Self-expression Through Jazz Improvisation
Jazz music is one of the most expressive and satisfying genres of music for the musician who is looking to express him or herself creatively.
Jazz is a very popular genre of music as well as being an intrinsic part of the history of American music. Although some people believe that jazz had its origins in early twentieth century South America, there is no doubt that jazz really came into it’s own in the United States and was heavily influenced by African American blues music. The Blues were popular in the first half of the 20th century in the rural south and developed in cities such as New Orleans, St. Louis and Chicago.
The music that was called jazz was popular in many countries, including the United States. At the same time it quickly spread to many countries in Europe, and then to many parts of Asia, South America and Australia.
What are the characteristics of jazz music? Jazz makes use of ‘blue notes’, improvisation and syncopation. For the most part it is not tied to a written musical score, but rather relies on the more spontaneous expression of the musicians. Jazz became immensely popular in the 1930’s. The 1930’s also saw the rise of ‘white’ jazz singers in addition to the African American musicians who dominated jazz in its early years. But in this era jazz music continued to reflect the characteristics of the blues-oriented black musicians who invented and originally developed it.
Jazz music is constantly flowing and changing. It has always reflected American classical music, as well as popular, urban and rural American musical traditions. African and European styles dating back hundreds of years also find their way into jazz compositions. Jazz is constantly changing and intricately complex while remaining spontaneous and improvisational. So the best way to really feel it is to become part of it. Get into the jazz scene. Listen to jazz masters, and best of all, perform it yourself. Ultimately, jazz is something to be shared with others.
The process of "putting yourself into the music" via improvising is essential to jazz. This ability must be acquired, and it is best learned while performing with other quality players. Quite often, you can make advances with peers by playing together in a "combo". Unlike other types of music, the interplay of the individual instruments is the heart and soul of jazz.
If you do not have an idea where to start, go back to the beginning of your book. You know everything about the simple songs you began with, so now you can think about experimenting with them and making them your own. Attend performances, listen to a lecture, think about improvisation, then "just do it." Once you have pleasing variations on simple songs, apply those skills to more complex tunes. Never forget that jazz is just as much about revealing your soul to the world as technical virtuosity.
To begin learning the basic techniques of jazz improvisation, it is important to alter the notes of your song here and there when playing. This holds true whether your are learning the jazz guitar, piano, trumpet, violin, saxophone, or any of the multitude of instruments used in jazz.
To immerse yourself in jazz music, start by listening to both the traditional and contemporary jazz masters. Additionally, there are schools of musical instruction that focus on instruction in jazz, jazz improvisation, jazz soloing, and a multitude of other facets of the genre. If you are serious about becoming a jazz musician, one of these schools may be the most direct path to attain your career goals.
Jazz music is one of the richest, most expressive and most satisfying genres of music for the musician looking for creative expression. The magic which jazz creates cannot be expressed in words. It is entertaining and appropriate for almost any occasion where people are interested in actually listening to the music. And it is challenging and rewarding for the musicians too. What could be better than that?
By Howard Brule Published: 4/17/2008
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