[Dixielandjazz] Improvising

[Stephen G Barbone]

Kirk asked about helping a player learn to improvise.

Here are a couple of suggestions:

Check out the Jamey Aebersold website for all sorts of good improv  
information, from the very basic Volume 1 "How to Play Jazz and  
Improvise" to the more technical volumes following it. Booklet comes  
with a CD that enables one to play along.

http:www.jazzbooks.com

Get his catalog and see several pages of books about improvisation,  
ear training, patterns for improvising, technical studies for the  
modern trumpet player, and a 2 hour video "Anyone Can Improvise".

For those in the USA who seek to progress from beginner to  
professional, consider attending one or more of Aebersold's summer  
workshops. Perhaps not too much Dixieland, but certainly lots of  
standards, American Songbook, and of course, bebop and beyond.

IUMO, improvisation is mostly about;  a) mastering the instrument, b)  
Incorporating Blues, c) Soul, d) Listening, and D) Singing through the  
Instrument.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband