Jazz Smugglers Master Workshop

Jazz Smugglers Master Workshop
Click on photo for Jazz Smugglers website

Sunday 29 December 2013

WHAT A WORKSHOP YEAR WE ARE GOING TO HAVE!


GEOFF. DAVE. STEVE T, THIS IS FOR YOU



Good teacher Dave Frank. Not so happy about his playing - he comes from the Lennie Tristano school "The More Notes the Better" school. Classically trained, can't you tell? 

Complex subject, playing outside, but he proposes some simple solutions.  I like the first one based on semi-tone patterns. Play 2/3 notes, same again but outside, then back to the key. It sounds good and not too strange to my ear. 

Forget the 1st 5mins of the video. His jazz solo on piano, not part of the main theme. Actually the demo starts at 8mins.  

How about if we pick a Blues, do it in F and you three each use some of these ideas in your solos.
Yeah, let's go for it.

VIC, FRANK, STEVE G, STEVE D, THIS IS FOR YOU NOW.
Have a quick look at the video, but I’d like to ask you to do something different.

How about if I ask you to play repeated short patterns in your solos over the Blues sequence. Maybe select a bit from the tune, see what it sounds like. Lets use Billie's Bounce.

That is our starting exercise chaps, what do you think?

We can repeat it later with Blues in different keys, then modal, Milestones?

SONGS
If you workshop folks don't mind I'd like to put some of the old band songs in front of you -  this will give the band a bit of a work out on them before we do a series of 5 concerts in June.

So next Sunday can we do;
(concert keys)
Billie's Bounce in F
A Foggy Day  in Eb
Afternoon in Paris in C
Alfies Theme in C
All Blues in G

I'll circulate the BIAB tracks.
John

Jazz Smugglers in Sussex
For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. There are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS SUSSEX BAND 
and LIKE our workshop page as well.
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS WORKSHOP SUSSEX

In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.






Saturday 21 December 2013

WHAT IS IT WITH BLUES BANDS?


I've emailed seven of them inviting them to do a gig in the Festival of Chichester. One messed me about from the off, didn't read the instructions, saucy reply so I cancelled it. Another put in silly demands so I cancelled them as well. I'm sweetness and light to deal with so long as people are polite and behave sensibly. But when a relationship breaks down early on then my years tell me that it will only get worse in the future. So I chop it out fast. The first loss is the best loss.

Of the other five two replied. One sensibly, saying they'd rather not which is fine. The other never finished it off properly. Hope people don't say this about Jazz Smugglers...
John

The Jazz Smugglers bands in Sussex
Jazz Smugglers workshop, Chichester, Sussex


For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. There are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide information about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS SUSSEX BAND 
and LIKE our workshop page as well.
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS WORKSHOP BOSHAM



In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.






Sunday 15 December 2013

START AGAIN ON JANUARY 5TH LADS SHALL WE?

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

Oscar Petersen, "I'll be home for Christmas"
See? Jazz does not have to be complicated.


Slightly smaller group to-night with Vic ill, Paul tied up with Christmas and Steve T with high paying gigs.
But we had a newcomer to-night who did extremely well, Frank, and last week's newcomer Steve, both on tenor. Dave played the bass lines.

We started with an exercise playing LOVER in F and in G. this is the get us going on all keys.
BLUE MOON 16’s then 8’s with a hand over. Then 4’s. Play tune + embellish+ harmony. 1 to lead harmony others to copy. Stabs and long notes. A quote. Silence. Arpeggios? Alt chords on 7’s
Long notes and stabs. Geoff sand Dave used diminished scales and played outside on the 7 chords.
CANTALOUPE and CHAMELEON. finally we had a go at the Miles Davis song FOUR. Not the easiest of changes for newcomers to the group.

John

The Jazz Smugglers bands in Sussex

The Jazz Smugglers workshop, Bosham, Sussex

For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. There are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please,
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS SUSSEX BAND 

and LIKE our workshop page as well.
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS WORKSHOP BOSHAM

In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.




Monday 9 December 2013

LAST NIGHT EVERYONE WAS A HERO. PARTICUARLY VIC AND BOB

Listen to the start of this version of Chameleon. That could be our Paul playing. Too many extreme words are used to describe jazz. I'm not going to go over the top, just describe it in a modest way.

Its awesome


Maynard Ferguson band 1974.

LAST NIGHT
We experimented with all sorts of ways of playing together last night. We focussed on simple blues songs so didn't have to bother much with changes. We had great results from everyone absolutely everyone.

Vic and Bob got to play something together which they have never done before, and I'm not sure you can hear it on any other jazz band.

Vic started experimenting with implying the root note, breaking the time on bass. He and Bob on kit then started to play a rhythmic line in unison. Vic led and Bob copied. I've never heard this before anywhere and it sounded effective. Must work on that boys - it can be built into a routine. They added improvised breaks by signalling to each other - pity the keyboard chap wasn't watching. Very effective tension added.

Paul is a really nice jazz player with ideas all of his own. He is not afraid of playing a long note, or stabbbing short repeated ones, and just leaving space. It gives his solos an original quality. We were asking for this kind of thing and Paul met all of the brief. Paul will often play the unexpected, and that grabs attention.

Geoff used a chromatic note and held it in one of his solos. It worked, we all said so. He also has a very distinctive sound of his own when he solos, he is quiet and relaxed and fully in control. To make us smile, he put in an unexpected quote. Very effective.

New player Steve had a fearsome introduction and held his own with everyone. Billies Bounce is not the easiest song to read if you've never heard it before, and Steve went for it, and embellished it cleverly. The piece was badly scored on the chart, so he just improvised over it and came back to the tune. Not many people could do that at a first workshop. It is a fearsome coming to these things for the first time.

NEXT SUNDAY THE LAST THIS YEAR. We'll do some more of last weeks, but over a regular 11 V song this time. We'll probably use Blue Moon as our practise piece for this. Step it up a gear from Blues.

Bring Cantaloupe, Chameleon, Love for Sale and Lover in G and F concert.

