[Dixielandjazz] Chords & Melody

[Stephen Barbone]

Rehearsed with Tex Wyndham's Red Lion Jazz Band last night which brought
these thoughts to mind about improvisation on the chords v. melody. We
were going over an upcoming gig and it included so fairly obscure tunes
like:  Pots & Pans; Krooked Blues, Just a Baby's Prayer at Twilight; I
Never Miss The Sunshine (I'm So Used To The Rain); It's A Lonesome Old
Town When You're Not Around, etc.

Tex uses a chord chart system and has a tune book of about 1500 songs,
no lead line, just chords. On songs like the above chances are no one
but Tex who plays the lead melody has the faintest idea what the melody
is until we hear him play it and we do both verse and chorus. (he knows
the lead on most of these songs from memory, but occasionally he'll get
out a copy of the original sheet music.) That facet of his playing has
always amazed me.

So the Trombone, Clarinet, and Piano automatically become chordal
improvisors on these songs unless we can imprint the melody from
listening to it at 5 or six rehearsals.  (Almost Impossible for me on
tunes like the above)

What is amazing is that the band becomes fairly tight on routines and
improv from just the chord charts, and Tex's vigorous directions.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone