicting tonics& and more fully satisfies the tonality
of the ma)or chord4 1ith one tonic used for each res-ecti3e scale& :ussell reasoned that a greater
3ariety of chords could "e stacked4 This offered a ne2 -ath for ad3enturous musicians. Atandard
chord -rogressions need not dictate the course of an im-ro3isation& as each note is equidistant from a
single tonic center4 =otes could flo2 more freely "eyond the strictures of a songBs chords4T +rom.
Beorge :ussell oes for the (odesB "y Jason ross& Village Voice& June E - 1M& 0MM$
This thinking sho2s that 2e should use the 5ydian scale as our B"aseB scale4 5ydian is the ne2
7onianJ +or the "eginning im-ro3iser this is not really such a "ad 2ay to think a"out things4 7f you
al2ays add a shar- 11 to e3ery ma)or and mi,olydian scale you a3oid the Ba3oidB note of the natural
114 ;ou can al2ays add a #11 to these chords 2ithout 2orrying a"out messing u- the harmonic
-rogression4 >f course the Bconce-tB is much& much more in3ol3ed than this4
eorge :ussell has had a ma)or im-act on the course of Jazz e3olution 2ith this conce-t4 (iles
said that eorge 2as&T the motherfucker 2ho taught me ho2 to 2rite4T (ilesB classic B?ind of BlueB
E1
al"um 2as a result of his contact 2ith eorge :ussell4 8ol-hy 2as also influenced "y the Bconce-tB&
along 2ith many other im-ortant figures in Jazz4
<ere is another 2ay to think of key centers (if you must! using this conce-t o3er a ii-7/ V7/ 7ma)/
-rogression4
>3er a.
8-7 / 7 /Cma)7 /
Think.
8 melodic- / /ma) /
eorge teaches ho2 to 2ith na3igate outside con3entional harmony4 <e talks a"out -laying
Bout2ardB and in2ardB4 This means mo3ing outside or inside in degrees& not )ust in or out4
+or e,am-le- >3er a C ma)or chord& out2ard "ound -laying 2ould "e to start -laying a C 5ydian&
then a go to C (i,olydian& then C Chrygian& then C diminished& then 8 ma)or& then +# 8orian4 The
general idea is to slo2ly mo3e to scales that ha3e fe2er and fe2er notes in common 2ith the chord
you are -laying o3er4
7tBs all a"out 2hat eorge calls BTonal ra3ityB4 *3ery note or scale has itBs o2n -articular tonal
gra3ity 2hen -layed o3er any -articular chord4 Con3entional Jazz harmony doesnBt deal 2ith6 say
ho2 a minor -entatonic sounds and 2here it 2ants to go to 2hen -layed o3er an *" susE "#
chord4 This is unma--ed territory as of yet4
;ou really canBt go 2rong 2ith 5ydian4 eorge :ussell e3en goes so far as calling the chromatic
scale a B5ydian Chromatic AcaleB4 eorgeBs "ook is 3ery difficult to make sense of4 +uze e3en told me
that the conce-t is hard to figure out e3en if you ha3e eorge there to e,-lain it to you4
7f you ha3e e3er heard eorgeBs com-ositions for his "ig "and you 2ould kno2 that he is on to
something really "ig4
:o" Ache-s had this to say a"out the 5CC>T>.
0 too. t&o years of his classes and toured &ith him.
-The <oncept- made simpler
;ome of Eeorge/s basic ideas:
E0
1. When perfect Fths are stac.ed" the >11 occurs before the -6atural 11-
Which he once called" -the most unnatural fGH.in/ note in the &orld55-!
*. +rgo" a < :a(or 1, >11! chord" sits in calm repose" &hile a < :a(. 1, chord &= a natural 11 has
an unresol#ed clash a minor Ith!.
,.That < ma(or 0onian! is really a :ode of F @ydian.
eorge Ce--er e,-lains it like this.
9ctually" this is a concept related to the scale generated by the natural harmonic o#ertone series"
&hich stac.ed in thirds creates a dominant se#enth &ith a ma(or ninth and an augmented ele#enth.
;ince a lot of (a%% is blues based" and blues uses dominant se#enth chords for the 07" 7" and 0"
augmented ele#enths are naturally the coin of the realm in that genera. 0 al&ays start my students
out &ith blues for (ust that reason: Theoretically" it is the style most in agreement &ith the natural
harmonic o#ertone series.
The so'called 0onian mode" on the other hand" is a scale generated by three ma(or triads each a fifth
apart" as in a 07" 0" 7 relationship. 0n other &ords" it/s actually the harmony that generates the scale"
and not the scale that generates the harmony 0n both (a%% and classical music!.
+eBtural variety for improvisation
Today 7 had an ad3anced student and 2e 2ere talking a"out things to "e a2are of in order to create
more interesting te,tures4 (any young -layers are too focused on -laying the right changes and
donBt focus enough on sha-ing notes 2ith dynamics and articulations4 They may start at mezzo forte
or forte and then they stay at that 3olume for se3eral choruses& may"e slo2ly getting louder as they
-lay4 7 try to get my students to "e a2are of ho2 they are sha-ing each and e3ery note4
K <o2 are they articulating the start of each noteO
K <o2 are they releasing each noteO
K 8oes the 3olume stay the same or does it change for each noteO
K 1hat is the tim"re of the noteO
K 9re they a"le to quickly and drastically get much louder or softerO
K 9re they using the full range of -ossi"le articulationsO
K 9re they 3arying horizontal and 3ertical -layingO
K 9re they -laying 3arying the note densityO
K 9re they a2are enough of creating interesting direction in their linesO
K 8o they kno2 ho2 to "ring a rhythm section to a lo2 simmer from a high "urnO
K 9re they a"le to consciously lay"ack and -lay on to- of the "eatO
K <o2 is 3i"rato used and is it 3aried 2ithout "eing cornyO
E$
Ao often Jazz de3ol3es into a string of connected Lth note lines& 2ith little change in the te,ture that
is "eing created4 7f you are al2ays a2are of the questions a"o3e 2hile im-ro3ising then you 2ill
create interesting te,tural soundsca-es4 Think like a scul-tor or a -ainter instead of a musician once
in a 2hile4
<o2 im-ortant are indi3idual notes 2hen the larger sound scul-ture is "land and lameO <i- Be-
Bo- lines arenBt enough to kee- things interesting4 o ahead and make su"tle shadings to indi3idual
notesJ (9lternate fingerings and o3ertones are great for shading -itch and tim"re!
;ou 2ant to try to make your solos ha3e a te,ture at least as com-le, and interesting as someone
s-eaking a romance language4
8onBt )ust focus on one element of te,ture& like dynamics4 Cractice "eing a2are of all the different
elements that 3ary te,ture4 Ahift your focus consciously to element one after another4 *3entually it
2ill "ecome second nature to create interesting te,tures4
+he function of the Jazz musician
9n idea that has intrigued me o3er the years has "een&T 2hat is the functional role of a musician in
this societyOR 9s musicians 2e tend to "e more a2are of the music 2e create or the en3ironments 2e
find oursel3es in than 2hat our essential function is4
By function 7 mean-
K 1hat is my role in this social situation that 7 find myselfO
K 1hat does the audience e,-ect my music to do for themO
K <o2 narro2 are the limits on my actions in my role as a musicianO
K <o2 much can 7 affect the audience 2ithout them -laying an acti3e roleO
K Ahould 7 "e doing more than )ust trying to entertainO
K <o2 much of my inner self should 7 re3eal through my music& if anyO
K 1ill they "e a2are if 7 change my function from minstrel to high -riestO
7 "elie3e that a listener can only )udge the functional role a musician is -laying "y the effect that the
music has on them directly4 The attitude of the musician determines the functional role he/she -lays4
<o2 the musician sees his o2n function as a musician can determine ho2 much or ho2 little the ego
enters into the music4 +unction can change in the mind of a musician in an instant& and 2ith it the
-rofundity of the musical e,-ression4 9 musician 2ho "elie3es their function is to create "eauty 2ill
create music that is 3ery different from a musician 2hose function is to -ick u- chicks4
7f 2e look into the musical -hiloso-hies of ancient cultures 2e learn that their musicians 2ere
e,-ected to -lay 3ery different functional roles as modern musicians do4 +or them the role a
musician 2as closely tied to the roles of the -riest& healer& magician and seer4 (usic 2as ne3er
se-arated from its related disci-lines- astrology& medicine& mathematical cosmology& geometry and
ceremonial magic4 To the ancient mind you could not understand one of these sciences 2ithout
EE
understanding all of them4 7n fact <i--ocrates& the father of medicine& once stated that a doctor 2ho
didnBt thoroughly understand astrology 2ould "e una"le to do so much as e3en diagnose a -atient4
(usic 2as al2ays the thing that tied all the other sciences together and made them rele3ant to each
other4 7t 2as the study of the manifested qualities of the 2hole num"ers& in other 2ords it 2as the
foundation of qualitati3e mathematics4 These qualities of the 2hole num"ers& or integers& 2ere the
la2s of musical harmony& "ut they 2ere also the 3ery la2s of nature o-erating in the cosmos& on
earth and in the -sychological realms of the mind4
These la2s of num"er/music "ecame e,-ressed in the construction of early al-ha"ets& 2hich 2ere
num"ering systems as 2ell as sym"olic languages ca-a"le of e,-ressing a"stract musical conce-ts4
+or e,am-le in the <e"re2 al-ha"et each letter is a 2hole num"er and a 2hole num"er ratio4 The
first e,-resses its relationshi- to the quality of an o3ertone& 2hile the second relates the letter to a
musical inter3al4 This is )um-ing ahead quite a "it& the -oint 7Bm trying to make is the general
dis-arity in the 2ay ancient ci3ilizations defined the function of the musician com-ared to the 2ay
our society sees our role4
Consider the ideas that you 2ere taught a"out the functional role that musicians -lay4 8id you
acce-t these ideas 2ithout first questioning themO <a3e your ideas a"out your function as a musician
changed o3er timeO <o2 narro2 or fle,i"le are your ideas a"out functionO <o2 do you think these
ideas influence the 2ay you -lay musicO
These ideas that 2e ha3e a"out our functional roles can and do affect the music 2e end u- creating&
ho2 2e feel 2hen 2e create music& and ho2 -eo-le feel 2hen they hear our music4
By making -ositi3e changes in our "elief structures relating to music 2e can gro2 more musically
than 2e could "y 2oodshedding for years& and the changes take affect in an instant4 These changes
affect the 3ery nature of our musical e,-ression "y changing 2hom it is making the music4 7s that a
ladies man -laying Atella or a high -riest of the sunO
>k& >k 7Bll go "ack to talking a"out ho2 to -lay o3er t2o-fi3es4
+he life of a >$0 Jazz musician
9ndreas Ateffen from ermany asked me to 2rite a"out 2hat the life of a =e2 ;ork Jazz musician
2as like4 (ost -eo-le ha3e some glorified idea of 2hat the =;C musician does to make a li3ing4
9dreasB idea 2ent like this. slee- until noon& -ractice& studio )o"& gig& and )am session& re-eat from
start4 ThatBs -retty much 2hat 7 e,-ected 2hen 7 got there 2ith fi3e hundred dollars in my -ocket4
The economic realities of li3ing in =;C ha3e changed drastically in the last thirty years4 5ong time
resident musicians ha3e told me that "ack in the 7Ms you could -ay your rent "y 2orking one or t2o
E'
gigs a month4 (any musicians had large lofts 2here they )ammed till the 2ee hours of the morning4
=e2 ;ork is one of the most e,-ensi3e cities in the 2orld and gigs still -ay roughly 2hat they did in
the 7Ms4 There are still tons of fifty-dollar gigs all o3er to2n4 >f course no2 you could "e -laying
fifty-dollar gigs e3ery night of the 2eek and still "e star3ing4 9 one "edroom a-artment is no2
[1EMM and u- in (anhattan4
There 2ere many different 2ays that Jazz musicians scra-ed "y in =;C4 <ere are some of the 2ays
that 7 sa2 2hen 7 2as li3ing there4
K The Trust +und "a"y- <o2 do all those 93ant-arde do2nto2n hi-sters make ends meet "y
-laying at the ?nitting +actoryO ;ouBd "e sur-rised ho2 many ha3e trust funds4
K The Clu" 8ate Band 1hore- Clu" dates are gigs that -ay [1'M-$MM 2here you ha3e to -lay
e3ery shitty -o-ular song from almost eight decades of -o- music4 Better learn Chatanooga-choo-
choo and the horn "ackgrounds to Boogie-oogie-oogie4
K The 1eed dealer- Crices are high in =;C and so are the musiciansJ
K The Boston commuter- =o kidding& cats commute all the 2ay to Beanto2n )ust to teach at a rat
infested music school4
K The 9tlantic City sus-ender D stra2 hat 2earer- 9tlantic City is an a"omination and so are the
gigs there4
K The Black-tie Cater 1aiter- (ost of the actors and actresses in to2n 2ork for caterers "ut quite
a fe2 musicians do too4 This is actually ho2 7 made ends meet4 The ad3antages to this ty-e of )o"
are of course the gourmet food and the fact that you can -ick your o2n hours each 2eek4
K The Auccessful Jazz musician- These are the guys 2ho ha3e record deals and are actually
making their money -laying Jazz4 1hat folks donBt realize is that they are hardly e3er in =e2 ;ork at
all4 They must do road gigs most of the year to meet their =;C e,-enses4
K <us"and of a doctor/stock "roker/la2yer etc4-This category is -ro"a"ly no sur-rise to anyone4
K Catskills Cats- These guys are gone for months at a time -laying Je2ish resorts in the Catskills4
These gigs are a cross "et2een a Bar (itz3ah and a EMBs dance "and4
K The Broad2ay sho2 musician- Can you -lay e3ery 2ood2ind e3er in3entedO 7 didnBt think so4
7 ne3er met any musicians that made their li3ing doing studio 2ork4 The truth is there isnBt a ton of
studio 2ork anymore and a fe2 cats ha3e locked u- the 2ork there is4 7 2ould suggest that anyone
mo3ing to =;C to -lay music sa3e at least ten thousand dollars "efore mo3ing4 9lso consider li3ing
in Jersey City& its closer and chea-er than many -arts of Brooklyn or Vueens4 7 do miss li3ing in the
Jazz ca-ital of the 2orld at times& "ut 7 )ust remind myself 2hat the 2eather and the general quality
of life is like there4 7 usually get o3er it -retty fast4
EH
There are many )am sessions at clu"s in =;C4 1hen 7 first got there 7 attended many of these4 7
-layed sessions at clu"s like Blue =ote& Birdland& Cleo-atraBs =eedle& Amalls& and At4 =ickBs -u"4
Aome of these sessions 2ere fun& most 2ere a 2aste of time and money4 ;ou can meet some great
-layers there if youBre lucky4
9t 2orst& you can end u- 2aiting for hours to -lay t2o tunes 2ith a random& and often "ad&
rhythm section4 @sually youBre not e3en 2armed u-4 These t2o tunes can cost you u-2ards of thirty
dollars after you -ay for trans-ortation and "uy your (t2o drink minimum! fi3e-dollar "eers4 7f you
donBt kno2 many already esta"lished -layers you may not ha3e any other choices to get on the scene4
7 found out& after many fi3e dollars "eers& that it is much "etter to go to a fe2 sessions and find a fe2
-layers you like and set u- sessions at -eo-leBs houses4 ;ou end u- getting to -lay more than t2o or
three tunes and making a "etter im-ression "ecause youBre -laying 2ith a good rhythm section4
5et me add a fe2 -ositi3e thoughts a"out li3ing in =;C4 7 think e3ery Jazz -layer should ha3e the
e,-erience of li3ing in =e2 ;ork4 7t definitely changes the 2ay you think a"out music4 Ao many
-layers get to the city thinking theyBre going to take o3er4 9s soon as theyBre there for a fe2 2eeks
they usually 2ant to Bre-e3aluate their soundB or )ust change some things a"out their -laying4 There is
so much great music there e3ery night of the 2eek4 =;C has "asically drained all the "rightest Jazz
talent from the rest of the entire 2orld4
The city itself can "e o3er2helming "ut it can also feel like a small to2n4 7 found the -eo-le there&
musicians included& to "e some of the most o-en and friendliest of any2here 7B3e e3er "een4 This is
the e,act o--osite of the stereoty-ical =;C resident4 They 2ill definitely let you kno2 2hen theyBre
not ha--y 2ith you& "ut they are also e,tremely hel-ful4 There is 2ork there and you can make a
li3ing if youBre 2illing to 2ork hard at it4
8onBt 2ait until you feel that youBre "urning enough to mo3e there4 7f you 2ant to get "etter fast itBs
the "est -lace you can "e4 ;our conce-t 2ill come together so much faster "y "eing there4 7tBs not the
dangerous and scary city that it once 2as either4 7 2alked all o3er (anhattan at e3ery hour of the day
and night and ne3er once had any -ro"lems there4 7 think itBs "ecause the thugs canBt afford to li3e
there any moreJ The music industry doesnBt take musicians 3ery seriously if they donBt li3e in =e2
;ork City4 7f all the =e2 ;ork musicians )ust 2ent home to 2here they came from there 2ould "e
tons of great -layers in )ust a"out e3ery city again4
'irtual 3racticin*-desert island practice tips
:egular reader :oman recently asked a good question that deser3es a res-onse4
T8a3id - ;ouB3e offered u- so much great -ractice ad3ice here on your "log4 8o you ha3e any ti-s
for -racticing a2ay from the hornO 7B3e heard of -eo-le closing their eyes and fingering an imaginary
horn& and 7B3e tried that "ut it really hasnBt seemed to "e 3ery effecti3e for me4 9ny other ideasO
Thanks& :oman4T
E7
:oman&
There are se3eral 2ays to -ractice 2ithout your horn4 <ere are a fe2 techniques that 7 ha3e used
o3er the years.
K Bilateral +inger Coordination *,ercises- these e,ercises hel- to get "oth hemis-heres of your
"rain 2orking together to control digital de,terity4 +or the sake of e,-laining the e,ercises 2eBll call
the thum" on your right hand :1& right inde, finger :0 and so on4 ;our right -inkie of course is :'&
left -inkie is 5' and your left thum" is 514 The goal 2hen doing these is to get "oth hands acting
e,actly together4 (ost -eo-le ha3e one hand that reacts faster than the other and of course this is not
good for sa,o-hone technique4 These e,ercises 2ould of course "e hel-ful any instrument that uses
"oth hands4 Atart each e,ercise slo2 and concentrate on getting your hands 2orking together4 Alo2ly
s-eed u- to a "listering s-eed4 :emem"er to kee- your hands and fingers totally rela,ed at all times4
Aet "oth hands comforta"ly on a flat surface in front of you 2ith your fingers s-read out slightly4 Ta-
each finger lightly on the flat surface4
Bilateral Aymmetrical 8igital 8e,terity *,ercises ("oth hands at the same time!.
1-0-$-E-'-E-$-0-1-0-$-E-'-E-$-0- re-eat
1-0-1-$-0-1-E-$-0-1-'-E-$-0-1-E-$-0-1-$-0-1-0 - re-eat
1-0-1-$-1-E-1-'-1-E-1-$-1-0- re-eat
This last e,ercise isnBt "ilaterally symmetrical4
9t the same time as you do-
5'-5E-5$-50-51-50-5$-5E-5'
8o the right hand-
:1-:0-:$-:E-:'-:E-:$-:0-:1
K Cerfect -itch e,ercise- carry a small -itch -i-e or tuning fork 2ith you throughout the day4 *ach
day -ick a -itch and try to sing it at 3arious times during the day4 @se the -itch -i-e to check your
accuracy4 Aing the -itch loud enough to feel the 2ay it makes your throat and chest 3i"rate4 *3ery
note -hysically feels unique4 >3er time you 2ill "e sur-rised at ho2 much "etter you can recognize
-itches4 7t doesnBt take long to de3elo- a really -erfect 9& * or 4 +rom there you can slo2ly add
other notes that are solid inside you4 7 call this B:elati3ely Cerfect CitchB "ecause you start out 2ith
only a cou-le of note that you can recognize4
K Aing along to solosJ 8uh4 This seems so o"3ious "ut not many -layers do this regularly4 5oad