John

The Jazz Smugglers bands in Sussex
http://www.jazzenthusiasts.com/jazzsmugglersband.html

The Jazz Smugglers workshop, Bosham, Sussex
http://www.jazzenthusiasts.com/jazzsmugglersworkshop.html


For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. There are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS SUSSEX BAND 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jazz-Smugglers-band/203722132977929?ref=hl
and LIKE our workshop page as well.
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS WORKSHOP BOSHAM
https://www.facebook.com/pages/JAZZ-Smugglers-workshop-to-help-your-Jazz-playing/275919089138712?ref=hl


In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.


Tuesday 3 December 2013

IN JAZZ LESS IS SO MUCH MORE

Who ever said you need to cram the solo full of notes?

Notice that these people are all composer arrangers. That makes a big difference. They are concerned with the total sound, firm lines, beautiful note choices.

Miles Davis, "Nature Boy". Great line up. Charlie Mingus on Bass, and Milt Jackson on vibes.




This is John Lewis. With Milt Jackson and Percy Heath on bass. MJQ



Watermelon Man Miles Davis with Herbie Hancock, Al Foster, Kenny Garrett, Bill Evans


Horace Silver on keys, really simple. Trumpeter keeps it fairly simple and rhythmic. The sax player starts ok ends up rushing everything. He loves playing outside. Ok for a while but I can't stand it for long. Sorry old fashioned melodic playing for me. I apologise. (Ps Tell me, which one sounds most musical to you?)




The Jazz Smugglers bands in Sussex
The Jazz Smugglers workshop, Bosham, Sussex

For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. There are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.



Monday 25 November 2013

DUETS. LAST NIGHT WAS SPLENDID. CONGRATS EVERYONE

Andrew and Geoff came in early to try out some sax duets. Brilliant, I don't know how they manage to read that well. Straight off, very difficult piece, called The Jazz Police, and one other. This is the Big Phat band version of it. I like the two saxes.



In the workshop we played Cantaloupe Island. 2 saxes paired off, also a sax and trumpet. Each played a duet but agreed who was going to do what beforehand.

While two were playing the other two worked out their arrangement. I thought it sounded fantstic, really good. We must do it again in the workshop and on stage.

We learnt from it as well. We learnt that we can do simple arrangements on the fly, with one setting up the theme and the others copying. We also found a nice way of harmonising with a semi-tone side-slip. Andrew suggested harmonising with each one settling on a new note each time - was it every 4 bars, Andrew?

That worked well.

Andrew, can we do The Jazz Police in June - good punchy song and rhythm, can we work out a band intro, then you two with maybe just bass and drums behind you? Then let Dave do a solo on it, you two harmonising and the band plays out last 8/16. That would tie in the band, and get you two featured. It might need a lot of practice nearer the date.

Then you both can do that other duet you liked, separately on its own. What do you think?

REHEARSAL PLUS WORKSHOP NEXT SUNDAY
Can we have a Smugglers rehearsal next Sunday at 6.00 please? We have a gig the following week with a lot of new songs, and some without arrangements.

Perhaps we can do Maria's songs first so that she can slip away.

Workshop, would you guys mind joining in with us on the band songs at 7.00 You know most of them anyway. You can come in at 6 if you want. This is a gig you could play but neither of you is free.

Here is what we have arranged for the song list so far. I'm taking the Dec 7th song list, the new ones.
Where I have marked them EARLY these are for Maria at 6.00. She does get tired if she stays long on a Sunday.

SOON existing arrangement
SPOOKY  V     EARLY  arrangement to do
I REMEMBER YOU V existing arrangement EARLY (for Maria)
WAVE Arrangement to do
NIGHT AND DAY V existing arrangement
CARAVAN existing arrangement
I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU V existing arrangement
FEEL LIKE MAKING LOVE V   EARLY  Funk.intro Fm piano 4 bars.
IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU V  EARLY  arrangement to do
LULLABY OF BIRDLAND  Dave Straight in. Guitar melody . Solos:  Piano, - with drum fills mimicking rhythms of lead or comp ,
CHAMELEON we know it but I have not written it down
SO WHAT (BLUE SKIES V) V  EARLY  Funk Intro 8 bars Use me riff gtr with bass line. 8 bar gtr riff between solos, Solos Blue skies vocal
DINDI V  Vocal and Bass 8 last 8 bars as intro out of time.
A FOGGY DAY IN LONDON TOWN V existing arrangement
MY FUNNY VALENTINE V existing arrangement
WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE V EARLY  Intro last 16 bar unaccom Maria vocal rythmn soft backing. Coda guitar with arpeggios
EXTRA
SUMMERTIME existing arrangement

John

The Jazz Smugglers in East Sussex

Jazz Smugglers workshop, near Chichester, East Sussex


We need another front line workshopper please. If you know of anyone in West sussex.


This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.


If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 

JAZZ SMUGGLERS BAND Facebook 

and LIKE our workshop page as well.

THE JAZZ WORKSHOP AT CHICHESTER Facebook

In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.



Monday 18 November 2013

JAZZ DUET SOLOS THIS COMING SUNDAY

You all MUST MUST listen to this. Andrew would you and Geoff be willing to try out something like this on Sunday at 6.00 until 7.00. It needs thinking through beforehand if you are willing. What I have in mind is finding interesting ways of playing off each other, maybe even partly arranged as this is. It has some melody in it, some arrangement in it and soloing. Let's try something different before we all die. Up to you two guys.




THIS COMING SUNDAY
I'm going to ask each of you to cook up a Duet with a partner over a Love for Sale in Eb (con), and again over a new song, this one, Cantaloupe Island.




Bob could you please look at some of the other Cantaloupe videos on YouTube for drumming ideas. In some it is almost a drum feature. This is another good one for example

Have a look at this one boys. The drummer is hitting the 2 beat, the bass is playing broken time, and the guitar is almost as good as Dave.





DUET SOLOS THIS COMING SUNDAY
Here are the simpler options for two people soloing together.

