Key Issues In Jazz Improvisation

Learning to be a jazz soloist can be very exciting. It's a pretty heady thing! Whether standing in front of a cheering crowd, or playing in a dim room with a bass player and drummer, improvising music can be one of the greatest experiences in life.

But it is a skill that for some is shrouded in mystery. Here are some common questions that new improv students often confront.

QUESTION: What exactly is improvisation?
ANSWER: In music, to "improvise" means to spontaneously create fresh melodies over the continually recycling chord progression of a given tune. A common misunderstanding is that a jazz improvisation is created out of thin air.


Well-known trumpet artist Wynton Marsalis advises students that improvisation is not "just making any ol' thing up." Jazz, like any language, has its own vocabulary and syntax. They must be learned.

QUESTION: What is the essence of jazz?
ANSWER: The essence of jazz is improvisation that swings. Or, perpetual spontaneous musical creation. So the primary mission of a student is to master the skill of creating swinging melodies "on-the-fly".

These are the essential elements of jazz improvisation.

• Ear Training
• Role-models
• Blues
• Melody & Harmony
• Rhythm

QUESTION: Why learn to play jazz?
ANSWER: Here are 2 big reasons: One, because it's the common-practice standard for musicians. Two, because the best musicians working in any genre of music today, are jazz musicians.

Being "jazz-enabled" gives a player inner freedom. Like a bird, he/she can fly and sing. Fly from one style of music to another, and 'sing like a silver-throated bird'. Musicians who aim to be the best, discover how to improvise in the language of jazz.

QUESTION: How did improvisation start?
ANSWER: Improvisation is the world's oldest music. It started, most likely, when humans first picked up stones or bones and started banging out rhythms. And singing.

Music was improvised because they expressed what they felt. There was no sheet music. Or CD players.
Improvisation is the most natural musical expression. Mozart, Beethoven, Bach were great improvisers.

QUESTION: Should one play how one feels?
ANSWER: Music is feeling. Tenor saxophone great Flip Phillips said "That's the one thing about jazz, you can turn it around and play how you feel, play... different things.

There's a lot of notes to be played. It's all according to how you feel."
QUESTION: How can one become more confident with their playing?
ANSWER: It has been found that the study of music strengthens the mind's learning potential. Playing music teaches discipline. It helps one develop self-confidence.

Music gives one a feeling of pride and accomplishment. Making music with others encourages responsibility, purpose, direction, devotion to duty, the spirit of cooperation, and sensitivity to beauty. Play more. Perform in public. Be prepared. Listen wisely.
QUESTION: What's the best way to start?
ANSWER: The vehicle of improvisation is the tune. The melody of the song. The way to learn jazz fast is to learn it song by song. Jump in. Choose a tune. Learn it.

Here are some great recordings. Pick one tune off of any album you like. Then learn that tune on your instrument. Learn it deeply.

• Bill Evans-Portrait In Jazz
• Miles Davis-Kind Of Blue
• John Coltrane-Blue Train
• Wes Montgomery-Tequila
• Joe Henderson-Page One

QUESTION: how does one get better at improvisation and take their music further?
ANSWER: Commit to mastering improvisation. Listen to the masters. Select role models. Study the elements of improvisation. Not only the musical aspects, but the role of the spirit. Play.
Alone, together, and/or with others. Sharing the music is fundamental.

Clark G. Baldwin is a saxophonist, improviser, composer, educator, and author. His books include Seven Steps To A Great Jazz Solo, Etudes For Jazz Volume I, and Saxophone One: The Beginner's Guide To The Saxophone. Visit [http://learnjazzfast.com] to learn more about taking your music to a higher level--and download a free mini-course in Jazz Improvisation.

