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Jazz / Blues Teaching Technique

Author: chipper
Date: 2008-01-15 16:24

Hi BB Folks:

I've been lurking for a while but have posted in the past. I'm a 52 yo whose been playing now for 3 years after never having played anything in my life, except the stereo. So I started with a music teacher and went through the Standard of Excellence books to get me started. I then hid out in the Civic Band for a year and played every other note but seldom carried the part, but did learn a lot about playing with others. Then I studied with a woman getting a masters in Music Ed, her principal instrument was the clarinet and we did a number of duets and etudes. So far, all my training was from written notation and was expected to be played as written.

So now I've hooked up with this local teacher who specializes in teaching a variety of students blues and jazz. He sent me home with the melody lines for Coltrane's "Mr PC" and Kenny Dorham"s "Blue Bossa" along with the pentatonic scales that go along with these pieces with instructions to know the scales by heart and learn the melodys. No problem, (so I think), and so I even pick up Mancini's "Pink Panther" on my own for good measure. I practice my scales dilligently and become versed in reading and playing the pieces from the notation as I've been trained to do. I arrive at my lesson well prepared to preform my tricks, sit, open the notebook, blow through the scales and sight read and play the melodies, and figure I'll wow him with the Pink Panther. (Good Student, Have a cookie). Instead, he turns the music stand around so I cannot see the notation, begins the cords on his guitar and says "melody" I fight through that but after several times around I'm loosening up, feeling the beat, actually interacting and playing. This is great fun. He then says, "Jam using the pentatonic scale you practiced" Again, same fight in the beginning but after a while very cool. Very nice, very fun. Add a pickup note here, slur that there, just groove.

So now my question: In the overall scheme of learning MUSIC, what am I doing to myself? I love the improv and the 12 bar blues, but also want to be able to play in a structured environment. The Civic Band and holiday duets with my wife on her flute. Just what should I keep in mind as I go along?

Thanks

Carl

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