Player A Tune and Tune embellish
Player B
Fills
Harmony
Improv
Ensemble
Exchanges 4,2,1/feed each other/Q+A

We had a thin turnout yesterday - very good reasons, like number 11 buses they all came at once. Thank you very much Paul for staying, you were really helpful. The rhythm section did new stuff and it worked! Excellent Bob and Vic. Bob copied Pauls lines, Vic took charge of breaks, Bob also hit things very successfully, and Vic broke the timing on the bass. It all sounded good.

John
The Love God


The Jazz Smugglers bands in Sussex
The Jazz Smugglers workshop, Bosham, Sussex

WE NEED TWO NEW FRONT LINE PLAYERS.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.


In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.

Tuesday 12 November 2013

JAZZ PLAYERS PRE-NUPTIAL AGREEMENTS

JAZZ PLAYERS PRE NUPTIAL AGREEMENTS 

Men sign first

For a JAZZ night out with the boys

You need to apply in writing with the date, time of departure, time of latest return
You should state the number of alcohol units to be drunk broken down by beer/wine/spirits.
You should state the location to be visited and times.

The following are not allowed;

  • Speaking with unauthorised women
  • Turning off the mobile
  • Exceeding the alcohol allowance
  • Watching any act involving stripping, or lap dancing, or lewd behaviour of any kind
  • Picking fights with strangers (fights with friends are permissable)
  • Urination other than in a prescribed location for said purpose
  • Attempting to breed upon returning home
All above requests to be Approved or Denied. No appeal is allowed against the decision.

Women to sign second.

For a night out with the girls


I’m going out, ok.


Signed …………..

Indulge me for a moment, would you?
I had my 19th birthday in the RAF. This is where I heard this record, Line for Lyons, my first jazz experience. You MUST listen to this as a prime example of how good it can sound when two players know each other so well, have such brilliant ears that they can play duets like this. They are improvised lines but Mulligan always thought through his lines like an arranger and no doubt they talked together in rehearsals.
Listen to the counter point.


The background.
Mulligan had already arranged and played in the Miles Davis Birth of the Cool band. He had arranged for Gene Krupa's big band and for Stan Kenton.

Gerry Mulligan,  the megalomaniac, control freak junkie and the laid back, passive-aggressive narcissistic, selfish beautiful Chet Baker, were together for just nine months. Two totally different people who disliked each other intensely, Baker told Mulligan to “F off” at the first rehearsal. They made hit after hit before Mulligan went to jail for drugs and it all fell to pieces.

Mulligan was the gifted arranger/composer for big bands, while Baker could hardly read. Their quartet started what became West Coast Jazz. Neither would ever again find a partner as sensitive as the other. They complemented each other by playing improvised duets in smooth harmony. Mulligan always wanted to change how jazz sounded which is why he got into this pianoless quartet even though he was a good pianist himself. There has never been any two players remotely as good at this, that I've heard.

“I believe Chet was kind of a freak talent,” Mulligan said years later. “There’s no figuring out where he learned what he knew.”

Note to Andrew and Geoff. How about coming in one Sunday at 6.00 and trying out these ideas between the two of you. Talk them through a bit. How about the 24th?

Last Sunday was like working with professionals. You people are getting so good. This girl Maria never fails to astonish me. She tried Ain't no Sunshine for the first time, and it was pure Soul. Compers mucked it up of course but we'll settle down. Then she shifted Blues Skies up a semi-tone in the bridge of So What without any guidance and hit it right on. How do you do it M?

Maria, I know you are not too sure of I remember you, but there is a good story behind the song. Can I keep it?

SONG LISTS COMING UP

FOR DEC 7TH
THIS IS OUR XMAS PARTY AS WELL.

DEC 11TH IS TO SUPPORT THE FESTIVAL OF CHICHESTER

DEC 11TH IS MORE OPEN BECAUSE WE SHARE THE PROGRAMME WITH 2 POETRY READERS SO WE'LL HAVE TO DROP OUT ABOUT 4/5 SONGS.
WE ALSO MAY HAVE TO ADD "GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL". A HIT SONG FOR ONE OF THE READERS

GREENSLEEVES
SPOOKY  V
I REMEMBER YOU (BECAUSE THERE IS SUCH A GOOD STORY BEHIND IT) V
WAVE
NIGHT AND DAY V
FEEL LIKE MAKING LOVE V
CARAVAN
DARN THAT DREAM V
LULLABY OF BIRDLAND
I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU V
--
INTERVAL
--
CHAMELEON
BLUES SKIES (SO WHAT) V
DINDI V
SUNNY
I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU V
IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU V
ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE
MY FUNNY VALENTINE V
WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE V
SUMMERTIME V

EXTRA
WATERMELON MAN

REHEARSAL 6.00 DECEMBER 1ST. CAN YOU DO IT FOLKS?


The West Sussex Jazz Smugglers

The Jazz Smugglers workshop near Chichester

For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. There are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS BAND 

and LIKE our workshop page as well.
FACEBOOK SMUGGLERS WORKSHOP CHICHESTER



In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.


Tuesday 5 November 2013

GERRY MULLIGAN / PAUL DESMOND. A JOY

Last night at the workshop I heard great exchanges between Mike Pappenheim and Geoff Valenti. They played off each other, mirrored each other - some of the best question and answer we've ever had.
It is SO good when musicians play together (as opposed to knocking out clever solos, with masses of notes to impress the others)

WE NEED ONE OR TWO MORE FRONT LINE MUSICIANS IN THE WORKSHOP. DO YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO MAY BE FREE ON SUNDAY EVENINGS AT BOSHAM?


Blues in Time. 1957 Sounds like to-day.
Listen to the sheer exhuberance of what they do together. Listen to the patterns, Mulligan does not always play these when he solos but he does when he plays with Desmond - the master at it.

Listen to the effect of the band breaks, when the alto solo comes in after the bass.

Mulligan comes in with the baritone, and the breaks are there again. Someone is nodding to someone to fix these because they are different to the first breaks. You can improvise that when you've just got drums and bass, more difficult if you add piano or guitar, but it can be done.
They finally jam together for the last 12 and it sounds wonderful.

Sheer joy.

John
Ps. When I was a lad of 18 I could hum the licks of all the Chet Baker and Mulligan records, every one. They started me off with Jazz, and girls who danced modern jive did the rest.
Girls either followed trad jazz or modern jazz. The difference was that the modern jazz girls were good looking and very cool, but the trad girls would go camping with you for the weekend. Difficult for young lads.

Next Sunday.
We will do Lover again in C, then D, then E. This is difficult but really paying off. I don't want anyone to miss any of these. (If the chord symbols don't suit you then it takes only a mo to switch them around in BIAB)

We'll also do the funk songs again, Greensleeves, Feel like making love, So What, Chameleon plus we'll give Love for Sale a go with a riff from Dave. Geoff, can you do your six songs demo. And Spooky. Maria is coming in at 6.00 to run through some songs. Vic Bob, Geoff, you ok for this time too?

Jazz smugglers band, sussex jazz workshop, learning jazz, jazz tuition, playing jazz, jazz workshop, jazz chords, jazz scales, jazz songs, jazz improvisation


The Jazz Smugglers bands in Sussex

http://www.jazzenthusiasts.com/jazzsmugglersband.html

The Jazz Smugglers workshop, Bosham, Sussex

http://www.jazzenthusiasts.com/jazzsmugglersworkshop.html


For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. There are about 10 of us each week.


This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.


If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 

FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS SUSSEX BAND 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jazz-Smugglers-band/203722132977929?ref=hl
and LIKE our workshop page as well.
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS WORKSHOP BOSHAM
https://www.facebook.com/pages/JAZZ-Smugglers-workshop-to-help-your-Jazz-playing/275919089138712?ref=hl


In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.





Saturday 2 November 2013

CHANCE OF 5 FREE TICKETS FOR DEC 11 JAZZ SMUGGLERS CONCERT

We have just put up this Event poster on our main Jazz Band website Just go to the FESTIVAL OF CHICHESTER Facebook page and "LIKE" IT. But "LIKE" our own Jazz Smugglers Band page please.



For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. There are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS SUSSEX BAND 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jazz-Smugglers-band/203722132977929?ref=hl
and LIKE our workshop page as well.
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS WORKSHOP BOSHAM
https://www.facebook.com/pages/JAZZ-Smugglers-workshop-to-help-your-Jazz-playing/275919089138712?ref=hl


In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.


Tuesday 22 October 2013

WE'VE GOT TWICE AS MUCH WORK TO GET THROUGH ON SUNDAY. WE'LL DO EVERYTHING IN DOUBLE TIME.


Same plan for next Sunday workshop at Creek end same as for last Sundays workshop which was blown out. (Clever little play on words there, notice that? 



But one difference. We'll do Spooky as a new song. Maria is going to come in and sing it at 6.00 on the Sunday after next the 10th. Geoff, has listened to it, copied it down and put it into BIAB so just as some of you are planning to buy me a belated birthday present I'm planning to give Geoff a ride in the Ferrari when you have it delivered. Thanks Geoff.

Something else.
The pressure is on the rhythm section at the moment. Yes, I'd like us to crack the jazz funk routines please, but could you also work on Latin backing please.




Montunos on guitar
DAVE
Dave, could you work out some montunos please and familiarise yourself with them. I'd like to incorporate them into Wave and Dindi maybe a slow one in Spooky and any other Latin song. They all work on 3rds, 5ths and 7ths and it is the different rhythmic aspects which you could do and I can't. I attach a sheet to the email. They are more appropriate for Cuban Cha Chas and Mambos rather than Brazilian Sambas and Bossas but lets see what happens. A bit more laid back perhaps and mixed up with Bossa rhythm maybe?

DAVE AND BOB
Also Dave and Bob, could you try and copy some of the phrases made by the front line in their solos? FRONT LINE you need to give these chaps some clear statements. Handling them a melange of notes will not do. They need some strong rhythmic lines please.

BOB VIC DAVE AND ME. Can we build in some two bar breaks please either at the beginning of sections or at the end. Vic would you mind taking charge of this and calling it please. I'll forget.

I'll leave in the Guiffre video.

Jimmy Guiffre is known for his jazz arrangements which allowed for free interplay between the musicians.

HAVE A LISTEN TO THIS IN WONDER AT HOW BEAUTIFUL IT CAN SOUND IF WE DO IT WELL. Note the soft backing and dynamics. 




The beginning of his career was fine when he was arranging for the Woody Herman band but his ideas led directly into Free Jazz which wrecked the whole thing for decades. Disaster. Push anything to extremes in this life and you'll court disaster. 

YOU WERE ALL BRILLIANT ON SUNDAY Terry will confirm how good you all were, if you ask him. "Really good players, John" he said, "Really good ears, look at the way they picked up those riffs immediately." Actually, I was surprised myself. You all were very good.


Good session, we can build on that.
I've asked Andrew to draw up a couple of arrangements for us.

Here is what I'd like to work on, next Sunday, please.

Lover, in C and in D.

Also groove in the four songs we did: Greensleeves, Feel like making love, Chameleon, So What.

I'd like to do Love for Sale in the key Dave would like for his riff, Dmaj. I'll attach it to an email.

I'd like to get a real grip on this handing over technique. Not really happy with it, too many hand overs are just a melange of notes, they need to be firm lines to copy. Lets crack it properly this time chaps.

Harmonies, and riffs. I'd like to pursue the idea of one instrument leading the line and then others copying.

The rhythm section, including me, in the next few weeks.
Can we crack the Jazz Funk grooves properly.
Can Dave copy some of the solo lines in his comping, and Bob to do the same. To add interest.
Can we try a lot of 2 bar breaks rhythm section, some at the end of sections, but also at the beginning.

John





For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. There are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 

and LIKE our workshop page as well.


In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.



Monday 14 October 2013

TERRY SEABROOK WITH JAZZ SMUGGLERS NEXT SUNDAY




Just to show you something a bit different. Spanish Sketch is one of several pieces composed for the Associated Boards exams by Terry Seabrook.
He is one of the country's greats in jazz, composer, arranger and leader of the famous Cubana Bop band. There is no other British band to touch this one for Latin Jazz.
Terry is coming on Sunday at 7.00 to work with us on three or four pieces we want at to do in a Jazz funk style. Terry's first ever band was a jazz funk band.

Can you all bring please, Greensleeves (with the re-harmonised chords), So What, (with Dave's intro) Feel like Making love, we'll have to arrange it, vocal Maria, and Chameleon.

Song notes
Greensleeves F Classic style gtr, swing re-harmonise, funk Dm solos, last 8 classic
Chameleon Ab As arranged
So What Dm Funk Intro Use me riff gtr.
Feel like making love Eb Maria vocal can we arrange it Funk style

We ought to bring in percussion (Herbie Hancock does) and congas.

John
ps. I did this Spanish Steps song for my Grade 3, the first year the Jazz Exams came out, but I didn't touch this young chap's improv obviously. Like the song?

The Jazz Smugglers bands in Sussex

Sussex Jazz workshop


For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. There are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.
or jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.



Tuesday 8 October 2013

THANKS FOR RUNNING THE WORKSHOP GEOFF

Have I got a job to come back to?
I hear it all went well and you are all romping through remote keys for Autumn Leaves.
Here is the new song, played the the composer Herbie Hancock in 1974 a year after it was composed. Chameleon.



Autumn Leaves in Ab next Sunday. Lovely fun.

Just got a nice enquiry for the band for next year from Borde Hill Gardens. And a repeat Saturday afternoon fete from Burpham.

John
From a dreechit Scotland. (Ask Steve T. He knows all sort of odd things)

The Jazz Smugglers bands in Sussex

The Jazz Smugglers workshop, Bosham, Sussex

The workshop.
For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. There are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS BANDS 

and LIKE our workshop page as well.
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS SUNDAY WORKSHOP

In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.


Friday 27 September 2013

Boxgrove gig Oct 18.



Jazz Smugglers bands West Sussex
Jazz Smugglers workshop, near Chichester, West Sussex

For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. There are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS WEST SUSSEX BAND 
and LIKE our workshop page as well.
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS WORKSHOP BOSHAM

In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.

Monday 23 September 2013

JAZZ PLAYERS FEEL LIKE MAKING LOVE



Let's do this fabulous song next week. This is the hit by Roberta Flack. Listen to those guitars, Dave. Wanna sing it Maria?

Good night last night. Well done everyone.
Next week, I’ve asked Maria if she can come. If she can, then she will give me some songs she wants to try out and we’ll do those. I'll mail you all.

Attached is Autumn Leaves in Ddm. You’ll love it, I promise. Where else can you practise your Dbm with others listening? I’m not going to bring Bb and Eb flat copies, trusting you can do it yourselves from this attachment. But if you get into trouble with it, let me know.

We might have another go at Afro Blue, with other folks hitting things rather than stroking them, just to get the right Latin feel. We need a percussion intro really.

We can also do the following, as practise for Terry’s session coming up on October 20th. It is best if we know the material already then we can get further with him.
Greensleeves.
Love for Sale.
So What

Let’s do Feel like making Love. Geoff says we have to sort out how to get into it, and we could do it with a funky sound. Good song for that.
Maria could you plan to do this one if you come?

John

The West sussex Jazz Smugglers bands
Jazz workshop, Chichester, Sussex

For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. There are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

If you have a Facebook account then you can qualify for free tickets to our next concert if you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS SUSSEX BAND 
and LIKE our workshop page as well.
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS WORKSHOP BOSHAM

In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.


Saturday 21 September 2013

NEW GOOGLE MAP JAZZ VENUES IN SUSSEX

You folks have got the very first look at this, a brand new Google map showing the main venues for jazz from Chichester to Dover. Can't get all the occasional and tiny ones in, obviously.

It has been produced by our jazz workshop member, Steven Gower


John




For the moment the workshop is full, until someone drops out. there are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide information about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 

and LIKE our workshop page as well.


In this blog we will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.

Tuesday 17 September 2013

THIS COMING SUNDAY. WHO SAID THIS WORKSHOP WAS GOING TO BE EASY?

I've brought in Afro blue because it is a 6/8 song, which needs percussion. We'll have to sort out who does what.
Can you try and have a glance particularly at this first video. I've got no idea of how to get a groove started. Steve T, would you have a think about how we can all do it? That's a tough one.


Simple stuff. ! We can copy elements of this on the hand percussion perhaps



More complex. Poor Bob doing this stuff. You up for a try Bob?



This is Freddie Hubbard with Little Sunflower. He composed it, a wistful little tune with odd timings.


The wonderful composer Mongo Santamaria plays his standard Afro Blue.


Autumn Leaves in (Dmaj) Bm

Lover  C Chromatic descending harmonies
Love for Sale  Eb Intro Superstition riff gtr. Swell long notes, stop dead, guitar fast fill
So what  Dm Use me gtr riff throughout. Jazz funk

Greensleeves F 1st time gtr, 2nd time tune funk, 3rd solos in dm, 4th gtr
Afro Blue Fm
Little Sunflower (new) Dm

John W. See you there.



The Jazz Smugglers bands in Sussex
The Jazz Smugglers workshop, Bosham, Sussex

The workshop will be opening again on Sunday September 8th. For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. there are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.


Friday 13 September 2013

JAZZ SMUGGLERS. OUR BEST VIDEO YET


Personnel are Andrew Batchelar, alto; Geoff Valenti trumpet; Dave Moore, guitar; Maria Ball, vocal; Vic Crowley, bass; Bob Savary, drums; John Winkler, keyboard.

We have honestly tried to make this one of the really good short videos you can find of a jazz band.

THE BRIEF
The brief to Callum Robertston was to make a video packed with movement. The sound is being heard only on a computer after all. The sound is a backing track.
Bands are notoriously difficult to film. There are amplifiers, music stands, mics, cables. They look a mess at a distance and the players are separated from each other. Ugh!
You can do it very well if you spend a lot of money on staging it, but we have only peanuts to spend.

HOW HE DID IT
Callum decided get the movement by using a lot of very short sequences, 1sec 2 secs with rapid cutting. He used close ups, reveals, he also added soft focus and slow motion to some sequences. It produces a huge variety of look. But he also showed one shot of the whole band at the end, and he got the front line smiling and enjoying themselves.

ANOTHER PROBLEM
The band plays a range of different styles, so we started with a full on jazz song by Bill Evans, called Funkaleroo, then we switched the sound track to our Maria singing a cool soft jazz version of a standard "It Could Happen to you"
We were worried about the rough jump, but I think the tension caused by this brings attention back to the video.

HOPE YOU LIKE IT.
We think that Callum did a brilliant job with this. An original talent. If you email me then I can give you his contact number. jazzsmugglers@yahoo.co.uk

John Winkler, Jazz Smugglers


THE JAZZ SMUGGLERS BANDS
The Jazz Smugglers WORKSHOPx

If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band PAGE on Facebook please,
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS SUSSEX BAND 

and LIKE our workshop PAGE as well.
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS WORKSHOP BOSHAM


In this blog We will produce playing tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.

Wednesday 11 September 2013

HOW MUCH PRACTICE DO YOU NEED FOR JAZZ? INTERVIEW WITH CHARLIE AND PAUL DESMOND




If you practice like Charlie Parker for 10 hours a day, 6 days a week you'll have completed 12,000 hours of practice in about 4 years. Do it for much longer than this and you are an idiot. There is no need. It is OTT. We revere Charlie Parker for his fluency, speed and technique. On a personal note, he is too much for me (but you'll have different views, I know, says he, duckling head)

Oscar Petersen practised for an average of 5 hours a day. He said, "You need to do enough practice to get your technique to the point where you can express your ideas. It depends how heavy those ideas are."
Later in life he halved his practice routine. Sensible chap.

Most professionals I know do practice, and practice much more than amateurs. Quiet Paul Desmond seems to be in awe of Charlie Parker in this interview.

John

The Jazz Smugglers bands in Sussex
The Jazz Smugglers workshop, Bosham, Sussex


For the moment the workshop is full, until someone drops out. there are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS SUSSEX BAND 

and LIKE our workshop page as well.
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS WORKSHOP BOSHAM

In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.




Monday 9 September 2013

WHAT WE'LL DO NEXT SUNDAY. THIS WILL KEEP YOU OUT OF MISCHIEF.



This is what I'd like to do next Sunday
Autumn Leaves in Gm (lets call it Bb maj), We'll do it in Dmaj (Bbm). This is part of our doing songs in unusual keys. Just 30 minutes on it.

Lets try out three things led by Dave's Guitar. The Use me riff for Lullaby of Birdland So What also the Superstition riff for Love for Sale. Dave can you just run through a mediaeval version of Greensleeves for us.
You are trying it out I know.

Geoff will try out something he has been working on (six or so songs, Geoff, ok?)
Can we also try out just one new song, Lover. BIAB file attached to email

CAN YOU FOLKS PLEASE PREPARE A PAD WITH THE FOLLOWING SONGS WHICH WE DID LAST YEAR. ADD NEW ONES AS WE GO.
We will select songs from this list for working on. Sometimes the key may have varied from the standard because of the vocal need. Add Autumn Leaves Gm please. We'll use it as a practice piece for more difficult key.

A beautiful friendship C S
Close to you C B
Darn that dream  G S
Dindi   L (vocal 8 bar intro out of time+bass)
Feel like making love Eb S
Green Dolphin Street  C J
Greensleeves F    B
Here's that rainy day F S
I remember April G   S
Love for sale Eb (not F, no vocals)  Gtr using Superstition riff.
Lullaby of Birdland Ab J Gtr using Use me riff
Mash  theme Am S
The look of Love F S
So What. Dm Use me riff on guitar
Sunny  Am and Bm S Switch Am to Bm, back to Am. (?Reverse this?)
Wave C L

During the season we will select from these songs we have not done before. I have in mind building a song list from the 70's for the new jazz show next year.
I'll circulate them on BIAB files when I get them all. One or two we have done years ago. I've also got in mind some of these for vocals.

TO DO
Afro blue L
Almost like being in love S
Cantaloupe Island J
Chameleon       F
Four     J
Get me to the Church on time   S
How long has this been going on S
Just friends   J
Ladybird   J
Little sunflower   J
Lover
Show me  S
Smooth operator L
What's new?   B
What are you doing the rest of your life G  B
Wouldn't it be lovely S

OTHER POSSIBILITIES
Ain't no sunshine B
Home Cooking L
Just the way you are G  S
Mambo inn L

CHARTS FOR THE NEWCOMERS
We have a problem. We have three newcomers trying us out for the first time. Music sheets for them. Geoff has kindly arranged to have three copies of BIAB software for them. In a couple of weeks' time we'll have a 30 minute session about how to use BIAB.

We need charts for Eb and Bb instruments, and one is a Bb bari part. We probably have some music in the Bb and Eb boxes at present. If we select some other songs to do then, they can share existing charts.
I'll bring the charts for these.
Autumn leaves in Gm and Bbm
Lullaby of Birdland  Ab
Love for Sale Eb
Greensleeves F
Lover C

John


The Jazz Smugglers bands in Sussex
The Jazz Smugglers workshop, Bosham, Sussex


The workshop will be opening again on Sunday September 8th. For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. there are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS SUSSEX BAND 

and LIKE our workshop page as well.
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS WORKSHOP BOSHAM



In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.







Saturday 7 September 2013

LETS PLAY TOGETHER




 THE WAY YOU LOOK TO-NIGHT. LISTEN TO THE EXCHANGES AT THE END.

I copied the Blues in Time CD for everyone, without explaining why. I've got spare copies for the newcomers.

