[Dixielandjazz] Improvising

[Stephen G Barbone]

> "Larry Walton Entertainment  <larrys.bands at charter.net> wrote  
> (polite snip)
>
> If I'm looking at a solo in a tune I don't know I will sub tone  
> through the
> chord line that way in the minute or so before I'm on.  This will  
> orient me
> to the changes so in effect I go back to square one.
>
> One guy suggested playing the bass notes.  This is more or less that  
> idea.

Good advice Larry. I  rehearse once a week with Tex Wyndham's local  
rehearsal band. (he gets about 4 gigs a year) He uses a chord book  
containing 1500 or so OKOM songs to which he either had original sheet  
music, or has transcribed from recordings.

I am not an accomplished sight reader, but easily read chord charts.  
When I first started to play in his group some 15 or so years ago, I  
did not recognize at least 900 of the tunes he plays/rehearses. And he  
does the verses as well as the choruses.

So what i did for the first time through them is play the root note of  
the chord with each change to get an idea of where the tune was going.  
Or, if there were no rapid chord changes, the 3rd & 7th of each chord.  
Because IMO they are the directional or roadmap notes of OKOM changes..

So in a very short time, I was able to improvise on the tunes as well  
as play a coherent harmony.

BTW, if folks want to hear what I call "Melodic Improvisation" visit  
my "MySpace" page and click on "Someday You' ll Be Sorry,"  a familiar  
tune by Louis A, written largely over the Chords of Whispering. Listen  
to the clarinet solo after Paul's vocal and you'll hear a new melody  
(I hope) that is totally unrelated to either tune. Not, IMO, short  
interval chordal improv, not melodic embellishment, but a completely  
new 32 bar melodic line.

Same for Glenn's trombone and Sonny's guitar solos following mine.  
They were all composed/played on the spot.

http://www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband

Cheer,
Steve Barbone