[Dixielandjazz] Horizontal music

[Custode at aol.com]

A few thoughts regarding horizontal and vertical music:
 
When I hear that a musician plays horizontally, rather than  vertically, I 
attribute the style as follows:
 
A "horizontal" player will improvise within the tonality of the song, very  
often disregarding the passing chords within the piece.  If a song is in  the 
key of Eb, the player will play lines that fit within that key.  When a  
passing chord, such as B comes along, the improviser will usually not play the  
non-tonal B and F# or ignore the change altogether.
 
Conversely, a "vertical" player will play through each chord he  comes 
across.  Up and down through each chord change, hitting the non-tonal  notes of the 
tune.
 
So, a "horizontal" musician plays across the tune, and a "vertical" player  
plays up and down through the tune. 
 
Melodic jazz is one in which the listener can hear "melodies" within in an  
improvised solo, as opposed to simply hearing jazz lines.  Very often, the  
listener can walk away from a solo, and whistle some of the lines played.
 
Finally, whenever I hear a conductor, performer, director etc. say to the  
audience "we are now going to challenge you", I hang on to my chair.  It  
usually means that the upcoming piece is not going to sound horizontal,  vertical, 
melodic, and musical.  It is usually "out of the box", and not  all that 
enjoyable...unless of course you are on the bandstand playing it.   And then the 
challenge is for the entire band to finish together.
 
A belated "Happy Thanksgiving" to all!
 
Lewis D.  Custode, Jr., CLU, ChFC, CASL
trumpeter,
"Bourbon Street Brass" and "Bar-room Buzzards"
Buffalo, NY