This is why.
These two do and their backing section do nearly everything that we plan to do in the workshop. Have a listen. They are listening closely to each other while they play. For example, on track 4 Mulligan plays a little quote in his solo. Not to be outdone Desmond then plays a quote in his. They are just having fun with each other. Behind Desmond's solo is a soft descending harmony which is Mulligans trademark in all his arrangements. Its soft, quiet and cool. On other tracks listen to the way they copy each other exchanging 4s, sometimes they use a counter point harmony.

Desmond's solos are full of little playing patterns transposed, Mulligan too plays patterns but with a more flowing line. We'll have a go at this.


WE DID IT ONCE. BRILLIANTLY.
there was a supreme moment in our last jazz concert with the big band at Hillier. It lasted for 32
bars.

Andrew and Geoff exchanged 4's, and they really played off each other, they copied, they drove, they played fast and slow, loud and soft but they had a huge amount of fun playing for each other. It made them laugh together, it made the audience laugh, and it was totally musical.

For me it was the epitome of what a band should be about. It was a team game with the two forwards exchanging passes in the box.

That is part of what we are going to strive for in the new workshops.


We are going;
TO MAKE MISTAKES
TO LISTEN TO WHAT THE OTHERS ARE DOING
TO PLAY OFF EACH OTHER
TO EXPERIMENT
TO TRY THINGS WE DO NOT NORMALLY PLAY

We are all at different standards but there will be no

judgement, no criticism, just fun.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE'LL WORK ON.


  • PRACTICE THE REMOTER KEYS
  • ADD SILENCE/SPACE LESS IS MORE
  • DRAG A NOTE/ PUSH THE BEAT
  • FAST AND SLOW / LOUD AND SOFT/ 8TH NOTES
  • ADD A TUNE REFERENCE TO THE SOLO/ EMBELLISH TUNE  
  • PLAY WITHOUT MUSIC!!
  • PHRASE LENGTH SHORT/LONG
  • STACCATO/LEGATO
  • JAM SECTIONS
  • REPETITION OF NOTES/PHRASES
  • START PHRASES ON DIFFERENT BEATS/DISPLACE PHRASES
  • PLAY SCALE/ARPEGGIOS
  • PLAY BRIGHT AND CHEERFUL THEN GLOOMY AND SAD  
  • QUOTE FROM OTHER SONGS
  • FRONT LINE LEADERS TO INVENT VARIETY, melodies/melody plus solo/sharing/ensemble/ backing/breaks/ 8’s 4’s 2’s hand overs, harmonies, jamming, codas, intros all sorts of stuff.
  • RHYTHM SECTION TO ADD VARIETY


The workshop will be opening again on Sunday September 8th. For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. there are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 

and LIKE our workshop page as well.

In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.




Tuesday 3 September 2013

SO YOU WANT TO BE CREATIVE IN JAZZ?



This is what some of our country's top professionals have said about the following issue.

Alex Eberhard

Hi John, I see Jazz as a language. You have to learn grammar and expand your vocabulary,listen to to people who speak that language well and eventually get to the point, where you don't have to consciously think about grammar etc, but it becomes second nature. So being creative in playing jazz is very similar to speaking a second language: the more words you know, the more articulate you can express yourself. There is an excellent Youtube clip (more than 2 hours long) by Gary Burton: Gary Burton video clip (2 hours) Have a look if you have time - very interesting! Thanks, Alex

Tristan Banks

Interesting topic, most music that I've come into contact with has genre specific vocabulary, that's to say that each style of music has its own peticular rhythmic, harmonic and melodic structures, licks and cliches.
it's very important as a contemporary musician to be aware of what these are so the layman and scholars alike can identify what kind of music they are listening to.
As a drummer I'm happy to say that my instrument (the drum kit) was being developed at the same time as jazz music was one of the most popular music forms, so you could say that jazz music is inherent in everything that is played on the drums up to this day, but you would be wrong as various technical and stylistic advances have been made since the 1970s ( ie linear patterns, hybrid rudiments) from where jazz music's major developments have been through mixing it with rock, world and other musical forms.
So being creative??? Or improvising within a recognised musical framework or instant composition. Like any part of music the more you practise improvising the better you will become, but soloing isn't just wiggling your fingers or noodling. It should be based on phrasing, rhythmic and melodic development. I personally only use practised patterns or licks as platforms to start with or to refocus a solo if I feel that it has become too abstract. This of course is down to personal taste which gives my solos the stamp of my own musical identity.
So this leads to my question, which is: how creative can you be if you are restricting your solo to fit within a certain genre? I personally feel that you should express your full experience and artistry in all scenarios, even if it means playing some Lydian dominant quintuplet arpeggios on a gypsy jazz gig. If you can hear it play it, but don't try and crowbar the latest lick you've just been shedding.
So in conclusion, learn the history and the vocabulary of the music (and your instrument), listen to how the greats do it, don't be afraid to experiment, don't be a jazz snob. John Coltrane was the best at being himself and you will never be a better John Coltrane than he was. Enjoy yourself.

Paul Richards

Hi John, thanks for your question! Well I believe that if you actually use a creative approach to your practice sessions thinking of as many creative, fun and exciting ways to work on a concept then this will come out in your playing. So basically taking a concept or idea, working on it to get it under your fingers & in your ear then the next step practicing it in as many crazy ways as you can come up with. This is what I do with my students at Sussex Jazz Guitar School. The blog attached describes the Creative practice process we will be exploring in our next class 28/9. All the best..
Paul Richards Practice regimes at his guitar school
September 28th class will be taking a jazz standard tune and tackling it using a multitude of approaches, expanding on concepts from previous classes plus new ones.  We will be developing Creative and fun approaches to practice specific material because if we practice at home in a fun, creative way.

.Paul also wrote: "Thanks John, on this other blog here there's a section "exploring concepts" which explains it a bit. If you practise creatively you'll play creatively.

Julian Nicholas 

said this in response to the creative question and sent in this brilliant clip of "Elvis" discussing atonality. You must look at it.

"John I really like it - and I like the idea of making a few provocative statements to get the juices flowing! I must find the Elvis extract for you - it is about this!!

