[Tradjazz] Soloing - was - Dixieland overview.

[Bruce McNichols]

When learned to play banjo, I entered a new level. By doing so, I learned 
chords and the sequence of chords in the tunes. Gradually, I found that I 
was able to hear chord changes in songs.

In an improvisational situation, a basic point is surely the idea of 
listening more than playing, which will make an ensemble sound good. Too 
many bands playing our music seem to be having an all-out jam session. Yes, 
as a teenager, I did it too. Hopefully, no more.

Years ago, Herb and I were on a gig where the drummer was out of hand. 
Although a skilled percussionist, this guy seemed to think that the rest of 
the band was supposed to back him up. At the end oft the gig, I said to Herb 
"I could play better drums with one hand tied behind my back." Herb quipped 
"HE could play better drums with one hand tied behind his back!" How true it 
was.

Another Herb gem: "He doesn't understand the dignity of the rhythm section." 
Indeed.

In our racket, we are thought of as going out to play. I'm sure that we all 
love to play and would (and do) do it for no pay, often. That said, in order 
to make good music, it's not play. It's work. Probably the most gratifying 
work there could be, but work, nonetheless.

I know that many of you on this discussion group, are players. I welcome 
your comments, thoughts, complaints and suggestions, on all of this. That 
goes for you non-players too. This discussion group is a marvelous forum for 
us to discuss this very complex subject.

McN


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: <tradjazz at list.okom.com>
Sent: Monday, December 10, 2007 11:28 AM
Subject: [Tradjazz] Soloing - was - Dixieland overview.


> "Bruce McNichols" <muskrat at bestweb.net> wrote about the Bix/Armstrong
> relationship to soloing in jazz. (polite snip)
>
>> Steve,
>> And that doesn't even mention
>> that the concept that soloing, isn't automatically good. That's because 
>> so
>> many bands always seem to have EVERYONE take one, or more solos on each
>> tune. That seems to be so even when so many players "have nothing to 
>> say,"
>> even with one solo.
>
> Hear hear. I'm not sure why that is true but I do agree. Perhaps it is
> because we think we can teach jazz in schools. The kids learn facility on
> the instrument, but not creativity. Can we teach creativity?
>
> I think creativity comes from within, like motivation. The only guy I can
> think of whose creativity came from the outside was Coltrane. His through
> constant practice with all sorts of scales. He was the only one who made 
> any
> sense of scalular improv. Those who attempt to copy him today, are just
> running their pentatonics etc. and sound as if they are practicing.  (All 
> of
> the above IMO of course.)
>
> I remember Thelonious Monk talking about Trane in the late 1950s after 
> Trane
> left the Monk quartet to go on in further search of creativity. Monk would
> say, John keeps looking outside himself for creativity and so he immerses
> himself in learning all the known scales in all of the known music in the
> world. Maybe he should step back for a moment and search from within.
>
> I may not be a big Keith Jarrett fan, but do admire what he said about 
> jazz:
>
> "Jazz is one of the least learnable at forms." - Jazz Times, May 1999
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
>
>
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