Hi all,

Awesome thread here. I posted another topic in this forum and was directed to this topic. I'm curious to know about what jazz pianists think about the merits of developing a classical foundation before delving into jazz. I took lessons up to RCM grade 8 about 10 years ago, and I'm not sure whether to finish up RCM grade 10 before starting my jazz studies, or whether to do the two types of piano lessons concurrently. Would the latter be counterproductive or synergistic?

Also, my end goal is to be able to improvise around melodies I hear, or songs from the radio (not necessarily in a "jazz" style). Is jazz the most sensible way to reach that goal? I find myself using the words jazz and improv interchangeably, and perhaps if I merely want to improvise, jazz may not be the most direct path to reach what I want.

Thanks in advance!

Hi Entreri,

Of all people, you are best qualified to answer the question of what you should play.
It's really that simple, you should play what you want to play.

If you want to play radio-type stuff, jazz may not be for you though.
This is jazz:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaSDinL6pC8

Hard to categorize jazz. This is jazz too by a player that constantly switches styles.



One thing about jazz study, it's probably the only formal method for learning improvisation that I'm aware of because there's so much resources around for it.

But regardless of the sub-genre of jazz, note that jazz is always a combination of improvisation of tones and RHYTHM.

Without some sort of rhythmic side then it's not likely to be called jazz. Often the rhythm is swing but not necessarily since a lot of the music is based on Latin rhythms which are straight. But in general, jazz has a lot of rhythmic complexity.

Personally, I feel, that's the most difficult part of it to grasp.

Hello all,
this is my first post to the Jazz study group.
Although not a jazz player myself, my interest in jazz
came from hearing jazz concerts played at the
school where I work.
They have awesome concerts and an awesome jazz studies
department, of which Dr. Frank DiBussolo teaches jazz.
To check out some of the concerts click here.

Anyway, I posted a link to the jazz study group on my website.

That's what helpful piano links is all about, to help people learn to play the piano.

Ya know, jmj586, lots of people have appreciated your posting links to their pieces on your web site. But I don't really want links to my pieces or my experiments all over the web. I post on Piano World because it's my cohort, and mostly I feel like I've gotten to know people here.

So at this point, the part I contributed here is coming down.

*I* don't appreciate it

And if you start in on recitals, etc, I'm outta here entirely as far posting pieces.

Don't you actually have anything to offer about ABFs?

Apparently not :\

Cathy

Hello,



I'm sorry, I'm not trying to offend anybody.
I have not posted any of your videos.
The videos I posted are already public videos
(youtube).

It was my intention to post them on my
site to promote their
accomplishments. I am not soliciting
any videos, there are no strings attached.
If anyone does not want videos posted,
no problem.

On the other hand, my experiments *were* on this thread. I don't have videos.

Funny, but I've looked at your posts, and somehow I get the impression you're not actually about participating here in the ABF. A link to PW forums would be less, um, commercial looking to me. Maybe you like more traffic to your website because you get a fee for click-thrus to some of the other sites? I am *such* a cynic.

On the other hand, your posts haven't been moderated, so PW doesn't mind them. And other posters don't.

But any thread you link to with my stuff in it, my stuff is coming out. Your posts really do look to me like you're really after something besides being helpful.

Just sayin'

Cathy