"Also I think it is always worth emphasising how life-changing this music can be, and how that is reinforced when we get together and exchange knowledge and enthusiasm for artists and recordings that we know and love... listening is the key!!"





James Wheeler 

I really enjoy Eric Dolphy and I think it takes great skill to know which is the most "Out to Lunch" note to pick. I think you can't create in a vacuum, you need to draw on inventive influences, a bit outside the box. A lot of other art forms can inspire you also, not just music. There's a great feedback between art and jazz music. Check out Broadway Boogie Woogie. It's not a tune, it's a painting by Mondrian. Final word: synesthetics. (Editorial note:is a neurological condition in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway)

THE ORIGINAL POST THEY ARE RESPONDING TO.
CREATIVITY IN JAZZ

Oooh! Hot topic. I can feel the coals about to be dropped on my head.

Who is this guy who can't play, doesn't know anything much, to put forward a view on creativity in this highly specialised field?

Well, no more than the average viewer in the Tate Gallery who likes/dislikes a painting even though they can't draw.

Personal comments these, but they relate directly to our workshop and what we plan to do. These are not your views maybe, there as many views on this topic as there are players. Start heating up the coals now. Comments welcome.

Jazz musicians are improvisers by nature. We constantly explore the unexplored, experiment, and try new things. That is what we do, once we have our technique established and even before then. From the start we'll be encouraged to do our own thing.

But look at the notes below. You notice how many of these great innovators did their best work with others. They feed off their rhytm section, they feed off each other. Without their favourite playing partners they were often a bit diminished.

Scientific studies, carried out in  laboratories show that when jazz musicians improvise, their brains turn off areas linked to self-censoring and inhibition, and turn on those areas that let self-expression flow.

To develop creativity you take big problems and then break them into small tasks.

It takes a lot of courage to be willing to sound awful from time to time in order to develop. Everyone is scared of making mistakes. If not, we are not trying hard enough.

You learn more from mistakes than you ever learn from success. Some of the best musical ideas have come from what originally were “mistakes.”

SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN THE NEXT WORKSHOPS FROM SEP 15TH IS TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO DO THEIR OWN THING
  • TO MAKE MISTAKES
  • TO LISTEN TO WHAT THE OTHER ARE DOING
  • TO PLAY OFF EACH OTHER
  • TO BREAK DOWN WHAT THEY DO INTO SMALL BITS
  • TO EXPERIMENT
Is that so wrong?

MY PERSONAL SELECTIONS OF JAZZ CREATIVES

THELONIUS MONK Known to his wife as Melodius Hunk. 
Who were the creative jazz people of my generation? Thelonius Monk - a legend in his time for his unusual harmonies and soloing style, his chord voicings, his timing, his original songs, copied by everyone in his day. Self-styled founder of Bebop. Some top jazz players would not play with him. I can take him in small bites, but I don't want a full evening of him. He hasn't been copied. Notice that. Genuinely creatively people leave a legacy, if it doesn't last it is more likely to be a novelty. Thelonius Monk was hospitalized twice for what was probably bipolar disease. Notice how some disability can lead you into original directions.

THE MJQ, Modern Jazz Quartet. 
They made a genuinely, long lasting impression on the music world as a whole. They were probably the foundation of much of the more melodic contemporary jazz style of to-day. They made jazz acceptable to classical musicians who recognised some of their baroque influences. I could listen to them all night. John Lewis plays the simplest of solos, spare, and open, a perfect counter to the powerful Milt Jackson on the vibraharp, with Percy Heath the driving force on the bass.

GERRY MULLIGAN AND CHET BAKER
Mulligan and Baker in their pianoless quartet. The pianist forgot to turn up one night. They found that this enabled them to free off from the harmony more easily. For me they were really original in the way they harmonised behind each other. Sometimes they did not even discuss the songs before they played them but they achieved wonders just playing off each other Their quartet only last for 9 months but they left a long lasting impression on the jazz world and helped to set up the West Coast movement. 

DESMOND AND BRUBECK
Their original work in using different time signatures is what they are known for, but I loved their Jazz at the College gigs from their early days. Desmond's fluent patterns, Brubeck playing chords. Interesting point here. He had to play chords at this time because he had an accident that stopped his fingers from soloing. Wonderfully original and musical were these tracks. Later he dropped the chord playing, when his fingers got better. Pity. Notice how some disability can lead you into original directions.

ERROL GARNER
Going back a bit now, but his trademark was the heavy block chords. Self taught, he sounded like a one man orchestra. Lovely sounds. He couldn't read music. Notice how some disability can lead you into original directions. 

GEORGE SHEARING quintet. 
A lot of argument here. He was put down by jazz musicians for being a Hotel pianist. So much of a hotel pianist he outsold nearly all the others with his records, with very sweet harmonies. This is George Shearing speaking, "Your intent, then, is to speak to your audience in a language you know, to try to communicate in a way that will bring to them as good a feeling as you have yourself" Notice his concentration upon the audience result. Lesson there for some players.
He was blind. Notice how some disability can lead you into original directions. 

BILL EVANS and his trio. He changed the style of piano playing more than any other. Introspective, deeply thoughtful, amazing range of different ideas which all fitted together somehow. He developed rootless chords and relied hevily on chords tones. First man to rely heavily on the bass player so heavily.

CHARLIE PARKER. He might not have started bebop but he and others pushed it to its limits. His trademark was unique phrasing and complex melodic lines. This, for me, is jazz musician's music. I can understand its brilliance, the technique but it does not sit easy on my ear. That's just me. I don't like Tracey Emin, but I do like David Hockney.

ATONAL
The atonal movement which followed Bebop, wrecked jazz. It was not creative, it did not have a long lasting effect it was nothing more than a novelty. For my ear it sounded awful. A disastrous novelty.
John
References
Research into jazz creativity, using brain scans.
Guide to creative jazz practise
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THIS IS US

The Jazz Smugglers bands in Sussex

The Jazz Smugglers workshop, Bosham, Sussex

The workshop will be opening again on Sunday September 15th. For the moment it is full, until someone drops out.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

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In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.