Klarinet Archive - Posting 000328.txt from 1997/08

From: Fred Jacobowitz <fredj@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Learning Jazz
Date: Sun, 10 Aug 1997 23:35:37 -0400

Clare,
I play and teach Jazz. Frankly, one needs NO classical training at
all to be a superb Jazzer. Witness Charlie Parker. However, it DOES help
make the process easier if you have significant technique. Here is where
classical training helps. Also, Ear Training and Theory are much more
important to a Jazzer than to a classical player because of the
iprovisation element which is so important to Jazzers but nonexistent in
most classical milieux.
No insult but I would find it highly improbable that a person with
no Jazz experience
could teach a STYLE like Jazz. It is analogous to a non-slavic speaker
trying to teach someone else Russian. First he doesn't kow the sound of
the letters and words. Secoond, he doesn't know the cadence of the voice.
Third, he can't converse with his student - an essential part of language
training. Basically, you'd be wasting both your times (is that correct?).
Essentially, and this is **very** important to realize: JAZZ IS ANOTHER
LANGUAGE AND IT IS **NOT** BASED ON READING. ONE CANNOT LEARN IT JUST BY
READING IT ANY MORE THAN ONE CAN SPEAK INTELLLIGIBLE FOREIGN LANGUAGES BY
READING THEM OFF WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THEY SOUND LIKE.
There are some excellent play-along jazz methods but none would do
any good if they were not administered by a Jazzer. One series is the
Aebersold method. Another is the "Rhythms Complete" by 'Bugs' Bower (publ.
by Charles Colin in New York), the Niehaus "Jazz Conception" series (Try
publishing). However, let me repeat, they would do virtually no good
without an experienced Jazzer administering them.

Fred Jacobowitz
Clarinet/Sax Instructor, Peabody Preparatory

On Fri, 8 Aug 1997, C Henderson wrote:

> Hi folks
>
> I'm a classical player, pure and simple. All my training and playing has been on classical lines, but I have a young pupil who appears to me to show some promise as a potential jazz player. My questions are:
> 1) How much classical training (if any) is necessary in order to be well grounded before attempting jazz?
> 2) Is there anything I can teach him as a starter, or at least focus on, or would he be better going to a teacher whose strength is jazz?
> 3) Are there any good training books for beginner jazz players (I'm in Australia though, so any suggestions here may be hard to obtain)?
>
> TIA
>
> Clare
>
> ****************************************************
> Clare Pascoe Henderson
> variously clarinetist, writer/lecturer, herbalist
> chook fanatic and menagerie manager
> <chenderson@-----.au>
> ****************************************************
>
>
>