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The Spectacular St Lucia Jazz Festival

Every year, people travel to the Caribbean to experience the beautiful beaches, eclectic culture, and luxury hotels. St Lucia, however, also has an exciting annual event that draws audiences and performers from all over the world: the Jazz Festival! The festival has been going strong for over 20 years, which is remarkable when you consider that most festivals tail off and die after their sixth or seventh year. Also incredible when considering that the festival is sustained on the tiny island - it is definitely something that the locals can be proud of. If you're travelling to the Caribbean this spring, you should really consider stopping off to enjoy this special annual event.
History of the festival

In 1992, in an attempt to extend the tourist season past the springtime and into May (previously a quiet month for the island's tourism) the first Jazz Festival was launched. The first few years were small, with few performers and attendees but, as the years went on, coverage of the festival increased due to BET J TV network, and other media outlets.
 Now it is a well-established jazz festival with an international audience, and the island has become famous for something beyond its beautiful beaches and luxury hotels.

 St Lucia's jazz festival has grown into its reputation, and has become famous for the quality of its musical performers - it is now even on top of a list by E! Entertainment magazine's Top 5 Festivals in the World. 2011 saw the festival celebrate its 20th anniversary! 

The festival in 2013

This year the 22nd Annual Saint Lucia Jazz Festival will take place from the 30th of April to the 12th of May 2013. This year's line up has yet to be announced, but the previous years' festivals have seen performers such as Toni Braxton, Ziggy Marley, the Gipsy Kings, The Derek Yarde Project, Steel Pulse, and a performance by the Saint Lucia School of Music. The festival performances are usually held in urban public places, amongst the city's attractions and luxury hotels. St Lucia's springtime weather is the perfect accompaniment to these outdoor concerts.

How to get there and where to stay

There are non-stop services from New York's JFK; Charlotte, NC; Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport; and Philadelphia. Air Canada offers flights from Toronto Pearson International Airport. Condor has a flight that flies non-stop from Frankfurt, Germany to Hewanorra International Airport at Vieux Fort (UVF). But perhaps most conveniently is the British Airways non-stop service between London Gatwick Airport and Hewanorra International Airport. Travelling between the regional islands are the airlines LIAT (which offers many flights and travel connections to nearby islands and international destinations), Air Caraibes (connecting Martinique and the island), and WinAir (which flies regionally but also to the northern Antilles).

Once you arrive there are many accommodation options to choose from - whether you want an out of town resort to take advantage of the beaches or a centre luxury hotel. St Lucia's tourist economy is growing along with the choices for accommodation.

Ross Stevenson is the General Manager of Cap Maison. With a reputation as the foremost luxury hotel on St Lucia, they provide a wide selection of services for those looking for luxury hotels, St Lucia as well as honeymoon options for couples who want to enjoy a blissful Caribbean experience.

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Sedona Jazz on the Rocks

Envision a formation of uniquely shaped red rocks situated on a plateau with the river rushing by and you have just found paradise. Sedona puts its best foot forward in September when they welcome you to the Sedona Jazz on the Rocks Festival. 2009's dates are September 22nd through the 27th. The tradition of this festival began in 1981 when the first jazz musicians took to the stage, and the event has gained in popularity ever since. Jazz is considered an art form, and no one does it better than the Sedona Jazz on the Rocks Festival. Everything comes together when you place fantastic music in a breathtaking town like Sedona.

For five days in September the world's greatest jazz musicians descend on Sedona. Legends and newcomers burst onto the landscape, enriching lives with their performances. The organization is nonprofit, with some of the proceeds going to send aspiring jazz talents to music schools. You can attend free concerts, so grab a chair and spend the day.

The Sedona Jazz on the Rocks continues to grow and each year we see more events added to the program. Some of the favorites from last year included the films and a larger schedule of free concerts. Jazz lovers were able to enjoy the wonderful beauty of Sedona at the outdoor stage. The addition of a dinner and dancing to the great sounds of the festival was a complete success.

