[Dixielandjazz] Improvising

[Hoog, Steve]

Many different approaches to improvising, obviously.

A "trained, classical" musician, someone who reads music and doesn't feel comfortable NOT reading, has to overcome the fear of no print.  I strongly disagree with the often-quoted Miles comment--if you have no idea what you want to do, how can you do anything?

Dan, your screech idea is a good one--I do that a lot when little kids are around, and get them to move the valves while I play.  But, your idea about recreating it an octave lower takes away the improvisation.

Get a recording of Sousa marches, preferably with some you aren't very familiar with.  Learn to play the bass lines, even in the dogfights.  You'll have the basis for almost any jazz tune right there, not to mention rags.

And, yes, learn the melodies.  If nothing else, play the tune when it comes to your solo chorus.  You can always throw in some rhythmic things, slip to another chord member, or throw in a quick grace note or something.  Bending an extended note is almost always effective.  

The main difference between OKOM and Bop and beyond is the line.  OKOM and pure swing are much more linear in scope, meloodic--the "real" jazz, as some snobs refer to it, is essentially vertical, based on the specific chord at the given point of the tune.

Red Lehr told me he got started by playing along with Ray Coniff records.  I wouldn't go to THAT extreme, personally, but certainly get whatever recordings you can and play and solo along.  I find that I learn new tunes off recordings most efficiently by first learning the changes, then the tune.

steve