[Dixielandjazz] Re: Dixielandjazz Digest, Vol 6, Issue 49

[Russ Guarino]

Steve,

Your solo comments and my reply started me thinking in more detail about what I do when
soloing.  Last night, at a pizza parlour, where we have started rehearsing once a week, I
was really, really hot and I began asking myself if I am really soloing exclusively right
brain  as I said I did.


          Answer:

          I was soloing right brain but I was also watching the chords go by, left
          brain.  Every now and then, left brain would say.... the 3rd of that
          chord will be a flat.  The F changes to F# as the next chord will be a
          D7, C will work if you want to play it. Don't forget  the C# diminished
          chord coming next will be the same as a C chord with just the root up a
          half step. Arpeggiate the chord if you want to, but make it C#, E,G, A
          or Bb, [ the 6th and the 7th seem to always work ] if you want to go
          that high.,, etc.

          In one tune, I walked away from the band and sat down at the bar while
          the other guys were soloing and then played the final chorus, solo style
          from the seat at the bar [ no music to look at, just pure right brain
          ].  I definitely was soloing right brain, but not quite as well as I do
          when the left brain supplies technical information to the right side.

          Russ Guarino


     PS:

     We have always rehearsed at the home of one of the band guys.  This summer he has
     house guests, so we asked a local Pizza restaurant if they would like us to play
     Wednesday nights from 7 - 9, no charge, as we needed to practice.  They were a
     little cautious until we played the first time.  We  got thunderous applause and
     sold four CDs.  All barriers went down. [ They wanted us to rehearse Friday and
     Saturday evenings too ].  Next rehearsal we started getting tips, etc.

     My advise is that if you have a good band that is growing  musically, rehearse at
     a restaurant some place.  It is another way to spread your reputation.  You can
     tell people you are playing there regularly so they can come hear how the band
     sounds. And, you will open the door for more bookings..

     Rag

Stephen Barbone wrote:

> > <Steve.Hoog at rockhurst.edu> wrote (polite snip)
> >
> > Many different approaches to improvising, obviously.
> >
> > I  strongly disagree with the often-quoted Miles comment--if you have no
> > idea what you want to do, how can you do anything?
>
> Steve, why would you disagree? Clarinetist and list mate Russ Guarino says that's
> exactly what he does, and so do I. Besides, millions of people have no idea what they
> want to do in life, yet end up doing something, for better or for worse.
>
> Miles Davis said in form close to what I posted, that if you hear an idea in your head
> while you are soloing, don't try and play it because you'll "screw" it up. I will verify
> that it has happened to me exactly that way.
>
> And John Coltrane was once shown a transcribed copy of his solo on "Giant Steps" and
> asked to play it. He didn't know it was from a record of his. Took a look and said, "I
> can't play that, it's too difficult." So you know he didn't plan it in advance.
>
> Many peer jazz musicians that I work with say this is exactly what they do also. We
> listen for the prepared solos of some others and have fun hearing certain particular
> soloists repeat the exact same solos for years on tunes.
>
> I think unplanned music happens all the time to me. And I improvise melodically,
> sometimes 32 bars long of coherent melody (other than the lead line). Yet I do not plan
> it via a road map, or memorize it, or even think past the starting note. Nor do I think
> chords, or root, or thirds, or suspended 4ths., trills, bends, minor 2nds, time changes,
> playing between the beats, etc. It just comes out on automatic pilot differently each
> time I play a solo on a particular song. So I get a kick out of music analyzers who will
> dissect a solo and refer to the soloist choosing particular harmonies on solos.
> Sometimes, that is just plain BS.
>
> The notes and harmonics are certainly all there in my mind, and at one time or another I
> have practiced or played them, but in my case, they come out of the subconscious,
> automatically, not by design.
>
> Where am I going on a song? I don't know, but the audience seems to enjoy the
> conversation. Before hand, I think only of the song itself, the words, the meaning, the
> feeling and as I start to play something, the right brain (I guess) takes over and I am
> soloing totally by ear and right brain.
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
>
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