Posted by jazzer on February 10, 2004 at 04:58:29:
In Reply to: Re: How can you improve your jazz playing? posted by Leland on February 10, 2004 at 01:48:09:
don't let your approach to jazz become overly-academic, though. Listen to a lot, recreate the stuff you hear, don't be afraid to let your body move to the music. imitate nuances, replicate rhythmic figures, sing through your horn. Once you figure out how to "feel" jazz, then move onto the theory. I don't believe it's about precision at all.. to me it's about feel.. precision's for classical music, jazz is unbridled expression.
they-ain't nothin' worse that a academia-bred-jazz-savant who ain't play wit no feelin! :p
like Leland said, though, it might not come along.. and heck, that's ok. Don't feel obliged to get into jazz because so many other people do. Jazz is at a dark stage right now where it's being academized and standardized like classical music, and NuJazzers are starting to take on the elitist attitudes common amongst classical cliques.. it's a crying shame. Don't let those types deter you... listen to the classics, listen to the new stuff, listen to soul, listen to prog rock, listen to jam bands, listen to Yoga relaxation tapes.. figure out how they relate to each other, figure out how they speak to you, figure out what you dig most- and bring that into your playing. that's jazz.