your iCod or 8iskman 2ith great tunes and try to sing along to e3ery note in the solos4 Ainging is
great for ear training4 8onBt 2orry that your tone sounds like cra-& )ust try to sing in tune and in time4
This 2ill internalize and solidify your sense of -itch& and time for that matter4
EL
K Try to read though solo transcri-tions 2ithout your horn4 Take the >mni"ook 2ith you on the
su"2ay4 ;ou donBt e3en need to sing out loud& )ust try to hear the lines in your imagination4 This is
great for sight-reading and ear training (or -itch 3isualization!4
K >f course the ne,t ste- here is scatting4 ;ou can do this to music or unaccom-anied4 7f you can
clearly hear and sing something then you 2ill "e less likely to let your fingers do the 2alking4 Clay
2hat you really hear& donBt -lay 2hat you canBt hear or sing4
What my students are or4in* on
Aome of the things 7B3e "een ha3ing my more ad3anced students do lately are.
K ?ee-ing a detailed tune list of all the tunes they kno2& all the tunes the sort of kno2 and all of
the tunes they need to learn4 This master list should "e in a digital format so it can "e constantly
u-dated and organized4 This master list 2ill "ecome the inde, for the studentBs -ersonal gig "ook4
Atudents should ha3e enough co-ies of this "ook to gi3e a rhythm section at a gig& rehearsal or )am
session4 7f you donBt 2ant to "ring your 2hole "ook to a gig/)am then you can at least "ring this
master list to sho2 the other -layers4 This ensures that you 2ill "e a"le to find acce-ta"le and
interesting tunes 2ith any com"ination of -layers4 =o more&T8uh& 2hat do ;>@ 2ant to -layOT 7
2ould stay a2ay from -lastic sheet -rotectors "ecause theyBre usually more trou"le than theyBre
2orth& -lus theyBre e,-ensi3e4
K Cut together a three ring "inder of solo transcri-tions4 These could "e your o2n& things youB3e
do2nloaded off the 7nternet and -rinted or solos that youB3e co-ied out of "ooks4 Just use the "log
search engine in the u--er left hand corner of this -age and search for Btranscri-tionsB& youBll find
hundreds4 8onBt -ractice the same fe2 -layers all the time4 o for a 2ide range of cats6 es-ecially
look at transcri-tions of musicians on instruments other than your o2n4 ;ouBd "e sur-rised ho2
many solo transcri-tion "ooks your -u"lic li"rary may ha3e4 Cack your "inder 2ith solosJ ?ee-
adding to your collectionJ Clay through them allJ
K Take a lead sheet for a tune and for each chord change 2rite se3eral -entatonic scales that 2ould
2ork o3er that chord4 9 great "ook to hel- you figure these out is Centatonic Acales +or Jazz
7m-ro3isation "y :aymon :icker4 9lso take a look at my -ost called Centatonic 5ines- =a3igating
outside harmony4 Try soloing o3er the tunes using only these -entatonic scales4 8onBt forget to do
-lenty of chromatic sidesli--ing4
K Cractice -laying some slo2 "allads and really concentrate on the ends of all the notes4 Try to get
the 3i"rato to s-eed u- slightly as you cut off each note4 Aha-e the cut offs6 "e conscious of the e,act
sha-e that youBre trying to create on the ends on notes4
K 7 ha3e )ust gotten my students "ack into an old stand "y called @ni3ersal Aa,o-hone (ethod "y
Caul 8e3ille4 7t 2as 2ritten almost a century ago and it still kicks ass4 7f you 2ant to fi, any -ro"lem
you are ha3ing 2ith technique the @ni3ersal (ethod has 2hat you need4 The e,ercises on difficult
E#
fingerings and e,ercises on mechanism can make drastic im-ro3ements in a student technique in a
short amount of time "ecause they isolate e3ery single -ro"lematic fingering com"ination on the
horn4 The etudes 2ill 2hi- any slo--y tongue into sha-e "y hammering it 2ith different
articulations4
K Aing& sing& singJ 7f you canBt sing it then you 2onBt "e a"le to -lay it in tune4 Try singing -hrase
first& listening for -erfect intonation& then -lay the same -hrases4 >nce you kno2 2hat a note sounds
like intimately& meaning you recognize that note like the face of a friend in a cro2d& then your oral
tract 2ill "e a"le to -osition itself automatically as soon as you imagine that note in your mindBs ear4
;ou donBt need to "e "orn 2ith -erfect -itch to recognize -itches in this 2ayJ ;ou can introduce
yourself to )ust a fe2 notes at first and "ecome 3ery close friends 2ith them4 1hen you kno2
e3erything a"out them (ho2 they feel 2hen you sing them& ho2 they feel 2hen you -lay them& ho2
the different octa3es sound and feel! then they can introduce you to the other notes4 This is a learned
form of -erfect -itch that starts 2ith one or a fe2 notes6 7 call it relati3ely -erfect -itch4
$o*ic &reathin* for musicians
Claying a 2ind instrument requires serious "reath control4 9nything you can do to hel- you de3elo-
this control is 2orth in3estigating4 1hile li3ing in Aanta Cruz 7 s-ent some time studying ;oga and
Vedanta 2ith master ;ogi Ba"a <ari 8ass4 <ari 8ass has "een -racticing ;oga since he 2as eight
years old and he hasnBt s-oken a 2ord for fifty-three years4 ;oga isnBt for e3eryone& "ut there are
some sim-le "reathing e,ercises that anyone can "enefit from4 7f you ha--en to -lay a 2ind
instrument they can "e of immense 3alue4 These "reathing e,ercises (or Cranayama! can hel-
increase "oth control and ca-acity4 They also calm the mind and "alance the "odily functions4 7f you
try these four e,ercises you 2ill immediately notice some -ositi3e results4 9 calm mind is highly
desira"le for all musicians4 Ao e3en if you donBt -lay a 2ind instrument these Cranayam are 2orth
checking out4 They are entirely safe4
The Four Purifications from Baba Hari 3ass/ boo. the 9shtanga 4oga Primer!:
14 =adishodhana (alternate nostril "reathing! - ently e,hale all air4 Close the nostril 2ith the thum"
of the right hand& and inhale slo2ly and dee-ly through the left nostril4 Close the left nostril 2ith the
ring finger& releasing the thum"& and e,hale through the right4 7nhale through the right& then close it
2ith the thum" and e,hale through the left4 This makes one round4 Begin 2ith ten rounds and
gradually increase to forty4
04 ?a-ala Bhati (skull shining! - *,hale and inhale quickly and lightly through "oth nostrils4
*m-hasize the e,halation& letting the inhalation come as a natural refle,4 9fter one series of
e,halations& 2hich should last no longer than one minute& rest and "reathe naturally4 Then re-eat4
Begin 2ith three rounds of thirty e,halations each and gradually increase to ten rounds of si,ty
e,halations4
$4 9gnisara 8hauti (fire 2ash! -7nhale& then e,hale all air4 1hile holding the "reath out& -ull the
dia-hragm u- and to2ard the "ack"one6 release it suddenly4 :e-eat this in-and-out mo3ement
'M
ra-idly as long as the "reath can "e held out 2ithout strain4 Then inhale gently4 Atart 2ith three
rounds and increase gradually to ten& "eginning 2ith thirty -ulls and increasing to si,ty for each
"reath retention4
E4 9sh3ini (udra (horse mudra! - 7nhale com-letely and hold the "reath4 Contract and release the
anal s-hincter ra-idly and re-eatedly4 <old the "reath only so long as the follo2ing e,halation can
"e slo2 and controlled4 Begin 2ith three rounds of thirty -ulls each& and increase to ten rounds of
si,ty each4 (=ote. 7 call this the Bloaf -inchB mudra4 7t sounds freaky& "ut it is 3ery -o2erful!
3ytha*oras- Music of the -pheres
Aometime during my )unior year at Berklee 7 had a dream that changed the course of my life4 7 had
had many lucid dreams "efore this one4 These 2ere dreams 2here 7 2oke u- during my dream4
1hen 7 B2oke u-B 7 "ecame fully a2are of my conscious self4 7 kne2 my name and 7 2as a2are that 7
2as dreaming4 @sually 2hen this ha--ened the dream 2ould suddenly "ecome more 3i3id4 The
colors 2ould get "righter and 7 2ould see faces clearly and e3en highly detailed architecture4 The
moment 7 2oke u- in these dreams 7 2ould also gain some amount of control o3er them4 7 might "e
a"le to fly or mo3e o")ects around 2ith my thoughts4 9t the time this -articular dream ha--ened 7
2as com-letely immersed in music4 7 2as -laying my horn a"out eight hours e3ery day and listening
to music the rest of the time4 1hen 7 2oke u- in this dream 7 heard something that changed my
entire -erce-tion of reality4
The dream 2as like this6 7 2as on the moon looking at the earth4 The earth 2as e,-loding 2ith
multi-le nuclear e,-losions and the sky 2as filled 2ith "right multi-colored lights4 These colors
looked similar to a -uddle of oil& e,ce-t fully illuminated4 7 heard the most amazing sound4 9s lo2
and as high as 7 could hear there 2ere innumera"le 3oices& rather instruments4 7n the dream 7 could
hear more than the usual ele3en or so octa3es that 2e usually -ercei3e4 7 heard many more octa3es4
7t 2as as if there 2ere an infinite num"er of different instruments4 *ach and e3ery one of them had
itBs o2n unique tim"re or tone4 *ach and e3ery one of them 2as -laying a unique melody4 =ot one of
the 3oices sounded the same or 2as -laying the same melodyJ 7magine octa3es and octa3es of
different instruments -laying indi3idual melodies4 ;ou 2ould reasona"ly e,-ect that this 2ould "e
the most chaotic noise -ossi"le4 7t 2as the e,act o--osite4 7t 2as "y far& the greatest and most
"eautiful music that 7 had e3er heard4 The totality of melodies created a -iece of music so amazingly
-erfect that in an instant 7 kne2 that there had to "e a master musician directing this music4 This
master musician had the talent to make 2hat "y all right should "e total chaos into an infinitely
"eautiful sym-hony4
To me this -ro3ed the e,istence of an infinitely intelligent creator& "ut more im-ortantly a creator
that 2as a musician& and outside time and s-ace4 *3ery dissonance in the song 2as "alanced and
harmonized in some other 3oices& 2hich might "e many octa3es a-art4 7t 2as as if each 3oice 2as
im-ro3ising itBs o2n melody "ut the rest of the 3oices 2ere in -erfect harmony 2ith these
im-ro3isations4 7 kne2 that 2hat 7 2as hearing 2as -arado,ical4 7t seemed to "e im-ossi"le4 But 7
heard it and& as my mentor 5a2rence 1illiams says& hearing is "elie3ing4 1hen 7 2oke u-& 2hich
2as more )ust like o-ening my eyes& 7 2as stunned and amazed4 1hat the hell had 7 )ust heardO 7 had
ne3er read or heard of anything e3en remotely like my dream& so 7 )ust ke-t it to myself for a 2hile4
'1
9"out a year later 7 ran across a "ook a"out Cythagoras that descri"ed 2hat 7 had heard e,actlyJ
Cythagoras called it the B(usic of the A-heresB4 <e taught that e3erything in the uni3erse makes
music4 The -lanets all create music as the or"it the sun and e3ery -erson creates music as they li3e
their life on the earth4 9ll the -lanetary or"its follo2 the musical la2s of harmony and e3erything is
an e,-ression of num"er4 There are no random e3ents4 *3ery note has a musical -ur-ose4 The
uni3erse is more like a song than a machine4 7t mo3es "et2een consonance and dissonance to
ultimately create a su-remely "eautiful -iece of music4 This music is ali3e4 *ach 3oice creates itBs
o2n song& yet the master musician is al2ays conducting the 2hole4 Cythagoras 2as scoffed at for
centuries "ecause of his B(usic of the A-heresB idea4 Acientists 2ere thankful for his other
contri"utions to math and acoustics "ut they thought he 2as a fruit-loo- "ecause of this4 1e should
also kee- in mind that Cythagoras 2as trained in the initiatory schools in *gy-t4 <is conce-ts 2ere
anything "ut ne2 in3entions4
7 am relating my -ersonal e,-erience to the "est of my a"ility and also at some risk of sounding
like a ne2 age freak4 This e,-erience led me to the study of esoteric music& 2hich is sometimes
called Cythagorean or neo--latonic -hiloso-hy4 7 had to learn more a"out 2hat 7 heard on that fateful
night and 7 2ould s-end the ne,t t2enty years trying to figure it out4
Jam session eBperiment- the mad scientist at the threshold
7 )ust got "ack from a "ad )am session4 7 didnBt ha3e any gigs this 2eekend so 7 2anted to -lay a
little4 7t 2as at one of those clu"s that is so smoky that you ha3e to lea3e your clothes on the -orch
2hen you get home and run straight to the sho2er4 +or some reason 7 thought that it 2as going to "e
good4 9s 7 un-acked my horn a sa2 that there 2as a conga -layer sitting in on )ust a"out e3ery tune&
no matter 2hat style4 <e had "ut a single e3il conga drum and he kne2 ho2 to instantly destroy any
groo3e 2ith it4 *3en 2ithout 8r4Chaos on the conga& the "and 2asnBt locking u-4 7 2ondered 2hy 7
torture myself o3er and o3er again4 1hy do 7 think that it is easier to go out to a shitty session than
to call guys o3er to my house to -layO 5aziness of courseJ 9n e3ening of 9e"ersold 2ould ha3e "een
more -roducti3e4 7 feel so em-ty after a -laying e,-erience like that4 7 rationalize to myself that )am
sessions are a good -lace to e,-eriment 2ith ne2 conce-ts4 7 did -lenty of e,-erimenting there
tonight4 7 2as 2orking on my chromatic conce-t all e3ening4 Because in my mind the music 2as
already sucking 7 2ent ahead 2ith some ma)or research4
Here &ere the parameters of my experiment:
K 8onBt try to gra3itate to any note )ust "ecause it is consonant
K 8onBt think a"out 2hat the changes actually are& ignore them as much as -ossi"le
K 8issonance needs no resolution unless it ha--ens totally "y chance
K The longer dissonance can "e maintained the "etter
K >dd grou-ings of notes should "e used to destroy a sense of "ar lines
K Atrange sha-es should "e the rule
'0
K Try to hear the ne,t note& it can "e anything
<ey& Call Ate3e Colman 7 )ust disco3ered (-BaseJ
7f you donBt make a -oint to -ractice gi3ing u- rational control and turning it o3er to your ears then
it 2ill ne3er ha--en on itBs o2n4 8onBt 2ait for a modern modal tune to -ractice na3igating in the
ozone& do it on a Blues or Atella4 7t takes a conscious decision let the reigns go4 7t is a different mode
of thinking altogether and a 3ery definite shift needs to ha--en 2hen the rational mind takes a
holiday and the reacti3e ears dictate4 >f course you canBt gi3e a shit 2hat other -eo-le are thinking
of your -laying if you 2ant to do this4 @sually 2e only go out to the outer realms 2hen 2e go all the
2ay BoutsideB4 7tBs rare for a -layer to "e a"le to drift "ack and forth "et2een these t2o modes& from
the dream state to 2aking consciousness and "ack4
Think a"out that time 2hen you are on the sofa fighting off a full na- 2hile 2atching TV4 +irst the
2ords coming from the TV are making sense& then all of a sudden the 2ords do not ha3e a strict
meaning& they are only tones carrying emotion4 These tones may also connect 2ith images or the
may "ring images into "eing4 *3en the images that start to form in your mind do not ha3e a
-articular meaning4 They may ha3e emotional content "ut they are not related to anything solid4
Then all of a sudden you 2ake u- a little and the 2ords lose their a"stract quality4 =o2 they are
talking a"out "eauty -ageants for young girls or ho2 to fry a turkey4 The 2ords 2ere so much more
artistic and "eautiful 2hen they 2ere dra2ing images out of the unseen and across the threshold of
your consciousness4
(usic can drift across this threshold of a"straction too4 +irst e3ery note is related in some 2ay to
the chords& and then each note may or may not ha3e direct relation to the harmony4 7t is a shift into
an a"stract realm that is like the moment 2hen you drift off to slee-4 ;ou can of course 2ake
yourself u- at anytime and enter "ack into to chord/scale uni3erse& "ut isnBt it nice )ust to drift off a
little4
7f 7 2ere going to totally take it totally outside 7Bd )ust go to "ed and take a full siesta and dream
a"out 9l"ert 9yler or 9rchie Ache--4 7nstead& 7Bll )ust recline here on the couch 2ith the TV on and
-retend that 7Bm a2ake& sliding effortlessly "et2een Be"o- and clouds that look like farm animals4
5elatively 3erfect 3itch
True -erfect -itch is a great asset for a Jazz musician4 @nfortunately itBs e,tremely uncommon4 7f
you donBt de3elo- it at a young age& you -ro"a"ly ne3er 2ill4 :elati3e -itch is "eing a"le to figure
out -itches after you ha3e a reference -itch gi3en to you4 7 2as a"le to teach myself 2hat 7 call
Brelati3ely -erfect -itchB4 This is something that is some2here "et2een -erfect and relati3e -itch4
'$
7f 7Bm listening to notes -layed on my main a,e& the alto sa,o-hone& 7 can tell 2hat -itches they are4
7B3e "een a"le to do this since 7 2as in high school4 ;ou might call this something like B-erfect alto
sa, -itchB4 7 learned Brelati3ely -erfect -itchB years later4 The 2ay 7 did this 2as "y choosing a fe2
-itches at a time (these might "e from the melody of a fa3orite tune! and singing them o3er and o3er
in a 3ery loud 3oice4 7Bd sing these four to si, notes 3ery slo2ly and )ust notice 2hat my "ody felt
like as it 3i"rated these notes4 7f you sing loud enough you can learn to remem"er 2hat your "ody
feels like 2ith these notes rather than )ust 2hat they sound like4 7t "ecomes a -hysical sensation that
is 3ery hard to forget4 *3entually you 2ill ingrain se3eral of these note com"inations into your aural
D "ody memory4 ;ou 2ill then "e a"le to relate any -itch you hear to these memorized tones4
7 tell my students that each note is like someone you kno24 There is )ust one guy named 9 natural
and he has a unique -ersonality4 ;ou donBt recognize him )ust "y the facts that he has "ro2n hair&
green eyes& 2ears glasses& and is stocky4 7f this 2ere ho2 you defined him youBd "e calling all kinds
of guys "y his name4 There is only one guy named 9 natural4 (usicians donBt kno2 each note
-ersonally "ut they 2ill get 3ery close& 2ithout e3er really locking the notes in4 They may kno2 9
natural as some2here "et2een E$L "-s and EEE"-s& "ut they ha3e ne3er really sat do2n 2ith EEM
"-s and gotten to kno2 it -ersonally4 >nce you sit do2n 2ith someone and get to kno2 him (find
out 2here he gre2 u-& 2hat his -arents 2ere like& 2hat moti3ates him! and find out 2hat you ha3e
in common 2ith him (ho2 your head& throat& chest feels 2hen you sing the note for -eriods of time!&
then you 2ill -ro"a"ly ne3er forget him 2hen you -ass him on the street4 ;ou 2onBt say&T That dude
looks really familiar& is it "ecause he looks kind of like my other friend #OR ;ou 2ill kno2 this old
friend immediately and say&T 9EEMJ 1hasu-J <a3enBt seen you since the "ridge4T
This is not some magical -rocess4 7t is )ust a matter of taking time to sit do2n 2ith these notes and
s-ending some quality time 2ith them4 9fter you 2ork on your note com"inations during your
-ractice time& remem"er to sing them occasionally during the rest of the day4 This 2ill hel- solidify
your -ersonal kno2ledge of these notes4 +irst try to sing them in your mind4 Then check them "y
singing them in your full chest 3oice4 7f youBre -atient and diligent you 2ill "e guaranteed results4
Melodic Minor -cales
There are four different -ossi"le melodic minor scales that can "e -layed o3er a dominant se3enth
chord4 ;ou can organize them in terms of the num"er of alterations4
+or e,am-le o3er a C7 chord you can -lay.
K melodic minor- one tension (#11!
'E

