I'm a storyteller. Ask me any question, and I'll probably answer with a story. My wife will tell you that this is not always great for creating meaningful discussions, but there you go. Hey. I'm working on it! :-)
Anyway, I thought I'd take you way back to a time that changed my entire approach to playing Jazz, with help from an unlikely character...
As a Senior at Hayward High School, (Mighty Farmers! Yeah...) I was entering my second year as the 1st Trombone in Jazz Band, and I was struggling. I was able to improvise a bit by ear, but I wasn't very comfortable with it, and all the "helpful" comments from people ("Just substitue the 2 chord for the 4, Man") really weren't helping much. I was like, "What's a 4 chord?!". In fact, not much has changed in that area for me, but that's another story...
Anyway, we had our first competitive Jazz Festival coming up in a couple of weeks, and I was featured on a slow Blues solo. And being the perfectionist that I am, I figured that I had to understand everything about Jazz Theory to be able to play this solo properly, and since none of that was making any sense to me...I was doomed! And frustrated!
Enter our new Student Teacher. These folks would enter the picture for a year, and then, if they survived, would hopefully head off to teach their own band at another school. I remember everything about this guy except his name! He was a trumpet player, but not a high note screamer. He had hair to his shoulders, walked a bit bent over with a shuffle, and loved Jazz. I usually didn't take him seriously, especially after he bragged to a few of us about going to the Mall at Christmas with a cup of pencils, wearing sunglasses so he could pretend to be blind, while he played for tips!
But, he saw what was happening. He had tried to give me a crash course in Jazz Theory, and could see that wasn't going to work. So, he took me aside and said, "Look. This is a Blues solo. You can hear it! Just close your eyes and play, Man! Pretend you're in a dark, smoke-filled bar, and play what you feel!"
Now, I grew up playing in church. I had never even been in a bar, let alone a dark, smoky one! But, I had nothing to lose, so...
The day of the Festival came, and we played in a dark concert hall. OK, we're already half-way there! So, I visualized the smoke. I listened to the sounds...and I started blowing...but in a new way. I had something to say! The notes didn't just come out, but this kid totally opened up and LIVED that solo! (Our Director told me later that he turned around to make sure it was me playing!) The crowd went nuts, the judges loved it, and that night I was given a "Top Ten Musician" award by the Festival.
And...I was hooked! It wasn't about the applause (although that's always nice). It was about wanting to have that creative feeling of spontaneously creating music, connecting with it, seeing what part of me would show up, and sharing that with others.
I still love that experience, and as the Director of the Swing Kings, I always try to bring out that kind of emotion and communication from our soloists. Recently, during a solo, I laughed and shouted (during a concert!), "What else do you have?!". And they brought it! More ideas, more emotion, and I loved it!
As the Swing KIngs logo says, "Great Jazz, Great Fun". And we mean it! Just close your eyes. You can feel it...
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