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    The Rest Of The Story, Jazz Improvization and History
    The Rest Of The Story, Jazz Improvization and History
    The Rest Of The Story, Jazz Improvization and History
    Ebook70 pages26 minutes

    The Rest Of The Story, Jazz Improvization and History

    By Ahmad Alaadeen

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    About this ebook

    "With this book, Alaadeen has opened the door to the complex mind of the jazz musician. The information inside this book is extremely personal and informative at the same time. It is very specific but still leaves room for the user to discover for themselves, their own paths to self expression using the information provided. I am very happy Alaadeen has chosen to share his personal discoveries in the 'old school' way with us so that we may continue to grow as musicians, and learn more about the history of this music called jazz in the traditional way. --Bobby Watson, Professor of Jazz Studies, University of Missouri - Kansas City

    "A bird's eye view by someone who was a witness to how this music was put together by the Masters. A must read and study for the young artist." --Najee, 2 Grammy nominated saxophone and flautist

    "When I opened this unique book I was struck immediately by this very cogent passage in the Authors Introduction: I feel that a musician should have a basic knowledge of what came before him and use this knowledge as a platform to build on... This book is indeed one such knowledge platform. Ahmad Alaadeen is a wise elder in this music we call jazz and young musicians would do well to devour the practical wisdom he lays down in The Rest of the Story. Delivered in an unpretentious manner with requisite humility, the advice and lessons Alaadeen delivers in this book will be priceless in the development process of any musician who has the good fortune to encounter it." --Willard Jenkins, Journalist/Broadcaster/Producer

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherVictoria Dunfee
    Release dateOct 7, 2011
    ISBN9781465921833
    The Rest Of The Story, Jazz Improvization and History
    Author

    Ahmad Alaadeen

    Born in Kansas City, on July 24, 1934, Alaadeen grew up around music. “I listened to all types of styles. I went to Philharmonic concerts, loved Lester Young, liked T-Bone Walker and was crazy about Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson. He began on the saxophone when he was in sixth grade, in time also mastering flute, clarinet and oboe. He studied at R.T. Coles High School under the tutelage of Leo H. Davis, a well respected music instructor reported to have taught Charlie Parker. “The way he taught improvisation was to sing the melody in my ear when I soloed so I’d always keep the melody in mind.” Alaadeen debuted as a professional with Davis’ concert band playing e-flat horn when he was 14 and his first major job was playing baritone sax with the great pianist-bandleader Jay McShann. In later years he would rejoin McShann on tenor. Alaadeen studied at the Kansas City Conservatory of Music (studying flute since the educators did not think of the saxophone as a legitimate instrument), St. Mary’s University (where he studied oboe) and DePaul University. He served in the military during 1957-59, being the Jazz saxophonist and principal oboist with the 4th Army Band. After his discharge, Alaadeen spent time in Chicago, playing in a program led by pianist-composer Richard Abrams that was the beginning of the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians); other members included trumpeter Lester Bowie and bassist Malachi Favors. He picked up a lot of experience living and playing in such cities as New York, Chicago, Denver, Houston, San Antonio and St. Louis. In addition to McShann, he had opportunities to work in a countless number of settings including stints with Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, the Count Basie Orchestra, The Glen Miller ghost band under the direction of Tex Beneke, Della Reese, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, T-Bone Walker, Claude “Fiddler” Williams and with R&B stars, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson, the Temptations, Four Tops and Sam Cooke. After returning to Kansas City, Alaadeen not only played music locally but also became a very significant educator, teaching Jazz in both the school system and privately. “I always tell my students that playing Jazz is a hard life, that it is important to always study and be current, and that they should not be afraid to make mistakes.” His skills as a teacher were recognized when he was inducted into the R.T. Coles/Lincoln High School “Outstanding Alumni Hall Of Fame.” During 1990-91, he won songwriting competitions sponsored by Billboard for his songs Big Six, Wayne Himself and Blues For R.C. Along the way he recorded with Jay McShann, Crown Prince Waterford, the City Light Orchestra and countless others. He led the Deans of Swing in the 1990s, and the ensemble was picked in 1996 as Musician Magazine’s Best Unsigned Band. To document his music, Alaadeen started the ‘ASR label. Each of his CDs, which include Blues For RC and Josephine Too, Time Through The Ages, New Africa Suite and And The Beauty Of It All, features him with some of Kansas City’s top young Jazz players. He also prepared many of his original compositions for performance by large Jazz ensemble through his publishing company, Fandeen Publishing Company, Inc. In 2009, Alaadeen authored The Rest of the Story: Jazz Improvization and History, a method manual in which he shares the secrets of how he learned the music as handed down to him by the masters. Alaadeen was recognized in his community and state as a master of the distinctive sound known as Kansas City Jazz with his receipt of numerous awards including Kansas City's Jazz Heritage Award, the Missouri Humanities Council's Community Heritage Award, the Missouri Arts Award and Kansas City’s Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2000, Congresswoman Karen McCarthy recognized Alaadeen in the United States House of Representatives for the contributions he has made to his community's understanding of its heritage and in 2002, Missouri Governor Bob Holden honored Alaadeen at an official dinner at the Governor's Mansion in Jefferson City. In an effort to acknowledge Alaadeen for making a significant impact in the history, development and performance of Jazz, and to applaud Alaadeen for his outstanding achievements in the art form of Jazz, Alaadeen was issued a Proclamation from the Office of the Governor, State of Missouri. The American Jazz Museum honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. Cancer claimed Ahmad Alaadeen's life on August 15, 2010 at the age of 76.

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      Book preview

      The Rest Of The Story, Jazz Improvization and History - Ahmad Alaadeen

      The Rest of the Story

      Jazz Improvization and History

      By Ahmad S. Alaadeen

      Smashwords Edition

      Copyright © 2009, Fandeen Publishing Company

      6610 West 67th Street, Overland Park, KS 66202

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

      CONTENTS

      Author’s Introduction

      Philosophy

      Acknowledgements

      Order

      Things to Remember

      Balance

      Warm Up and Daily Practice

      Ear Training

      Explanations

      Diminished 7th Exercises

      Tri Tone Exercises

      Dominate Augmented in 4ths

      12 Tones

      Bottom Line

      Natural minor Aeolian Exercise

      Discovery

      Discovery Exercises

      The Blues

      Blues Example

      Open Mind

      Whole Tone

      Dominate Sus. Chords Mode

      Altered Scales

      Analysis of Giant Steps

      Wayne Himself Composition by Alaadeen

      When Love Has Composition by Alaadeen

      Bits and Pieces

      Private Study

      About The Author

      Jay McShann

      Miss Brown’s

      R.T. Coles High School

      Musicians Union Local

      The Orchid Room

      Miles Davis

      Photos

      Author’s Introduction

      This manual is designed to give a foundation to the art of Improvisation. It is written from a performer’s perspective presented in a simplified manner and easy to understand terms. It is not a step by step primer to teach how to improvise but rather is a method to guide the musician in finding his or herself as a soloist. After getting past the warm up and daily practice it becomes a book of knowledge of how a Jazz musician can move towards his goal.

      I feel that a musician should have a basic knowledge of what came before him and use this knowledge as a platform to build on. One of a musician’s biggest assets is his ability to hear. After that would be technique, then harmony skills. Being able to hear and analyze what the master musicians are playing and having the technical ability to play what is heard is a very good start. To be a good player, a musician first must

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