We are all hoping that the wine maker dinner that was one of the features of the 2008 festival will make a return. This event was as delicious as it was entertaining. However, everyone looks forward the most to the all day festival. Last year's artists included the Bobby Hutcherson Quartet, B3's Tony Monaco, Giacomo Gates and the Sedona Jazz on the Rocks Youth Band. They were just some of the performers that excited us on stage. We will undoubtedly see the same high caliber jazz musicians in 2009.

The Radisson Poco Diablo Resort hosts the festivities as usual. Some of the free concerts took place at Tlaquepaque in the past and we should see a return to this unique shopping plaza. The ambiance that is the essence of Tlaquepaque blends beautifully with the resounding jazz notes that fill the air. Dine at the fine restaurants and pick up the perfect remembrance of your enchanting visit to the Sedona Jazz on the Rocks Festival.

You can expect to once again find music clinics at the school. These clinics have proven to be extremely popular with everyone that attends the festival. The clinics will encompass several days, so be sure to check the schedule so you don't miss them. Free concerts will follow the clinics as they have in the past.
Sedona Jazz on the Rocks has awarded fourteen scholarships totaling approximately $38,000 to Arizona's most promising new jazz artists. Their commitment to furthering the music and careers of young people has been recognized since its inception.

The friendly hospitality, the red rock spires inviting you to relax, and the marvelous sounds of the Sedona Jazz at the Rocks Festival are all waiting for you in Sedona. Come join the fun at this year's festival. For more information you can call (928) 282-1985.

Enjoy the cultural, music, and art festivities in Sedona while staying at Enchantment Resort. This 5 star resort, located in gorgeous Boynton Canyon, offers private casitas and breathtaking views. Let Mii Amo, their luxury destination spa, pamper you after a day spent exploring all that Sedona Arizona has to offer.

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The History of Jazz Music

azz music was born from the creative hands of black people who experienced oppression and slavery in America in the late 18th century. Expression of a resistance against the racist and oppressive political system was manifested in the way of black Americans to play their music.

History has recorded that slavery and racial discrimination in America gave birth precisely to the music of resistance, such as the Spiritual, gospel and blues. This phenomenon could be interpreted as a cultural resistance of black people to Westernization, in terms of religion, culture, politics, and how to make music. It was because before they were brought to America, they have a distinctive culture of Africa.

In the beginning, the spirit of jazz music or the ideology behind it was the liberation of African-Americans from the shackles of repressive socio-political structure as being outlined in the expression of tone, harmony, and style of playing music. For examples: ragtime was a starting point for the development of classic jazz (march, waltz and polka), swing was a modification of ragtime, free jazz was a reinterpretation of bebop and world music was the deconstruction of mainstream jazz.

In a further development of the spirit of jazz was interpreted not only limited to political resistance, but also the liberalization movement or musical deconstruction in order to find room to move, an alternative way, and other styles of playing music.

As a result of the spirit of Jazz that was dialectical, liberal and deconstructive, an old style of playing music was negated by the ideas of new music. Then, the ideas led into the new styles of playing music. In this case, the chronology of the development of jazz was divided in three time periods where each period gave birth to a specific style of playing music.

The first period was traditional jazz period (1890-1940) that gave birth to Ragtime, New Orleans, Dixieland, New Orleans in Chicago and Kansas City, and Swing. The second one is modern jazz period (1940-1980) that gave birth to New Orleans and Dixieland Revival, Bebop, Cool, Hardbop, Free, Mainstream, and Fusion. Meanwhile, the third period was postmodern jazz period (1980-until now) that gave birth to Neobop, free Funk, Classicism, Neo-Classicism, No Wave and World Music.

The peak of deconstruction in jazz took place in 1965 which marked by the presence of free jazz. This style was a milestone in the development of postmodern jazz with its main characters. The main characters included free tonality, disintegration on the meter, beat and symmetry, the inclusion of ethnic music (world music), cult of intensity, and the inclusion of natural sounds, especially from the jungle (jungle sound).

