Ontpj4. What is the ideal jazz musician like?

Discussion

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Methodology for answering the question

One way to answer this question is by finding out what kind of musician does another jazz player wish to play with. What properties should a good musical partner possess? To find out answers to such questions Ricardo Futre Pinheiro conducted interviews on the theme of the jazz jam session for his dissertation research done around Manhattan, New York City in 2003 and 2005 resulting in his book Perpetuating the Music: Interviews and Reflections on the Jam Session. Jazz pianist Aaron Goldberg during one such interview with Pinheiro provides many insights into what he looks for in an effective musical collaborator.

“And one would be . . . you know, melody. Is this guy playing good, beautiful, convincing melodies? Is he improvising melodies? That’s number One. Two: This is kind of general. Is he boring? Or is he exciting to listen to? Does he hold my interest? It’s like reading a book. I know it’s a good book because I want to turn the page. Do I want to turn the page of his solo? Do I wanna hear what he’s going to play next? Three: Does he Swing? I mean, does he swing or, if you’re not playing swing music, does he make me wanna tap my foot? Is his sense of rhythm really strong? Four: Does he have command over harmony? Does he hear the harmony that belongs with the tune? Does he hear the original harmony of the tune and does he play things that respect that harmony or display knowledge of the harmony, even if chooses not to play the harmony? You can hear that he’s moving in and out of the harmony and thus he knows what he’s doing. Not playing random stuff. Five: is he listening to the other musicians? Can you hear that he is interacting with them and that what he is playing is changing what they are playing, and is he leaving space for them and are they leaving space for him and is there a kind of communication going on? Does he have good communicative powers? Six: Is he eloquent, is he convincing in the sense that you can hear when someone speaks Portuguese or English, can they string ideas together . . . Is he telling a story? You know this is related to the second thing I mentioned: am I interested in what he’s about to say? If I am interested, then when he says what he says, does it makes logical sense, given what he said before? Is there a coherence that comes along with the solo? More parameters? I don’t know. . . Does he have command of different types of songs, different types of melodies? Can he play a ballad and play beautiful? Can he play a fast burn-out tune and sound beautiful . . . I mean, a great musician sounds great in multiple contexts, not only in one context, I think. Does he sound like himself? You know, does he sound . . . is he a copy of someone else? And does he have his own kind of . . . unique personality? These are all important. Let’s see . . . and then more simple things like: Does he have a good sound? You know, I mean, does he make a beautiful sound from his instrument? Or if not a beautiful sound, at least a personal, convincing sound? You know, a sound that sticks in my head? And then, I guess the last thing is . . . Do I remember him when I go . . . more abstractly . . . Do I wanna play with him? I mean, how do I evaluate somebody that I really, really wanna play with again? It’s so simple, like: you just leave . . . and you want his number. Do I wanna get his number, do I care? And maybe another aspect of that is that once in a while you might hear somebody that you think is great, but you might not ever care about playing with again because although he’s great he’s not gonna sound great with me, you know. You respect him but you might not care about developing a musical relationship with him because you might not be compatible. That’s not a parameter that you evaluate someone’s skill by. It’s just a parameter that you evaluate. Whether you wanna play with him again or wanna continue to make music with him. Most of the time that you hear somebody great, you wanna play with them! Even if they sound totally different from you: because there’s something you wanna learn from them or you wanna understand what makes them great, you know. And usually great musicians are also interesting people, so you know . . . you wanna understand who this person is and how they got to be great and why, and maybe you make a new friend. Even if you don’t find a new person for your band. Something’s usually . . . or even if they’re a student. You know like: “O.K. They don’t sound great yet, but they’re gonna be great”. And you wanna keep your eye on that person: “Oh, he’s gonna be interesting, I wanna see what he does later.” (bold not in original)

The traits adumbrated by Goldberg above can be summarized as follows. Goldberg's assessment breaks down into two broad categories that can be called musical talents and personal interest. Under musical categories, the one Goldberg gives the highest priority to is a musician's relations to the melody.

☆ plays beautifully, good, and convincing melodies whether improvising or not

☆ exciting to listen to and never boring and holds a listener's interest

☆ has a great sense of rhythm and can swing when needed

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“ Every skill that you need to be a musician, especially in Jazz, but even professional.., I mean, just being able to pick up things, you know, real quick, you know, really being improvising, and if you don’t know a tune, you can listen to the other people play and...I mean, this is all the rudiments of music, it’s exactly the same thing you do on practice but it’s a, it’s a, a more hands-on application, I mean, this is what is really like, I mean, ‘cause a lot of times even when I’ve done gigs, I just to play with Freddy Hubbard, and I remember he would, on occasion and other people too, they’d asked “do you know a song?”, and you say “Yeah!”, and you might know it, so- metimes they ask you if you know a song, and you say no, and they play it anyway, so you have to be able to, you know, to think and to hear, and to be able to make it work, I mean, ‘cause a lot of times, that’s what the old guys, they didn’t really ask people if you knew things, you’re supposed to know them, you’re supposed to know everything, I mean you’re supposed to know whatever they called, if you wanted to work with those guys that’s what you had on mind, you had to be able to, to pick up stuff quickly, or you have to at least be professional enough to get through it and not to look too stupid or too inadequate, and then maybe go, you know, go back to the practice for learning it better, but those are the kind of skills you learn to be able to play, you have to develop repertoire, you know, to be a professional musician, people don’t think about that to much now, young people to me don’t think to really understand it, you don’t take a Realbook to a gig, you have to know, you have to know the repertoire, it doesn’t matter what genre music it is, if is classical you have a repertoire that you can play, if it’s jazz it should be the same thing, and this is not reading music, this is just knowing music , you know... (bold not in original)

