Re: Latin improv.
Andrea Chiodi ( andrea.chiodi@atom.it )
Fri, 14 Feb 1997 10:14:11 -0100
At 17.25 12/02/97 -0500, Sparky Koerner wrote:
>> But when it comes to
>> improvising over Sambas, Bossa Novas, etc. I seem to have trouble.
>> ...
>>
>For dealing with soloing and the support role in Latin feels, I have found
>that focusing on the clave really helps me. I would suggest nailing the
>clave. When listening find the clave and check out how instruments adapt,
>react against, play with. The clave seems to be the key. It took me a while
>to find the clave and I have to admit I drove the people around me crazy but
>I now really understand that it is key to Afro-Cuban styles.
>
Absolutely true. The clave is the core of latin music. I'm speaking, to be
honest, of afro-cuban music, not Brazilian: they have very different nature.
The Brazilian music has some typical claves too, but I'm not sure they are
as important as in afro-cuban.
I want to underline that you have to take care expecially of the direction
of the clave, I mean 2:3 or 3:2, i.e., written in eigths:
3:2
x . . x . . x .|. . x . x . . . |
2:3
. . x . x . . .|x . . x . . x . |
Everything in a latin song is written ON this rithmic figure, not only the
percussions, the bass and the piano line, but all the instrumental parts and
expecially the vocal part - the last one being the most difficult to understand.
My personal opinion, aside any technical detail, is that to play latin music
and to live with latin people is the same thing: their music and even more
the dance (any sort of dance) are the deeper part of the latin soul. Live
with them, and they will drive you into their world.
--
Andrea Chiodi (andrea.chiodi@atom.it)