[Dixielandjazz] Chords v. Melody

[Goggin, Brian (Dublin)]

I thought Coleman Hawkins was one of the most respected and early chordal
improvisers?

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Stephen Barbone [SMTP:barbonestreet at earthlink.net]
> Sent:	Tuesday, January 21, 2003 6:09 PM
> To:	Dixieland Jazz Mailing List
> Subject:	[Dixielandjazz] Chords v. Melody
> 
> Not sure who originally posted this (polite snip)
> 
> "I used to know a reed guy that actually "read" the chords as they
> passed through his head.  He had one of those curious minds that can
> actually "see" things, and he would scroll through a song, literally.
> Became
> particularly funny if he somehow got distracted and jumped a beat or a
> measure.  There was no way for him to stop scrolling, so he would
> happily play out the rest of his solo one beat or one bar behind or
> ahead, depending on the jump he had made.  No sort of honking or yelling
> from those around could bring him back on beat as he was "reading", and
> played what he read."
> 
> List mates:
> 
> That experience can be a trip. I've worked in two bands that used banjo
> players that need the chord charts in order to play. Even for Bill
> Bailey, or Saints. Take them away and they get lost.
> 
> Relating to the above post, both of these bands play verse and chorus of
> somewhat obscure tunes. Mixing up the times when either verse of chorus
> is played. The leaders yell out "verse", or "chorus" about one measure
> before you are at the beginning of either one.
> 
> Both banjo players are concentrating so hard on reading the chords,
> counting measures, etc. they sometimes miss the leader's direction. And
> then we get a band playing verse and the banjo playing chorus. It has
> become my job in these bands to get the banjo back on track by looking
> at his chord chart and yelling "VERSE, BAR 17 (the number of the next
> measure coming up) so that the banjo can get back in sync. My job as the
> reed player in these bands becomes more than just noodling around the
> chords
> 
> In that regard, many bands define the reed man's job as playing the 3rd
> above the trumpet line in the melody ensembles so I always ask the
> leader when playing in a "new" band as a reed sideman how he/she wants
> me to play. Most are pretty laid back about it and say whatever you
> want, but some are very specific. Just about all have slightly different
> ideas about what my job is. I view it as 1) please the leader, 2) please
> the audience.
> 
> Regarding bop or modern jazz much of that improv is a new melody line on
> the existing chord structure of an original tune. Eg. Koko, Hot House,
> Donna Lee, Hackensack, Evidence etc.., etc., etc. So IMO it is
> impossible to try and categorize exactly what happens in, what Louis, or
> Eddie Condon, or Charlie Parker called, music.
> 
> Want to hear great Melody Improv? Listen to Louis ot Sidney Bechet. Want
> to hear some great chordal improv? Listen to Benny Goodman and all his
> various clones. Want to hear "far out" improvisation? No need to get hip
> with Joe Lovano, or Keith Jarrett, listen to Bix or Pee Wee Russell.
> 
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
> 
> 
> 
> 
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