In the decade of 80s and 90s, free jazz became the foundation of the development of fusion and neo-Classicism. Meanwhile, the mainstream of jazz was transformed into the style of Classicism. Therefore, jazz was no longer defined solely as the style of swing, bebop or mainstream, but as a musical culture that was more sophisticated and pluralistic.

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All About the Origins of Jazz Music

The essence of the sound of Jazz music is so versatile attributable to the sources from which it first commenced. In fact, New Orleans, Louisiana is the place where Jazz first started between 1850 and 1900 by African slaves in addition to the freed people of color. The first style of Jazz music was referred to as Dixieland.

In Africa from the Middle to Central to the West, one can hear the intricate rhythmic improvisation of the percussive instruments that is oftentimes found out with Music. These rhythms blended with the American Spirituals, Hymns, Blues, and the blue grass hillbilly musical sounds created a sort of seem the originated in Jazz music. Still, the music was just a peculiar noise without a specific title to call it fifteen years later in 1915. The truly amazing pianist Earl Hines born in 1903 played this kind of music prior to the title Jazz became an official style of music. The word "Jazz" which was formerly spelled as "Jass" has it's origins as a form of American slang utilized to describe the seem of music.

It is the reasonable of Jazz music that began as an offspring from the roots that created this music. Previously of the century the instruments made use of in music were European percussion, brass and woodwind instruments primarily for the military marching or dance bands.

Moreover, these instruments were employed in the funeral marches in the deeper party of the southern area and well as the northern. The essence of the beginnings of Jazz music finally became grew into it's own fashion with a unique shape. In addition, roots of music expanded the style to the point where it cannot be termed as pure folk music even when some of its roots began there.

Once the education system included the research of music to train musicians in a formal setting it paved the method for many to learn the techniques to create music from the heart. The importance of the beginnings of Jazz music is to learn all about the seem that numerous have fell in love with. Jazz music represents freedom to create color and sound that can be interpreted best by the performers and composers who create this style of music. The roots of music has been a topic worth debating over when it precipitates to labeling it a specific style. Duke Ellington himself explained it as "It's all music" because of the fact that the music has no particular structure or form it has to take.

Jazz music is not an effortless style that can readily be defined except as free music that can readily meld into other styles of music to take it to another level. Jazz music itself is an innovation of African, Impressionist, Spiritual, Hymnal, Blues and Blue Grass hillbilly music simultaneously combined into a music masterpiece.

The essence of the seem of music comes from the different musical elements from each part its beginnings as putting pieces of a puzzle together into one cohesive entity.

Justin has been writing articles online for nearly 4 years now. Not only does this author specialize in weight loss,fitness and diet, you can also check out his latest website on Whole House Generators and Toddler Bed Rail

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French Music Festival - La Fete De La Musique

The annual French music festival or Fete de la musique as it is know in France is a remarkable event which brings the whole country alive with a vast array of musical performances for a whole day each year.
The driving force behind the festival de music was Maurice Fleuret (put forward by minister Jack Lang) who as director of music back in 1981 took up the idea of "music everyway and concerts nowhere".

Understanding that five million young French people either played an instrument or sang, in other words one in two, Fleuret essentially proposed to let them realize their dreams and take to the streets performing whatever they wanted to perform.

The first event was launched on the summer solstice of 21st June 1982 under the slogan of "play music, celebrate music". Professional and amateur musicians alike took up the banner, mostly spontaneously and performed Jazz, rock and traditional music alongside classical performers all in one great peoples' performance. They haven't looked back since.

The event is now enjoyed by millions of people across France and has become a major source of attraction for visitors. In practically every town across the country artists of all categories take to the streets and perform their socks off whilst everyone else boogies on down. The whole country rocks! Particularly in hotspots such a Nice, Bordeaux and Paris where the nature of the towns lends themselves brilliantly to such performances.

