Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Make a song your song...

This first clip is of Billie Holiday with the Count Basie Orchestra performing a song she co-wrote with Arthur Herzog entitled "God Bless the Child." Listen to the way a vocalist like Billie Holiday sings a melody, then try to mimic that phrasing on your instrument.

The second clip is of Eric Dolphy performing the same song on Bass Clarinet. Eric Dolphy was one of the leaders of a style of jazz known commonly called "free jazz." Free jazz musicians usually try to alter, extend, or break down the conventions of jazz, often getting rid of fixed chord changes or tempos. The style came about in the 1960's as a reaction to bebop and modal jazz. Free jazz is fun, give it a try. To get started, take a duet and have each player play the notes but at different tempos. Speed up or slow down wherever you feel like it. You'll find you get some pretty modern and interesting harmonies. The more you open up your ears to different sounds and tonalities, the more you will grow as a musician.

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Keep it clean, Buster Brown!