by JIMMY GIUFFRI Bp an | ~ Ss = a ES a = So 6 Pat S = = = = —] Sy = hz A | SS Sa | — a. JAZZBh INSTRUMENTS JAZZ PHRASING ano INTERPRETATION Aspects of jazz performance, analyzed for the player...a personal approach by JIMMY GIUFFRE ASSOCIATED MUSIC PUBLISHERS, INC. / New YorkThis book is for classroom or private work. Its purpose is to acquaint the student with principles of jazz phrasing which he can apply to actual pieces in performance. Let’s begin by defining the word phrasing. As it is used here, it means the particular style or manner in which a musical passage is interpreted. Naturally, it is unrealistic to ‘try to standardize jazz phrasing. It changes with each passage, each player, each group. But we can discuss each area of phrasing, catching some general practices; and then ex- amine the exercises, pointing out the things that need to be done to make each passage a jazz passage. Each passage we play will require a distinct set of phrasings. From working with several passages in each area of our discussion, we can begin to see certain patterns emerge. When these patterns become part of the student’s subconscious, he will begin to apply them automatically. Each problem is taken up in order of its importance, and the student (or class) should be able to perform each lesson satisfactorily before proceeding to the next. Tt is sug- gested that the first part of each work period be spent with the book; and that, as the student works on actual pieces, the book serve as a reference and guide for most of the problems which might arise. It must be pointed out here that all pitch references in the text are to concert pitch. Transposing-instrument players must make the appropriate adjustment. Finally, it should be mentioned that the exercises are only that, and are not intended for performance. FOREWORDContents Eighth Notes Uneven Eighth Notes ‘The “Be-Bop” Effect Skimmed Notes . Uneven Eighths, the “Be-Bop” Effect and Skimmed Notes Straight Eighths Eighth-Note Triplets ‘The Slide-Slur Triplet ‘The Delayed Triplet ‘The Triplet Off-Beat The Slide Off-Beat ‘The Quarter‘Tone Waver Sixteenth Notes Uneven Sixteenths Consecutive Slide Off-Beats Sixteenth-Skimming Delayed Sixteenths Straight Sixteenths Foreword Preface PART ONE Chapter I FEELING TIME : Thinking Time Ex.1 Snapping Fingers in Time Ex.2 Chapter Il THE DOWNBEAT . Short Downbeats . Ex.3 Downbeats on Sustained Notes: Normal Attack Ex.4 Downbeats on Sustained Notes: with a Slide or Grace-Note Ex.5 Playing the Exercises with Instruments Short Downbeats Ex.6,7 Downbeats on Sustained Notes Ex.8,9 ‘The “Blues-Folk” Attack Ex. 10 Downbeats with Pickups ‘The Half-Note Pickup The Slide-Slur Ex.11 ‘The Quarter-Note Pickup Ex. 12-14 ‘The Eighth-Note Pickup Ex. 15, 16 Chapter [II THE OFF-BEAT . Short Off-Beats Ex.17 Sustained Off-Beats Ex. 18, 19 The Off-Beat with Pickup ‘The Short Pickup Ex. 20,21 The Sustained Pickup Ex. 22, 23 Chapter IV ESTABLISHING THE TEMPO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PHRASE . Ex.24 Ex. 25 Ex.26 Ex.27 Ex. 28 Ex.29 OO BIIReaTeeewEN HEEChapter V MAINTAINING DRIVE THROUGHOUT A COMPLETE PHRASE Breaking Down a Phrase Ex. 30 Breakdown “A” in Twelve Parts Breakdown “B” in Eleven Parts Breakdown “C” in Four Parts Breakdown “D” in Five Parts Breakdown “E” in Nine Parts Breakdown “F” in Eleven Parts Breakdown “G" Breakdown “H” — Complete Chapter VI STUDIES | : Ex. 31-34 Chapter VII THE STUDENT INTERPRETS. oe Ex. 35-45 PART TWO Introduction. Chapter I MUSICAL CONSIDERATIONS 1. Flowing Sound 2. The Flowing Beat. . 3. The Over-All Dynamics of a Phrase 4. The Focal Points or Main Notes of a Phrase 5. Motivation 6. Drive (the “Follow-Through”) 7. Shaping the Melodic Line 8 Enunciated Eighth Notes in a Slurred Group 9, Technique and Limitations Chapter IL AN APPROACH TO PRACTICING THE EXERCISES First Step: How to Begin Second Step: Establishing a Flowing Sound Third Step: Riding the Beat Fourth Step: Dynamics and Mood Conclusion: A Personal Nate to the Player - Exercises 1-10 Chapter I] GROUP PLAYI! Exercise 11 (a,b,c) Exercise 12 (a,b,c) Exercise 13 (a,b,c) Exercise 14 (a,b,¢,4) PART THREE Introduction Exercise 1 (Up-Tempo Playing; Syneopation) | Exercise 2 (A Special Style) Exercise 3 (A Continuous Sound) Exercise 4 (a,b,c) (A Duet; Blending) Exercise 5 (abje,d) (A Trin; Phrasing ina Slow Tempo) . - Exercise 6 (a,b,c,d,e) (A Quartet; Unusual Syneopation; Four-Part Chords) Exercise 7 (Relating Independent Phrases; Creating a Jazz Statement) Summary A Final Word A Salute to My Teachers 30 30 31 31 31 32 32 32 Bz 34 38 40 2esese2eesaIt has been said that a good jazz player can phrase a written passage so that it sounds improvised. In other words, it has spontaneity, freshness, “now-ness”, newness. This is what the book is all about, Our goal is to play with a jazz feeling. To meet this goal, the student must become a jazz musician — playing, improvising, listening, immersing himself in all kinds of jazz — adopting and living the jazz attitude in both his music and his personality. Jazz, to me, is one big feeling embracing all styles, and it is this feeling which must be a part of the musician's life. ‘There is, among jazz people, a certain attitude, frame of mind, philosophy, purpose, need: something which emphasizes emotional expression, spontaneity and naturalness and places less stress on correctness and order, or on technique. Vitality and intensity should never he subordinated to technique or sound; the impact is what counts. It is not enough just to play “pretty” or “interesting” music: the student must work for strength as well as beauty. ‘The best players strike a balance between good execution and emotional statement. Good jazz embodies the intellectual and the natural — but the intellect only controls what the natural discovers, rather than the other way around. The important thing is the expression of the human being; technical display is secondary. Just as there is no “correct” way to play jazz, there is no single way to get a jazz “sound”. One observation which I've made is that there seems to be less emphasis on individual notes, more on over-all character. Also, there is an unconstricted and un- strained quality in the sound: Jazz is an outgoing music, and the student must learn early to think in terms of projecting out to his audience, never holding back. But first he should work toward acquiring this unforced feeling at a soft volume, and then learn to expand it into a full volume, being careful to avoid any anxiety or tightness in the sound, - Obviously, a player's instrument can greatly influence his sound as well as all of his playing. Every piece of equipment is important: mouthpieces, reeds, sticks, cymbals, strings, pads, etc. In working for an individual sound, players often search for horns which are a little different in some way. Each instrument has its own personality. Part of that search for a jazz sound involves the whole question of intonation. The jazz player often plays the mellow, resonating part of the pitch which is in the center or slightly below. But he also uses all sorts of slides, half-valves, false fingerings, quarter- tones, split-notes, honks, harmonics, and overtones. All of these things are in the play- er’s repertory, functioning musically without rules. But, to me, really good intonation means relating to and blending with the other sounds being made at the same time. In the case of unaccompanied playing, there must be a core, but the good jazz player ‘can go in and out of “in-tuneness”, resolving the pitch in much the same way as he would resolve a harmony, PREFACE‘Then there is the matter of vibrato. All jazz players use one sort or another, each individual finding his own. Conse- quently, I can only generalize my own suggestion to the player. ‘The jazz vibrato should be wide — almost a quarter-tone waver at times: slow, irregular, never constant. Usually, a sustained note begins with no vibrato; then the vibrato begins, adding per sonality to the note. (The jazz vibrato has been described as a “tear” on