Politically incorrect observations on jazz #1
Over the next couple of months I will be posting some unconventional wisdom on jazz shibboleths. Here's the first:
1. “Jazz musicians listen to and interact with each other on stage.”
This one is almost too easy. As a general rule it just ain’t so. Put on most jazz CDs and you will hear little to no interactions, harmonic melodic response or elaboration on what each member of the group does. I was doing a session a few years ago with a famous NY guitar player, one who is very creative and interactive and plays with some of the best and most famous in the jazz world. At the end of our session he turned to me and said “thank you man. You actually listen and interact.” “Huh? What do you mean?” I replied. “Isn’t that how it should be?” He told me that in his experience, only 11% (the exact percentage he gave) of the people he played with (and he was involved in a highly creative scene) actually listened and interacted. That has certainly been my observation, both as a player and a listener.
Jazz ed and the whole patterns for jazz, triad pairs, etc...phenomenon is largely responsible for exacerbating this, as it has spawned an entire generation of lick-spewing, fear-based improvising. Also, the pressure on the superkids to excel (Grammy bands, kids signed to deals at 17 when they barely know any tunes and are still turning forms around) earlier and earlier leaves very little margin for chance-taking. My advice to any students? Run as fast as you can the other way from anyone who tells you to get a licks book and work them out in all 12 keys. Oh, and listen, starting with listening to what YOU are playing.
1. “Jazz musicians listen to and interact with each other on stage.”
This one is almost too easy. As a general rule it just ain’t so. Put on most jazz CDs and you will hear little to no interactions, harmonic melodic response or elaboration on what each member of the group does. I was doing a session a few years ago with a famous NY guitar player, one who is very creative and interactive and plays with some of the best and most famous in the jazz world. At the end of our session he turned to me and said “thank you man. You actually listen and interact.” “Huh? What do you mean?” I replied. “Isn’t that how it should be?” He told me that in his experience, only 11% (the exact percentage he gave) of the people he played with (and he was involved in a highly creative scene) actually listened and interacted. That has certainly been my observation, both as a player and a listener.
Jazz ed and the whole patterns for jazz, triad pairs, etc...phenomenon is largely responsible for exacerbating this, as it has spawned an entire generation of lick-spewing, fear-based improvising. Also, the pressure on the superkids to excel (Grammy bands, kids signed to deals at 17 when they barely know any tunes and are still turning forms around) earlier and earlier leaves very little margin for chance-taking. My advice to any students? Run as fast as you can the other way from anyone who tells you to get a licks book and work them out in all 12 keys. Oh, and listen, starting with listening to what YOU are playing.
posted by Michael Zilber at 11:09 AM