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PoJ.fm asks ChatGPT (January 30 2023 version) to describe the traits of an ideal jazz musician

PoJ.fm: What are the traits had by the ideal jazz musician? Include their distinctive sound, skill and imagination on a musical instrument being readily apparent each time the musician takes the stage, as well as his or her sophistication, originality, feeling, thematic development, impact and overarching concept of form.

ChatGPT: The ideal jazz musician is typically characterized by several traits, including:

Distinctive Sound: They have a unique and recognizable style on their instrument.

Skill and Imagination: They are able to improvise and create new musical ideas on the spot.

Sophistication: They have a deep understanding of music theory and a refined musical sensibility.

Originality: They bring a fresh and innovative approach to their playing.

Feeling: They imbue their music with emotion and expressiveness.

Thematic Development: They have the ability to create and develop musical themes over the course of a performance.

Impact: They have a strong stage presence and make a lasting impression on their audience.

Overarching Concept of Form: They have a clear understanding of musical structure and the ability to shape their performances accordingly.

PoJ.fm: What else should the ideal jazz musician know and be able to do in a jazz performance with other band members? What about excellent improvisations?

In addition to the traits mentioned in my previous answer, the ideal jazz musician should also:

Communicate with other band members: They should be able to effectively communicate with other musicians on the stage, both through their playing and through nonverbal cues.

Listen: They should have excellent listening skills and be able to respond to what other musicians are playing in real-time.

Interact with the audience: They should have a strong connection with their audience and be able to engage with them during a performance.

Excellent Improvisations: They should have the ability to improvise creatively and spontaneously, and to make musical decisions on the fly.

Knowledge of Jazz History and Tradition: They should have a strong understanding of the history and tradition of jazz music and be able to pay homage to the genre's roots in their playing.

Versatility: They should be able to play in different styles and genres, adapting their playing to fit the demands of each specific performance.

Collaboration: They should be able to work well with other musicians and to contribute to the overall sound and success of the band.

PoJ.fm: Can you name any other relevant factors such as knowing many jazz standards and being able to play at different tempos, and possibly really fast as in Bebop by Charlie Parker?

Yes, other relevant factors for the ideal jazz musician include:

Knowledge of Jazz Standards: They should have a deep understanding of the jazz repertoire and be able to play a wide variety of jazz standards.

Ability to play at different tempos: They should be able to play at a variety of tempos, from slow ballads to fast-paced bebop tunes.

Ability to play fast: They should have the technical ability to play at fast tempos, as required by the bebop style popularized by musicians such as Charlie Parker.

Technical Mastery: They should have a high level of technical proficiency on their instrument, including a good sense of time and rhythm, and a strong ability to play in different keys and modes.

Knowledge of Chord Changes: They should have a strong understanding of chord changes and be able to navigate through complex chord progressions in their solos.

Adaptability: They should be able to adapt their playing to different musical situations, whether they are playing in a big band or a small combo, or performing in a different country or cultural context.

Creativity: They should be able to bring a fresh and imaginative approach to their playing, whether they are playing a standard tune or an original composition.

PoJ.fm: Was saxophonist Charlie "Bird" Parker an ideal jazz musician?

Yes, Charlie "Bird" Parker is widely regarded as one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time and is often considered an ideal jazz musician. He is known for his distinctive sound, his virtuosic technique, and his innovative approach to improvisation. He was a pioneer of bebop, a fast-paced and harmonically complex style of jazz that became popular in the 1940s, and is credited with transforming jazz into a more sophisticated art form. Parker's playing was characterized by his remarkable speed, fluidity, and originality, and his solos continue to be studied and admired by musicians and fans alike. Despite the challenges he faced in his personal life, including drug addiction, Parker's influence on jazz and popular music is undeniable, and he is widely considered one of the greatest saxophonists of all time.

PoJ.fm: What did saxophonist Charlie Parker specifically do to produce his distinctive sound? What were his virtuosic techniques? Why believe that Charlie Parker had innovative approaches to improvisation? Provide ten examples for each question and name some songs where Parker achieves these results.

I'm sorry, but it would be impractical to provide ten examples for each of your questions as they are broad and subjective. However, I can provide some general information and a few examples.

Charlie Parker's Distinctive Sound:

Fast and complex solos: Parker's solos were characterized by their fast pace, complex harmonies, and sophisticated melodic lines.

Use of alternate fingerings: Parker utilized alternate fingerings on his saxophone to produce unique and unpredictable sounds.

Dynamic phrasing: Parker's solos were known for their dynamic phrasing, which often incorporated dramatic contrasts between loud and soft passages.

