Chord players are guilty as charged more times than not.
They are not accompanying the soloist but rather playing something
that they want to play which often means creating some harmonic
pallette that is interesting for them but not at all related to
what the horn player or other soloist is doing. Then the horn
player either has to ignore you or else play something he/she
didnt want to play because you have already locked them in.
In the beginning it's alot of trial and error but you have to
get a sense of where the horn player is going and hit the right
tensions, etc.
>Soloists (aka hirn players) should also have a sense of how to comp
>so that they can communicate what they like to hear behind them when
>they solo. I don't like being told how to accompany but I do appreciate
>when someone points out general things about the way they hear
>the chords behind them.
>
That is not a practical thing to expect.
When someone is soloing, it's their turn to be in the spotlight.
You are just adding to that. If they don't like what you are adding
then you have to accept that.
But even as a guitar player, you might tell the drummer to
play a bossa nova but you might not have the foggiest idea
what is involved in playing a bossa nova. It's just an overall
sound you are looking for.
>I especially like to hear fewer well-placed chrods that give
>my solo a boost...I like when the accompanist takes some chances
>behind me, especially rhythmically.
>
>You mentioned Jim McNeely...he and I used to get together to
>play some duos, especiallyon his tunes. I found hiscomping to be
>exactly what I like in a player. We talked about it some; he had
>some great ideas. But I found it, as a guitarist, very difficult
>to assist his solo in the way he assisted mine.
>
Yes, Jim is a great player.
>How does one accompany a pianist anyway?
>
Interesting question.
Being both a pianist and guitarist I think I have a somewhat
unbiased point of view here.
There are so many places for conflict. Tension choices, rhythmic
choices, turnaround choices.
I think the best guitar/piano duo records I've heard
are the Jim Hall/Bill Evans records. On those, when Jim Hall is playing
chords during Bill's Solo, Bill is just playing with his right hand.
There is some interplay during the head but basically there is just
one chord player at a time.
It's possible for the guitar/piano chord combination in a combo setting
to work but it usually doesnt except at the top pro level and even
there you can have alot or problems.
If the piano player is playing chords, you should just layout IMHO.
If he wants to stop playing chords and just use his right hand, that
is another thing.
Also, guitar players are in general incessant noodlers and you have
to not do that and think of your responsibility as part of the larger
context of making the whole ensemble sound good. At times that means
playing nothing. No chords and no counter lines.
I was once at a Larry Coryell master class and all the guitar players
were plugged in.
Larry was going nuts because everyone was playing at the same time
and noodling no matter who was trying to talk or play.
reed
Reed Kotler
reed@justjazz.com
http://www.justjazz.com