I understand Frank's confusion..I think the need to analyze
improvisations has provided us with a technical base on
improvisation..Miles Osland transcribed and analyzed Jerry Bergonzi's
solos..Jerry said of Miles transcriptions and analysis, " While playing,
I'm not thinking in a conventional way. I'm intuiting what I play. I'm
not conscious of most of the following parameters that are
discussed..The concepts or ways of thinking of the tunes are usually
done after the fact. the following statements are afterthought, and are
certainly valid in that light." Hmmm, interesting comments...I think
technical analysis has led, in some cases to technical playing. If
that's your bag, do it, you know, who cares.. As Reed said, we don't
really know what goes on in the hearts of man..or maybe that was The
Shadow; anyway, transcriptions, technical, ear and free playing are all
here to stay. Each has it's place for the one who does it. Trying to
get to the bottom of it is sometimes frustrating and I'm not sure it's
really necessary..again, as the sage said, it's which way we are
drawn..I like to think we can all study and do more and be better, but
no matter how many studies I accomplish, it seems it just comes out me.
But, I'm as hooked as anyone on what someone else is doing and how they
are doing it in the hope I can do it better, be more meaningful, make a
statement with the horn, hold my audience in awe..etc... Comments
?
Wade