the end of a note. This suggests sadness. I find jazz a tantalizing mixture of the “sad” and “happy”.) Vibrato is used only on long notes: half notes or longer at 138 to the quarter. Passages of quarters, eighths, etc., call for no vibrato. Never try to regiment vibrato (so many wavers per beat, etc.). This would fead toward a non-jazz, sound, a slick sound, and take the spontaneity out of the music. A good player’s vibrato is different with each phrase, and must have that spark of sus- pense that is so much a part of all jazz. That’s the magic of it. The player constantly holds the mood in his hands, molding it like a sculptor. One final remark: What we are about to take up is the interpretation of written Jazz, but all of the principles presented here are applicable as well to the world of im- Provised jazz. The important thing, for now, is that one big feeling which embraces all styles; this is what we will focus on. When he is ready, the student will choose his own direction, his own way. JG. viPART ONE “Time” is tempo, the movement of that continuous beat which rolls along under our music. Imagine a conveyor belt which moves ahead steadily, without hesitating or jumping: constant . . . smooth .... flowing. Whether or not you manage all the notes or the exact notation, all must yield to this moving-ahead, to this driving force. THINKING TIME (Exercise 1) ‘There are some general procedures which apply to all the exercises in this book: ‘The class and leader must refrain from tapping their feet to the music. If they find this impossible, the tapping must be very light and inaudible. The feet should be in a natural, relaxed position — for the musician must learn to feel time inside himsel}. ‘The leader beats time silently, either with his hand or a baton. The beat, usually, is in two: for moderate and fast tempi, thinking in two rather than in four helps the beat flow more easily. The leader gives a two-bar verbal count-off (in two) for each exercise. Each exercise may be repeated as often as desired. When the lesson has been learned at: a moderate speed, it should be repeated in different tempi. In dass work, it is important that the exercises be played without a rhythm section. This forces the player to develop a sense of steady time. However, if the class is having too much difficulty with time, one drummer may play light time with brushes on the top cymbal. The class drummers can alternate at this; otherwise, they should play the drum part especially written for this book. For Exercise 1, the class sits in silence while the leader beats time. Everyone pictures the beat going by. ‘Not having to play instruments, or perform any function other than thinking, allows for greater ease in letting the beat flow. Exercise 1 (without instruments) Mentally picture the beat J = 138 CHAPTER I Feeling Time SNAPPING FINGERS IN TIME (Exercise 2) ‘The class snaps fingers on beats 2 and 4, Remember our image of the conveyor belt: Let the snaps ride the time without disturbing it... squarely on the beat .. . naturally.In order to accomplish this, a strange mixture of attitudes is necessary: casual and blasé, yet alert and definite. Most important, there must never be a forced trying; like a rolling ball, the whole action must move without restraint. Exercise 2. (without instruments) snap fingers 38 Bedete tte ep toe lx fon | 6 CHAPTER II The Downbeat ‘The downbeat is the beginning of the passage or piece. ‘As you have certainly discovered in life, a strong beginning is all-i task. portant to any A basic step toward giving this beginning a definition and strength is to be well prepared: instruments in position well in advance (for winds, embouchure ready and a full breath taken well in advance) ; pitch, volume, and timbre set in the mind. If the Passage is to be in tempo, the player must be hearing and feeling the beat as the “kick- off” is made. And the downbeat must enter without disturbing the tempo which begins with the kick-off. Even though you are actually beginning the music with the downbeat, you must approach it as though you were joining music which is already in progress... stepping on to the conveyor belt ... maintaining that balance between clear-cut precision and a relaxed frame of mind... riding the tempo easily with no anxiety. But beware of indifference! When the time comes, you must slice the center of the beat with clear conviction. Acquire this special awareness by becoming two minds: one remaining with the instrument, the other projected out in space, observing tempo, sound, feeling, etc. That gives you a little edge — staying ahead of the music so that the playing has both the sureness and calmness it must have. For these downbeat exercises the goal is to be able to hit just one isolated note with a jazz feeling. First, forget that you're dealing with notes. Not “C” or “Fi”, but a feeling... an expression, ‘Your attention must be focused on the sound that’s coming out. Project yourself out in front. Music is 2 result — not a means. Listen to yourself as you would listen to a radio speaker.SHORT DOWNBEATS (Exercise 3) This exercise is to be done in two different ways: a) On the indicated beat the class whispers the word Bop (just air-sound, without sounding a tone — but with all the zest of a performance). Do this in tempo. If the jazz sound and feeling is being achieved there is no problem; we can proceed to b), and then on to Exercise 4 and so on. b) On the indicated beat the class vocalizes Bop with voice sounding (as in speech, with no definite pitch). Exercise 3 (without instruments) a) whisper b) vocalize Jes “Bop “Bop” 2 2 > \ > a | ! 4 bp t + + 1 il If the jazz sound and feeling is lacking, try the following: Try hitting the note out of tempo — just an isolated note on cue — learning to enunciate it clearly and with a jazz dialect. When this is achieved, go back to tempo, working to retain the same feeling. (This isolating, out-of-tempo approach can be applied to any of the exercises on downbeats, other important notes of the phrase, and even complete figures, if the jazz feeling is not coming easily.) Imagine a ball being thrown up vertically and then its falling down to bounce on the floor. The downbeat should enter simultaneously with that bounce. This is where the nonchalant attitude plays its part. You must be able to wait for the right instant. DOWNBEATS ON SUSTAINED NOTES: NORMAL ATTACK (Exercise 4) Everything is done the same as in Exercise 3, except that the word Bow (rhymes with cow) is substituted. As indicated, all notes are begun with an accent. The accent may be ever so slight, but even in a series of sustained notes it brings each note alive. Much of jazz is percussive, and the accent is basically a percussive effect. ‘The effect is very much akin to that made by a plucked (pizzicato) bass note or by a struck note on a drum or bell. Visualize that plucked note on the bass fiddle as you make the accent. (In playing jazz, I find that sustained notes are usually hit with some sort of accent. Jazz writers don’t always indicate this; it’s one of those things that good jazz players do naturally.) Exercise 4 (without instruments) a) whisper b) vocalizeDOWNBEATS ON SUSTAINED NOTES: WITH A SLIDE OR GRACE-NOTE (Bxercise 5) Everything is done the same as in Exercise 3, except that the word Buee is now substituted in order to achieve one very common alternative to the “normal attack”: the downbeat with a slide or grace-note. ‘This is similar to the normal-attack downbeat (it is also accented), but with a subtle difference: the note is hit a quarter-tone flat with an immediate slide into the center of the pitch, Nothing is sounded before the written downbeat. The effect is notated in this way: (The effect is not directly applicable to drums played in the normal way.) Exercise 5 (without instruments) a) whisper b) vocalize “Bwee" fp Hp] => Playing the Exercises with Instruments One of the hig secrets in playing jazz is to have the concept of playing music rather than an instrument. And, by music, I mean