[Dixielandjazz] Re: Improvisation redux

[Stephen Barbone]

> Charlie Hooks wrote (polite snip)
>
> True, the tuba is not really a solo instrument, but it sure can be made
> into one by a player who knows what he's about.  I think that if you can get
> comfortable playing the melody, you can come to be comfortable playing
> around the melody, inventing your own melody.

Yep, Good advice. That's probably the key. Learn the melodies backwards and forwards, and the improv will be much easier. Thinking about it more, now I believe I hear the melody, or the approximate melody as I improvise. Don't hear chords, or keys or anything like that, but I do hear the melody. Not sure if it comes from right brain or left brain.

When first playing in the 1940s, I never used to do trio gigs where I had to play melodies, but always 6 piece work where I played harmonies. Once I did trios comfortably, and learned the melodies, (mid 50s) my improvs improved immeasurably. Like when I hear Bird play Koko, I hear the melody to Cherokee etc. I hear the melodic line that Bird is playing as well, but I can't play it without mucho practice, however, I can improv easily on Cherokee with my own voice, my own melodic line. Same thing on Donna Lee, which is a new melodic
line on Indiana.

Do like Hooks says, learn the melodies to every tune you play. Then learn what the song is about so you have an idea what to say, and how to feel on it. Like Black & Blue ain't a happy blues, but Blues My Naughty Sweetie etc., is because it is a "naughty" tune. The blues feel on each should therefore be very different as should what you say via improv about each tune.

Chances are, like Hooks says, you will become a melodic improviser in that you invent your own melody. And there really aren't too many good ones around in jazz. Most folks just "run the changes".  Bechet did it better than anyone else I can think of at the moment. In effect you become a composer on good nights, and play some trash on bad nights as Hooks also said.

Even now, when I learn a new tune in Tex Wyndham's Red Lion band, I will play melody along with him for the first few times till I get it straight, then read the chord chart for the harmonies and then finally do the improv. (His book is about1500 tunes written before 1940)

Cheers,
Steve Barbone