[Dixielandjazz] IMPROVISATION

[Brian Gail]

  Interesting reading about Pat Ladd attending an improvisation clinic and the disappointment at finding out it referred to those modern players
                  My own method of improvising OKOM  has been to whistle a tune and then whistle variations to the tune. I guess this comes from
                   my early brass band days when we entered solo contests and the solo’s were tunes like  The Ash grove  , My old Kentucky home,
                    etc  they all had variations on the theme . I used to drive  my parents mad with my continual whistling , but even today this is
                   how I work on a jazz solo I do not read chords and have never found it a problem playing OKOM  and besides  I'm a little  long
                   in the tooth to try changing now .
                  I also found having a rhythm section playing the right chords  made whatever I played so much easier, and also listening toCDs 
                  of OKOM    where I'm certain we all pick up certain phrases that we use.      I know this method
                   would not and does not work with modern tunes , over here we call that starvation music.
                 REGARDS 
                 Brian  Geoghan