[Dixielandjazz] Beginner sit-ins

[James O'Briant]

Larry Walton wrote:

> I would agree with the Practice x3 and does give you the 
> basic skills you need but sitting in a practice room will 
> never teach you how to play off of another person or to pick 
> up ideas as they flow during a tune. ...

> ... jazz camps would be much more valuable to the 
> beginner where the person would get a chance to play in a 
> group with constructive instruction.

My opinion is that both are needed -- the chance to play in group situations
in front of others, and enough practice time to master one's instrument. 

I've observed the players at three adult trad jazz camps in the past couple
of years -- and yes, I'm speaking of players from college age through senior
citizens, not junior high or high school players here -- and my observation
was that many adults who want to play jazz simply don't play their
instruments well enough to play what they want to play.  The ideas are
there, but the fingers and chops just aren't able to translate those ideas
into music.

I think -- and again, this is just my own opinion -- that aspiring jazz
players need to spend the time to learn all of their scales, learn arpeggios
in all keys (or at least the commonly encountered keys), and learn and
understand chord structure.  Yes, there are some players who can play
intuitively enough that they don't need this background, but certainly not
all.

And aspiring jazz players need to develop enough technique on their
instruments so that they can play what they hear in their heads. That's the
practice, practice, practice part.

I don't mean to short-change the importance of getting to play jazz in front
of others, whether by attending jazz camps, or sitting in with bands, or
playing in the jam sets at jazz society meetings, or forming a band of one's
own.  I just want to be sure that we don't shortchange the importance of
being able to play one's instrument well enough to play the jazz one wants
to play.

Jim O'Briant
Tuba
Gilroy, CA