an emotional expression, not notes. Concentrate on the music, not the fingerings, etc. Avoid the pitfall of being limited by your instrument. In short, make music. Make the music come off and sound the way you want it to. Don’t get bogged down with too-careful articulation. Skim if necessary, but keep the drive and feeling — and tet the music speak, ‘A word of caution regarding the markings to be found in the interpretations: All markings ate relative and must not be taken too literally. Guard against the tendency to make an accent an explosion (the accentuation desired might be just a hair's difference from no accent at all!), a great climax out of every crescendo, and so on. Jazz composers tend to use few markings to avoid distracting the player and stop- ping the flow of music. (The markings in this book call for what the jazz musician does automatically.) Study, learn, and memorize the ideas shown in the text and interpretation. ‘Then apply the phrasings to the normally-written form of each exercise. SHORT DOWNBEATS (Exercises 6, 7) Very little real staccato is used in jazz. When a note has a staccato dot over it, it’s played short, but not extremely so. ‘There's a bit of a hold, but one which fades immediately: the accent business, again. ‘The result should be more a bop sound than a dit sound. Really short notes, singly and in passages, do occur sometimes, especially in very abstract jazz. But at this point they should be thought of as special effects. The short- short staccato seems foreign to jazz.Remember: Each note must be “jazz”. This means that there must be an over-all jazz feeling in the air. And the notes must fall in as naturally as miles rolls by in a jet plane. Exercise 6 J+ 138 : # ——— 3 =| oF Exercise 7 d= 138 be: wa tae DOWNBEATS ON SUSTAINED NOTES (Exercises 8, 9) Here we are concerned with sustained notes of moderate duration. The effect we want is the same as that of a struck bell: the note is hit with an accent... then there is a gradual fade... then nothing. Ending a sustained note is very important in jazz, Seldom does a note simply cut off at full volume (this is a special effect) ; it fades naturally at the end. ‘The player must resolve the intensity of the sustained note by listening musically. Remember: Prepare yourself. During the silent bar between notes, get ready for the next downbeat. Exercise 8 Normal notation J = 138 te tf t if e i i : $ {| Interpretation | : 7 ' ‘ : i—_ — Exercise 9THE “BLUES-FOLK” ATTACK (Exercise 10) ‘This effect refers directly to the “blues” and “folk” feeling. ‘The attack begins on the downbeat with a grace-note which is usually a whole-step below the main note; the interval is sometimes larger, or smaller (a minor second, a half-step). ‘The grace-note and main note are slurred together as one, but, compared with the “—Bwee”-effect, the grace-note is more obvious because it is farther removed from the main note. (This effect is not directly applicable to keyboard or percussion instruments.) Exercise 10 DOWNBEATS WITH PICKUPS ‘The addition of one or more pickups before a downbeat changes nothing from the preceding lesson. As before, the downbeat must be met squarely. Although the pickups are the first notes to be heard in a passage, the downbeat is really the important note to gear yourself for — the real beginning of the passage. Be careful! It is very easy to get tangled up in the pickups, causing the downbeat to be late and vague. On the other hand, even though you're aiming for the downbeat, the pickups must. be perfectly in time. A common trap is the passage which begins after an eighth-note rest: the player must be off and running with the first note! In this case, to help him- self, the player must be geared for the ext note, the one following the pickup, grab- bing the tempo at the outset by squarely slicing the beat itself. This attitude is applic- able to any passage which begins after a rest. Before taking up the exercises for this problem, we must consider the phrasing of the pickup notes themselves. THE HALF-NOTE PICKUP Half notes are usually begun with either a plain accent, with the slide (Bwee) effect, or the “Blues-Folk” attack, depending on what follows and on the player's style. It's common to find a mixture of all three types of attack. A half note is seldom held out at an even volume. The exception to this is the occurrence of a half note just before a crescendo or a diminuendo. Usually, the half note crescendos into the next note, or fades rapidly after the attack. When it is the last note of a figure it always fades.Sustained notes never stand still in jazz, Even when held at an even volume, they must have an “electricity”: the player’s personality is on display here as well as in the fast notes! The music is you, and must always breathe fire. Don’t let it tum straight and dry. It's not easy to make half notes dance. It takes ultra-awareness and giving! THE SLIDE-SLUR (Exercise 11) In this exercise, going from the A4 of Bar 6 to the Ag of Bar 7 (Bar 1 is the first full measure) , there should be a last-minute slide rather than a cleanly executed move- ment, Avoid using too much of a slide (a la trombone-smear). Of course, this effect is only applicable to winds and brass, but a keyboard instru- ment can approximate the sound by holding the Aa for a bit even after the At has been hit. (The effect is not directly applicable to jazz drums.) We will see this effect used again, later; the remarks above will apply each time. Exercise 11 138 i= THE QUARTER-NOTE PICKUP (Exercises 12, 13, 14) Quarter notes are usually played in one of four ways: a) short (but not too short) b) sustained, with normal attack ) sustained, with slide (Bwee) effect 4d) sustained, with “Blues-Folk” attack Quarter notes may seem simple to play, but the great problem is to get them to move ahead smoothly without dragging the beat. Remember: The tempo and feeling must never suffer for the sake of the individual notes. Exercise 12 d= 138 t Exercise 13 J = 138Exercise 14 THE FIGHTH.NOTE PICKUP (Exercises 15, 16) At moderate or fast tempi, single eighth notes (with the normal attack) are usually either short or sustained. Only at very slow tempi is there time to use the slide (Bwee) or “Blues-Folk effects, Do not forget that the downbeat must slice the center of the beat. One way to achieve this is to make a fresh attack on the downbeat, rather than slurring into it. ‘This will help the player to enunciate the downbeat more clearly. Of utmost importance: There should be no loss of momentum between pickup and downbeat. Notice that the interpretations recommend a lesser value for the eighth-note pickup: that of one-third of an eighth-note triplet. Unless there’s a specific desire for a double- time feeling, this is a common phrasing, Exercise 15, = 138 Exercise 16As we discuss element after element of jazz, we discover the dual role, the paradox, the curious mixture of opposed attitudes in this music — sad but happy, relaxed but definite, Good jazz is never predictable or “pat” — perhaps the result of the balance of mixed attitudes we find in it. And now, another blend. Until this point, we've discussed only “on-the-beat” jazz...now enters “off-beat”, or syncopated, jazz. Although syneopation, in general, is not found only in jazz, a certain type of synco- pation plays an important role in it: the “Keeper of the spark”. About the time that the on-the-beat lines settle down into a pattern, along comes an off-beat which ignites a spark in the music... revitalizes it... breathes life into it. The off-beat is always played with an accent which may range from a subtle one to an exaggerated one. When a strong accent is called for — which is often the case — the vertical accent mark A will be used, rather than the regular >. Such an accented syncopation is normally written as an eighth note but is really played on the very end of the beat, as a sixteenth. The anticipation is very slight but is clearly before the following beat — with that little spontaneous “kick”. SHORT OFF-BEATS (Exercise 17) ‘This kind of off-beat is played short but not too much so. Tt hangs over a bit into the next beat, and there’s a very subtle falling-off in both pitch and volume. This fall-off itself plays a substantial role in jazz: very subtle and hardly noticeable but there; it is an integral part of the jazz vocabulary. The more obvious long fall-off-slide (usually downward) appears occasionally as a special effect. (The fall-off is not directly applicable to drums.) Let the off-beat function naturally, to provide the extra electric charge that gives the music the aliveness it must have. Exercise 17 o> 138 CHAPTER III The Off BeatSUSTAINED OFF-BEATS (Exercises 18, 19) Our previous discussion on sustained notes applies here. Exercise 18 SS ne ee tai eS SS Don't be afraid to let each diminuendo go down to nothing before playing the next note, Exercise 19 d= 138 ee SS oS Se PEATE PRUE fle FED THE OFF-BEAT WITH PICKUPS THE SHORT PICKUP (Exercises 20, 21) Move on through the pickups. Don’t lag, Exereise 2038 Exercise 21 ¢ =138 THE SUSTAINED PICKUP (Exercises 22, 23) ‘There must be no separation between the pickup and the off-beat — but avoid get- ting stuck on the pickup, thus making the off-beat late. Exercise 22 a= 138 Exercise 23 d= 138 CHAPTER IV Establishing the Tempo at the Beginning of the Phrase ‘Once we are able to hit a clean downbeat with a jazz feeling, we can begin to look past the downbeat into the passage itself. ‘The first point of importance is the establishment of the tempo at the beginning of the phrase.What was said about tempo can only be re-emphasized: the tempo begins with the count-off, not with the music. Immediately, at the very first sound, the music should ride on top of the time. This requires strict diigence on the player's part — listening to and feeling the beat. Here, for the first time in the book, the exercises involve our playing series of notes making up complete figures and, finally, phrases. No further discussion of half notes or quarters is necessary, but eighth notes, triplets, and sixteenths require some additional investigation when considered in series. Let us begin with eighth notes. EIGHTH NOTES The eighth note, among all other values, dominates jazz. ‘The difficulty with eighths is that their character is different in different figures and in different tempi. However, we can discuss the common phrasings and — as was said before regarding the interpretation of the exercises — discover patterns which occur frequently. UNEVEN EIGHTH NOTES In considering the phrasing of consecutive eighths, we must approach pairs of them to discover frequently occurring patterns. ‘One of the most common patterns is this: Two eighths are given a triplet feeling, with the first eighth taking the first and second parts of the triplet and the second eighth taking the third part. Thus, “uneven” eighth notes. ‘The student should think of the three parts of the triplet, despite the fact that only parts one and three are sounding (the second part being “tied” over). This type of phrasing harks back to the “Shuffle” (the 1930's... Shuffle Off to Buffalo... Henry Busse... “Da-de-Da-de-Da-de-Da-de”) , but still stands up in the jazz of today. Exercise 24, following, demonstrates uneven eighths in almost every bar. THE “BE-BOP” EFFECT The “Be-Bop” effect (Ex. 24: third beat of Bar 3, and third beat of Bar 5) achieves the same feeling of uneven eighths in a different way: the second note of the pair ties over a bit into the next beat, ‘The effect begins on the third part of a triplet, rather than on the fourth part of the beat (as in the off-beat). It also has less of an accent, and hangs over Jess. It has no fall-off. By singing the word Be-Bop, the student can get the effect. In fact, the word itself is thought to have been derived irom this “lick”, SKIMMED NOTES One of the great devices that jazz players use to make a figure “skate” across the tempo is to skim over certain notes. ‘These skimmed notes are passing notes — usually the last one, often two, some- times three — before a note that's to be attacked. At times, these notes are not heard at all (sixteenths, or eighths at a fast tempo); but usually they are sounded, however, at a radically softer volume than the other notes.Also, the note attacked after the skimmed notes is usually of a higher pitch than the note directly preceding it, and is on the beat, Beware of making an actual separation between the last skimmed note and the note that’s to be freshly attacked: The skimming makes for clear enunciation, but there must be no break in the sound; the sound and intensity must drive through the figure. It is best not to think of skimming notes in a conscious way, but to gear one’s self for the notes that are to fall on the beat. This automatically makes the other notes incidental. There will also be times when skimming is essential in order to place those on-the-beat notes on the beat! In the exercise, skimmed notes will be indicated by the sign (p). ‘Two sets of slurs are used in the interpretation (Ex, 24: pickup bar and Bar 1; also Bars 7-8). The long slur indicates a solid sound throughout the figure; the sub-slur points out the fresh attacks within the figure. There is no formula for determining when these attacks within the figure should occur. Before playing Exercise 24, remember, finally, that it is relatively simple to keep a tempo once it's established. But the reai task here is to “get off the ground” at Note One, and to continue the relentless forward movement without letting down. We must be prepared to follow through (as in a golf swing) after a good start. Impact: comes with delivery, and we must deliver from beginning to end. Jaz is a do-it-yourself situation: instruments do not play by themselves . note. The player's total involvement is obligatory every second of the music. -not one UNEVEN EIGHTHS, THE “BE-BOP” EFFECT AND SKIMMED NOTES (Exercise 24) Exercise 24 13ud STRAIGHT EIGHTHS (Exercise 25) This little composition is to be played with an “8-to-the-bar” feeling, as indicated. ‘This automatically means straight eighths rather than uneven ones (as in Ex. 24). Straight eighths are more highly stylistic and cliché-ish than uneven eighths. But in music which calls for this particular feeling, the uneven-eighth-note conception usually does not work. ‘The 8-to-the-bar feeling is generally found in early Blues and in Latin-American music; this feeling accounts for some similarity between those two styles. “Boogie- ‘Woogie” often calls for the same effect. Exercise 25 J 138 “ 8-to -the - bar" -feeling EIGHTH-NOTE TRIPLETS As we've seen in Exercise 24 on uneven eighth notes, the eighth-note-triplet feeling is a big part of jazz. Of course, it’s a relative matter. In a passage like Exercise 24, it’s only implied, but often whole passages and pieces revolve around triplets. We find, too, that quite often a triplet-dominated passage is interspersed with un- even eighths, the “Be-Bop” effect, and off-beats. The paradoxical nature of jazz rears its head again! But it is the very opposition of these different effects that prevents monotony! ‘The triplet combinations are almost endless in number but, upon investigation, we do find some recurring patterns. THE SLIDE-SLUR TRIPLET (Exercise 26) It is interesting to note that even in a triplet-dominated passage the uneven-eighth- note feeling is there. This is brought about by tying together the first two notes of the triplet with the slide-slur, as demonstrated in the following parts of Exercise 26:the pickup bar Bar 1, first beat Bar 3, first and second beats Bar 5, second beat, Bar 6, fourth beat Bar 7, first and second beats Bar 9, third and fourth beats Bar 10, fourth beat Bar 11, first and second beats Bar 13, first beat When the slide-slur triplet is used, the accent often falls on the first part or, more usually, on the third part of the triplet. Sometimes, however, the beat is turned around and the effect begins on the second or third note of the triplet, rather than on the first. In this case, the first note of the slide-slur is heavily accented (Ex. 26: Bar 11, second and third beats; Bar 13, second and third beats). If the student thinks of the uneven-eighth-note feeling, he will move through the triplets more easily. One last remark regarding procedure in the use of this effect: The triplet begins from nothing, the first note being skimmed and the triplet crescendoing into the next beat. Don’t worry if the first note is actually inaudible; the notes on paper are just a framework for the player’s expression. This isn’t to play down the contribution of either the composer or the piece itself. But in the final analysis (performance), it is the player who must breathe into the music all the fine little nuances and the spark of life, itself. Music is sound, not, marks on paper. 