The performances are free of charge, royalties are suspended for the day and the event overall is widely supported by the media with French television also featuring some of the major performing artists as well as covering the smaller events.
 If you want to know what's happening on the 21st in the major towns of France there is a French language website which lists what's on where: fete-de-la-musique.cityvox.com and you can also source information via local French tourist offices.

 Its important not to expect to much as these are not major professional acts, they are generally people who might not normally get an opportunity to break into a business which is so tightly in the grip of the music industry movers and shakers.

There are acts which perform who are well known in France such as Tokio Hotel and Joachim Garraud who played 2007, just don't expect Oasis or Duffy to turn up.

Go along with the right frame of mind and you can't fail to enjoy a music filled day which stretches long into the balmy summer night. An outdoor venue such as the port de Nice, throbbing with people dancing on a warm evening makes for a hugely memorable experience even if you don't understand a word of what's being sung.

The event has been exported to other parts of the globe and in less than fifteen years a form of the fete de la music has appeared in over a hundred countries on the five continents, including cities such as Berlin, Budapest, Barlecona, Liverpool, Luxembourg, Rome, Naples and Prague.

How strange that such a brilliant festival celebrating music exists only on such a grand scale in a country which looks with envy across the channel at the fantastic abundance of musical talent on offer in the UK. Where we have a seemingly relentless flow of artists who nonchalantly produce a steady stream of hits which populate the charts around the world, we have only a limited participation in a potentially major event to celebrate the art at which we clearly excel.

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Impressionism - Three Best Artists

Art has always been a significant representative of progressive and flourishing civilizations. For ages, people have enjoyed decorating their homes with some kind of visual art piece. Today, battery picture lights enhance the visual beauty and effect of the room. Although, a battery operated picture light is an appealing decoration item today, the tradition of displaying paintings and pictures to decorate walls dates back to ancient times.

However, never was the true essence of beauty so beautifully captured on a canvas until the Renaissance.

Impressionism was on of the most successful art movements of the 19th century, which produced some of the most famous names in the history of art and some of the most famous masterpieces that the world has ever seen.

Unlike older styles of famous artists, Impressionism was not very close to reality. In fact, really visible brush strokes were used which gave a very blurry and dreamy impression of the whole scene painted. The most important aspect of these paintings was to catch the exact depiction of the light.

The Impressionist Movement was when the most prominent and gifted artists emerged. Among these names three are those who stood out as legendary masters; Claude Monet, Pierre Auguste Renoir and Edgar Degas.

Degas is among the first artists to use techniques that were too innovative for its time. However, Edgar always despised using the 'Impressionism' tag for his work. 'The Bellelli family' is one of his best artworks and his personal favorite. He has used really strange composition to paint a typical portrait of a family. Some other significant works include 'The Orchestra at the Opera House' and 'Woman With Chrysanthemums'.

One thing that was very appealing and interesting in Degas' paintings is the movement. He was also known as the painter of movement. His ability to depict flowing movement is very apparent in paintings such as 'Dancers' in which the ballet seems realistic in a continuous movement.

Later, Claude Monet was the first artist who actually coined the term 'Impressionism' through his painting Impressionism, Sunrise. Monet introduced many revolutionary and innovative techniques. He was excellent in depicting landscapes in different lights. Some of his famous portraits have his own wife, Camille, as the model. Paintings such as Woman with a Parasol, Woman in a Garden and Woman in the Green Dress feature Camille. Yet, it was the landscape that made Monet known across the Europe. His landscape paintings such as, 'water lilies' and 'lava court' gave him eternal fame.

Pierre Augusta Renoir was also a French artist but unlike Degas and Monet, he was the developer of Impressionism rather than a founder. His earlier work comprises of landscapes of the Seine River. Later, his work eventually evolved into a more mature form and he painted on different subjects. 'The Swing', 'Girls at the Piano' and 'Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette' depicts his true excellence and observation. Also, his famous painting 'On the Terrace' is one of the best examples of Impressionism. It made him famous beyond his wildest imagination.

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