Importance of being able to play jazz...

[Rhythmatist]

Unless you do the Neil Peart thing where it's all about playing a preconceived or written part you're probably improvising to some extent. Getting involved in jazz can help you develop the listening skills you need to become a good improviser but it goes way beyond that. Getting into the Chaffee or Chester stuff will prepare you to have a large technical vocabulary to draw from...those things come from a jazz perspective but are by no means exclusive to the idiom. If the music doesn't float your boat don't worry about it. But do give it a shot as far as playing it goes. I play a lot of stuff I would never listen to and play it much better than I do Jazz which is about 90% of what I listen to. I do get a few Jazz gigs here and there but I don't consider myself good at it. I peaked in college because I lived and breathed it for those years.

[Odd-Arne Oseberg]

It*s where it all comes from. I consider it sort of mandatory to immerse oneself in jazz music for a while. Buy the Ken Burns Series, get some records you think you might like and go to work. It will do you more good than harm.

[electrizer]

Just found this:



beautiful...

[bclarkio]

Just found this:



beautiful...

I agree!

My brother is learning a lot from the bass player in his band, who says, "If you can play the Blues you can play anything."

I think any amount of time spent doing either or both is valuable, considering how persistent and widespread their influences are.

I had to work at learning the type of jazz that I didn't naturally take to, but I found an easy way to get started:

One of the local Public Radio stations, KCSM, plays Jazz 'round the clock, so I just kept my car radio tuned there.

It's commercial free, and with the exception of big band tunes, the DJ names all the players on every song.

That made it easy for me to learn the names of the composers, arrangers and players, and associate their sounds with their names.

Keeping a pair of sticks within reach transformed stop lights and traffic jams from irritations into opportunities.

Even though I don't play Jazz, listening and learning has benefited me on a number of levels, including the ability to really appreciate and enjoy it.

[Henry II]

Hello all!

They say if you can play jazz you can play everything. Not sure how scientifically sound this expression is but I guess there is something to it. It definitely teaches you independence and develops your improvisational skills. But how about if I want to get those skills, but don't really "feel" jazz? For quite some time I tried to push myself towards it, different stuff, Miles, Metheny, jazz trios, modern jazz, a bit more contemporary, and while I can appreciate it, I have to say with a blush on my face that emotionally it leaves me cold, and while listening to it Im nowhere near that state of mind as Steve when he listens to Elvin Jones play.

So how is it? Do you learn jazz purely for practical reasons and treat it instrumentally as a tool for you technical development even if you don't really enjoy listening to it?

If you don't "feel" jazz then my advice is maybe you should take up, oh, I don't know . . . painting, sculpture, basket weaving, and forget about drums.

J/K! IMO, pop music arises from jazz. If you are serious about pop music, then you should understand the origins of it. The technique and feel that you will gain by learning to play jazz will enhance your playing no matter what else you play, even if you don't particularly care for jazz.

[Odd-Arne Oseberg]

Hello all!

They say if you can play jazz you can play everything. Not sure how scientifically sound this expression is but I guess there is something to it. It definitely teaches you independence and develops your improvisational skills. But how about if I want to get those skills, but don't really "feel" jazz? For quite some time I tried to push myself towards it, different stuff, Miles, Metheny, jazz trios, modern jazz, a bit more contemporary, and while I can appreciate it, I have to say with a blush on my face that emotionally it leaves me cold, and while listening to it Im nowhere near that state of mind as Steve when he listens to Elvin Jones play.

So how is it? Do you learn jazz purely for practical reasons and treat it instrumentally as a tool for you technical development even if you don't really enjoy listening to it?

Go to shows, seek out the environment, hang with the jazz crowd, it`s not just about what you hear on some CD. Since I said that, if you mainly listen to CD`s or mp3s, vinyl is truly a completely different experience.

[willyz]

Sorry friends, I'm late to this one...but...

You know what? Leave Neil alone- he's not out there trying to make it as a jazz drummer, nor does he claim to be a jazz drummer.

Brian Blade is brilliant- but would you want to hear him play Led Zeppelin? Yeah, maybe for shits and giggles, but nothing will ever come close to the shits and giggles one gets from hearing ol' JB (not Jack Black) slamming away on our favorite LZ records...

I think the point is this: Jazz is a style of music, it's a culture, and there's a certain skill level associated with it. Some people "get it" and some people don't. It's the same with afro-Cuban, it's the same with rock n' roll, it's the same with classical, it's the same with with Zappa, it's the same with whatever.

I don't care what a player listens to, what's on their iPod, or what records they own. I'd rather hear a rock drummer that knows and understands the language of other genres of music (which I believe, will come across in some way in their playing) than a guy that's only listened to be-bop their entire life. I mean, honestly, who has seriously listened to solely bop their ENTIRE life and NOTHING else? Does that make them the best drummer... wait- musician that they can be?

That's clearly up for debate.

This day in age (and maybe it's my age or lack there of doing the talking) but I'd rather see some players pulling a jack of all trades, master of none (blurring the lines and breaking down the walls) than someone that's stuck doing, playing, living ONLY one thing and one vibe their entire life (and let's be honest- it's tough to find success in that in 2011).

...I guess, however, now that I'm in thought- the same sort of things can be said for the people that define something from their own style, knowledge, and experience. I don't really know what's better or worse, but it's food for thought, no less....

[Steve Holmes]

Trying something different..

Apologies for the length ... short answer is don't learn a style that you don't like.

[Matus]

In my experience, there's a big difference between "learning" a style and being able to play that style convincingly in a common setting. The first one is mere study. Go through Gary Chaffee's "Jazz independence" section from "TIme Functioning Patterns" and you'll have a shitload of jazz chops. Combine that with Joe Morello's book on 3/4 and 5/4 (can't remember the name, though, I have it somewhere...) and Alan Dawson's stuff. And of course John Riley's books to know what the style is about, that's the best one. You'll know what comping is, how to structure your solos, etc.
But that's like 20% of the picture. You only get to really swing by listening, analyzing and transcribing tons and tons of swing records of all eras. And spending endless hours playing along to them. And then spending endless days going from one jam session to another, trying to play with people that's better than you, getting advice, seeking great teachers who can help you with your pulse. The ultimate goal is to be able to make a band swing with quarter notes.
By the time I was like 18, I had already been playing some jazz for a while. Then I started studying with my teacher and realized I really sucked at it. As we were working on it, my phrasing got better, my chops were more fluid and all that stuff. When I was 19-20, I spent a whole week in a seminar with Jeff Ballard and Reed Anderson, and after all that and some more time spent on jam sessions, I really understood swing. And I could enjoy it and really drive a band. That's when I was reliable enough to sub for my teacher. It might seem a short time, but I was totally devoted to it.
And guess what, jazz gigs are like 1% of the stuff I play nowadays and I have to dust off my jazz chops before doing some of that. But that understanding of the style shows up in my playing in some ways. You can tell when someone has an understanding of jazz and swing in general. Just like old school rudimental stuff or brazilian music. Your understanding of rythm just broadens up. But it only works if you really enjoy the proccess, and for that you have to enjoy the music you're learning. Otherwise, you'll only get more chops to draw from but they won't be legit.
To put it in big terms, look at Marco Minemann play jazzy stuff and then look at Virgil. Not that Marco is bad at it by any means, I love his playing, but it's clear who actually studied with Philly Joe.