3 3 3 3 2 216 THE DELAYED TRIPLET (Exercise 27) In Exercise 27, in the pickup bar and on the fourth beat of Bar 6, we find a common cliché: the delayed triplet. Rather than play the triplet evenly, the player holds the first note a bit, thereby delaying the second note. This second note, as a result of the delay, is shortened to a sixteenth in order to bring in the third part of the triplet where it belongs, Again, we have the uneven-eighth-note feeling. Jn no way does this interfere with the tempo. The downbeat following the delayed triplet must be met squarely, as always. Be on guard! There's a great tendency to let this effect drag the beat. ‘The delayed triplet is used as a sort of ornamentation or flourish or color. The common practice is to use just one at a time, but several in a row can be exciting. Be careful of overuse — this can result in an over-stylization which should be avoided. THE TRIPLET OFF-BEAT Used a great deal in early Blues, the triplet off-beat is a form of syncopation used when that extra “kick” is needed. Quite simply, the effect consists of the third note of a triplet being accented and tied over into a sustained note. This effect often appears at the beginning or end of a figure. Since the off-beat needs special attention, it usually ends up that the preceding note is skimmed. In Exercise 27, the triplet off-beat is demonstrated in Bar 1, second beat, and in Bar 7, fourth beat. THE SLIDE OFF-BEAT ‘This effect — Ex. 27, Bar 6, third beat — is the same as the regular off-beat (Chap- ter III), with this exception: It consists of two notes tied together with a slide-slur, rather than just one single note. It’s really an anticipated “Bwee” effect (Chapter II) — the two notes sounding as one. THE QUARTER-TONE WAVER In this effect — Ex. 27, Bar 2, fourth beat — as in the slide off-beat, two notes are made to sound as one. But one of them dominates (D, in this case), and the other (Eb) is only a quarter-tone away from the dominating note — not a half-tone, as writ- ten. This creates a quarter-tone waver. ‘The dominating note may be the bottom or the top of the waver. In this case, it’s at the bottom. This effect lends itself differently to different instruments and fingerings (as is the case with most effects). On a keyboard instrument, the effect may be simulated by al- lowing the two mates to ring into each other by holding the dominating note all through the passage. By now, it must be clear to the student that the commonly used method books and fingering charts for the various instruments present a rather different picture than that which we're beginning to see here. An Ff has always been an Ff, fingered a certain way: valve pressed down completely . . hole opened completely .. . string stopped firmly. In jazz, the situation is not so clear-cut. In order to articulate a spontaneous idea, or to7 give drive to a phrase, the player invents all kinds of half-fingerings, skimmings, ete., etc. The music is the end. Not the means. Exercise 27 d= 138 5 SIXTEENTH NOTES (Exercise 28) UNEVEN SIXTEENTHS ‘We will find many instances in which sixteenth notes are played in the same man- ner as eighths played double-time. In Exercise 28, the following pairs of sixteenths, all uneven sixteenths, have the thythmic effect of double-time uneven eighths: Bar 2, last half of fourth beat Bar 3, first and second beats Bar 5, first and second beats Bar 6, fourth beat Bar 7, last half of first beat, Also, we see the “Be-Bop” effect with sixteenths in two places: Bar 3, third beat Bar 7, second beat CONSECUTIVE SLIDE OFF-BEATS ‘The figure beginning on the last half of the fourth beat of Bar 2 has four slide off- beats in a row. We find this type of phrasing a great deal in scalewise or near-scalewise passages of sixteenths (or eighths in fast tempi). ‘This effect adds a lot of spark to a phrase, and helps greatly to drive the tempo because the tying-together halves the actual number of notes to be cleanly articulated.‘SIXTEENTH-SKIMMING ‘As was said above, consecutive slide off-heats seem to lend themselves to scalewise passages. On the other hand, figures containing arpeggios of sixteenths (skips up and down a chord), or rapid eighths, seem to require skimmings as well as slide off-beats. ‘This effect is demonstrated in Bars 5, 6 and 7 of Exercise 28. Again, the main point is to skate across the tempo. A great deal of jazz phrasing has come from players doing just that — in spite of the number of notes skimmed over. In a series of sixteenths (and eighths at fast tempi) sometimes only two of the four notes are actually heard (Ex. 28, Bar 5, second beat). DELAYED SIXTEENTHS This effect is another ornamentation to add to our list — one which adds a little twist to prevent dullness; it is found in the pickup bar of Exercise 28. At different times, the effect is played in two different ways; in both cases the first note dominates, the others being incidental. ‘The regular straight-sixteenths approach (shown in the normally written version) requires no special phrasing other than the accenting of the first note. In the delayed sixteenth phrasing (shown in the interpretation), the first note is held longer and the second and third notes are crowded together so that the fourth can come in as a third part of a triplet. This accomplishes the uneven-eighth-note feeling. Again, be wamed: With this, as with any type of delayed figure and most ornamen- tation, there is a tendeney to drag the tempo. Color, omamentation, etc., are incidental effects usually meant to add to the main direction — not to disturb it. Exercise 28 SSS19 STRAIGHT SIXTEENTHS (Exercise 29) What was said earlier about straight eighths is applicable to straight sixteenths. ‘There are no new phrasing ideas presented here, In all four figures of the exercise, the accents, slide-slurs, and skimmed notes show the way toward getting the music to move. With sixteenths there are more notes to consider, so that in some instances (Bars 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7), in order to drive across the figure, we must subdivide the beat. This gives each bar eight beats for which we must gear ourselves. Exercise 29 J = 100 P, P = 1m (POP) IP) CHAPTER V Maintaining Drive Throughout a Complete Phrase Ii the player can really make a few bars his own — playing them with all the phras- ing, drive, and expression needed — he should be able to transfer a great deal of this ability to the playing of most any other passage.BREAKING DOWN A PHRASE (Exercise 30) ' Now that we've covered most, if not all, of the general phrasing effects, we can di- rect our entire attention to making the music live! In sections A through G of Exercise 30, we are going to break down the music bar by bar into smaller exercises, (I admit that the process is tedious and requires a high level of dedication — but remind yourself that you are on the road to the perfection of your jazz musicianship. The benefits far outweigh the tedium.) By eliminating the incidental notes, at times, and working just with on-the-beat notes, we make “riding the time” easier. The vertical lines inserted above certain notes point out the beats for which the student must gear himself. In learning any piece, the player will find value