>It's a big myth that Bill [Evans] can play in any key.
>
>I mean any good musician "can" but it's a question of how good you are at it.
>If you play 10 times better in C than Ab, why try and play in Ab in public or
>on a recording.
>
>He sometimes plays the rubato section of a piece in a different key
>(sometimes a
>sharp key) but when he start's soloing or brings the band in they are always
>in F, Bb, Eb or C (maybe Db for a ballad). [snip]
>Even when he starts tunes in a different key, it is always the same
>different key.
>For example he always plays the rubato for "Star Eyes" in C and then
>modulates to Eb.
Well, this is natural, isn't it?
The keys you listed have *always* been the most popular for playing jazz
because they are easiest for the horns to play in. It doesn't matter so
much to keyboard and string players.
As a classically-trained pianist, I was surprised when I started playing
with older musicians who had memorized all the standards *in a standard
key*. Obviously, if you are memorizing it's a lot easier to do in one key!
I can read in any key, but for improvising and smooth group blend you need
more familiarity with the material; that comes much better if everyone has
played it in the same key for years.
I find it more useful to be familiar with standard changes in all the keys
than to practice the same *song* in all the keys. That only clouds my mind
when I'm trying to solo through the song.
---- Fathom ---- > 8-) >
*****************************************
Serve immanence where it's at, and allow transcendence
to tap you on your shoulder when it has need of you.
--mpa