Re: Charlie Parker approach: was Re: "Jazz Player" CD on Transcriptions

Richard Tabnik ( rctabnik@inch.com )
Tue, 4 Feb 1997 02:58:05 -0500 (EST)

>
>People might think they remember it but if they go and try and write
>it down and compare it with an accurate transcription, I'll guarantee
>you that it wouldnt even be close.
>
>I mean it's hard enough to remember standard tunes let alone 32 or 64 bars of
>eighth note be-bop solos.
>
>If you don't write it down it's going to permute pretty fast.

Well, here we go again. We all learned our names and so much more before we
could write it down. Just learnin g how to walk is much more complesx than
a 32 bar tune.

If one spends hours, days, even weeks or longer on a solo, it becomes a
part of them. Until someone really puts their all into this, they can't
know what it is like

With learning tunes, getting into a good straight version to really get
into the lyrics and the feeling of the tune is the beginning and the basis.

A problem with Coker's approach was that he presented tunes as, not even
chords, but in roman numerals, based on their theoretical function.
But that is the bare bones and like a skeleton, you can never really know
the 'person' or tune by just looking there...

Best wishes for a happy life in a peaceful world.
Sincerely,
Richard Tabnik, Jazz Alto Saxophonist
e-mail: <rctabnik@inch.com>
WWW Page: <http://www.inch.com/~rctabnik>
"The jazz musician's function is to feel." -Lennie Tristano