Innovative use of tone: Parker's tone was distinctive and characterized by his ability to produce a wide range of tonal colors and expressive textures.

Examples of Parker's distinctive sound can be heard on songs such as "Ornithology," "Ko-Ko," and "Confirmation."

Charlie Parker's Virtuosic Techniques:

Complex chord progressions: Parker was known for his ability to navigate through complex chord progressions in his solos.

Fast and virtuosic runs: Parker's solos were often characterized by fast and virtuosic runs that showcased his technical prowess.

Harmonically advanced solos: Parker's solos were often harmonically advanced, incorporating sophisticated chord substitutions and altered scales.

Advanced use of melodic patterns: Parker's solos often incorporated advanced melodic patterns, such as arpeggios and scalar runs.

Examples of Parker's virtuosic techniques can be heard on songs such as "Yardbird Suite," "Au Privave," and "Moose the Mooche."

Charlie Parker's Innovative Approaches to Improvisation:

Bebop style: Parker was a pioneer of the bebop style of jazz, which emphasized fast and complex solos.

Improvisational freedom: Parker's solos were known for their improvisational freedom, often incorporating unexpected turns and deviations from the melody.

Harmonically adventurous solos: Parker's solos often incorporated harmonically adventurous elements, such as unexpected chord changes and dissonant harmonies.

Incorporation of blues elements: Parker's solos often incorporated elements of the blues, including the use of blue notes and blues-inspired phrasing.

Examples of Parker's innovative approaches to improvisation can be heard on songs such as "Scrapple from the Apple," "Donna Lee," and "Parker's Mood."

PoJ.fm: Could a jazz musician ever play jazz well yet be basically ignorant of the history of jazz?

Yes, it is possible for a jazz musician to play jazz well without being knowledgeable about the history of jazz. However, an understanding of the history and evolution of jazz can enhance a musician's understanding of the genre and deepen their musical expression. Knowing the musical roots and influences of jazz, as well as the contributions of past musicians, can inform a musician's musical choices and inspire new ideas. Additionally, being familiar with the historical context of a particular era or style of jazz can give a musician a deeper appreciation for the music they are playing, as well as provide a greater understanding of how to approach different styles and interpretations. Ultimately, while it is not necessary to know the history of jazz to be a skilled jazz musician, having a deeper knowledge of the genre can enrich one's musical expression and performance.

PoJ.fm: How does knowing about the history of jazz help to make one a more skilled jazz musician? How does having a deeper knowledge of the jazz genre enrich one's musical expression and performance? Be detailed and specific in your answers with possible recorded exemplars.

Knowing the history of jazz can help make a musician a more skilled jazz musician in several ways:

Understanding the roots of jazz: Jazz has its roots in blues, gospel, and ragtime music, and a deeper knowledge of these musical styles can inform a musician's understanding of the genre. By knowing the musical influences that shaped jazz, a musician can gain a better understanding of the musical choices that were made by early jazz musicians, and how these choices continue to influence jazz today.

Familiarity with jazz greats and their contributions: Jazz has a rich history of legendary musicians who have made significant contributions to the genre. By knowing about these musicians, a musician can gain a deeper understanding of the musical techniques, styles, and innovations that define jazz, and how they have evolved over time. For example, understanding the contributions of musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, and John Coltrane can inform a musician's understanding of the development of jazz and its various styles, such as swing, bebop, and post-bop.

Awareness of historical context: Jazz music has been created and performed in different cultural, social, and political contexts, and an understanding of these contexts can give a musician a deeper appreciation for the music. For example, understanding the social and political context of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 60s can give a musician a greater appreciation for the role that jazz played in the movement and the music that was created during that time.

Inspiration for new ideas: Jazz is an ever-evolving genre that is always incorporating new ideas and influences, and a deeper knowledge of the history of jazz can provide a musician with inspiration for new ideas and approaches to their own playing.

Having a deeper knowledge of the jazz genre can enrich one's musical expression and performance in several ways:

Increased musical vocabulary: Knowing the history of jazz can expand a musician's musical vocabulary and provide them with a greater understanding of the different musical elements and techniques that define the genre.

Improved interpretation of jazz standards: Jazz has a rich repertoire of standards, and a deeper knowledge of the history of these songs can help a musician approach them with a greater understanding of their musical roots and how they have evolved over time.

Enhanced improvisational skills: Improvisation is a central aspect of jazz, and a deeper knowledge of the history of jazz can provide a musician with a greater understanding of the different approaches to improvisation that have been used in the past and how they can be applied in the present.

Greater ability to play in different styles: Jazz has a diverse range of styles, from swing to bebop to fusion, and a deeper knowledge of the history of jazz can help a musician understand the musical differences between these styles and how to approach them in their own playing.

Examples of musicians who have benefited from a deeper knowledge of the history of jazz include Wynton Marsalis, who is known for his extensive knowledge of jazz history and his ability to play in a wide range of jazz styles, and pianist Brad Mehldau, who is known for his inventive approach to jazz standards, incorporating elements of classical music and other genres into his playing. (bold not in original)

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