K + melodic minor- one tension ("1$!

K B" melodic minor- t2o tensions ("#& ##!

K *" melodic minor- three tensions (##& #11& "1$!

K C# melodic minor- four tensions ("#& ##& #11& "1$!
Brian Berge said444
<ey& are you guys forced to refer to the modes of the (elodic (inor the 2ay you do "ecause not
all of them ha3e standardized namesO >r is that the 2ay you guys actually -refer it (al2ays referring
to 2hat 2ould "e the root of the 1st mode!O
8a3id Valdez said444
+or -ractical a--lication in im-ro3isation itBs an easy 2ay to calculate the correct chord scale
quickly4 The modes of the (elodic (inor scale also do not ha3e the same ty-e of key relationshi- as
the modes of the (a)or Acale do4 +or e,am-le a B7 altered dominant scale is more related to the key
of * (a)or than C (elodic (inor4 7f 2e relate e3erything 2e can "ack to the (elodic (inor then
2e can use take ad3antage of our familiarity 2ith this sim-le scale4 9t Berklee they donBt e3en
"other to tell you that the altered dominant scale is a mode of the melodic minor4 This is "ecause
they donBt 2ant you thinking in terms of another key4 They 2ould rather ha3e you learn alt dominant
scales as. root& "#& ##& $& #11& "1$& "74 7t is much easier to think in terms of melodic minor& "ut the
do2nside is that sometimes you lose track of ho2 each note is actually functioning in relation to the
chord that the scale is "eing -layed o3er4
Ma4in* the saBophone &ar4 li4e a do*, W<<2;
There is an entire uni3erse of sa,o-hone multi--honics and alternate fingerings out there4 John
ross& one of CortlandBs o2n hea3y-hitters& 2rote a"out the most com-rehensi3e "ook on the su")ect
called T1L' (ulti--honics for the Aa,o-hone& 9 Cractical uideT (-u"lished "y 9d3ance (usic!4
;ou can hear John -ut some of these to use on his recording 2ith drummer Billy (inz called
Beautiful ;ou4
Bert 1ilson is another =1 sa,o-honist 2ho is crazy a"out multi--honics4 Bert is one of the fe2
cats that only use multi--honics that make functional chords4 Bert -lays chord -rogressions 2ith
multi--honics4 7 must admit that to my ear most multi--honics sound -retty harsh and ra2& 2hether
they are harmonically functional or not4 7 might use one no2 and then 2hen -laying free music& "ut
like altissimo& 7 find that itBs "est to limit them4 7 most often use them not for the multi-note effect "ut
as "arks4 By a "ark 7 mean a note that -o-s out louder and 2ith a different tim"re& used for dramatic
effect4 The most 2idely used "arks are sim-ly o3ertones4 Check out 5ester ;oung on Jazz at the
Chilharmonic& youBll hear him use this technique on the 9 sections on :hythm changes4 *3ery time
he does it the cro2d goes totally nuts4 <e -lays re-eated middle C eighth notes& alternating "et2een
''
regular fingering and the 1st o3ertone of lo2 C4 Aince the o3ertone C has most of the keys do2n the
sound comes out of the "ell rather than the u--er stack4 1hen a mic is right in the "ell this makes the
o3ertones e,-losi3ely -o- out4 This same technique can also "e used from middle + u- to # 2ith
the second o3ertones of lo2 B" to C#4 The o3ertone notes are "igger and darker since more of the
tu"e is "eing used4
The t2o other "arks that 7 use are multi--honic fingerings 2ithout the e,tra notes4
The first one is a "luesy B". +inger *" 2ith the octa3e key and 2ithout your key4 :ela,
and tighten your em"ouchure slo2ly as you "lo2& actually itBs more of a dro--ing of the )a24
;ouBll notice that youBll hear a B" alternating 2ith the "elo2 it4 :a-idly and drastically
tightening and loosening your cho-s can create a minor third shake4 Atart 3ery slo2 at first
and then faster as you get the hang of it4 Chil 1oods uses this one a lot& it has a 3ery
distincti3e "luesy sound4 ;ou can use )ust the to- note (B"! 2ithout the shake also6 this gi3es
an e,tra lo2 -itch that 2oofs4 7tBs great for a Blue se3enth or third (the e,tra flatted 7th really
comes from the 7th o3ertone!4
The second one is a "luesy . This one is the same idea as the last one "ut on a different note4
+inger a lo2 C -lus the octa3e key and 2ithout the + key (inde, finger of the right hand!4 Try
the same thing 2ith your cho-s as a"o3e4 ;ou can also get a nice multi--honic 2ith this
fingering in the lo2er octa3e4 Take off the octa3e key and )ust rela, and "lo2& a full three
note multi--honic should come out4
The 2ay to master these techniques is "y -racticing o3ertones4 <ere are the o3ertone e,ercises that
Joe Viola ga3e me4 These arenBt as e,treme as the Aigard :ascher BTo- TonesB e,ercises and much
more -ractical 2ith a normal sa,o-hone setu-4 :ascherBs school used large "ore Buscher horns 2ith
3ery s-ecific mouth-ieces and reeds4 Joe V told me that those guys all had raunchy sounds any2ay4
>nce you can -o- out the 3arious o3ertones for use to as alternate fingerings& to drastically change
tim"re4 Ait4 5ie do2n4 Atay4 A-eakJ
Innovation or 7mulation9
7f you learn all the BrulesB and study 2hat youBre told to study& you 2ill most likely end u- sounding
like someone else4 The thing to do is start de3elo-ing a -ersonal 2ay of -laying from the start4 This
is true inno3ation4 ;ou donBt need to de3elo- a ne2 system of re-harmonizing t2o-fi3es or "reak out
free of time signatures to "e an inno3ator4
1hen 7 2as younger& my dream 2as to "ecome the ne,t ma)or inno3ator4 7 2anted my
contri"utions to reorganize the 2orld of Jazz4 (y name 2ould "e s-oken along 2ith Bird& Trane& and
>rnette4 7 2anted to "e recognized "y musicians hundreds of years from no2 as a -i3otal figure4 7tBs
amusing for me to look "ack on that young as-iring Jazz musician4 7 still do 2ant to inno3ate& "ut
that has a different meaning to me no24
'H
1hat inno3ation means to me no2 is -laying music in a unique 2ay& ha3ing your o2n indi3idual
3oice4 ;ou can incor-orate elements from other musicians and still "e inno3ati3e4 7 think youBre on
your 2ay to "eing an inno3ator 2hen listeners can tell itBs you after hearing )ust a fe2 notes4
There are many young -layers today coming out of music institutions 2ith high le3els of
musicianshi- and technique4 They rarely come out as unique stylists4 They usually sound like se3eral
of the Jazz greats4 Aometimes their ma)or influences can e3en "e counted on one hand4 Aometimes a
style can e3en "e traced to a single record "y one musician (7 heard a tenor -layer once 2ho had
"ased his entire style on BreckerBs BCitysca-esB al"um!4 >ne of the reasons this ha--ens is that
students are o3er encouraged to transcri"e and learn licks4 This is -ositi3ely reinforced 2hen they
are -raised for sounding like Trane& Benson& or Brecker4 9udiences usually res-ond 2ell to this ty-e
of -laying "ecause itBs already familiar to them4 Aome -eo-le say that lick -laying is )ust cro2d
-leasing and some think that itBs res-ecting our rich Jazz heritage4
9merican audiences& in general& are more focused on the final result rather than the creati3e
-rocess4 To me& the creati3e -rocess is much more im-ortant4 7 2ould rather listen to slo--y
e,-loration that contains a fe2 gems than to a clean& "ut deri3ati3e& -erformance4 7 can acce-t a fair
amount scuffling and kacking if 7 think the -layer is trying to go some2here ne24 @nfortunately the
masses arenBt really conditioned to acce-t this ty-e of musician4
The ne2 cro- of younger Jazz -layers is clean to a fault4 They donBt usually -ush for the
im-ossi"le& choosing instead to "e content 2ith the -ossi"le4
1hen 7 2as younger 7 often -layed out of Joe CassBs uitar Atyles "ook4 JoeBs lines 2ere 2o3en
through the changes like a fine oriental silk rug4 This "ook got me thinking a"out longer lines& "ut 7
didnBt 2ant to -lay the e,act same lines as Joe4 (y solution 2as to take a -encil and 2rite crazy
alterations right in the "ook4 The original lines 2ere straight-ahead 3anilla "o- lines4 By the time 7
2as done 2ith them no one 2ould ha3e e3er sus-ected that they came from Joe Cass4 This same
thing can "e done 2ith any "ook4
8onBt "e afraid to learn from musicians 2ho -lay different instruments than you4 This 2ill "roaden
your style and your sources 2ill "e harder to trace4 9l2ays kee- your influences "road4 8onBt focus
too much on any one -layer4
>ne of the to-ics 7 ha3e 2ritten a"out in this "log is chord/scale theory4 This is a"out finding the
correct scale to fit any gi3en chord4 7f you take this theory as fact you 2ill find yourself limited to a
linear and Bun-chunkyB 2ay of -laying4 ;ou 2ill end u- sounding clean& "ut not 3ery -ersonal4 >ne of
the BtheoriesB that 2e acce-t in school is that scales can all "e defined in one octa3e and that each
octa3e is the same as e3ery other octa3e4 (usic theory is taught this 2ay "ecause itBs con3enient and
less confusing4 7n actuality& scales donBt ha3e to "e limited to one octa3e at all4 They may ha3e a
range of fi3e octa3es or )ust a tri-tone4 9 flat nine sounds 3ery different 2hen -layed in another
octa3e and an 9SEEM is not really an 9SLLM at all4 7tBs )ust the note that sounds the most similar out
of all the other notes4 7t has a com-letely different -ersonality and resonant quality4
Jazz im-ro3isation theory needs to "e ad)usted for the range of the indi3idual instruments4 9
"aritone sa,o-hone -laying u--er e,tensions o3er chord changes 2ill "e dealing 2ith a totally
'7
different harmonic en3ironment than a -iccolo4 Consider the fact that an altered dominant scale may
"e -layed differently in different octa3es4 ;ou might 2ant to try using a 5ydian dominant scale in a
lo2er octa3e and an altered dominant in a higher octa3e4 7t also de-ends on the range of the com-ing
instrument4
AlonimkyBs "ook deals 2ith symmetrical scales4 The first of these is a tri-tone scale (C-+#-C0-+#0-
ect!4 *3entually he gets into symmetrical scales that s-an se3eral octa3es4 The symmetrical scale of
0.$ is a t2o-octa3e scale that is di3ided equally into three -arts& "y minor si,ths (C-9"-*-C0!4 This
is related to the 1.$ scale (C-*-9"-C0! "ut it is also 3ery different4 Try 2riting some of your o2n
scales that are not limited to )ust one octa3e4 Try com-osing some of your o2n licks4 Claying your
o2n licks is al2ays more interesting and re2arding than -laying someone elseBs4
The chord/scale a--roach has a tendency to lock you into -laying only the scale notes o3er a chord4
The scale should only "e thought of as consonant notes4 9ll t2el3e notes should "e a3aila"le to you
o3er any gi3en chord4 The non-scale notes each ha3e their o2n Btonal-gra3ityB4 They only sound
2rong if you donBt kno2 2here they 2ant to resol3e to and you donBt deal 2ith them correctly4 9
good e,ercise is to sit do2n at a -iano and -lay chords 2hile e,-erimenting 2ith e3ery note o3er
each chord4 5isten to 2here each Ba3oidB note 2ants to resol3e4 Try things like a ma)or third o3er a
minor se3enth& a natural 11th o3er an altered dominant chord& a natural fifth o3er a half-diminished
chord4 Be thorough a"out this -rocess and take notes as you go4 >nce you realize that you can -lay
anything o3er anything you 2ill "e a"le to rela, a little4 ;ou 2onBt "e so 2orried a"out -laying
2rong notes "ecause you 2ill ha3e the skills to ada-t to any -ossi"ility4
)emember that you ma.e the decision to inno#ate or emulate e#ery single time you sit do&n to
practice.
<n &ein* emotionally present
7 had a gig recently that really made me a2are of the effect that emotional interaction has on Jazz
-erformance4 7 felt like one of the musicians on the gig 2asnBt emotionally a3aila"le4 7 kno2 that this
sounds like a talk that your needy girlfriend might 2ant ha3e 2ith you "ut hear me out4 9 musician
may -hysically "e -laying a--ro-riately or mentally "e thinking a"out 2hat he/she is -laying4 7f
youBre focusing more on the hot cocktail 2aitress than you are the music& then mental distraction is
the result& this is musically cri--ling4
7f a musician that you are -laying 2ith is emotionally 2ithdra2n or de-ressed& you 2onBt "e a"le to
con3erse on an emotional le3el 2ith them4 7 donBt )ust 2ant the rhythm section to react to the musical
ideas that 7Bm -laying6 7 need them to -ro)ect and res-ond to strong emotions4 ;ou might e3en call
2hat 7Bm talking a"out emotional com-ing4 They ha3e to "e 2illing and a"le to contri"ute 3ital
feelings to the mi,4
9 musician de-ressi3e musician 2ill ha3e a hard time e,-ressing )oy and o-timism in his -laying4
<e might not "e a"le to feel e,cited if the cro2d isnBt cla--ing or -aying attention& if at all4 7 really
2ant to feel -al-a"le feelings of )oy& sorro2 and e,citement emanating from the musicians 7Bm
-laying 2ith& or else the gig feels like 7Bm scre2ing 2ith a condom on (sorry kids!4 i3e me
something to 2ork 2ith -lease4 1ake u- and feel (@T<*:+K#\]s%JJ
'L
;ou ha3e to "e 2illing to -lay like your life de-ended on it& like itBs your last day ali3e& like your
"alls are on fire4 >ther2ise go get a )o" as a -arking lot attendant or an accountant (sorry all you
accountants out there!4 Being a Jazz musician requires intense emotional e,ertion4 1hat if a -ro
foot"all -layer didnBt "other to run at full s-eed 2hen he got the "all& or a "rain surgeon 2ho didnBt
"other to really concentrate all his attention to the )o" on handO Claying Jazz should feel like a matter
of life and deathJ 7f e3eryone doesnBt gi3e 0MM] then the music 2ill die on the o-erating ta"le4 7f
you ne3er s2eat or feel 2i-ed out after a gig& then 7Bd say youBre trying hard enough4 *3en if your
life totally sucks ass the time you s-end -laying Jazz needs to scream&T 7 5>V* (; 57+*JJJJR Aome
"andleaders 2onBt notice if youBre -honing it in and are )ust trying to get through the gig& 7 do
though4
The thing that se-arates the truly great -layers from to mediocre -layers is the a"ility to attain non-
ordinary -hysical& mental and emotional states4 1hen 7 go to a gig 7 kno2 that 7 should "e -re-ared
to enter a higher mode of "eing from my e3eryday state4 7 try to "e o-en to e,-eriencing a le3el of
emotional intensity that rarely ha--ens 2hen 7Bm not -laying4 *3en if the gig is in a ;u--ie "ar in a
;u--ie sho--ing center4
7 donBt think of myself as a -articularly moody -erson& "ut 7 2ant to "e as moody as an e,-ectant
mother or a ra-id cycle "i--olar hy-oglycemic4 ;ou must "e 2illing to radiate 2a3es of )oy and then
the dee-est "lackest sorro2 in a s-lit second4 Clinging stu""ornly to the mask of your ordinary
-ersona 2ill make you emotionally im-otent and "oring as hell to listen to4 <ey& 2ould the audience
cla- and hoot 2hile you load the dish2asher or scoo- the dog -oo- in the "ack yard4 =>4 =o one is
im-ressed 2ith mundane -ersonal chores6 so donBt make -laying music one4
7 sometimes refer to emotions 2ith terms like radiate and emanate "ecause 2hen you strongly
-ro)ect feeling and emotion 2ith your music it should make the listener feel as if they 2ere a
(cChicken sand2ich under a heat lam- kee-ing 2arm at (c8onalds4 7f no emotional intensity is
achie3ed then it feels like youBre trying to catch a tan from a 'M-2att light "ul"4 Chinese medicine
sees all ty-es of human e,-erience as different manifestations of a life energy called Vi4 This energy
needs to circulate freely throughout the different energy "odies in order to maintain good health-
emotionally& mentally and -hysically4 Vi energy can "ecome stagnant or "locked and all ty-es of
ailments start to set in4
H 9ccording to <hinese medicine there are se#en emotions that a person can experience: (oy"
anger" &orry" pensi#eness" sadness" fear" and fright. These are normal emotions that are reactions to
#arious life circumstances. Jnly &hen they come on suddenly and intensely" or continue for a
protracted period do they lead to pathological conseKuences. 0t should be remembered that diseases
caused by the emotions arise from the interior and directly affect the corresponding organs. This is
