It is important, however, always to question these "doctrines" and
reexamine the stories they are grounded in. That's why debates about how
Charlie Parker "really" practised, or whether or not Wes was a closet
sight-reader (JUST KIDDING) are pertinent. We're checking the myths for
ourselves. Reed and Clay do this very well by offering an alternative
"myth"--their own struggle to become fine players. They have bucked the
standard doctrines and claim to have achieved significant progress. I
haven't heard Reed play, but I've heard Clay and would love to play like
he does. These guys have emphasized a new "center" for jazz study:
transcribing and composing. They have also argued for a different
priority in the goal--excellence in live performance of actual tunes,
not "virtuosity" described in non-performance terms such as the ability
to play in all keys. These are not new beliefs, but by putting
them in the center of the process, ahead of scale and pattern drills,
ahead of singing-as-you-solo, ahead of 12/24 key mastery, they really
are offering an alternative paradigm that they claim works. The more
paths we can find to becoming excellent players, the better.
I'm glad this mailing list is not dedicated to perpetuating the same
orthodoxy we can read about in expensive books on playing jazz. I'm
glad that we also have articulate defenders of the standard doctrines,
who uphold the orthodoxy of the reigning generation of jazz educators.
What won't work here is probably the implacable appeal to ultimate and
unexaminable authority--i.e. musicl mysticism. The musical equivalent of
"God Told Me So" is something like "Bird Did it That Way." Everything
has to be open to examination and testing.
Bert and Reed are great examples of two highly opinionated people who
don't pull any punches in debate, but who keep the focus on trying to
move twoards being an excellent, creative musician, and who can be
convinced if clear, strong arguments are made.
It seems to me that this process of testing the older orthodoxy and its
foundational stories, and of proposing some alternatives is wonderfully
illuminating. It has gotten my playing out of the paralysis that gripped
it and moved me on to enjoying my music more while actually working
harder at it.
-- \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\//////////////////////////// Lawson G. Stone-Asbury Theological Seminary-Wilmore, KY ////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Prediction is very difficult, especially of the future. --Niels Bohr