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RE: Jazz -- Getting started--K.I.S.S.

Author: Jeff Forman
Date: 2001-09-27 18:19

I think I have the same question as Gary, but I'd like to phrase it differently. As an example, I listen to Tim Laughlin play Farewell Blues on his New Orleans Rhythm CD. It starts with a very crisp rendition of the melody (as do most jazz pieces I listen to). And then when the listener's mind has the melody line, the jazz artist branches into what sounds like an improvisational interpretation around the melody. If you hum or whistle the melody while the second (or later) breaks are taken, you will undoubtedly intersect a melody note or two in that impov.

So my question is what is the thought process of the construct of that "second" break. Does the jazz artist start with a melody note and arpegiate it up and down, does he play thirds under the melody, does he go chromatically? And while the answer to each of these is probably yes, I am looking for the methodology of how and why the seleections are made.

And perhaps most importantly ---- is the jazz artist just drawing from a pocketful of licks that go along with C noise or D noise or F Sharp noise? Because even where I have been able to transcribe (a tedious but rewarding process, to a degree) I'm not really getting a sense of the thought process that went into formulating that break. So on the few I've been able to work up, it's just painting by the numbers.

I really would like to know how to use scales. Then I would find the task of learning the scales less painful.

Thanks.

Jeff

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