[Dixielandjazz] Re: [Fwd: Jimmy Dorsey's Book]

[Russ Guarino]

>
> To sax players who have the time & patience to read books:
>
> Jimmy Dorsey wrote a Saxophone method book, published many, many years
> ago by "Big 3" and, later by  CPP Belwin, Inc., Miami Florida.  It is
> called "Jimmy Dorsey Saxophone Method, A School of Rhythmic Saxophone
> Playing".
>
> The book is a beginner's book with the audacity to include advanced
> material. It starts off with basics and ends with tricky syncopated
> exercises well worth playing over and over.
>
> In the middle, he discusses chords and improv and it is one of best
> discussions I've ever read.  It is in this book that I learned about
> "passing" and "auxiliary" notes.  [ However, I still do not know what
> the difference is as they seem to be performing the same function].
>
> Have you ever discussed passing and auxiliary notes with your musical
> buddies?  No?  I didn't think so.  They are the Salt and Pepper of the
> art of improv.  You do them all the time, probably without knowledge of
> what they are and why they work so well.
>
> Well, I still seem to play better with my ear rather than reading every
> chord on the page.  But, it is sometimes interesting to know technically
> why something sounds pretty good.
>
> Do you know why it is useful to read a lead sheet?  When the music
> changes tonal centers or key. Instead of fumbling around a few seconds
> to find yourself, you just look at the lead sheet and you know what's
> happening.  Or, you look ahead and see it coming and you smooth right
> into the new section seamlessly.  This only is needed if you are playing
> new material or with a new band that plays tunes with which you're not
> familiar.
>
> Russ Guarino