different from" for example" the ;ix +xcesses" &hich cause disease by entering the body from the
exterior. Thus" symptoms caused by emotional disturbances often manifest #ery soon after onset.
Furthermore" the immediate result is a disturbance of the Ci mechanism" &hich if untreated causes
further disharmonies depending on the affected organs!.
H -0n this L&esternM culture" thereBs this idea that if you suffer from depression" you should not tal.
about it. That ma.es it e#en &orse. 4ouBre suppressing emotions" and this causes energy to stagnate.
'#
0f itBs bloc.ed" you start to see symptoms" either physical or emotional. These are all manifestations
of an imbalance of Ki. The .ey thing is to eliminate that bloc.age and promote the energy flo& in the
body" to help the energy flo& smoothly.
7n some cases one acu-uncture session or )ust a good lay can hel- a musician more than a 2eek of
shedding4 >thers 2ho are more seriously emotionally im-aired may need to see a shrink for a scri-t
of mood sta"ilizers or ele3ators in order to regain emotional dynamics in their music4
;ou canBt al2ays )ust 2oodshed your 2ay to the ne,t le3el musically4
(any young -layers make this mistake4 A-ending 10 hours a day in the -ractice room 2ill not "ring
emotional "alance and 3itality to your -laying4 >nly truly e,-eriencing lifeBs tri"ulation and 3ictories
can make you more emotionally mature4
+rom no2 on 7 2onPt hire -layers 2ho donBt -ut out emotionally4 They had also "etter ha3e their qi
flo2ing freely4
@rticles &y 0asa 'aldez 5eaders
+im 3rice1s random lines eBercise
<ereBs an e,ercise from Tim CriceBs "log (2224tim-rice)azz4com/!4 arzone used to ha3e me do this
one4 7tBs a great 2ay to get comforta"le -laying outside6 itBs also a 2ay to disco3er ne2 and
interesting lines4
H -HereBs another exercise that may help you to find some other stuff to play: choose a tempo and
start to play in a s&ing feel &ith no tonal center. @et the rhythmic focus be your guideA that is" play
rhythmic phrases typical of (a%% phrasing" but &ith a random choice of notes. Try to thro& in some
really large inter#als. Play any note5 0n fact" the more outrageous the better. Tape yourself and see
&hat happens. There may be some highly musical and personali%ed notes in there. By experimenting
&ith inter#allic and seKuential playing you can e#entually de#elop a #ocabulary that &ill enable you
to mo#e from note to note. This is a really spontaneous &ay to impro#ise" and results in some pretty
&ild stuff that you may ha#e ne#er played before.-
>nce you are comforta"le 2ith a high degree of randomness in your -laying (of course 2e can
ne3er truly "e totally random! you 2ill "e a"le to start introducing small amounts into your soloing4
9s you -ractice -laying lines o3er changes sli- a "ar or t2o of totally random notes in& then )um-
right "ack to follo2ing the chord changes4 =o2 try )ust a fe2 "eats of randomness4 9s you -ractice
-laying BrandomB notes "e a2are of trying to use different and 2ider inter3als and direction4
8irection is an im-ortant element of free/outside -laying4 *,-eriment 2ith lines 2hile focusing on
)ust this one element6 donBt -lay more than a fe2 notes 2ithout changing direction4 =e,t introduce
2ider inter3als into the mi,4 8onBt sto- s2inging as you are doing these things4 7f youBre s2inging
HM
really hard the listener 2ill acce-t these far out lines as "eing musical4 The farther out you go the
harder you need to s2ing4 7f you mess 2ith the rhythm of a clichI Be"o- line it 2ill sound much
more outside than a freaked out random line that really s2ings hard4
+im 3rice on the =00<+< and Jazz Harmony
A-eaking of eorge :ussell& hereBs some food for thought4 7n eorge :ussellBs T5ydian ChromaticT
you get this same scale sound "y -laying the T5ydian 9ugmentedT scale "uilt on the T<7:8 of the
8ominant 7th chord (in other 2ords& -lay an * 5ydian 9ugmented on your C7!4 7t gi3es you the
same -itches as the T9ltered 8ominant AcaleT4 The thinking is a "it more focused 2ith the :ussell-
3ia modern stuff4 7 feel4 BT1& 7 find the 5ydian Chromatic 2ay of looking at things e,tremely
useful& -articularly 2hen looking at chord 3oicings4 (ost e,tended chords can "e "oiled do2n to
some kind of (a7 chord o3er a "ass note4 Aometimes the chord is a (a7"'& sometimes a (a7#'&
sometimes a (a7& "ut it can almost al2ays "e seen as some kind of (a74 >nce you figure out 2hat
chord youBre really dealing 2ith& the 5ydian Chromatic thing "ecomes really easy4 7t also gi3es you a
2ay to -i3ot into a 2hole "unch of nice su"stitutions4
1ithout referencing the 5CC itBs a 3ery good idea to look at the 2ays that the 3arious chord ty-es
can "e 3oiced as one of the ma)7 family of chords4
1 $ ' 7
1 "$ ' 7
1 $ "' 7
1 $ #' 7
1 "$ "' 7
1 "$ #' 7
1 E ' 7
9ll of these inter3allic structures share the characteristic of the (a) 7th inter3al& 2hich "ecomes a
min 0nd inter3al4 Clayers like Bill *3ans and 2riters like >li3er =elson and il *3ans o2e their
style in no small 2ay to 3oicings that lots of tension in them often achie3ed "y selecting chords that
ha3e min 0nds on the inside 3oices and or ma)7 inter3als some2here in the chord4 Just imagine ho2
any one of those ma)7-ty-e chords 2ould function 2ith a different note in the "ass4
<H+<N 0T JOT:
Cma)7/8". sort of 8"dim-ish "ut not a commonly used sound
Cma)7/8. 81$susE
H1
Cma)7/*". sort of *"7#'("#&1$!-ish
Cma)7/*. )ust an in3ersion of Cma)7
Cma)7/+. +ma)7(#&#11!(no$rd!
Cma)7/+#. 87(11&1$!
Cma)7/. )ust an in3ersion of Cma)7
Cma)7/9". 9"ma)7#'##
Cma)7/9. 9m#
Cma)7/B". B"#("#&1$!-ish
Cma)7/B. )ust an in3ersion of Cma)7 or B7susE("#&"1$!
Cm(ma)7!/8".
Cm(ma)7!/8. 81$susE"#
Cm(ma)7!/*. Cma)7##/*
<ere are some interesting Triad-Cairs
>3er C7 use C (a) triad - C& *& - and B" 9ug triad -B"& 8& +#- for a sound that is 2hole-
tonish444
>3er C7 use +# (a) triad -+#& B"& C#- and * 9ug triad -*& #& C- for an altered/tri-tone
sound4
>3er C7& (normal dominant or altered!& use 8"- triad and 8 9ug triad
>3er 8min7"' use B" (a) triad and 9" 9ug triad
>3er Cmin(a)7 use + (a) triad and *" 9ug triad4
Ho to Memorize +unes- &y /ill Mithoefer
H0
9 lot of these are stolen from different -eo-le 2ho ga3e me ti-s o3er the years4 7 2ill credit <al
Atein& Jerry Bergonzi& ?enny 8orham& Aonny :ollins& Aonny Aimmons and <afez (odirzadeh4 They
are all s-un through my o2n t2isted system4
1! :e2rite the tune& laid out on the -age& in E-"ar sections4 This might seem tri3ial to some& "ut in
my mind& it is 3ery hel-ful& as it makes it easier to 3isualize the tune in "locks4
(0! 7f youBre ha3ing e3en remote trou"les 2ith the changes& sim-lify& sim-lify& sim-lify4
($! The first ste- is to determine the form& is it a 10-"ar "lues or any of the many 3ariations of this
formOO (Cycle "lues& minor "lues& ma)or "lues& etc4! 7s it a ty-ical tin -an alley $0-"ar 99B9& like T7
ot :hythmOT 7f so& itBs as sim-le as the "lues& as you really only ha3e 0 L-"ar sections to memorize4
7s it modalO 9gain& this might make it sim-le& -articularly if the quality of the chords remains the
same4 Aome of 1ayne AhorterBs tunes& such as T<ouse of Jade&T can seem quite com-le, until you
recognize a modal slant to them4 Aimilarly& a com-oser like Thelonius (onk may not ha3e the tonic
chord a--ear until half 2ay through the 9-section& or e3en the end of the tune4 >ften& recognizing
the tonic 2ill make the harmony make sense4 >"3iously& there are many forms& 9B99B& etc4 1hat
7Bm suggesting is that you first familiarize yourself 2ith the structure of the tune (the T"ig -ictureT!
and figure out ho2 to "reak it do2n into E-"ar -hrases if -ossi"le4 Aome tunes might need 0 and L-
"ar -hrases4
(E! =o2& if like myself& you -lay a single-line instrument& such as the sa,o-hone& you 2ill 2ant to
find 2ays to hear the harmony4 7Bm a "ig fan of using num"ers for the chords& "ut 7B3e met -eo-le
2ho use mo3ea"le solfege (8o-:e-(i&! fi,ed solfege (like the +rench& 8o S C& (i S 8& etc4! and
e3en the <indi Aaregam system (see 1494 (athieu& T<armonic *,-erienceT!
('! 7Bm assuming that youB3e learned the melody fairly 2ell4 To start& the sim-lest thing to do might
"e to )ust -lay the root of each chord4 =o2& try -laying (singing! the root and the third& and
successi3ely adding the fifth& se3enth& etc4 This ste- can "e done in many different 2ays de-ending
on your -ersonal -reference4 ;ou might -lay 1-0-$-' of ma)or and dominant chords& 1-"$-E-' on the
minor& 1-"0-$-' on dominant ("#! chords and 1-"$-E-"' on minor 7 ("'! chords4 (7 credit this hel-ful
a--roach to Jerry Bergonzi4!
H4 This is a continuation of the last -aragra-h4 Just different single-note a--roaches to the changes4
<afez (odirzadeh taught me Aonny :ollins and Aonny Aimmons old method of learning changes&
2hich 2as to run do2n the "asic triads in quarter note tri-lets through the harmony of a tune4 This
like the -receding a--roach can "e e,tended in se3eral 2ays& through 3ariation of the order of notes
and& on a tune 2ith 0 to E measures of& say 8(a)& one could alternate 2ith either 9"(a) (tri-tone! or
may"e use the *(a)& +#(a) or B(a) once you ha3e the changes fairly T2ired4T
74 Try to run a guide-tone line through the tune4 9s 7 learned& the ty-ical guide tone 2ill either start
on the third or the se3enth and you try and mo3e chromatically or in ma)or se3enths de-ending on
ho2 far the tune tra3els harmonically4
L4 9n e,am-le of this 2ith an elegant song form such as T5ady"ird.T
H$
Cma) /Cma) /+- /B"7 /
Cma) /Cma) /B"- /*"7 /
9"(a) /9"(a) /9- /87 /
8- /7 /Cma)*"(a) /9"(a) 8"(a)/
7tBs 1H-"ars& and it easily di3ides into fairly symmetric E-"ar sections4 >ne could -ro"a"ly get in
some arguments a"out ho2 to think a"out the form& "ut the main thing is to o2n your -articular
method4 7 -ersonally think a"out it as 99BBC4 *ach section "eing only E "ars long instead of the
normal L& "ut you could think a"out it as 9B in 0 L-"ar -hrases& or a cou-le of other 2ays4 9 guide-
tone line starting on the third 2ould go
*/*/*"/8
*/*/9"/
///+#
+/+/**"/CC
Because of the turnaround& a smoother line results from using the tonic of the *"(a) chord to2ards
the end4 7n any e3ent this can "e re-eated starting on B& the 7th of the C chord
B/B/9/9"& etc4 etc4
#4 There are -ro"a"ly an infinite num"er of 2ays to T-lay throughT the changes& 2hich 2ill force
you to hear them4 7tBs also im-ortant to hear ho2 they relate to the melody of a tune& and another
a--roach is to -lay a -hrase of the melody& and then res-ond 2ith the ne,t cou-le of chord changes&
articulated in a melodic fashion4 :eally& the im-ortant thing is to figure out 2hat 2orks for ;>@&
2hich 2ill -ro"a"ly change o3er time4 The Aonny :ollins/Aonny Aimmons a--roach can "e heard on
TAonny :ollins and the Contem-orary 5eaders&T on an alternate take of T<o2 <igh The (oonT
2hen someone left the ta-e rolling during a run-through4
1M4 Think a"out the changes 3isually in your head or recite them 2hile trying to hear them in your
head4 7 use T5ady"irdT as an e,am-le& as you ha3e a num"er of harmonic moments that ha--en in
any num"er of other tunes4 The first change goes u- a fourth (or do2n a fifth&! to a minor chord4
5isten to the sound4 1e no2 ha3e a 77-V in *"& "ut go "ack to the C(a)4 ;ou then go do2n a (a)4
0nd to a 77-V in 9"4 The 9"(a) mo3es u- a 1/0 ste- to an 9 minor& 2hich "ecomes a 77-V4 =o2 the
V chord changes quality to a minor chord& 2ith the 87 "ecoming a 8- 2hich makes a 77-V 2ith the
7 gi3ing us a full cadence to the C(a)& 2hich "egins a turnaround (u- a minor third& u- a Eth& u- a
Eth4! The final 8"(a) dro-s do2n chromatically to the C(a)4 These are all 3ery distincti3e and easy
to hear changes4
HE
114 7n a more diatonically oriented tune& for me -ersonally& 7 find chord charts harder to memorize4
+or a--roaching these ty-es of tunes& )ust using some "asic harmonic ideas can "e 3ery hel-ful4 9ny
se3enth chord that does not contain the (E! or the (7! of the -arent key& is a tonic chord4 7n (a)&
you ha3e (1-$-'-7! (-B-8-+#!& (a)7& the 7 chord& ($-'-7-0!(B-8-+#-9!& B-7& the iii chord& and (H-
L-$-'! (*--B-8!& *-7& the 3i chord4 9ny chord containing the (E! is a su"dominant chord4 Ao in
(a)& you ha3e (0-E-H-L!& (9-C-*-!& 9-7& the ii chord& and (E-H-L-$!& C(a)7& the 7V chord4 The
dominant chords contain the (E! and the (7!& 2hich -roduce the tension of the unique tri-tone -resent
in said ma)or key creating a dominant tonality4 Ao in (a)& you ha3e ('-7-0-E!(8-+#-9-C!& 87& the
V chord and (7-0-E-H! (+#-9-C-*&! +#-7"'& the 3ii chord4 7f you 2ork your 2ay through a diatonic
tune such as TThere 1ill =e3er Be 9nother ;ou&T (not my fa3orite tune& "ut it 2ill ha3e to do until
the real thing comes along! -laying the chords from the tonal center& that is focusing on -laying them
from the (1! or the (7! in the tune& you can -retty quickly train your ear to hear ho2 the harmony of
these ty-es of tunes de3iates from the tonal center of the song4 7 suggest that 2ith many of these
ty-es of tunes& you can train your ear to 2ork through the tune much faster than you should 2aste
the time of memorizing the changes4
104 7n the final analysis& one 2ants to e3entually try and )ust Tkno2T the tune 2ithout e3en thinking
a"out the changes4 ;ou might try learning guitar or another chordal instrument& as for myself
-ersonally& des-ite years of struggling 2ith the -iano& 7B3e al2ays "een a"le to find my 2ay around a
guitar a lot easier& e3en though most music educators seem to like the -iano "ecause of its 3isual
as-ect4 7 -refer the guitar "ecause itBs easier to forget the notes and sim-ly focus on the sound4 But
finally you )ust ha3e to use a large multi-licity of a--roaches and choose 2hiche3er one(s! 2ork for
you Tin the moment4T Aometimes the "right moments 2ill only ha--en 2hen you feel like youBre
falling through some harmonic ele3ator shaft4
Cheers& Billy
'aryin* the Melodic 5hythm- &y !an Aaynor
7B3e "een -racticing o3er here4 7Bm taking a melody (2ith no accom-animent! and -laying it o3er
and o3er 2ith -hrasing 3ariations& taking care not to re-eat myself4 7Bll delay the melody and catch
u- later or add -assing tones and 3arious things4 9fter a certain -oint 7 found it con3enient to try
rhythmic 3ariations on the melody 7 2as trying4 7Bd -lay the entire melody as tri-lets or si,teenths
and kee- the form "y starting in the right -lace (accounting for ne2 rests!4 Then 7 tried -laying the
2hole thing an eighth note for2ard or "ack2ard from the original4 >"3iously this a--lies more to
tunes 2ith a lot of rhythm& as o--osed to& say& 9ll the Things ;ou 9re4 7Bd imagine one 2ould ha3e a
lot of fun 2ith >leo& (oose the (ooche and 8onna 5ee& this 2ay4 7n fact& on 5ee ?onitz and 1arne
(arsh& 2hen they -lay 8onna 5ee& 5ee is a quarter note a2ay from 1arne& so 7Bm sure they
-racticed this sort of thing4 :egardless& finding -ersonal 2ays to -hrase melodies is -ractically
synonymous 2ith "eing an artistic im-ro3iser& so anything you can do to stretch your mind around
ho2 should "e hel-ful4
H'
HH
H7
Just to clarify e,actly 2hich modes of (elodic and <armonic minor.
+or a -oly-chord 2ith the u--er chord a minor second "elo2 the lo2er triad.
+# triad o3er triad
Clay a melodic minor from the third of the "ottom triad (B melodic minor!
7f the u--er triad is a minor second a"o3e the lo2er triad.
9" triad o3er triad
Clay a harmonic minor from the $rd of the u--er triad (C harmonic minor!
7f the u--er triad is a (a)or 0nd a"o3e the lo2er triad.
* triad o3er 8 triad
Clay a <armonic (inor scale from the fifth of the lo2er-triad (9 <armonic (inor!
From the comments section
2orard Harmonic Motion
$oshua <liburn said...
8a3id - 5et me first say that 7 2orshi- your -laying like a red-eyed -agan on a sacrificial Aa""ath4
But 7 2ould like to take e,ce-tion 2ith the follo2ing statement.