in using this breakdown procedure. Even though we've gone to an extreme here, the exercise can be broken down still further but perhaps the player may not need to go so far. ‘The main idea is to dissect the passage, isolating the particular problems that might inhibit the “moving-ahead” feeling. Practice each exercise many times, always working toward a flowing beat. Much that is of lasting value can be gained by spending a good deal of practice time in this manner, rather than the spreading of this time across many different areas. (I think they call it “getting down to the nitty-gritty”) In approaching this lesson, the student should study and absorb the interpretation first. Get the phrasing down “pat”, and then proceed to the breakdown section to come to grips with “drive”! Exercise 30a BREAKDOWN “A” IN TWELVE PARTSBREAKDOWN “C” IN FOUR PARTS . EbE btttBREAKDOWN “G” Ba _ 1 1 1. “H” — COMPLETE ey pot rtroit | eee ||CHAPTER Vi Studies Exercise 31 = eee == ‘ Bie : i ‘ A ' Exercise 32 eS eS SS ———Exercise 33 Exercise 34CHAPTER VII The Student Interprets Before playing each of the following exercises, the student is to fill in the blank staves with his own interpretation. Exereise 35, Exercise 3627 Exercise 39 Exereise 40 J = 120 Exercise 41 60Exercise 42 Exereise 43Exercise 45, J =138Introduction CHAPTER I PART TWO Part One of this book discussed the main body of jazz phrasing practices in five general categories: feeling time, the downbeat, the off-beat, establishing the tempo at the beginning of the phrase, and, finally, maintaining drive throughout the complete phrase. These are essential basics, and should serve the student as points of reference throughout his work in Part Two. Part Two, like Part One, may be used privately or in class work. Here, the particular concepts to be introduced are meant to be applied to actual pieces in performance, and are broader in scope and application. ‘What we will discuss is applicable to the performance of improvised jazz, but our main concern, as before, is the interpretation of written jazz: How can we make written music sound as though it were being improvised? Musical Considerations ‘The following nine points are applicable to all exercises. 1. Flowing Sound The sound you achieve must have a life that communicates itself to the listener, Regardless of actual note durations, the musical sound must move with a magnetism that draws the listener along with it. The player is the one who must constantly supply this energy. ‘This can best be accomplished by subtle adjustments of the power plant deep within. the player, rather than through pinched lips, tensed fingers, or exaggerated body move- ments. 2. The Flowing Beat Stand back. Take in the music as a whole, in terms of the over-all movement: sing it... feel it... relax your mind and body. Feel the time as it rolls by — nothing else. (Find the pulse and join in, It must be regular, like the ticking of a clock ... There should be a dance in the music.) Now, when you begin to play, keep this calmness and lack of tension — but don't lose hold of your own strength and intensity. From that inner power plant let a constant supply of energy flow through your whole being, effortlessly... music from the core of your body, not from its surface! (In the simple versions of the exercises, vertical lines have been placed above those notes which fall on the beat. These “guide posts” will clarify the beat positions as the player moves steadily ahead. The on-the-best notes are like the rungs of a ladder as you dimb,)3. The Over-All Dynamics of a Phrase The markings of the interpretations show the dynamies — but let’s go further and understand the dynamics of the complete phrase. Beneath each exercise is a sketched outline which shows the rising and falling in- flection of the phrase as a whole. After you've become acquainted with the exercise, follow it through again, silently or singing softly, this time following the dynamic out- line. (If it helps, raise and lower your head along with it — but try to understand what the particular phrase is saying in terms of broad dynamic expression.) In analyzing and feeling this band of changing inflection, you will begin to achieve what is called the “long line”. This helps to make the music flow, thereby carrying the listener along with it. In the light of this discussion of phrase dynamics, i briefly on the matter of volume: It is very important that the player be constantly aware of his loudness. He must: bbe sensitive as to how much loudness is enough and when to release the listener from this pressare. Remember that the human ear can stand only so much constant bombardment be- fore the listener either “turns off” or is in mental agony! (The great players know how to create excitement without barrage — and the aspiring student of jazz can attain this same mastery by developing his ear, his ability to listen, and his extra-awareness of himself.) E might be worthwhile to touch 4, The Focal Points or Main Notes of a Phrase After we see the over-all dynamics of a phrase, we discover that some notes are more important than others. In the exercises, plus signs (++) have been inserted above these main notes. T must warn the student here that this sign is not necessarily to be taken as a call for an accent. Rather, the player must simply gear himself for these notes so that they will be enunciated clearly, nothing more. Of course, this doesn’t mean that the other notes can be disregarded! They have their own important place in the passage and must be articulated with care. In Part One of this book, we suggested a procedure which may prove helpful at this point. If the jazz sound and feeling are Jacking, play the passage out of tempo, taking time to prepare for and enunciate each focal note. ‘When the feeling begins to come, return to tempo, working to transfer what was learned. 5. Motivation What is your attitude toward yourself and your audience? Why are you playing? What end result do you want? For me, three elements are essential in achieving meaningful, lasting results: a sense of self-accomplishment (versus the destructive, competitive attitude of “Who's best?”) a deep love for music and fascination with sounds; a need and desire to engage in dialogue with an audience (offering our accom- plishments and feelings to others with the anticipation of mutual understand- ing and enrichment). 316. Drive (the “Follow-Through”) If the player can unfetter himself from the quicksand of fear, indecision and nega- tivism, and bring to his music the sense of freedom, the strength of a developed musical ability and knowledge, and the positiveness of open-eyed enthusiasm, he will be able to Propel the music outward in so convincing a manner that the listener will be left with a sense of completeness — perhaps even a glimpse of the “infinite”. And all of this will happen in spite of the performer's limitations as a human being and in spite of the limitations of his instrument. Drive... propulsion ... an unfaltering delivery from the first moment on... through each figure, each phrase, each section . . . decisiveness and conviction from start to finish. 7. Shaping the Melodic Line With an awareness of maintaining a oneness of sound, of grasping the beat and the feeling of forward movement, of “following through” with intensity and conviction, the student must now sink himself into the melody ... holding it together... spinning it out. ‘The musician plays as an actor performs: speaking in sentences and ideas (phrases) , rather than with individual words (single notes). With the basics in order, the student ‘can now begin to mold a series of notes into a melody that communicates to the audi- ence the feeling generated by the player. 