Improving Jazz skills, the lazy man's way

[Quencho092]

was just wondering if there's a way to get better at jazz improvising the blues way.

I mean i get better at blues improvising by just looping jam tracks and working on new licks that i think up, and improving my phrasing etc.

Is there any way to get better at jazz without 'getting a degree' i mean?

 

[KirkLorange]

Re: Improving Jazz skills, the lazy man's way

Yes, I believe the same approach works. The more you look into the old jazz tunes, the more you start to recognize common chord progressions, just as you do with the blues. If you're basing your melodic excursions on chord tones, you're almost there. Just play the changes.

Kirk

 

[musicalhair]

Re: Improving Jazz skills, the lazy man's way

It is no different. Learn some tunes, cop some riffs you hear, transcribe them in what ever manner works for you and see what is going on that works.

Also, when listing to "real" jazz players on older records and something sounds wrong or bad or like they just might be lost-- maybe they are. Funny though the more I listen to stuff where I thought someone was "lost", fifteen years later listening to the same recording they suddenly sound not so lost :smack:

Blue Trane (don't even look at the way way wrong "real book" lead sheet, just listen or check out the Abersold lead sheet which is right), One for Daddy-O, Straight No Chaser (I suggest listening to Monk's own version with Charlie Rouse on the late sixties album of the same name), Blue Monk off of Monk's Dream, Tenor Madness by Sonny Rollins (man, a great tune), there are so many great tunes that you can get right into-- but pick one or two you like and just dig in.

 

[musicalhair]

Re: Improving Jazz skills, the lazy man's way

Oh, I should follow up with that if the "theory" is messing with you or like holding you back the post a question but really it all starts with a tune or two. Learn the head and the changes, get them down and riff off them and what ever you pick up off the record. You've got to make the phrasing and the "language" your own and listening and learning tunes and picking out lines that you identify with is an efficient way to get there. I'm not saying you will be copping riffs the rest of your life, but to get in as efficiently as possible I'd say that is the way.