-For example' 0f you are playing o#er t&o bars of E8 going to < you may play a straight :ixolydian
in the first bar and then play a E8>11 3 melodic'! for the first t&o beats of bar t&o and an E8
altered dominant 9b melodic'! in the last t&o beats of the second bar. 4ou &ould not &ant to start
&ith the E8 altered dominant and TH+6 play a straight :ixolydian before resol#ing in bar three.-
HL
To the contrary& 7 often like to go the e,act o--osite 2ay in resol3ing 8om7Bs& going from most to
least dissonant to -ro3ide a more consonant resolution4

7s there a conte,tual detail that 7Bm selecti3ely lea3ing outO 5et me kno2 2hat you think4
Than,J
Josh
3a#id 7alde% said...
Joshua&
Thanks for the mad -ro-s4 .-!
>f course all rules are made to "e "roken& es-ecially 2hen it comes to Jazz4 There is a
fundamental reason that 7 said that you shouldnBt B"acktrackB 2hen it comes to adding alterations
rather than su"tracting them "efore resolution4 1hen 2e are a--roaching a dominant to tonic
resolution 2e 2ant to al2ays maintain for2ard motion4 This is the same reason that dominants 2ant
to resol3e do2n "y fifths and not fourths4 ;ou say that you like the sound of starting 2ith an altered
dominant then going to a dominant "efore resol3ing "ecause it sounds more consonant to you4
9ctually 2hat is ha--ening 2hen you do this is that you are losing for2ard motionO
1hat does the circle of fourths sound like com-ared to the circle of fifthsO 7t is not as com-elling&
to -ut it mildly4 There are certain la2s of nature/music/num"er that are immuta"le& and this is one of
the "iggies4 Ao to go from the altered dominant to the dominant creates "ack2ard rather than
for2ard motion4 This stalls out your momentum and is kind of a Bharmonic clamB4 The altered
dominant has so much tension that 2ants to resol3e to the tonic and instead of resol3ing youBre going
to a straight dominant4 9ll the 3oices that 2anted to resol3e to the tonic are suddenly left hanging
2ith Bno2here to goB4 This isnPt strong harmonic motion4 7tBs like youB3e almost reached clima, and
then you -eter out right "efore a tiny squirt (sorry kids!4
7f 2e kee- strong for2ard harmonic motion in our lines 2e can -lay -ractically anything o3er any
changes as long as 2e kee- mo3ing for2ard and e3entually resol3e4 <ere is an e,am-le of 2hat 7Bm
talking a"out.

>3er a.

8-7 /7 /Cma)7 /
;ou could -lay.
*7 97 /87 7 /Cma)7 /
The e,tended dominant resolutions 2ork "ecause they each resol3e do2n a fifth to the ne,t change4

H#
9n e,treme e,am-le of 2hat you are doing "y going from altered 8ominant to 8ominant "efore
resol3ing is this.

B"7 +7 /C7 7 /Cma)7 /
The first set of changes resol3e do2n in fifths and sounds 3ery dissonant until they resol3e to the
ma)or chord4 >nce they resol3e they& get this& :*T:>9CT7V5*; make sense4 This is a 3ery
interesting -henomenon6 the mind and ear 2ork in mysterious 2ays indeed4
7n the second set of changes the dominants sound 3ery dissonant as they mo3e around the circle of
fourths then they resol3e to the tonic4 1hen they resol3e they do not suddenly make sense like the
first set of changes do4 The only changes that ha3e any real motion are the last V7 to 7ma)74
This is of course an e,treme e,am-le of 2hat 7 am talking a"out "ut it is e,actly the same
conce-t4 7f you understand this idea then you 2ill "e a"le to create 3ery interesting sets of su"s o3er
3ery "oring changes4 9 straight dominant to tonic resolution may sound more consonant than an
altered dominant to tonic resolution& "ut it does not ha3e as dramatic a resolution4 1e 9:* trying to
-lay )azz rather than =e2 9ge music here& 7 ho-e4 Bird and all the other founders of Bo-
re3olutionized Jazz4 They -ushed the limits "y using these u--er e,tensions in the 2ay 7 illustrated
a"o3e4 ;es& it is dissonant "ut this is modern Jazz 2e are talking a"out here4
7 2ant to add to my last comment. ;ou should -lay e,actly 2hat sounds good to you4 7 didnBt
mean to make it sound like no one e3er does 2hat you 2ere talking a"out& many great -layers do4
1alking "ack2ards is fine and cool as long as you are a2are that your "ody 2as made to 2alk
for2ard4 7tBs the general -rinci-al 7 2anted to stress4 There are elements in harmony that are not )ust
matters of -ersonal taste and once you understand 2hat these are youBll "e a"le to -ut together your
o2n -ersonal style4 ;ouBll learn ho2 to use these quirky and "ack2ard a--roaches to your
ad3antage4 9gain& al2ays -lay the 2ay you really 2ant to e3en if it means going against the flo24 7
2as starting to sound like a true Be-Bo- =azi for a second there4 Aorry a"out that4
<hic.en little said...
1ell& youB3e "een a "e"o- nazi since you 2ere a kid4 9ny2ay& 7 2ould second 8a3idBs comments
a"out resol3ing altered chords in the -ro-er 2ay4 There are reasons that things are immuta"le la2s of
nature4 The circle of 'ths 2ill al2ays ha3e a strong for2ard motion than Eths4

>n the other hand 7 can remem"er that 2hen 7 2as a kid (7 2onBt "ore you 2ith the entire story! "ut
Buddy :ich told some kid to T+uck rudiments& )ust -layJT 7 think that this is the "est ad3ice you can
e3er get4
7M
$oshua <liburn said...
>k4447 @*AA 7 can see 2here youBre coming from& "ut ne,t time& feel free to fully e,-lain the
conce-t& 7 mean& cBmon& J@AT one -ageJ
Just ?iddingJ That 2as -hat444than, so much for taking the time to e,-lain4 7t does make more
sense 2hen you "reak it do2n to fifths motion 3s4 fourths4 7Bm already 2orking out some of the su"s
you mentioned and others in your symmetrical scales "log4
Thanks for "ringing us theory-challenged sa, -layers u- to s-eedJ
@ heated de&ate on audience feed&ac4
$eff 9lbert said444
7 agree 2ith much of 2hat you say here4 1e canBt 2orry a"out 2hat the audience is thinking 2hile
2e are -laying4 But 2hen you say& T7 ha3e to assume that my idea of 2hat sounds good is more
de3elo-ed than the cro2d&T you start do2n a sli--ery slo-e4
1hy are 2e -laying musicO 7s it solely for our o2n -ersonal en)oymentO 9re 2e gi3ing the
audience some sort of medicine that they 2onBt understand in their artistically unde3elo-ed state& "ut
need to take any2ayO 7 think -eo-le kno2 2hat touches them and mo3es them musically4 1e
shouldnBt underestimate our audiencePs a"ility to connect emotionally to something they might not
com-letely understand technically4
7 think 2e should -lay 2hat 2e -lay& not 2hat 2e think they 2ant to hear& "ut 7 also think that
com-letely discounting their o-inion or reaction remo3es an im-ortant -art of the -erformer/listener
connection4
B@T& like you said& 2e canBt think a"out that 2hile 2e are -laying4
;es& i3e them that "itter -illJ
7 do actually "elie3e that listening audiences are highly intuiti3e and can actually tell most of the
time 2hen a -layer is "ullshitting4 Aometimes they are dum" as doornails& take the cro2d at a ?enny
concert for e,am-le4 Ao e3en though they might "e highly educated and -erce-ti3e 7 ha3e to
assume theyBre not )ust to kee- myself from 2orrying a"out 2hat they think4 This doesnBt al2ays
2ork& "ut it is a 2ay for me to trick myself into feeling free4
7f 2e -lay only for our o2n en)oyment then 2e may as 2ell )ust stay home and -lay 9e"ersold
C8s4 7f 7 am -laying great and the audience is hearing great music then magical things can ha--en4
71
The energy can go through the roof4 7f 7Bm -laying great and the audience has a "urning desire to talk
a"out their day at 2ork& then 7Bm "etter off if 7Bm not affected "y their rudeness4 Aome clu"s are
listening rooms and other clu"s are -icku- "ars and loud talking rooms4 1e canBt al2ays reach the
soul of the cro2d as 2orking -rofessionals4 (y 2ay ((iles 8a3is 2as the master actually! is a 2ay
to -lay in less desira"le situations and not "e emotionally drained 2hen there is no lo3e4
7n short& 7 do 2ant to touch audiences "ut sometimes the only 2ay to reach a -articular cro2d is "y
-laying @ouie" @ouie or Boogie'oogie'oogie4
>ther -layers do a--roach this dilemma differently4 7 2ould rather 2ait a fe2 generations than
-lay Boogie-oogie-oogie 2illingly4
3an said...
7 agree 2ith you& Jeff& e,ce-t in that the sli--ery slo-e is a fallacy& rightO 6! There are a lot of
things to consider a"out the statement you quoted4 8oes the idea of Tgood musicT need to "e
de3elo-edO Aome ha3e de3elo-ed such an idea& and they donBt all agree 2ith each other4 Aome
-erformers& like 5a2rence 1illiams talks a"out in that cli- found on this "log& culti3ate the
connection to the audience4 Ao& 7 donBt think 8a3id com-letely discounts the audiences o-inion --
intuiti3e reactions are found among "oth the educated and the uninitiated -- "ut that he kno2s that if
he -lays something e,cellent (in e3ery sense of the 2ord& not )ust technically& "ut 2ith feeling and
timing! and the audience doesnBt res-ond or res-onds negati3ely (there are a lot of drunks out there!&
and at the same time some2here else in the 2orld the cro2d goes a-eshit for A2eet <ome 9la"ama&
that he shouldnBt think t2ice4 7 try not to -ay attention to the audiencePs reaction "efore 7 do my o2n4
There are ideal -erformer/audience relationshi-s& 2here the audience lo3es to listen to the
-erformer and the -erformer lo3es to -lay for them& "ut in this 2orld there are gigs that one has to do
to get "y and gigs that one does to further an artistic 3ision4 The "itter -ill can "e good for the
audience& or they cannot care one 2ay or the other4 7f itBs a situation 2here the audience doesnBt care
2hat the -erformer does& that can "e okay& too& "ut not ideal4
7 am -ersonally touched and mo3ed "y +unkyto2n4 7Bm not sure itBs a Tgood touch&T and 7 donBt
think any"ody 2ants to 2atch me mo3e4 .!
5a2rence talks a"out the ideal audience as -eo-le 2ho you ha3e culti3ated o3er time4 They are
fans of your music4 They kno2 2hat you ha3e done in the -ast and 2ant to hear 2hat you are going
to do in the future4 They come to see ;>@ -lay& not to hear any -articular tune4 They are there to
hear 2hat you ha3e to say to them4 7f you arenBt sufficiently -re-ared to -lay for them then they 2ill
)ust "e there to 2itness your struggle4 7tBs u- to you to master your instrument and your material
"efore you get u- on stage4 >ne of the "est e,-eriences 7B3e e3er had -laying for an audience 2as at
an all "lack clu" in the south side of Chilly4 These folks had "een Jazz listeners for generations4 They
70
ga3e constant feed"ack6 if you -layed a great solo theyBd let you kno2 as you 2ere -laying4 TheyBd
say&R come onT& or&R thatPs rightT4 To them& Jazz 2as not a s-ectator s-ort4 7t 2as their )o" to let you
kno2 ho2 you 2ere doing and get you to -lay "etter "y egging you on4 7t 2as a fantastic room
"ecause 7 kne2 that e3ery thing 7 -layed 2as fully a--reciated4
Han.< said...
;eah& "ut to me& 2ho -layed in those older Tur"anT clu"s as a young man& a lot of times those
audiences can "e s2ayed 2ith soulful "lues licks to make the say Tyeah& thatPs rightT--so& 7 can say
that they can "e su-erficial too& donBt fool yourself4
That "eing said& 7 canBt really agree 2ith your -remise& D 7 feel that is one of the things 2rong
2ith the (for lack of a "etter term! To3er intellectual& 2hite& )azz school& younger -layersT that are
out there& today4
7 see more and more of non-s2inging& dry-ass-toned sa, -layers& -laying some chromatic cla--
tra- o3er a 7/E groo3e& really Te,-loringT man--to a em-ty room& for a "ar o2ner that 2ont e3en
slide them a free "eer for -laying there4 ((ommy D daddy are -aying the rent for their little
geniuses to li3e the T)azz lifeT cuz their gonna "e the ne,t 8a3e 8ouglas--2elcome to todayBs =;C
)azz sceneJ!
This is 2hat 7 think4 7f you 2ant to -lay challenging music& thatPs cool& )ust ha3e A>(*T<7=
that -eo-le can latch on to D 874 1hether that is rhythm& or a :*9T sound& or something& )ust
one as-ect& thatPs all it takes4 ;ou 2onPt "e a sell out& or a ?enee & honest4
Ceo-le 5>V*8 Trane& (not e3eryone of course& "ut enough for him to sign a& at that time& "ig record
deal 2ith 7m-luse! 2ho didnPt kno2 9=;T<7= a"out 2hat he 2as doing& cuz they -icked u- on
the energy& or his musical -ersonality& etc4 there 2as a lot of layers for many to en)oy& thatPs the key4
8onBt ignore the audience& thro2 them a "one& al"eit a small one--you might actually ha3e -eo-le
C>(7= B9C? to hear you D 2ont ha3e to 2ait for EM yrs to -ass for someone to say& 2hat a
genius you are4 (2hich is a "it of a co--out& 7(<> "ro!
T<*:* 7A => J9WW <*9V*=JJJ There is only today& -lay it no2J
<ank&
7 agree 2ith your take on the =;C scene4 8onBt misunderstand 2hat 7Bm saying here4 7Bm all for
hard s2ing& 2arm fat tone& and "lues "ased music4 7 canBt e3en listen to more than a fe2 seconds of
most of the Byoung-2hite-conser3atory trainedB musicians coming out of =;C these days4 7Bm saying
that you shouldnBt "e affected if the audience isnBt feeling your music& not that you should -lay heady
shitty music4 =ot e3ery musician li3es in a city that has good audiences and 2hen they -lay Jazz
gigs they might not "e -laying 2hat the cro2d 2ants to hear4 9519;A A17=4 9519;A C59;
>>8 A<7T4 8onBt "e affected negati3ely if they donBt like it4 ThatBs all4
7$
Hucbald said...
1ell& 7Bll ha3e to )oin the T7 agree& "ut444T cro2d4 9s someone 2ho com-oses o3er 7'] of 2hat he
-lays (9 rarity for a solo classical guitarist! 7 am highly interested in audience reaction to my 2ork4
1hen 7 get good a--lause for a -iece 7 2rote that is in the middle of some Bach 2arhorses - for
e,am-le - itBs quite satisfying4 >T><& 7 got into -erforming constantly to cure myself of
-erformance an,iety& so 7 agree that the goal is to "e Tin your o2n -ri3ate 7dahoT 2hen you -lay4
1ith one ca3eat that is crucial to me. 7 can get into a higher le3el of concentration - Tthe zoneT -
2hen -erforming for an audience than 7 can reach -racticing at home. There is a certain something
e,tra that comes out of me 2hen 7 ha3e an audience that is a"sent 2hen 7Bm alone4 Ao& 7 think the
o3erall -oint is that the audience/-erformer relationshi- should ideally "e a sym"iotic one4
:ary';ue said...
1ell this is T>> funny4 7 2as J@AT sitting here 2riting some horn lines to TBoogie& >ogie&
>ogieT for the 2edding "and 7 -lay 2ith& uh& that 2ould "e in addition to all the >T<*: ?7=8A of
grou-s 7 -lay 2ith. a straight ahead trio& my 93ant-garde quartet& the three or four original )azz
quartets 7Bm a side -erson for and )eez& donBt let me forget all the "ig "ands and s2ing "ands 7 -lay
lead for& ohJ 9nd thereBs my modern classical sa, quartet tooJ =o24 1hile taking a "reak "efore
del3ing into the com-le,ities of TTo Be :ealT and listening to my iTunes li"rary -layed on shuffle
(5ast ten artists included& at random. Ate3e rossman& Chet Baker& 89V* 8>@59A - great track
"y the "y& Ahostako3ich& *llery *skelin& Buddy :ich Big Band& Ate3ie 1onder and (aria Achneider!
7 checked out 8a3idBs "log only to "e dismayed at the sheer amount of generalizations& categorizing
and )udging going on4 7 then hurriedly and ha--ily 2ent "ack to the comfort of my 2orld 2here 7
listen& lo3e and -lay all kinds of music for all kinds of audiences and al2ays try to do a good )o" no
matter 2hat 7 -lay4
9nd "y the "y - for [0MM4MM a night 7Bll -lay Boogie >ogie all night long - 7 ha3e a house to run
hereJ Ba"y needs ne2 skate shoesJ (om and 8ad arenBt -aying any of my "illsJ

5o3e& (ary-Aue

Jeesh guys&
7 not saying Bfuck the audienceB& 7Bm saying fuck self-conscious thoughts a"out the audience not
digging 2hat 7Bm -laying4 7f they lo3e it then there can "e a real e,change of energy& if not then 7Bm
still fine 2ith it4
7n my case 7Bm ne3er ha--y 2ith my -laying so 7 donBt e3en e,-ect that the audience should cla-4
1hen -eo-le com-liment me 7 ha3e to -retend that 7 didnBt think it sucked& so as not to "e totally
rude4 7B3e met quite a fe2 other -layers 2ho 2ere the same 2ay4
7E
=o2 a"out Boogie-oogie-oogie& 7B3e -layed it too many times to count (also. Cele"ration& Jungle
Boogie& 7 1ill Aur3i3e& ect! and 7Bd "e more than ha--y to -lay it again& "ut for no less than t2o
hundred dollarsJ
7 lo3e -laying classical& funk& 5atin& groo3e4 7Bm no Jazz sno"4 7 )ust donBt 2ant to "e forced into
-laying 8isco )ust to get the cro2d going4 7f 7Bm a sideman and 7Bm "eing -aid 2ell then 7Bll -lay
;ankee 8oodle and <a3a =agila all night if the "andleader 2ants it4 ThereBs a difference "et2een a
-ay-the-"ills-gig and an art gig4 7tBs a different heads-ace& "ut 7Bd rather -lay disco than sit in a
cu"icle4 ThatBs for damn sure4 7f 7 had to -lay that stuff all the time 7Bd "e -ulling my hair out and that
cu"icle 2ould start looking "etter and "etter4
7tBs all a"out "alancing your artistic needs 2ith your financial needs4 9t this -oint in my career 7
ha3e less tolerance for music that isnBt artistically satisfying4 >?& >? 7Bll )ust come out and say itJ

