[Dixielandjazz] Chordal & Melodic Improvisation

[Stephen Barbone]

This is an interesting thread, and sometimes confusing. Perhaps because
there are different ideas of what melodic improvisation is. Let me state
my beliefs as clearly as I can on this subject.

About 95% of all Dixieland players are chordal improvisers. What??????
Yes, that is what I believe, in fact I believe 95% of all jazz players
are chordal improvisers.

That is to say, their solos are short interval ideas, 4 bars or 8 bars
at a time and based upon the chords of the song. And one segment is not
connected to the next in a continuous melodic line. If we hear the
melody there, that is simply because those chord changes relate to the
melody. Example, during a chordal improvisation of Bill Bailey, many of
us hear the melody, "Bill Bailey". But then again, many of us can also
hear the melody "Washington and Lee Swing", "Bourbon Street Parade" or
"Tiger Rag" all of which use the identical chord progressions. So, IMO,
just because one hears the melody, doesn't make it "Melodic
Improvisation."

If, in fact, Washington & Lee Swing had not yet been written and Buddy
Bolden, while playing Bill Bailey invented a chorus of W & L Swing, that
would have been "melodic improvisation" over the chords to BB..

To reinforce that, isolate most solos from the song in question. Write
them down, syncopate them, and play them with no band back up for a
listener and chances are the listener will have no idea what you are
playing, and there will not be a discernible melody line standing on its
own. Just a series of unconnected short interval runs.

What then is "melodic improvisation"?  As I see it, melodic
improvisation is when the soloist takes the song in question and creates
a new melody, using those chords existent in the song. Not short
interval runs, but if it is a 32 bar song, then a new 32 bar melody is
created. Or if a 16 bar chorus, then there is a logical new 16 bar
continuous new melody chorus created by the soloist.

Examples: In OKOM, Sidney Bechet and Bix Beiderbecke. Both were masters
at creating a coherent new melody lines for the length of the chorus.
Bechet can be heard on "Tiger Rag" Mosaic reissue CD series playing an
entirely new melody chorus, and then a variation of that on his second
chorus. Pure genius. And Bix? Well you Bixophiles know exactly what I am
talking about. Other examples of this by both men abound.

Other melodic improvisation. Charlie Parker on those 2 famous
"Embraceable You" chorus's. Stunning example of melodic improvisation.
Totally new, 32 bar long coherent melody that fits the existing chords.
And what is even more stunning, he did the two takes just moments apart,
creating 2 new melodies to Embraceable you chords, on the spot. Plus all
those other tunes wherein he improvised new melodies. And perhaps Bean's
1939 Body & Soul is more melodic improvisation than we give credit for?
After that initial reference to the original melody, don't we get a
chorus long new melody? More than just short interval runs on the
chords? (I am asking because I haven't heard the record in about 20
years)

I think perhaps many of us view embellishment on the original melody as
melodic improvisation. I may be in the minority, but I don't think it
is. I think it is simply melodic embellishment. That is not to pass
judgment for melody is fine, if done well, and not repeated endlessly.

Melodic Improvisers? I think they are genius level on their axes and
they are very few and far between. It is virtually impossible to be one
all the time. That creative stress would be enormous. If Bechet had died
young like Bix and Bird, I would have linked that stress to their early
demise.

Like man, I keep hearing something but I can't play it. ;-)

Bottom line?

Chordal Improv equals short interval runs, mostly 4, sometimes 8 bars,
within the chord structure of the chorus. Each run not connected to the
next one as a continuing melodic line. Most jazz musos do this.

Melodic Improv equals chorus length solo, that is one continuous new
melodic line, based on the same chords as the song's original melody.
Very few jazz musos do this, and virtually none, that I know of, can do
it all the time.

My two cents,

Cheers,
Steve Barbone