Jazz Theory: Overemphasis on Original Versions in Jazz

While it is obvious that the original recording of a Jazz composers composition is the urtext (ultimate source), it should only be the starting point in learning and preparing to perform it. Traditionally, Jazz has valued ones personal style above all other qualities. If overdone, the process of learning from the original version can easily be abused to the extent where one losesor fails to evolve--a personal voice in the process. One need go no further than to observe Wynton Marsalis endless aping of Miles Davis entire phrases throughout entire solos to come to this realization.

It is never too soon, while learning ones craft, to begin the process of developing a personal style; and while imitation is a good way to begin the learning process, excessive imitation, at its worst a shortcut to sounding good to the uninitiated audience, ultimately causes musicians who overindulge in this practice to be irrelevant, unimportant and redundant.

Of course you need to learn the basic skills and become educated as to the differences among the various individual masters styles. Bear in mind, however, that developing a strong personal individual style in most cases requires that an individual practitioner work doggedly and consciously at doing precisely that.

Conscious experimentation with musical elements in search of fresh results has always been essential to an extemporaneous art form such as Jazz. An understanding of the history of Weste rn Art Music, of which Jazz is but a style, demonstrates this through millennia. But one needs only to look at Jazz history for confirmation of this practice: Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, and most other great Jazz artist consciously experimented to expand their sonic fingerprints and artistic vocabulary pallets. John Coltrane, for example, is famous for spending 15 hours a day practicing Nicolas Slonimskys Thesaurus of Scales.

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Author:: Ed Byrne
Keywords:: Jazz, Jazz Improvisation, Jazz theo ry, learn Jazz, music lessons, music theory, Jazz lessons
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