8. Enunciated Eighth Notes in a Slurred Group In wind-instrument playing, this effect is referred to as legato tonguing (French: détaché). Each note is slightly articulated (without accent), but with no break between notes; the break occurs only at the conclusion of the slurred phrase. In the interpretations, niotes to be phrased in this manner are notated }. (As arule, accented notes also calll for this sort of enunciation.) - ‘To produce this phrasing, wind players will tongue each note, while percussion and keyboard players will simply play a bit less legato. Such phrasing, subtly applied, functions in this way: Within a oneness of all notes in a given phrase, each note is given a life of its own — vitalizing the musical line — so that the musical statement is clear, well-defined and controlled. 9, Technique and Limitations ‘The good player works constantly for improvement, but with a clear understanding of the limitations of his skill and his equipment. He must know when the “danger area” is being approached, so that the necessary adjustments can be made in time to maintain a consistent musical result. Much the same concept can be applied to driving an automobile: ‘The driver must prepare himself mentally and physically for the danger of the curve, or any emergency, with a realistic awareness of his own ability to control his vehicle.CHAPTER II An Approach to Practicing the Exercises First Step: How to Begin Study the interpretation and its markings, committing them to memory. Then, as you play, read the simple (upper) version of the exercise while applying the special details and phrasings of the interpretation. (Refer to Part One, if necessary, to answer any questions that come up.) Second Step: Establishing a Flowing Sound Play through the exercise 2 couple of times in a very light manner, concentrating on maintaining a relaxed (trance-like) frame of mind, so that the oneness of sound can be achieved. Adhere strictly to the rhythmic instructions given in the interpretation. Don't concem yourself with dynamics; this oneness of sound is what you're after now. Relax, play casually at a soft volume, and keep an easy but steady beat throughout. Isolated work is the key to any trouble that comes at this point. Handle it this way: If the flowing sound isn’t coming, stop, and start again on the first note. (Sing the pitches frst, if this helps.) ‘Then, work on other notes in the same manner, eventually tying things together, modulating the quality back and forth. (Again, try singing.) Now, slowly (out of tempo), play through the melody while trying to maintain the oneness of sound from start to finish. Finally, when things are working, go back to tempo. Third Step: Riding the Beat Softly, casually — but adhering to the rhythmic markings — play through the exer- cise. (Again, do not concern yourself with dynamics.) Now, however, since you have a oneness of sound, you can give full attention to making the music move across the tempo without rushing or dragging. Jf you run into trouble, try singing the passage before playing it. If this doesn’t relax you enough, run through the music with a whisper effect, not using the vocal chords (just air), and then work back to using the instrument. ‘When everything begins to go well, begin to expand the volume, but remember the oneness of sound and the flowing beat! Fourth Step: Dynamics and Mood Review the interpretation regarding dynamics and the over-all mood. Then (as we said earlier), follow the passage silently while moving your head up and down in coor- dination with the dynamic outline as given, being aware of the focal points (main notes) of the melody.Conelusior : A Personal Note to the Player In your practice sessions, when you are alone, stand in front of a mirror with your eyes open and a calm expression on your face. Then, as you play your exercises, simply arbitrarily, consciously, eliminate doubt, fear and uncertainty from your being — both musically and personally, Play with complete unconcern, knowing that the music will come out... if not this time, then the next. Throw out hesitancy; ride through with sureness. Soon you will begin to see the results of this in classes, rehearsals and performances. Remember, too, that the musician is a kind of narrator or story teller: There is a story in every musical phrase, and the essence of this story must be captured and pre- sented in a simple but compelling manner. You can fascinate and excite your audience if your musical personality is exciting and fascinating. Turn on the ‘electricity’ and leave it on! Exercises 1-10 Normal notationExercise 3 Stow (J =76) ' 1 Exercise 4 Moderately bright(, =114) 1 ' : fsExereise 5 Moderately slow (J =112) mf f =P gp Ff 3 — 2 —== FI e 3 Fat: irs je te nf = 7 == Exercise 6Exercise 7 , Exercise 8 Moderate( J =126) SI eS—== FI << Exercise 10 Moderately bright(d = 160) CHAPTER It Group Playing ‘When two or more players are involved, group playing is taking place. This requires an increased listening awareness and an understanding of what blending is all about. To arrive at good blending, a player must not dominate; he must allow the other parts to come through while still finding a way for his own part to be heard with fullness. Blending requires a simple sort of humble confidence and an alert ear.Blending means being attuned to the dimensions of the actual effect that’s being sent out to the audience. ' Blending means a mutual understanding (musically and, hopefully, personally) he- tween players: sympathy, warmth, mutual respect and a direction or philosophy held in common, Before we take up the group examples, this would be a good time to mention a kind of blending which is, in some ways, completely different from what we've just talked about. In modern jazz — especially during improvised solos — there is a common ensem- ble sound which is dominated in volume, intensity, texture and mood by a straight- ahead, full-volume, “bashing” rhythm section. Above all this, the soloist is called upon to swim over this “sea of sound”, shouting his message. This can produce a kind of drive and excitement much like that of surfing or automobile racing, and with the same sort of urgency and intensity. Certain music calls for this particular dimension of full-volume sound, but even here — if one is to avoid the horror of monotony — the music must breathe and have nuance, and the players must keep a constancy and strength without permitting the music to become grating or intrusive, Exercise Ila A unison line with a separate drum part. Proceed to Exercise 11b. Moderate( J= 100) 1 Exereise 11b A unison line, rhythmically similar to Exercise 11a; the same drum part is used. Proceed to Exercise 11¢. Moderate( J = 100)Exercise Le A composite of Exercises 11a, 11b and the drum part. The melody parts may be dis- tributed as the class or ensemble wishes: by sections, within sections, by register, etc. Moderate (J =100) | I ——— P ef Exercise 12a Exercises 12a, 12b and 12c are treated in the same manner as 11a, 11b and 11c. Moderately bright(J =160) ' b. Exercise 12b Moderately bright(J = 160)Exercise 12¢ Moderately bright (J = 160) I Exereise 13a Exercises 13a, 13b and 13¢ are treated in the same manner as 11a, 11b and 1c. Moderate (J = 130)Exercise 13 Moderate (J = 130) ‘The concluding exercise of Part Two introduces the four-part ensemble: three mel- ody lines (Exs. 14a, 14b and 14c) plus a separate drum part. Following our usual pro- codure, these three lines are to be learned separately before proceeding to the composite Exercise 144. In 144, the distribution of melody parts should be as follows: treble-clef instruments play Ma and 14b, and bass-clef instruments play 4c. Within this framework, the choice of instruments is optional, as before.Exercise de Moderately bright( J = 144) 1 =Exercise Ltd Moderately bright(J = 144)PART THREE Introduction ‘The third and concluding section of this book is devoted to the presentation of advanced and extended exercises, each preceded by a discussion of the special prob- lems to be met and solved in that exercise. As before, the student should refer freely to the basic techniques introduced in the initial section of this book, both to refresh his memory and to solidify his technical grasp of the essential elements of jazz phrasing. Exercise 1 A very light, “fly” attitude