Jazz Kat

"Passion for the music" isn't something that comes to all automatically. It grows from experience, practice and study. I was TERRIBLE in jr. high- never practiced, wasn't into the music at all. When I discovered jazz in high school I found something that I could relate to and started working harder. Once I started to experience a little success, the passion started to grow and continues to do so. If you want to be a player it's not just about listening to great music, although that's one of the major ingredients. You've got to spend a LOT of time with your instrument, practicing and jamming w/others. I'd recommend studying privately w/a professional if that is a possibility for you. When learning the specifics of the instrument you should study with a guitarist; for learning improvisation you have more options- you can study with guitarists, saxophonists, pianists, etc. I try and spend as much time as possible, playing my instrument. I try to get at least 4 hours a day, sometimes I'm not so lucky. In the summer time, I pretty much get about 9 hours. My parents always crack down on me saying, "Damn, can't you like anything else besides music? Thats all you're into. When we're in the car, you're listening to your jazz. Jazz, jazz jazz! That's why your school work is suffering! " I hope to get a guitar teacher a little bit down the road.

Umm, don't people know where he was born? Like what hospital, or is his certificate gone, and no one has no track of him? And is that why he is from Saturn?

I think for beginners playing memorized written-out solos is not such a bad first step, provided that the one writing them out knows what they're doing. There obviously comes a point where playing written solos becomes a crutch and inhibits growth, but as a starting point it's a way to become aquainted with the jazz vocabulary. All the rhythm section problems you describe are common for beginners. Be patient as they learn. I would expect there are things that you could improve upon in your playing, too! Don't be the "guy who thinks he's better than everyone in the band". Whether or not that might be true, people don't like being around someone like that. Help out those who need help. Be a mentor. And regarding your last sentence, this is not your music, it's EVERYONE'S music. And welcome to the board- there is much to learn here. Yes, I hate the ego-crazed musicians too. Maybe if these kids had passion for the music, I could see it like that. But I mean, none of them love music. I'm sure they just see it as another thing to do, or at least something their parents make them do. Well since starting on a new instrument very recently, my playing could improve A LOT! I got the passion for hopefully becoming great one day, I hope.

Sun Ra. I have a video clip of him, and Philly Joe Jones, and Don Cherry. Did this guy really think he was from Saturn?

Speaking of memorizing solos, I guess you'd be as surprised as I was when in the school jazz band, the kids pplay written and memorized solos! When I first heard they all sounded the same I was like what, are those already written down? Someone's like yeah. These other kids can't play jazz for their lives. You should of seen these other kids trying to make up their own bass lines because the teacher said they had to start doing that. It was like one not the whole time. Then when they finally changed a note, it was so, Not in the right key! Their bass lines are so stiff, and do not swing at all. The drummers play with lead feat with the bass drum heavy on 1 and 3, the snare on 2 and 4, and the stiffest jazz ride pattern. And the guitarist? He's the best soloist there, but all he does is modern blues solos, like BB King. That's all he knows how to do. He has no imagination in his playing. Im about to yank the guitar off him, and show em' how its done! Excuse me here, I get a little emotional about my music sometime.

I have to get that one. I saw the soft cover one first, asked for it for Christmas and got the hard cover one.

You might be shocked by this one, but Ornett Coleman. Although he is known to about practically every jazz fan on the earth, he was overlooked as a vital player in jazz movement. Many overlooked his playing, Miles even called him all screwed up inside. Overlooked as a person? I guess not. But as a player, I would say so.

That's the answer I wanted. Now if I can only convince these other guys.

Wow, I'm spinning two of those now. Young and Braith's albums.

Thank you very much! B-)

George Braith's 2 Souls In 1 which I got yesterday was an lp. I got about 100 lps. Blue Train, most of Ramsey Lewis's trio stuff, and Dave Brubeck. Ahmad jamal, and Miles on vinyl. I had a record player before I even had a cd player!

Well not my dad. He does not like jazz. Well he's a big Tijuana Brass fan, that and other oldies stuff. There is some jazz influence in that, so perhaps that's how I got into jazz, but my dad don't like any hard core stuff, like Coltrane and Miles. I guess I just always loved jazz. Since about age 11, I have become more serious about getting all the Blue Note recordings. I'm now 15. I got the chance to play with some jazz cats, a guitarist and a bassist. Cool, we played standards, like All Blues, Autumn Leaves, All The Things You Are, Caravan, etc. I was about 13 years old at time. I have just switched to guitar after hearing Joe Pass and the Poll Winners album with Barney Kessel.

I have started to. Have about 100 disks, probaly 50 of those are the RVG reissues. The other 50%, just Prestige and other jazz recordings.

I have the same question about an Art Blakey album, Live At Birdland, with Horace Silver, Lou Donaldson, Clifford Brown, and Curly Russel. I have seen the album, but not like the one I got. The one i bought does not have a fold open booklet, rather one of those cheasy one-pagers. It looks like it was made straight from a guys pc, in his basement.

Yo, for practically as long as I have been a jazz fan, I have always knew/thought there was only ONE original American art-form. Which was jazz. Now I got these fellas saying there are TWO original American art-forms, BLUES and jazz. I say, wait a minute. There is only supposed to be one art-form, jazz. (From at least what I have learned and heard for all my jazz influenced life) But then I think, didn't blues originate from jazz? And weren't the two tied together? Please help me out. If you can set me straight, that'd be great.

Any of you guys have these books, featuring the photos of Francis Wolff? I browse through that book all the time. A true blessing to own.

How true.

o I guess I took it the wrong way. My bad.

That bad?

And tell him a 15 year old just bought his 2 Souls In 1 album, and loves it.

Well, if I hear an instrumental version of a song say, Makin' Whoopie, I'll love it. Then when I hear the lyrics, I just dont like the lyrics at all.

Well I meant that statement to be a part of my whole post, but since you are taking it out of my post, well I meant, that, if a jazz musician wrote a song, and it swung and it grooved, it's all right. I might like other songs better thatn that one, but I mean I can take it. But if some pop or R&B musician does a song and calls it, "jazz" I probaly will not be too fond of it.

I never said he was dissing bebop or Coltrane. I just thought he didn't have respect for the guys who are playing bebop now, in the present day.

"What was Coltrane's latest Billboard Top 40 hit?"