7 <9T* C59;7= 87AC>JJJ There& 7 said it4
3arren said...
1ell& seeing as 7Bm the -erson 8a3id 2rote that note to& 7 should say that 7 2as a"out to argue 2ith
him a"out it& "ut o-ted not to& "ecause 2e see it -artially differently& and -artially the same4
7 had )ust said that it 2as an ok night6 7 got [7 in ti-s and 0 com-liments4 7 2asnBt making the
statement that 7 2as -laying for the com-liments4 The com-liments are fine& "ut if theyBre not
coming from my heroes& they donBt mean as much to me as if from the a3erage listener& or a -layer at
my o2n le3el4 7f 8an Balmer said 7 sounded great& that 2ould "e cool4 But if he doesnBt& 7 2ork on it4
7Bm not crushed "y it& or de-endent on it4
That said& 7 think of myself -artially as an entertainer4 7 entertain myself& and that entertains the
audience4 Cartially4 7 also think of myself as a s-iritualist4 7Bm sending 3i"es out& trying to connect
through the s-ace to the s-ace 2ithin the listener that is connected to the s-ace 2ithin myself4 Aome
2ould say that this is the same s-ace& and is 955 >=*4 7 -lay music for my o2n sanity& my o2n
thera-y& and my o2n sal3ation4 1hen it sa3es me& it sa3es a little -iece of the collecti3e human
consciousness4
7n that res-ect& it could "e said that it doesnBt matter if the audience kno2s it or not& "ecause 7
kno2 the )azz affected them& "ecause it 2as good4 9nd 2hat is good is good for all of us4
The feed"ack )ust makes it nice to kno2 that someone is feeling it and taking the time to make a
nice statement4 7 a--reciate it4 7Bm -laying music to connect& to tell a story& my story& and our story4
7Bm -laying music to sa3e the human race4 7f they notice& thatBs good4 7f they donBt& then 7 need to
listen more and notice more and "e more a2are and focus on the message4
7f 7 ha3e an attitude that 7 donBt gi3e a fuck a"out them& they donBt understand& arenBt smart enough&
etc4& then thatBs all ego "ullshit delusion any2ays4 1ho the fuck am 7 kiddingO 7tBs )ust like any
7'
arrogant intellectual kno2-it-all--edantic asshole that tries as hard as he can to sound su-erior4 7 had
a shitload of these dicks as college -rofessors4 7f you canBt say it sim-ly& then you donBt understand it4
8id you e3er notice ho2 you can understand e,actly 2hat a genius is saying& e3en though the
material may "e e,tra hea3yO ThatBs the genius of itJ They make it clear4 Because itBs clear to them&
itBs clear for e3eryone4 *3eryone 2ho cares to listen& that is4 9nd for those 2ho care to listen to 2hat
7Bm -utting out there& 7 really a--reciate them& no matter 2here in the s-ectrum of fanciness my
message lies4
The 87++*:*=C* is if 7Bm trying to +7=8 (;A*5+ in the audience reaction4 7f thatBs the case& 7
might as 2ell )ust sho2 u- to the gig and say in the mic& Tso& ho2 am 7 going to feel tonight& you
guys are in control of it4 1hatBs my self 2orthOR
7 can a--reciate and desire the audiencesP -ositi3e reaction& 2ithout de-ending on it4
But can you deal 2ith someone 2ho comes u- after you finish -laying to tell you to go home and
-racticeO 1ould this "other youO Cro"a"ly4
Aometimes if the cro2d doesnBt notice your human-race-sa3ing-music it has nothing to do 2ith
you4 Cro2ds can suck )ust as much as musicians can suck4 9 great listener is as rare as a great
musician6 it takes years of -ractice to "e a great listener4
7 think that if you are trying to sa3e the human race or make them hear your message youBll end u-
"eing -retty disa--ointed most of the time4 Just try to -lay great music& thatBs all4
*3eryone is not going to understand e3erything 7 -lay4 This is not "ecause 7Bm -ur-osely trying to
"e o"tuse& itPs "ecause you )ust canBt reach e3eryone4 7f the cro2dBs not res-onding then 7Bm going to
try to -lay "etter music& not dum" the music do2n "y -laying a hi--ho- 3ersion of 1ell ;ou =eednBt4
This isnBt BclarityB itBs -andering4 Jazz isnBt for e3eryone6 itBs an acquired taste4 1hy e,-ect e3eryone
to like the Jazz you -layO 7 think that if you desire a -ositi3e reaction too much then youBre setting
yourself u- for resentment and disa--ointment4 ;ouBre ha3ing an e,-ectation that they 2ill dig your
music4 ;ouBre fooling yourself if you think you arenBt negati3ely affected 2hen this doesnBt 2ork out4
9 -layer isnBt an Uarrogant intellectual kno2-it-all--edantic assholeR )ust "ecause they donBt care if
the audience likes their music4 7f 7 really 2anted to reach as many -eo-le as 7 could then 7 2ould
make a Amooth-Jazz C84 (ore -eo-le like smooth-)azz than like -ost-"o-4 7Bm still -laying -ost-"o-
"ecause thatBs 2hat 7Bm hearing4 8an Balmer 2ants to reach more -eo-le so he -lays smooth-)azz4
ThatBs his choice and 7 res-ect his decision4 7tBs a hard road e3en if youBre -laying smooth-)azz4 (y
-oint is that you need to "e self-moti3ated to de3elo- a unique 3oice4 7f youBre going to try to
de3elo- your o2n style then you canBt "e s2ayed "y the audience reaction4 7tBs easier to take on the
style of -layers 2ho are already -o-ular4 1hen you start searching you donBt al2ays find 2hat youBre
looking for4 7f 7Bm al2ays trying to -lay it safe then 7 certainly 2onBt find that unique sound that 7Bm
looking for4 =ot uniqueness for the sake of strangeness& uniqueness meaning your o2n 3oice4 7f you
2ant a -ositi3e res-onse itBs usually easy enough to get& )ust "reak out some tried and tested licks4
7H
7 think that this to-ic has a -rofound influence on creati3ity4
;our attitude a"out the res-onse you get affects your entire musical conce-t4 7 donBt think that you
can "e entirely free to e,-ress yourself 2hen you care too much 2hat others think4 ;ou need to "e
-erfectly 2illing to fall flat on your face in order to "e truly loose4
Being commercial is 2hen the audience comes "efore the art4 9rt should "e done for itBs o2n sake
or it )ust "ecomes another commodity4
ood art 1755 e3entually dra2 a good audience4 (aking great music is re2arding enough to
make the long struggle 2orth it4

Han.< said...
8a3id&
7 think this is a good thread& 2ith some good ans2ers D comments4 7 think (ary-Aue missed the
-oint4 7(<>& if any of us here 2anted to -lay TBoogie >ogieT on our o2n gigs to -lease the
audience& it 2ould "e a 1MM] more slamming 3ersion than any cheezy clu" date catering hall "and
could ho-e to do.! (;es kids& 2eB3e all -layed disco& e3en the TgreatsT--my 1st =e2 ;ears gig in
=;C 2as su""ing in 5ong 7sland clu" date "and& 2hoBs regular sa, -layer 2as a 3ery young Chris
CotterJJ!

-s^^[0'M is my minimum4 [0MM is a little light for disco& (ary-Aue.!

3arren said...
7 think the real -oint here is that )udgments and e,-ectations are not hel-ful4 The audience sucked&
the audience 2as great4 7 sucked4 7 2as great4
1hate3er the audience reaction is& it is4 7f it "others me& then 7 can "uy into it& or )ust take another
"reath4 7f it hel-s them and they notice& then "eautiful4 7f they care or donBt care "ut 7 care and 7 feel
it and it hel-s me& "eautiful4
7f 1M or 0M -ercent of the time 7 s-end in front of an audience is trying to engage them& 1M-$M
-ercent is trying to figure out 2hat 7Bm trying to say and the rest of the time is art for artBs sake&
"eautiful4 7tBs a story that is "eing told4 ThatBs )azz4
Jazz is the struggle to achie3e humanity4 7tBs the -rocess to "e a 2hole human "eing4 7tBs -aying the
rent& and not -aying the rent4 7tBs your concerto& your (agnus o-us& your little "lues diddy4 (y art is
my story& and the telling of the story4 The fum"ling& the "um"ling& the nailing it hard& the 2ailing to
the stratos-here& the sailing o3er the cro2dBs ears& the "ailing on the gig "ecause you canBt take
another second4 ThatBs the )azz of it all4
77
8oes it make a difference to the human race if you -lay at the Blue (onk or a 8isco 1eddingO
8an Balmer 2ould say it doesnBt4 7 2ould say it does4 8o you 2ant it toO
BT1 8an doesnBt make al"ums for the audience4 7 think you should talk to him a"out this&
"ecause youBre mistaken4 <e -lays the music he -lays from his heart& and thatBs the 2ay it comes out4
The Tom rant "and& that 2as 7 think more for the audience at the time4 But talk to him& "ecause 7
think youBre mistaken4
7 should clear u- that my comment on -edantic assholes 2asnBt directed at anyone& and
-articularly not 8a3id4 The -oint 2as that "eing smart for the sake of "eing smart isnBt the same
thing as "eing sim-le for the sake of "eing clear and elegant4 7 listened to t2o hours of Barry reen
on the *legant @ni3erse and understood e3erything he said& and 7 2ouldnBt kno2 calculus from an
a"acus4 ThereBs something graceful and "eautiful a"out "eing a"le to use com-le, materials to say or
create something that a child could understand4 But there 7 go "eing )udgmental4 7 should sto- lest 7
"e seen as a hy-ocrite4 But& thatBs my story4
7Bll reiterate the actual -oint of my comments.
The 87++*:*=C* is if 7Bm trying to +7=8 (;A*5+ in the audience reaction4 7f thatBs the case& 7
might as 2ell )ust sho2 u- to the gig and say in the mic& Tso& ho2 am 7 going to feel tonight& you
guys are in control of it4 1hatPs my self 2orthOR
>f course 2e all do this e3ery time 2e -lay4 7tBs the degree to 2hich 2e do it& the amount of time
2e s-end d2elling on it after2ards& the se3erity of the de-ression or eu-horia that 2e e,-erience as
the result of our analysis& )udgment& inter-retations of the audience reactions to us and our o2n
reactions to oursel3es4
7 actually had a dickhead tell me to go -ractice one time4 7 ste2ed a"out it and 2as fla""ergasted
that someone could ha3e the fucking audacity4 But the solution that 7 came to 2as that 7 needed to
-ractice4 7n Wen there is a saying& Tmy 2orst enemy is my greatest "enefactorT4 Because he sho2s
me 2here and to 2hat degree 7 cling to self-centered delusion4
1hen 7 sa2 it this 2ay 7 sto--ed "eing resentful and "ecame grateful to that dickhead& for making
me see that 7 needed to change my tone and attack and learn more tunesJ
1ell-said 8arren4 7 retract my comment a"out 8an B4 7f heBs really feeling it& then all -o2er to
him4 ;ou can really ne3er kno2 if someone is doing something out of lo3e for the music or )ust for
the "ucks4 7tBs safer not to )udge someone elseBs music& e3en if they do seem too commercial& li3e off
a trust fund& or -lay more in odd num"ered time signatures more than e3en4
7 do ha3e to say that 7 do care 2hat my -eers think a"out my music4 7t is nice to get an occasional
-at on the "ack from -layers 2ho really understand 2here youBre coming from4 7 like feed"ack from
7L
these -eo-le so 7 can im-ro3e my -laying4 (y -eers kno2 2hat 7 2as -laying like a decade ago& so
they ha3e a much "etter -ers-ecti3e on my -laying4
7s it -ossi"le that there has "een too much discussion on this to-ic (no& ne3erJ!O 9fter all& 8a3id is
merely stating the -oint that it is a difficult task to "oth -ay attention to the music and the audience
reaction4 7 donPt think that is too radical4 7f fact& 7 donPt think you can -lay your "est and not "e
focused 1MM] on the task at hand6 playin* (ho2e3er you inter-ret that!4 7 think it is great to hear
a--lause and& in some cases& -ositi3e comments4 7 dou"t any 2ell-ad)usted -erson feels differently _
2e are human "eings& after all4 <o2e3er& 2hen on the "andstand 7 ha3e al2ays "een taught& and my
e,-erience has sho2n me& that your mind should "e on the music4 7 ha3e had this con3ersation 2ith
dozens of musicians o3er the years& "oth contem-oraries and elders4 There are as many o-inions on
this su")ect as there are -eo-le& of course4 The common thread 7P3e found is that you canPt "e all
there if you are not all there4 7tBs as sim-le as that4
>ne last thing& 7 think that 8a3idPs -oint a"out good audiencesP "eing rare is true4 7t does take
-ractice to do anything 2ell4 @nfortunately& and this is another discussion& most -eo-le -ractice
2atching TV and talking 2ay to loud rather than en)oying the e,-erience of "eing an audience
mem"er4
7 had a great friend named 1ynne 2ho -assed a2ay a"out a decade ago4 1ynne used to refer to
himself as a B-rofessional listenerB4 ;ou couldnBt get anything -ast this guy4 <e -aid more attention to
2hat 2as going on the "andstand than most musicians4 <e took his Jazz listening 3ery& 3ery
seriously4 1hen he 2as in the audience it made me a--roach the music differently4 <e had great
musical taste so 7 2ould feel "ad if 7 didnBt come u- to his standards4 <e kne2 2hat 7 2as ca-a"le of
so he also kne2 2hen 7 2asnBt really focusing4 The room could "e filled 2ith drunken idiots& "ut if
1ynne 2as there 7 kne2 7 had to "e on4 9fter the sho2 he 2ould al2ays gi3e me a full tune-"y-tune
critique& he 2as al2ays right on the money4 1ynne 2as as musically -erce-ti3e as any -rofessional
musician& he didnBt al2ays kno2 the e,act musical terminology "ut he heard the "ig -icture4
5isteners like 1ynne (though quite rare! can cata-ult the music to ne2 heights )ust "y "eing in the
cro2d4 7t may sound like 7Bm contradicting myself "y saying this4 1ynne 2as a2are of the effect that
he had on the music )ust "y gi3ing his entire attention to it& he kne2 that he -layed an im-ortant -art
in the musicianBs creati3e -rocess4

7#
3arren said...
This article from today is 3ery rele3ant to this discussion4 Be sure to read the 2hole article here.
htt-.//2224a"s-c"nne2s4com/story-age4as-,OAtory78S07#$0
7t "egins. T+e2 -eo-le understand )azz 3erita"ly4 9nd there isnPt any air of high and mightiness in
such a statement4 7n our -o--lo3ing country& )azz isnPt commonly -layed o3er the radio6 neither is it
an (TV mainstay4
9lthough 2idely cele"rated in the @nited Atates& )azz this side of the 2orld remains an almost
enigmatic entity& re3ered yes& "ut from a relati3ely distant 3antage -oint4 7tPs )ust not e3eryonePs cu-
of tea4 >r itPs )ust too so-histicated a taste to handle4 ?ind of like an ela"orate mural in a gallery that
-eo-le stare at for a minute or t2o and then lea3e to saunter off some2here less com-le,4
Jazz is admired& almost "randed as the zenith of a -ersonPs musical )ourney in this little country of
ours4 But seldom do 2e find a ma)ority soaking themsel3es to the nitty-gritty4 T
:ary';ue said...
:emind me to take <ank C off my e3er-gro2ing su" list .!

9s -er missing the -oint. 7 think not4 The question at hand is our connection 2ith the audience and
ho2 they relate to the music 2e are -laying4 This directly relates to the ty-e of attitude 2e ha3e
to2ards the audience& the music and our fello2 "and mates in 955 gig situations4 1hich& as 8a3id
-oints out& can "e different in different situations4 But& as James enus& the ?7557= "ass -layer for
8a3e 8ouglas once -ointed out& TThere are all kinds of 2hores4 Those 2ho 2ill only -lay for money
and those 2ho refuse to -lay for free4T 7 lo3e that guy4 9ny2ays& may"e a little dee- "ut 7Bm sure
youBll catch on4
9nd& hmmm& in other threads - 7 seem to recall a cou-le 8a3e 5ie"man& Bergonzi and arzone
al"ums 2ith Tchromatic cla-tra- o3er 11/E groo3esT - 7 donBt think itBs anything ne2& >: anything to
"e scared of4 7 can s2ing my ass off on a "ig "and gig one night and ha--ily go -lay Tchromatic
cla-tra-T the ne,t night4 9nd free "eer is al2ays a--reciated4
9s -er your "oast that Tany of us guysT can -lay a "etter 3ersion of Boogie >ogie - oh -lease -
Can 7 )ust thro2 u- right hereO 7B3e "een -laying all kinds of music in clu"s since 7 2as a teenager4
7B3e heard all kinds of musicians -laying all kinds of material in all kinds of situations4 7B3e heard
good musicians -lay terri"le 3ersions of standards "ecause they 2erenBt into it4 7B3e heard green kids
-lay smoking 3ersions of funk tunes "ecause they 2ere totally into them4 7f your "and does a killing
3ersion of Boogie >ogie to -lease the cro2d& 2ell more -o2er to youJ 7Bm glad to hear it4 7 like
musicians and music to sound good4 Bring it on "a"y4

