I can relate...can you?

I came across this great story that I'm sure anyone who does copy work will relate to.

Enjoy.

Saxophone Summit on You Tube

There have been a few of these videos floating around, but this one really kills!  I'm looking forward to the new recording...

And Another Thing....

Just came across this in my Vienna inbox.  A great Chicago-centric Blog called Gaper's Block has reviews of some new releases from the Chicago jazz scene.

Enjoy...

Whither Improvisation?

I mentioned in a previous post that I was wondering when exactly improvisation ceased being a common skill in music.

In days of yore, the ability to realize figured bass was a common skill among keyboard players. Today, it is only a specialist that can do this spontaneously.  I will often draw the comparisons between a harpsichordist realizing a continuo part to what a piano player in a quartet is doing behind a soloist.  This always seems to make things clearer for students who aren't versed in the performance practices of modern jazz but to me it begs the question "why does improvisation have to either belong to jazz today or baroque then?"  Of course this is a big generalization and exceptions abound, but how many everyday students of music have improvisation as a part of their daily experience?  I am so encouraged in speaking to many music educators today who are:

a.  Not afraid of improvisation, themselves.

b.  Making improvisation something that all of their students can experience.

My son is a cello player and his experience in his school orchestra is typical of of most music education programs.  A VERY GOOD experience, but very traditionally based.  He is lucky that his private instructor (and his dad, too...) encourages improvisation and composition based on some of the things he is studying (scales, arpeggios etc...).  I have noticed that the material he improvises on becomes much more internalized than material that he just reads.  Of course, for many of us, this is no news at all but when I see how much more fun he has while improvising I can't imagine why it is not a part of all music curriculums.

I know I am being very naive and I further know and utterly respect the tireless work of elementary and secondary music educators.  I give thanks every day that people like Dan Pritchett (my old high school band director) continue to do what they do everyday.  I very humbly pose these questions to any music educator who may be reading:

1.  How can we integrate improvisation into the mainstream of music education for all musicians in all styles?  

2.  How can those of us not directly involved in middle/high school music education help?

3.  Not a question, but:  Thank you for everything you do to bring music to the future... 

Turtle Island Quartet with Stefon Harris

Heard a great hit tonight:  The Turtle Island Quartet with Stefon Harris.

I have always liked TIQ because of the sensibility that they approach music with.  They play in the moment, improvise and maintain a jazz aesthetic in everything they play.  From their bio:

"At the time of Haydn's apocryphal creation of the string quartet form, musicians were more akin to today's saxophonists and keyboard masters of the jazz and pop world, i.e., improvisers, composers and arrangers.  Each Turtle Island member is accomplished in these areas..."

I have often wondered exactly how it was that improvisation stopped being a common skill, but that is a topic for another post.  

The centerpieces of tonight's performance were several pieces from Duke's Sacred Concerts arranged and set into a suite by violinist David Balakrishnan.  The suite was composed of:  It's Freedom, Praise God, and Come Sunday.  The setting was transcendent and Stefon's vibe playing was the perfect color to offset the strings.  Other than Stefon's playing, other highlights included 'cellist Mark Summer's channeling of Mahalia on the theme of Come Sunday and Stefon's reading of a portion of the text from a eulogy that Duke gave for Strays over the setting of It's Freedom.  It was no surprise that Duke's Sacred music translated  very well to the string texture, but I was very pleasantly surprised at the concert's closer, an arrangement of Chick Corea's Senor Mouse on which everyone stretched.  Stefon, of course, was bad.  Other great moments were Mark Summer's pizz work and Mads Tolling's solo work.

Here is a portion of the text that Stefon read.  "He demanded freedom of expression and lived in what we consider the most important and moral of freedoms:  freedom from hate, unconditionally; freedom from self-pity; freedom from fear of possibly doing something that might help another more than it might himself; and freedom from the kind of pride that could make a man feel he was better than his brother".

It Is Accomplished

The Woodwind piece is done...

I just finished printing score and parts, it will be delivered tomorrow and the coaching will start in 2-3 weeks.

It settled into a three movement structure:

I Largo

II Fugue

III Improvisation

The largo and improvisation are based on a 12-tone row and the fugue is based on a theme based on an intervalic structure of up a whole step, up a minor third, down a half step and up a major third.

The premiere is in April and sounds will be posted on MySpace as soon as they become available.  Watch this space for some more substantive writing now that the project is done but now...I'm going to have a drink.

This is a happy night!!!

News from Home

I read a very nice review of the Jazz Institute of Chicago's Jazz Fair over at Howard Mandel's blog, Jazz Beyond Jazz.

As a frequent attendee of the Jazz Fair before I left town (kicking and screaming) I must second everything Howard writes about.  The scene is Chicago is wonderfully open to various flavors of jazz.  At the Green Mill in one week, one could hear the likes of Kurt Elling, Ken Vandermark, Von Freeman, and a performance of Kathy Kelly and the wonderful Chicago Jazz Composer's Collective.  All of which would be enthusiastically received.  

The Chicago Jazz Festival was a staple in my growing up.  I remember sitting transfixed hearing Dexter Gordon and the "Round Midnight Band" on a warm night with the most beautiful skyline in the world behind him.  Yes, I am biased...

"Borrowed" from picasaweb.google.com/.../ ocTtOs7dSgtVkrKk68iiT

Will remove upon request

I heard a "This American Life" episode once that dealt with a Chicago native being show around NYC for the first time and saying something along the lines of "yeah, it's great but it's no Chicago".  I think I will always feel this way about my beloved Chi-town.

The Hawk may be out, but I know the warmth that is always there...

I miss that scene - Jim Gailloreto, Brad Wheeler, Von-skis, Mitch Paliga, Eric Schneider, Ari Brown, Ken Vandermark are just a few of the saxophonists/composers that I include in my pantheon of influences.

Enough sentiment - I have writing to do.  The woodwind piece is due on Tuesday and score and parts must be edited.  I'm still not sure about the fugue either....