Posted by Carl on April 12, 1999 at 05:00:28:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Practicing Jazz posted by Joe Sellmansberger on April 11, 1999 at 21:56:43:
Joe wrote:
>I would not "rate" these two artists against each other.
Wasn't my intention to do so either. Brian asked how to learn to play jazz. Rich advocated the "regurgitated pattern" method. I take issue with this method; I feel it has little to do with *creativity*, and actually helps hide any genuine musical ideas the player might have.
>Later, they can even abandon this system totally if they develop enough of their own >ideas to take its place . . .That would be up to the strengths of their talents and >pursuits.
Gotta disagree: habits, once formed, are hard to break. Sure, one can play a tolerable solo using Rich's system, but the player comes to rely on his licks, ignoring whatever innate "inner music" he may have. The pre-packaged licks become his only vocabulary. And once led down this path, the chances of him turning away are negligible. Then he's just a "lick player", unlike the true jazz greats.
An analogy: If you were going to learn a language, would you rely ONLY on a phrase book, ("Which way to the restroom?", etc.), or would you try to learn the words, syntax, idioms, and maybe some of the culture and history of the speakers?