5o3e& (ary-Aue
LM
+ine& thereBs nothing 2rong 2ith odd time signatures4 ThatBs )ust a matter of taste4 o knock
yourself out -laying in 17/L4
7Bm sure thereBs a guy out there 2ho truly lo3es -laying BBoogie-oogie-ooigeB "ut 2ould only -lay
B;(C9B if forced "y an e3il "andleader4 To him BBoogie-oogie-oogieB (7Bm em"arrassed to e3en ty-e
it! is high art and B;(C9B is )ust commercial -a-4 1e all ha3e our o2n musical 3alues& 2hich 2e
usually ha3e to sacrifice at some -oint in order to -ut food on the ta"le4 <o2 do 2e as artists deal
2ith this need to com-romise and still remain true to our inner 3oiceO 1ill 2e -lay Blues "ut not
CountryO ?lezmer "ut ne3er ColkaO 8isco only for more than t2o hundred dollarsO 1ill 2e -lay
(oose lodges "ut no sho--ing mallsO Concert halls "ut no clu"sO 7 think that 2here3er 2e dra2 our
line in the sand is our o2n "usiness4 9s long as 2e try to retain our integrity in e3ery situation 2eBll
feel good a"out -laying music4 9nyone 2ho has e3er -layed to a -re-recorded track on a cruise shi-
sho2 "and kno2s )ust ho2 much your soul can "e tortured "y -laying "ad music4 7 2ant to feel good
a"out the music 7 -lay so 7 try to -lay only music 7 like4 7 might -lay a solo on a hea3y-metal C8
-ro)ect for no3eltyBs sake& "ut 7 2ouldnBt )oin a "and that 7 didnBt like )ust "ecause to -ay 2as good4 7f
7 had kids like (ary Aue does 7Bm sure my entire attitude 2ould make a shift to2ard the 8isco -ole
(or "all rather!4 Ahe doesnBt mind a little B>ogieB no2 and then4 7 "et she 2ould learn to hate the
B>ogieB if she didnBt ha3e her other more re2arding -ro)ects to satisfy her4 .-!
7 really think this has gotten a2ay from the original -oint4 7f memory ser3es (or rereading! this
2as a"out 2hat one should "e doing on stage 2ith their focus and not 2hat one should -lay on stage
from the "ook4 +or all those out there 2ho 2ouldnBt dare -lay something for fear they 2ould "e
la"eled a )azz heretic& 2ell& 7Bd )ust say that is sim-ly lame4 8uke said it "est& TThere are t2o kinds of
music4 ood music and the other kind4T That goes for musicians as 2ell4
Han.< said...
(ary-Aue&
7Bll listen to 5ie"s or arzone -laying Tchromatic cla--tra-T any day of the 2eek& "ut the guys 7Bm
talking a"out "ore the shKt out of me4
T<>A* @;A ha3e an audience D if you think 5ie"s 8>*A=BT care a"out his audience& then you
couldnBt "e more incorrect4 <e 2ouldnBt still "e out here& 2ith a career if he didnBt& the guy is 3ery
self--romoting D career moti3ated (7 meant that in a -ositi3e 2ay!---hey& itBs called self-
-reser3ation4
7 think you missed my -oint4 T9ny of us hereT 8>*A ha3e the a"ility to do a killin 3ersion of
anything& if thatBs our T<7= D 2eBre really 7=T> it-most are into music that isnPt Booge >ogie&
etc4
1hate3er
L1
Brian Berge said...
(artin 5uther ?ing Jr4 didnBt gi3e s-eeches to -ay his rent& or choose his 3ision according to 2hat
the fe2est -eo-le 2ould hate4 7f the s-eech you (or 7! ha3e to make is influenced "y some need like
su--orting kids or rent or food or 2hate3er& you are o2ned during that s-eech4 ;our ser3ice to the
necessity of your 3ision is diluted4 ;our lo3e is -olluted "y fear4 7f you donBt ha3e a 3ision clear
enough to "e more necessary than our circumstances& may"e the circumstances are too hea3y or may
you (or 7! are missing something4 ;ou donBt ha3e to make your art su")ect to all the other
circumstances in your life4 ;ou can manage those 2ith something else4 *insteinBs real -assion 2as
3iolin& "ut he 2as 2ise enough to not lean his need for rent [ on it& and it continued to "e a free )oy
to him all his life4 7t 2as -ro"a"ly -art of his sal3ation& and -ro"a"ly -o2ered -art of 2hat he shared
to sa3e the rest of us4
+ear of homelessness D star3ation are fear of death4 8eath D life come together--neither comes on
its o2n4 Therefore& fear of death is fear of life4 9ll of us 2ill die some day4 The chance to li3e free of
fear 2ill -ass4 ;ou can think a"out this 2hile youBre homeless& getting ready to slee- on 2et -ark
grass D looking at the stars& still 2ith a chance to continue ;>@: music6 or in the last seconds of
your life& looking "ack D realizing itBs too late D your only chance is gone4
TThe 2hole of life in all its as-ects is one single music6 and the real s-iritual attainment is to tune
oneBs self to the harmony of this -erfect music4T --<azrat 7nayat ?han
T>ur sages de3elo-ed music from time immemorial for the mind to take shelter in that -ure "eing
2hich stands a-art from the "ody and mind as oneBs true self4 :eal music is not for 2ealth& not for
honors& or e3en for the )oys of the mind& "ut as a -ath for realization D sal3ation4 This is 2hat 7 truly
feel4T --9li 9k"ar ?han
<hris :osley said...
This is the dee- dark hole that )azz has fallen into4 :eal -erformance is in communication 2ith the
audience& not the -ersonal satisfaction you get from -laying 2hat you consider a good )azz line4
9lexa Weber :orales said...
reat "logJ 7Bm glad 7 found it4 1hen 7 ha3e some time 7Bll read more of your -ostings4 7 agree
2ith the last comment 2holeheartedly4 9s a singer (let the attacks "egin! 7 donBt ha3e the o-tion of
checking out emotionally or hiding "ehind my a,e (though 7 do -lay -iano and -ercussion!4 7 used to
try to do that& to "e fair to the other cats 2hen 7 2as singing 2ith a "and that 7 didnBt lead4 Then 7
realized 7 canBt really disa--ear from 3ie2 on stage--the singer is a de facto lightning rod for the
audienceBs attention& so -retending 7Bm )ust -art of the clu" decor that occasionally "ursts into song
2as doing no one any good4 7 think an early stage of entertaining is hamming it u-& and 2e all ha3e
L0
to do a "it of that& "ut at some stage of de3elo-ment you get to true emotional honesty and that to me
is the goal of music4 =o art form has the a"ility to trans-ort a listener or an audience into another
time/-lace/emotion the 2ay music does4
9le,a&
7 guess 7 2ould ha3e a different -ers-ecti3e on this to-ic if 7 2ere a singer4 Aadly in this culture
the singer is usually e,-ected to "e sort of a Jazz model (as in 9mericaBs To- (odel! as 2ell as a
3ocalist4 ThereBs enough to think a"out on the "andstand 2ithout 2orrying a"out looking cute4
Aingers must suffer from the distraction of audience interaction more than horn -layers since thereBs
nothing standing "et2een them and the audience (2e can al2ays -retend to ad)ust our reeds!4 Just
look at all the affectations that 3ocalists (gestures and 3ocal! take on in order to "e more
BentertainingB4 1hen 7Bm 2atching a Jazz singer -erform 7 donBt 2ant to "e distracted "y silly hand
gestures and o3er emotional e,-ressions that singers sometimes use to BcommunicateB 2ith the
audience4 The 3ery 2orst is 2hen horn -layers feel that they must "o"& s2ay and make scruntchie
faces 2hen they -lay (also Bchoreogra-hed hairB!4 5ots of audiences react -ositi3ely to this ?enny -
ish ty-e of e,-ression& thinking that the musician is e,hi"iting true emotion and intensity4 @sually it
is only a syru-y cro2d--leasing affectation& of a kind that makes my stomach curdle4 7 )ust 2ant the
"ody e,-ressions to "e s-ontaneous and not )ust calculated and em-ty -hysical mani-ulations4 7f 7
2ant to see silly e,-ressions and "ody language 7Bd rather go to the circus& mime -erformance or a
rock concert4

7 2ant to clarify my last comment6 it might ha3e sounded like 7 2as "ashing singers4 7 ha3e to
admit that it is more interesting to 2atch a singer 2ho -uts on a good -erformance4 7 had to ask
myself if 7 e,-ected more from a 3ocalist than a horn -layer (or rhythm section -layer! 2hen it came
to stage -erformance4 7 think 2e all do4 There are singers like =ancy ?ing 2ho do connect and
communicate 2ithout unnatural affectations4 Ahe engages the audience "y s-eaking candidly to them
"et2een tunes and "y the intense emotion in her 3oice4 9s you can -ro"a"ly tell "y the num"er of
-osts on this to-ic 7 am quite di3ided a"out this4 >n one hand 7 2ant a -ure high art form that doesnBt
stoo- to chea- thrills& and on the other hand 7 2ant to "e entertained and to ha3e a good time4
Aingers can reach audiences in a 2ay that other instrumentalists cannot4 *3eryone can identify 2ith a
singer "ecause e3eryone can sing4 7 must say that 7 donBt en3y 3ocalists though4 7 like B"lending in
2ith the "ackgroundB if 7Bm a sideman4 9s a frontman thatBs not really -ossi"le& the sideman doesnBt
ha3e as much -ressure to constantly entertain4
7n no 2ay 2as 7 suggesting that you 2ere guilty of unnatural affectation 9le,a4 <orn -layers can
"e e3en cheesier than singers if theyB3e 2atched too many A-ringsteen (Clarence Clemmons!& ?enny
& or 8a3e ?oz sho2s4
1hich reminds me& ;anni 2as )ust "usted for smacking his girlfriend4
L$
9lexa Weber :orales said...
<i 8a3id& 7 didnBt take that entirely as singer-"ashing& no 2orries4 But 7 do -ersonally gra3itate
to2ard artists 2ho dis-lay a great technical foundation "ut then use it to con3ey -o2erful emotion4
ThatBs the end goal& 7 "elie3e4 7f -o- music is afflicted "y o3er-emoting& unfortunately )azz is often
"randed the o--osite. o3er-intellectual& im-enetra"le& and undifferentiated4 7 like 2hat =ick <orn"y
says a"out the im-ortance of songs o3er unstructured )amming4
7 had to laugh in fact at a horri"le e,am-le of the latter recently4 1e 2ere do2n in 59 at Venice
Beach and some guys sit do2n 2ith some drums and start )amming4 1e 2ere eating "reakfast so as
2e sat 2e 2atched the T)amT de3elo-. 9 "ass -layer sauntered in and started -laying the a--arently
one chord he kne24 Then another -erson came and started shaking 3arious -ercussion instruments4
9nd a horn -layer sat do2n and "le2 lines o3er that one chord4 7t 2ent on for an hour& ne3er
changingJ >f course& thatBs an e,treme situation you 2ouldnBt see in a clu"& "ut ho2 often do you see
a )azz tune -erformed 2ith no dynamic 3ariation& no differentiation other than su"tle modal s2itches
that only the most astute listener 2ould getO
7 lo3e all ty-es of music and -erha-s -eo-le on this amazing forum donBt care to hear a"out non-)azz
forms4 7 )ust lo3e any sound that gra"s my ear and heart and "ody simultaneously4
There are many styles of music that are much more emotionally intense than Jazz4 5atin singers
make most Jazz singers sound like Bar"ara Bush4 The gut 2renching emotions that +lamenco
musicians con3ey sometimes make me 2onder 2hether Jazz has any real emotional content to s-eak
of at all4 These +lamenco musicians kno2 that they 2ouldnBt "e a"le to "uild u- such feeling if they
changed keys as much as 2e do4 >f course this is not the only reason that they -lay 2ith more
emotional intensity4 They )ust are more a2are of the idea of e,-ressing o3er2helming emotion4 7
donBt think that 2e 9mericans are all that comforta"le 2hen -eo-le e,-ress dee- emotions in
general& es-ecially 2hen those emotions are negati3e4 9s a society 2e still ha3enBt strayed far from
our stuffy British cultural roots4 Can 2e as Jazz musicians o3ercome our cultural conditioning and
really let looseO Try hanging out 2ith some y-sies at an all-night +lamenco )am session4
LE
7Bchan*es ith Jonas +au&er
Jonas Tau"er is a naturally gifted as 2ell as a highly trained musician4 <e has a classical
"ackground as a cellist "ut changed courses in life (as he often likes to do! and "ecame an 93ant-
garde "assist4 1e -layed quite a "it together 2hile he 2as li3ing in Cortland4 7Bd ha3e to say that the
most re2arding e,-eriences 7B3e e3er had -laying free music 2ere 2ith him4 This is an email he sent
me recently& in it he raises some interesting -oints4
U8earest 8a3id&
7 ha3e de3elo-ed ideas on "ass -laying& not quite consciously& o3er the time 7 ha3e s-ent here 2ith
-eo-le 2ho -ractice too much in the 2rong direction as far as 7Bm concerned& and it seems like
thereBs a slightly more concrete idea -eeking out of the 2oods of too many notes. once 7 take a chart
and learn the melody& the harmony& -lay the harmony on the "ass& -lay as much of it all together as 7
can& integrate the form of the -iece& or the 3ersion of the form that makes sense to me (A-eak =o
*3il. good e,am-le 2here 7 took and destroyed the form on the chart in a session and turned it into
an 999B9C form! it seems at that -oint that 7 forget e3erything 7 ha3e done and concentrate on the
one thing that makes )azz "eautiful as an art form to me. interacti3ity4 1ith other musicians4
5istening to 2hatBs ha--ening 2ithin 2hate3er form that is4 7 ha3e fought 2ith my o2n sense of
hel-lessness in -laying 2ith -eo-le to ha3e set ideas of 2hat they 2ere doing& feeling inadequate at
e3ery turn& and finally found my o2n -ersonal solution of )ust listening& reacting& and stimulating
things into a direction that made sense to me at least4 Aome of the other concrete ideas 2ere that 7
donBt e3en like doing su"stitutions and com-licated things& my solos are "ecoming more and more
melodic& in the older sense& singing solos as 2ell as "ass lines on the instrument so that someho2 the
melodic integrity of the "ass line frees certain things u- in the soloist& 2hile s-ontaneously )i3ing
2ith the drummer or rhythm -art of the com-osition and/or "and& "e it a chart or free -laying
("ecoming more and more similar to me "y the 2ay!& and that 2ay creating a sense of synergy
"et2een the music that is ha--ening and the muse herself that is sim-ly the most stimulating thing 7
can think of "esides se,444 T2o cents for no real reason e,ce-t each time 7 get an email from you and
read the "logs this -o-s u- in my head4
<o-e you are 2ellJ
Best& Jonas
L'
Jonas&
ood -oints4 By 2riting a"out all this theoretical shit 7Bm sort of catching u- on the stuff that 7
didnBt really learn in school4 7 2ant to kno2 as much a"out theory as 7 can no24 7 donBt 2ant my
-laying to "e "ogged do2n it though4 Things 2e take for granted that 2e learned ho2 to do early on
as students are actually still quite com-le,4 1e no longer need to think a"out these fundamentals any
more& they ha3e "ecome refle,4 7 think itBs the same 2ay 2ith a lot of the theoretical ideas on my
"log4 They may not "e natural at first "ut 2ith -ractice they "ecome second nature4 This stuff isnBt
"rain surgery after all4 Take some of (o3erBs su"s for e,am-le& at first they 2ere totally foreign to
me and 7 couldnBt incor-orate any of them into my -laying4 9fter thinking a"out them and slo2ly
-utting them into -ractice they started to make musical sense to me4 1hat seemed unnatural at first
"ecame natural& logical and second nature o3er time4 7 still am only comforta"le 2ith a fe2 of the
su"s& "ut 7 hear ho2 the others 2ork and they sound like classic Bo- ideas to me4 7 hear Bird doing
some of them and he sounds -erfectly rela,ed and melodic4 7 think it is the same 2ith any of this
material4 7t 2ill al2ays seem foreign and stiff at first "ut 2ith time and -ractice it "ecomes refle,4 7t
all de-ends on ho2 the -layer a--roaches the music4 9 sad -layer can make the sim-lest tri-tone su"
sound stiff and 2eird4 Then you ha3e someone like ?eith Jarrett glide o3er freaked out su"stitutions
like he 2as -laying ma)or scales4 7tBs all in the a--roach4 7 2ant to kno2 all of it4 (ohammed once
said&R Aeek kno2ledge e3en unto ChinaT4 7 donBt think that you can kno2 too much a"out music4
?no2ledge of com-le, theory 2onBt s-oil your conce-t unless you forget 2hat good music is all
a"out4 9 -layer should ha3e no -ro"lem studying com-le, theory and then thro2ing it all out the
2indo2 to -lay totally free4
7 see your -oint a"out -layers 2ho -ractice too much in the 2rong direction (the *uro-ean
Conser3atory trained Jazz musician or the Brecker-headed 9merican!4 These -layers are legion4 But
isnBt it their musical conce-t that is lacking rather than the theory that they are studyingO 7 guess for
me the solution to all of this has "een not to -ractice& e3er4 Cracticing can ruin your creati3ity and
your entire musical conce-t4 8onBt do itJ That 2ould "e my solution to this dilemma4 Atudy theory
"ut donBt -ractice it4 .-! Aeriously though& 7 think itBs "etter to learn things on the "andstand in a
musical situation rather than in the 2oodshed4 7f you 2ork things out too much "y yourself then
youBll -ro"a"ly sound stiff& too clean& lick-ridden and generally square4 7 do agree 2ith you a"out
-racticing the 2rong things4 7tBs )ust as im-ortant& if not more& to "e listening to good music and
-laying 2ith good -layers4 7 2ould ne3er suggest to a student of mine to -ractice as little as 7 did/do4
1hen 7 2as much younger 7 did -ut in quite a fe2 hours in the shed4 7 guess each -layer needs to
find the right "alance for himself or herself4 +or you that "alance 2as to get "ack to your o2n 3oice
rather than -racticing 2hat others 2ere -racticing4

:on.s3ream said...
7 like 2hat Jonas has to say& and sure& itBs easy to nerd out and s-end 2ay too much time on theory4
But& as a horn -layer& itBs interesting to go study 2ith a -iano -layer to see ho2 they think a"out
music& 2ho in turn& might say& Toh yea& sometimes you guys -lay this stuff that sounds a2esome&
like different linear sequences& and then 7 (the -iano -layer! look at it and it doesnBt make any sense
until 7 get the sound in my head and notice that itBs a -urely linear melodic structure4T
LH
Aimilarly 2e all try out different stuff4 7tPs in a multi-licity of a--roaches4 <afez (odirzadeh told
me that he ran a2ay from =*C "ecause a certain fairly reno2ned com-oser there told him that he
2asnBt -laying e3erything that he 2as hearing "ut his a--roach 2as "ased on training himself to hear
ne2 things as he incor-orated them into his -laying4
7 -ersonally find it almost im-ossi"le to -lay TlicksT that someone else -layed "ut 7 still 2ill figure
out -ortions of tunes and -lay through solos and occasionally things 2ill -o- out "y accident4 There
are sections in BirdBs solos 2here you can hear eight full "ards of Atra3inskyBs +ire"ird Auite and
e3en a section that someone -ointed out that came from ?loseBs daily e,ercises for sa,o-hone& that 7
used to think 2as like drinking do2n Castor >il4
Aome of the free -layers 7 kno2 s-end all day -laying through classical etudes and some guys
transcri"e like crazy4 >thers of us s-end some -eriods of time on theory4 7 sometimes )ust think its
mental gymnastics "ut it all seems to hel- me slo2ly "ecome a less mediocre& er& or shall 7 say& "etter
musician4

