[78-L] Jazz.

[Steven C. Barr]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Spats" <spats47 at ntlworld.com>
>>Hmmmmm!  I thought that was what jazz was all about!   Louis,
>>PeeWee, Jelly Roll, ad infinitum?
>
Well, beyond citing Armstrong's classic line ("If you have to ask, you
ain't gonna understand it")..."jazz" (other than "avant-garde jazz," which
is essentially incomprehensible to the reasoning and thus intelligent
human mind...?!) is best described as improvisation based upon a
previously-existing...and/or previously defined...structure of a series
of chords!

As a "blues player," my task is to improvise a harmonica solo which
is based upon...and fits with...the chord structure (usually standard 
12-bar)
being played by the band playing behind me...! This requires an effectively
instant and ingrained knowledge/recollection of which solo lines "work
with" (musically mesh) which keys (note that a harmonica plays in one
key only...?!)

Note also that "improvisation" does NOT only refer to the "melody line"
(the notes played by the player in question)..but can also refer to the
details of "time" (see under Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, et al!)

I can cite several thousand applicable examples in this case...enquire
within, eh...?!

...stevenc