CyberGene For instance, sometimes there are classical pianists who play jazz transcriptions (from actual performances of Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, etc. and even I have recorded one such on my YouTube) and when you compare it to the original there's always this lack of feel. They tend to apply classical (Romantic) feel to a jazz improvisation and that messes up with the rhythm and drive.
This!
Have you heard Wangâs âtranscriptionâ of Art Tatum? It is exactly what youâve described above!
The first thing âclassical musiciansâ need to get through their thick heads is that Jazz improvisation is not âmaking it up as you go,â but rather structured improvisation based on a common theme; which, believe it or not, has a beginning, a middle and an end; even if not in the overly dramatic sense reminiscent of âThe Romantics.â
Also, playing from someone elseâs transcription is not a bad thing for âpractice,â but the only way to truly speak this âidiomâ well is by getting down on your hands and knees, and transcribing the material yourself; itâs as close as you can get to the mental process involved within this or that jazz pianist whilst in active âimprovisationâ.
Of course, the first thing is to study âjazz harmony;â which is no more than conventional harmony evolved, so that when you hear an F# and a B (natural) within the context of a C7 you will know that these are not âwrong notes,â but rather very right for/within the jazz idiom. This concept is primarily based on âborrowingâ from other chords and even from other keys without necessarily modulating, and it allows âJazzersâ to stretch things to their limits; which leads to some interesting, non-diatonic, musically dissonant situations that would otherwise not fit; if analyzed from a more diatonic/classical perspective.
Of course, thereâs more to it, and something like this could further illustrate what Jazz is all about:
https://youtu.be/-9fqwbS2wPA
Note: âJazzersâ is used ironically!