$onas Tauber said...
<ereBs an ans2er to 2hat you said furthermore4 The conce-t 7 ha3e 2hen 7 -ractice is to try and
reach a -oint at e3ery moment 2here 2hat 7 hear comes out of the instrument4 ThatBs a -oint 7 make
2hen 7 teach4 Clay 2hat you hear4 ClichI& 7 kno2& "ut taken the right 2ay it really 2orks 2onders4
Then& a friend of mine 2ho is a drummer here quoted (o3er 2ho quoted someone else& forget 2ho&
2ho said itBs only 2hen you start -laying shit you ha3e not yet heard that you are making music4 To
add a third -oint& music is a li3e art4 9lmost e,clusi3ely& in the traditional sense& e,ce-t for dance&
and in modern situations many things ha3e "ecome li3e time-"ound -erformance art4 =e3er mind
that& the fact that music is intended for audience consum-tion& in any sense. the audience "eing
-eo-le 2ho listen either to your C8s or concerts& and 7 2onder sometimes ho2 much of the
technical stuff& no matter ho2 natural it comes to feel to the musician& actually registers to an
audience mem"erJO 9n audience mem"er 2ho& in 3ery concrete terms& 2ill -ro"a"ly not "e a
musician (if he or she -aid to hear you! or 2ill ha3e taken music lessons at some -oint "ut definitely
2ill ha3e sto--ed at some -oint in their musical de3elo-ment 2ay "efore that 2hich you are doingJ
(eaning that fine line "et2een audience--leaser and hungry -urist seems to "e turning shades of
grey more and more4
The killer -unch line comes out of my last t2o concerts -laying solo4 +esti3als& large-ish cro2ds&
my first cou-le times daring to ha3e no conce-t of anything that 7 2ould do on stage "efore actually
"eing there -- 2hether structure nor com-osition nor forms/te,tures/2hate3er4 Trying to reach Ttrue
im-ro3isationT as it 2ere4 The result 2as literally screaming cro2ds& -eo-le from all 2alks of life& in
res-onse to free im-ro34 Crazy4 But 7 ha3e a hunch (e3en though 7 donBt think 7 2ill -lay more than
t2o of those a year e3er! that it is due to a certain kind of listening--defined as listening to the
audience listening to you4 The silence that results from taking three or four seconds of time "et2een
getting on stage/tuning/2hate3er and actually "eginning to -lay is the seed out of 2hich e3erything
gro2s& 7 "elie3e& in fact not e3en style-"ound4 7 started e,-erimenting 2ith that silence 2hen 7 2as
-laying a lot of classical cello recitals and concertos. literally changed the energy of the concert
L7
com-letely4 7n free im-ro3isation& listening to the sound of the energy of e,-ectation coming from
the audience& letting it -ass through you& and crystallizing that energy into sound of some sort really
creates an incredi"le 3i"e4
9ny2ay& 7 ha3e found myself a much ha--ier )azz musician if 7 can try at least to achie3e some
le3el or -ercentage of that kind of listening at e3ery single stu-id money making gig 7 -lay4 Aounds
insanely trite and Buddhist& -ossi"ly& "ut 7 canBt hel- it. there 2ere so many situations that easily
could ha3e deteriorated& quickly& into horri"le hell-raising terrifying non-listening disgusting anti-
musical "ackground grinding ne3er-ending torture& "ut e,ce-t for a fe2 e,ce-tions 7 ha3e someho2
"een a"le to manage to find a key at least for myself to ha3e an en)oya"le musical time4
9nd 7 a--reciate "eing made to think4 7tBs im-ortant to think a"out things444
Jonas&
;ou )ust touched on a fe2 to-ics that 7B3e "een 2riting a"out for a 2hile4 >ne is relating to the
audience4 8o you find that it is a significantly different e,-erience -laying for *uro-ean audiences
as com-ared to 9merican audiencesO 9re *uro-ean audiences mo3ed "y different things than their
9merican counter-arts areO
>n the to-ic of music as a Bli3e artB& if youBre -laying something in an im-ro3isation )ust the 2ay
that you -racticed then thereBs something 2rong4 7 think that this is the -ro"lem 2ith many young
Btechnical -layersB today4 9t 2hat -oint does a music idea sto- "eing an im-ro3isation and "ecome
through com-osed4 7 think that this line is often crossed far "efore the lay-audience realizes it4 ;es& it
sounds cool and clean& "ut is it musical and s-ontaneousO (yself& 7 2ould rather hear creati3e& ra2&
emotional and loose than cool& clean and technical4 <o2 can you really interact 2hen youBre -laying
something that you 2orked out 2hile you 2ere -racticingO
There is a -oint of "alance that is -ossi"le "et2een these t2o -oles& "ut 7 donBt hear it 3ery often
in a lot of younger -layers4
Thanks for your dee- musical insights4
$onas Tauber said...
(usical audiences are definitely different to -lay for. they are silent& e3en in clu"s& listening 2ith
great (classical! attention4 7t feels like certain things go o3er much more consciously in terms of
harmonic 3ariety. like -laying a solo o3er changes and using the melodic as-ect to create the tension
and release really seems to arri3e here4 (ore -eo-le ha3e actually studied classical instruments e3en
if they donBt -lay -rofessionally4 9nd there is a lo3e of )azz music that is like 2hen you lo3e
something or someone you donBt understand& or understand from a totally different -ers-ecti3e4
LL
9s sick as this may sound& 7 miss the talking& clanging glasses& rude "ar o2ners and general
craziness of the )azz scene in the states4
A2ing4 ThereBs a conce-t that doesnBt really e,ist here4 7 found one may"e t2o drummers so far
that can really s2ing -- the euro-s2ing is a totally different -lanet4 Changes the 2ay you 2alk on the
"ass& and 7 ha3e to "e really strong to get certain things across& like -laying at different -oints in the
"eat to create different feel4 JeezJ But itBs fun444
Intervie ith /o& 5eynolds
3<7: Tell me about your latest <3?
B:. 7Pm incredi"ly -roud of it4 CouldnPt "e ha--ier4 The record 2as recorded last year and 2ill "e
out in late (arch/early 9-ril on the Barcelona )azz la"el +resh Aound =e2 Talent4 7t features 1M
songs com-osed "y me and an incredi"le "and. 9aron old"erg& -iano and :hodes6 :eu"en :ogers&
"ass6 *ric <arland& drums6 (ike (oreno& guitar6 8a3id Aoler& -edal steel guitar4 7t is a 3ery song-
"ased record4 The songs are the focus& not merely )um-ing-off -oints for e,tended solos4 7 2ould
categorize it as melodic& groo3e-oriented -rogressi3e )azz4 7 e,-lore a 3ariety of settings 2ithin the
1M tracks. there are songs that are quartet 2ith -iano& 2ith rhodes& or 2ith guitar& quintet songs& a trio
song& songs that ha3e a -edal steel guitar& one song that 7 like to descri"e as 2hat might ha--en if 7
s-ent a day in the studio 2ith Brian *no4 7tPs a 3ery e,citing mi,& "ut it ne3er feels dis)uncti3e4 There
are $ songs in odd meters -- 11/L& 1'/L& and #/E -- and all are groo3ing so hard (thanks to the great
"andJ! that youPd ha3e to "e alerted to kno2 something UoddR 2as going on4 7tPs fresh& and ho-efully
lends itself to lots of re-eat listening4
3<7: 4our music seems accessible to a &ide audience" yet to me it doesn/t seem li.e you/re
dumbing do&n your playing or selling out. Ho& do you thin. about your music in terms of
commercially #iability and artistic integrity?
B:. 7 2ould ne3er dum" anything do2n4 1hy should something ha3e to "e of lesser quality to "e
en)oya"le to lots of -eo-leO 7 "elie3e that one shouldnPt ha3e to com-romise onePs artistic am"itions
to reach -eo-le4 7 think the real issue is the quality of the communication4 7f youPre successful& that
)ust means youPre doing a good )o" communicating your artistic message4 There is a quality a"out
my music that seems to make it a--ealing to more than )ust )azz fans4 7 think it has something to do
L#
2ith the fact that 7 lo3e melody& strong groo3es ` 2hich e,ist in s2ing& too ` and 3i"e4 7tPs all
a"out a 3i"e4 7 think it )ust comes "ack to trying to tell good stories4 9re you telling a story that
others 2ould like to hearO 9re you interacting 2ith the "and 9=8 the audience& or are you )ust
-laying for yourselfO
7 "egan noticing on gigs do2n south that 7 2ould get a much stronger audience res-onse 2hen 7
-erformed my music than 2hen 7 -layed a standard4 1hyO Because 2hen 7Pm -laying a standard& itPs
"ackground music to them4 TheyP3e heard so many other -eo-le -lay it4 1hen itPs mine& therePs
something -ersonal there4 9udiences res-ond to that4 9ll that said& e3ery single time 7 -ut the sa, on
my mouth& 7Pm trying to "e the "est& and most creati3e& interacti3e& musical -layer 7Pm ca-a"le of
"eing4 7 think if you get an audience on"oard 2ith you& they 2ill follo2 2hate3er musical -ath you
take them do2n4
3<7: What is your process &hen composing?
B:. =ormally& 7 hear something and am com-elled to get it out of my head4 Aometimes it starts
2ith a melody 7 hear 2hile 2alking around or tra3eling4 (ost times it comes from a groo3e4 7t could
"e a "ass line or a sim-le chord -rogression4 7 tend to hear the foundation first and then the melodies
sort of sho2 themsel3es to me4 7P3e al2ays lo3ed sim-le melodies 2ith dramatic chord -rogressions4
1ayne Ahorter is a master of the sim-le melody o3er the so-histicated harmony4 9s a com-oser& 7
loathe the sound of 77 V 7Ps and ha3e al2ays a3oided them 2hen 7 2rite& though 7 negotiate them all
the time as a -layer4 7 dra2 ins-iration from lots of non-)azz sources4 The o-ening track of my al"um
is "ased on a 0 "ar harmonic -rogression and "ass line 7 heard 8P9ngelo do on a record "y the hi--
ho- artist Common4
7 2rite at the -iano& not the sa,4 7 al2ays 2rite 2here 7 originally hear it4 9s a result& 7 ha3e a lot of
songs in keys that are uncharacteristically UtenorR& i4e4 B& *& 9& 8"4444
(any times 7Pll ha3e a short idea that 2aits around for a 2hile for me to e,-and or de3elo- it& other
times stuff comes out fast& almost fully formed4
3<7: Who are your biggest influences right no&?
B:. ?urt :osen2inkel& Brian Blade +ello2shi-& and com-osers Thomas =e2man& (ark 7sham&
:al-h Vaughn 1illiams& and 9aron Co-eland4 9lso& 7Pm really into ?anye 1estPs U5ate
:egistrationR right no2& and re3isiting Aonny :ollinsP UAa,o-hone ColossusR - forgot ho2
9(9W7= it isJ 9nd though 7Pm on hiatus to a3oid "urnout& :adiohead has "een my most e,citing
and influential disco3ery of the last E years4
3<7: Ho& did it come about that $osh )edman put one of your tunes in his boo.?
B:. 7 met Josh at the (onterey Jazz +esti3al in 1### 2here 2e 2ere "oth -erforming4 7 -layed
2ith my quartet on the arden Atage in a 2ell-attended afternoon sho24 <e 2as the sold-out closing
act of the last festi3al of the millennium on the main stage4 7t )ust so ha--ened that :eu"en :ogers
` 2ho 2as JoshPs "ass -layer at the time ` 2as checking out my sho2 "ecause he 2as friends 2ith
my "ass -layer4 <e told Josh a"out me and 2e 2ere introduced later that night in the hotel lo""y4 1e
#M
ke-t in touch o3er the years and he 2as al2ays 3ery nice to me4 5ast year& 2hen 7 2as -re-aring to
record my al"um& 7 ga3e him a C8 that had a fe2 songs on it that 7Pd recorded in a Brooklyn li3ing
room4 <e 2as 3ery encouraging of the music and 2hen 7 sho2ed him the finished -roduct a fe2
months later& he 2as so enthusiastic and felt that 7Pd ca-tured something unique& something soulful4
<e 2ent out of his 2ay to hel- me get the C8 in some -eo-lePs hands and -ro3ided lots of hel-ful
feed"ack that hel-ed me make some im-ortant decisions a"out e3erything from sequencing to
-u"lishing4
5ast fall he asked me if 7 2ould "e ok 2ith him -erforming a song from my ne2 al"um _ =ine
5i3es _ and 7 think 7 said something like U9re you A*:7>@AOR Ao a cou-le 2eeks later 7 2as at the
Blue =ote in =e2 ;ork and Josh 2as introducing my song and me and it 2as 3ery surreal4
3<7: What .ind of sideman &or. ha#e you been doing in 64<?
B:. (y "read and "utter gig o3er the -ast ' years has "een 2ith a singer-song2riter named Jonah
Amith4 Jonah -lays a mean rhodes& 2rites fantastic songs and (though hePs a 2hite Je2ish guy from
Ayracuse! sings kind of like an old "lack man4 <e (and our "and of fi3e years! 2as recently signed to
:eli, :ecords and 2e finished recording a C8 -roduced "y 5ee To2nsend (Charlie <aden& Bill
+risell& Charlie <unter! thatPll "e out in (ay4 7P3e also "een recording and touring 2ith another
singer-song2riter named =ellie (c?ay4 That "and includes 5onnie Cla,ico on "ass and Carl 9llen
on drums4 7 recently recorded an al"um 2ith Tom <arrell and regory <utchinson for a guitarist
named :ale (icic4 7 ha3e -erformed or recorded 2ith 1illie =elson& Jessica Aim-son& 5i3e at the
9-olloPs :ay Che2 and the Cre2& 9aron old"erg& Brian Blade& :eu"en :ogers& *ric <arland&
James (oody& Cindy Blackman& Bo" Brookmeyer& ?e3in (ahogany& Jam/+unk "and 5ettuce& *ric
?rasno (of Aouli3e!& =athan *ast& <ar3ey (ason& and smooth )azz sa,o-honist 1alter Beasley4
3<7: What do you see happening in the $a%% industry in the next decade?
B:. <ard to say4 *3erything is so 87; these days4 7 2onder if 7Pll get to make another C8 or if it
2ill all "e straight to iTunesO 7 think there are some 3ery -ositi3e things out there4 (yA-ace is
de3elo-ing into a -ositi3e medium to connect 2ith like-minded music enthusiasts4 1ePll see if all the
res-onse 7Pm getting there translates into al"um sales 2hen the disc comes out4 TherePs also -odcasts
_ 2hich 7Pm )ust getting hi- to4 But there are all these s-ecialized )azz sho2s and "roadcasts& 2hich
make ne2 music more accessi"le to interested listeners4 7 think )azz& music& trends& life4444itPs all
cyclical4 7 think 2ePre entering a ne2 era of fusion4 =ot fusion 2ith a ca-ital + like in the 7MPs& "ut
there are )ust so many more influences that are "eing "rought to the ta"le and )azz is the ultimate
-latform for mi,ing and e,-erimenting 2ith different style4 Cro"a"ly after that& it 2ill "e time for a
retro& return of the young lions thing4 1ho kno2sO
3<7: Ho& do you thin. the scene has changed in 64< in recent years?
B:. 1ell& 7P3e only "een here for ' years& "ut 7 2ould say itPs changed a lot4 The young lions are no
longer young and all 2ho attem-ted to follo2 in their footste-s found a dissimilar fate4 7 2ouldnPt
say itPs 2orse& "ut itPs different4 A-eaking for myself& itPs taken time to get my "earings4 7Pm only
no2 starting to come to terms 2ith the fact that 7 donPt ha3e to -ro3e myself to anyone or follo2 in
some -ath that 7 thought 2as the only 2ay 2hen 7 2as in high school4 7 came here thinking that 7 had
#1
to go to all the )am sessions and -ro3e that 7 2as the "addest cat and that 2ould lead to all the choice
sideman gigs and e3entually my o2n thing4444 2rongJJJ 7 <9T* lame )am sessions and a3oid them at
all costs4 There is nothing musical a"out soloing o3er 9iregin after ' egotistical trum-et -layers ha3e
)ust gotten their rocks off and a "ela"ored rhythm section is "egrudgingly ` or slo--ily ` chugging
along "eneath you4
7 think less -eo-le go out to hear X)azzP "ut therePs also more 3arieties of )azz to "e heard4 TherePs
more fragmentation "ut also more acce-tance4 The "iggest -ro"lem 7 ha3e 2ith the =e2 ;ork )azz
scene is that its audience is #M] )azz musicians4 1hyO *ither those are the only -eo-le interested in
the "reed of )azz "eing -layed& or the musicians donPt kno2 ho2 to reach an audience4 7 didnPt get
into music to -erform for musicians alone4
=e2 ;ork is -art legend and -art myth4 7 do "elie3e that -eo-le& myself included& construct idyllic
3isions of 2hat life in =;C as a )azz musician must "e like& "ut itPs not really like 2hate3er youPre
thinkingJ That said& if you really ha3e a -assion for the music you are -laying& then there is no2here
else in the 2orld like it4 The "est musicians youP3e e3er heard of are "ased here& as are the "est
youP3e =*V*: heard of& 2hich is the real soul of the scene4 ThatPs 2hat =e2 ;ork is a"out4 7t kee-s
you on your toes& at the to- of your game4 7t also "onds you 2ith all these other fantastic musicians
2ho are here to -lay at the highest le3el they can4 Aacrifice is the common denominator4 7tPs easy to
get lost& though4 +or me& =e2 ;ork has "een as much a"out finding out 2ho 7Pm not and 2hat 7
donPt like as it has "een the o--osite4
3<7: 4ou mentioned a &hile ago that you considering mo#ing to the 6W. 0s the 64< scene
&earing you do&n?
B:. ;ou kno2& =e2 ;ork can 2ear on you& "ut it can also "e so in3igorating4 7 think one needs
s-ace in order to lo3e it again4 7 kno2 7 2onPt "e here fore3er& "ut 7 kno2 7Pll al2ays miss it 2hen 7
lea3e4 This is my first time 3isiting the =orth2est and 7Pm interested to check out the scene& "ut =e2
;ork& for the moment& is definitely home4
#0
0arlos 'aldez senior and Matisse
Being the only son of a -ainter 7 gre2 u- listening to my fatherBs ideas a"out the mystical
e,-erience of art4 9s a kid 7 2as "ored out of my skull 2hen he 2ould start ram"ling on and on
a"out art& "ut as 7 gre2 older 7 realized that -o-s had gi3en my a -retty decent artistic education4 7
)ust a--lied e3erything he talked a"out to Jazz music4 7t 2ould "ehoo3e e3ery Jazz musician to take
some time to study the 2ritings of the masters4 Visual artists often ha3e more de3elo-ed -hiloso-hic
conce-ts a"out the artistic -rocess4
<ereBs a note my father sent me a"out a"stract e,-ressionism4 Carlos senior could "e descri"ed as
an a"stract e,-ressionist -ainter& so hereBs 2hat he has to say a"out one of his fa3orite -ainters-
(atisse4
T;ou mentioned "eing an a"stract e,-ressionist -layer-
Ao 2hat if a line "leeds through or some can3as sho2sO
(atisse 2orked those elements intuiti3ely& "rought them along 2ith the rest of the -ainting4
They had as much rich distilled feeling as anything else in the -ainting4
8id this make the -ainting com-le,O no
(atisse condensed his elements fantastically- some 2onderful 2orks are nothing "ut a fe2
scratches4
<e said that he 2anted an art free of all trou"ling su")ect matter-
2hat he really 2anted 2as to "e in his oriental -aradise& and he did get there4
7magine decades of that e,-erience of "eauty4
<e called it in his characteristically concise 2ay- e,-ression4
7 canBt understand ho2 he 2as e3er recognized-his 2ork is so su"tle4
Contem-oraries talk of seeing him scra-e a2ay 2orks of fantastic "eauty- thatBs not 2hat he 2as
after4
#$
<e said that he e,-erienced god at those times 2hen he did something that he 2as not ca-a"le of&
"ut he felt cheated that that 2as as close as he could come4
7 found this (atisse quote-
T7nstinct must "e th2arted )ust as one -runes the "ranches of a tree so that it 2ill gro2 "etter4T
"ut you kno2 he got his ma)or )ollies 2hen he 2orked-intuiti3ely4
(ay"e he meant something different than it seems4
7 think that (atisse follo2ed the sense of 2hat mattered to himself in his art no matter 2hat4
<e learned e3erything he could a"out -ainting then sim-ly left himself o-en to 2hat might ha--en4
<e 2as suicidal at times in des-air o3er "eing una"le to do 2hat he needed to do4 <e li3ed through
t2o 2orld 2ars 2here artists 2ere star3ing- "ut if he could identify 2ith it stayed in4 This can "e
seen in the 2ork )ust after the fau3ist -eriod4 >nce that 2as solidly esta"lished& 2hich 7 "elie3e
in3ol3ed culti3ating his ner3ous system as a Ti"etan monk 2ould do- through the -ractice of
-ainting4
<e 2ent to the light and ultimately transcended himself4
The (atisse flo2er is actually a tamed demon4 - Carlos ValdezR
#E

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The Essential Casa Valdez

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