[Dixielandjazz] Improvisation

[Brian Harvey]

One of the problems about improvisation seems to occur when a musician has
an over abundance of technique over what I might call 'soul' or creativity.
This leads to the objectionable exhibitions of pure technique which have no
place in jazz. The ideal make up of a jazz musician would probably be one
who has equal measures of technique and soul/creativity. We can analyse the
"greats" using this formula and come up with interesting results. Louis for
example would probably be 50/50 as would Charlie Parker. Wynton Marsalis on
the other hand would probably be 30/70. And then take a pianist liker Alton
Purnell of the George Lewis-Bunk Johnson bands - he would probably be 80/20.
No doubt others will take up this thread and disagree with me - but that's
what this forum is about.
I look forward to hearing the ideas of others better qualified than I.
Brian Harvey