Originally posted by murrowWell said. Allow me to add dave Brubeck once again. He uses so many time signatures and variations that one could continually learn from it.
one of the problems of learning on your own is that you don't really have enough hands...
i think the best way of learning is to think in terms of 3 parts - the tune/sole, the chords/harmony and the bass.
all the great solo jazz pianists (eg bill evans - 'alone' is my favourite solo jazz piano album) clearly think like this, even though in practice one ...[text shortened]... parts is often implied or even absent.
but hey ho!
i would start with oscar peterson.
[May he rest in peace!
i would start with oscar peterson.[/b]
Try chet baker's book on ii V7 progression. Learn how to vary a 12 bar blues, for example with some ii V7 changes. Blues for Alice (parker) is a good blues to study. Another 12 bar blues tune: Straight no Chaser, Monk.
Practice 2-5's over cycle of 4ths for practice. Quote someone else's 2-5 single note line & play it in every key, through the cycles.
OK, no bullfish, I gave it to you straight, it's nothing mystical, just do the work.
i started playing jazz piano as a kid, it was only when i got to about 16 i started improvising.... i remember having a lot of trouble with it, it takes many years to just come natural and play anything yet make it sound good... even today, after playing for around 25 years i still cant improvise in the sharp keys too well, e and b are just a nightmare
Originally posted by eatmybishopbut if it makes you feel better even oscar peterson said he couldnt improvise in f#
i started playing jazz piano as a kid, it was only when i got to about 16 i started improvising.... i remember having a lot of trouble with it, it takes many years to just come natural and play anything yet make it sound good... even today, after playing for around 25 years i still cant improvise in the sharp keys too well, e and b are just a nightmare
Originally posted by eatmybishopNo one wants to make fun of a jazz legend tragically suffering from ability-curbing diseases, ultimately ending in sad yet dignified death. Can't we find some jazzbo to talk about with irreverance?! It's way more fun.
yes, great speed and agility... a very modern sounding pianist as well considering his age...
Originally posted by PBE6Jaco Pastorious
No one wants to make fun of a jazz legend tragically suffering from ability-curbing diseases, ultimately ending in sad yet dignified death. Can't we find some jazzbo to talk about with irreverance?! It's way more fun.
An arrogant coke head that got beat up by a bouncer at a club and died. I've seen him walk into a club saying, "Make way for the world's greatest bass player." Funny, he probably was one of the greatest at the time he was recording.
Originally posted by ivan2908Just remember....it's the notes you DON'T play that the audience seems to like these days.
Not avantgard, or anything too serious, I want to learn jazz and blues scales in order to be able to cool improvise (Until now I learnt just C Eb F F#G Bb blues scale but I made variations 30 minutes in length out of that), I also want to learn about jazz harmony... I know there are patterns and schemes to start with them... Any good book or something ? Where should I start ?
But like Homer Simpson said...."Pshh, I can do that from home!"
Originally posted by gregsflatI just picked up a recording that Jaco did with John Mclaughlin and Tony Wuilliams. The band was called Trio of Doom. AThey formed for a concert in Cuba. Quite compelling fusion, and Jaco was in top form.
Jaco Pastorious
An arrogant coke head that got beat up by a bouncer at a club and died. I've seen him walk into a club saying, "Make way for the world's greatest bass player." Funny, he probably was one of the greatest at the time he was recording.
Go to www.jazzbooks.com There are tons of books for cheap with play-a-long CD's. I suggest starting with "Maiden Voyage" (vol. 54) and vols. 1 and 24.
Funny story, I was walking in downtown Chicago a year ago and found a street performer playing out of the "Maiden Voyage" book with a CD player near Wabash St. He was playing "Song for My Father" which is what I was working with my students on at the time.
Jamey Aebersold is one of the leading authorities on learning how to improvise. He also runs great camps during the summer which I highly recommend.
I am a classically trained F horn player and knew very little about jazz. I spent one week at his camp, got hooked, now play trumpet in a jazz band and started a jazz program at my school.