must be in effect here. By light, I mean movement and not volume: this piece must move. ‘The trick is to avoid getting stuck on a note... to move quickly off each note and on to the next. Most up-tempo jazz requires this concept. ‘Skimming plays a big role in up-tempo playing, and in this exercise we find skimmed notes — all marked (p) beneath the note — in Bars 1, 2, 4, 8, 11, 13, 14, 15 and 16. The player must gear himself for the important thing — the downbeat. or focal point which follows (F'¢ in Bar 2, By in Bar 2, etc.). In Bars 7 and 8 we run into a special problem. The figure beginning in Bar 8 comes so close upon the heels of the preceding figure that it is very easy for the player to suddenly fall behind. The same trick of getting off a note and moving ahead applies here especially — for the Dz at the end of Bar 7: It is practically ignored so that we can get on to the next figure in Bar 8. Another important point: In Bars 13 and 14 there are two kinds of syncopation — the off-beat and the be-bop effect. The two figures containing these interpreted synco- pations are identical in the simple (upper) version, except that each falls on a different art of the bar. The note preceding the syncopation (Db) is the key to the difference between the two effects: in Bar 13, the Dp falls on a weak beat but, in 14, on a strong beat, Consequently, in Bar 13, the accent falls heavily on the off-beat itself; in 14, Dp (the first beat), gets the strong accent with the syncopated note (Ep) receiving a lesser accent. It is important for the player to examine these spots so that he will clearly perceive what is going on musically. These two situations in any jazz piece will almost certainly call for the particular treatment suggested here. Normal Notation Bright (J = 112) fee Pa - = t Mm wm F f @)_@) iExereise 2 Here we have a special problem. This exercise involves a certain style which can dominate a player’s music or just play a minor role — I happen to hear it quite often in my own playing. It has to do with a slowing down and then a speeding up (to catch up) against a steady beat. ‘The retard starts at the beginning of the phrase, slightly delaying what was to have been the downbeat: (Gb). Then, because things have been slowed down, the next three notes must accelerate in order to get back to tempo. ‘The same effect comes again in Bars 2, 5, 6 and 1, in its usual sequence: retard... accelerando ... .a tempo. In Bars 2 and 5, the retard is on the second beat; in Bar 6, the retard is on the fourth beat. Since it is rather difficult to notate retards and accelerandi, I’ve attempted to give the player an approximation of what the idea is; but avoid taking the notation too lit- erally. Remember: Regardless of such fluctuations against a steady beat, or even of a fluc- tuating beat itself (in situations other than this one), the melodic flow must not be broken.Moderate (J = 138 ) 49 fi Exercise 3 ‘This can be played in or out of tempo. Rather than thinking of tempo, the player should consider each phrase as one con- tinuous, liquid sound from beginning to end, with an unrelenting forward movement. (The barlines have been purposely left out for this reason.) Even though the accented notes are the focal points, with the many skimmed notes being incidental, the oneness of sound and the drive must not be interrupted. T hear this exercise as being totally legato. Te ae ie es g = SS qe qe dete She ; sere es oe 3 mae fit t ott dt Sp 3 psfis Sperm Ler rr.Ea pe fe am st (P)(P) iExercise 4 This is a duet. The procedure for playing the exercise is the same as that employed for the en- semble pieces in Part Two: proceed from 4a to 4b and then to the composite 4e. (The drum part works in all instances.) As before, the instrumental distribution of the two melodic lines is optional. Recall our earlier talk about blending: Hach player must listen carefully, allowing the other line to come through while still sustaining his own with strength, Exe ise 4a Bright (7 = 132) 51 t Sa! SSR OE oS =H er peg pa ee fi =f (P) (P) PRExercise 4e Bright (J = 132) Exercise 5, This is a trio, to be learned in the usual way: 5a through 5c and then to the com. posite 5d. (The same drum part throughout, as before.)2 ‘The tempo here is slow. The approach to phrasing is often somewhat different as a result of tempo, and such is the case in this instance, The first major difference is that more (practically all) of the notes become focal points and important notes that must be enunciated. Secondly, figures can be more relaxed with less stress on outlining the beat; we can take more time with the individual figure in a freer way. Such a ease occurs in Bar 5 of Exercise 5a, with each note articulated. But remember that the tempo is still steady and that the over-all heat is still our guide! Exercise 5a Exercise 5b Slow (J = 66 )Exercise 5¢ Stow ( J= 66) ees 3h Exereise 5d Stow (J= 66)Exercise 6 This is a quartet, to be learned in the usual way: 6a through 6d and then to com- posite 6e. (The same drum part throughout.) Now, although all four melodic lines are rhythmically identical and the four inter- pretations are similar, there are some subtle differences in applying the same interpre- tation to four different series of notes. Watch out for these two important areas: Unusual syncopation: The accents keep falling in unpredictable places. The trick is to avoid becoming tense; the accents can be made easily without the beat be- Four-part chords: A lot of listening is necessary if the right blend is to be achieved, All four parts are equally important. Exercise 6a Bright (J = 144) Exercise 6b 144) = — = 7 -- 4 AL InetExercise 6¢ Bright (J = 144) Exercise 6d Bright (d= 144)Bright (J = a) f Exercise 6e Exereise 7 As befits the final exercise of Part ‘Three (and of the book), this masic will offer the jazz player his greatest challenge. The very construction of Exercise 7 fights the jazz feeling! Here, we have a series of rather unrelated, independent phrases with no over-all tempo, with pauses, and with built-in rubato situations. Each phrase is an entity within itself. Each phrase will suggest its own speed. Even though there is no direct relationship between the phrases, they should be played with a sense of continuity from the first.through the last. It will be difficult, to make this piece have the jazz air. Pauses and rubato situations often tend to pull the music toward a sombreness which has nothing to do with what this book is after. However, the jazz player who possesses sufficient ego and ability can turn almost any series of notes into a jazz. statement.Summary The instrument should become a part of the player's body. The power-and control should emanate from the core of the consciousness rather than from the surface of the body. The player must live in the sound of the music. He must be involved on a high level of enthusiasm, but without anxiety and over- trying.61 A Final Word These attitudes, combined with the sensitive application of the technical details dis- cussed in this book, can lead the player toward some sort of insight into the spirit of jazz. I don’t know if it’s possible to define jazz in a few paragraphs, and I’m not about to try. Perhaps this book is my definition. It’s probably necessary to go into this much detail to explain the music, but even then it’s only one person’s view. ‘What I would like to do in these last few sentences is to define the “jazz experience”. ‘What hits me is that when the jazz player picks up his hom or sits down at his in- strument it is just a continuation of his living. There’s no separation ... and T believe this comes through to the audience, Jazz sounds like it’s being lived. Jimmy Giuffre A Salute to my Teachers E. L, Hohman / Dallas, Texas, 1930-38 Manuel Meyers / North Texas State University, 1938-42 Kalman Bloch / University of Southern California, 1946 Dr. Wesley LaViolette / Los Angeles Conservatory of Music and Art, 1947-60, Arthur Bloom / New York, New York, 1961-63 Kalman Opperman / New York, New York, 1966