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JazzPiano–OurRhythmicRole(s)andResponsibilitiesinComping
DanCavanagh–UniversityofTexasatArlington
Whatareourrolesasjazzpianistsinabigband?• Supportthebandby:
! Outliningtheharmonicstructure! Providingappropriaterhythmicinterest! Supporting(andperhapspushing)thesoloist(s)
Howdowefulfilltheseroles?
• Themaingoalistoprovidesupportinamusicalwayo Thatmeansthatyouhavediscretionastowhattoplay,andwheno Thisalsomeansyouhavearesponsibilitytounderstandwhatelseishappeningacross
thebandatanygivenmoment• Youneedtodecidehowmuchtovaryfromthepartthatisthere.However,thethreemaintypes
ofjazznotationcanhelpyoudecidethefreedomyouhave:
o Typically,writtenornotatedpartsneedtobeplayedexactlyaswritten:
fromWideAnglebyDanCavanagh,©2012
o Rhythmicnotationindicatesthattheplayershouldplayexactlythatrhythm,butmayusewhichevervoicingisappropriate:
fromThawbyDanCavanagh,©2016
o Slashnotationindicatesonlythechordorsoundthatisoccurringintherestoftheband;
thepianistcandeterminethevoicings,rhythms,andevenwhetherornottoplayatall:
fromTunnelVisionbyDanCavanagh,©2007
BestPractices–theSeaofSlashesMuchofthetime,thefullynotatedandrhythmicnotationsectionswillbefairlystraightforwardtounderstand.Themostchallengingpartofourjobasjazzpianistscomeswhenwehavethe“seaofslashes:”
fromMysticCatsbyDanCavanagh,©2012
Whataretheconsiderationsweneedtodealwithwhenthe“seaofslashes”rearsitsstormyvisage?Remember,themostimportantruleistomakemusicaldecisions.Allisdependentonwhatishappeningmusicallyatthemomentwemakethosedecisions.But,generally:
1. Wehavetohaveasolidunderstandingofeachchord,anditsappropriatevoicing,thatweseeinthechartinfrontofus.Ifwedon’tknowevenoneofthem,wewilldisrupttheflowofthemusicbothforthebandorsoloistwearesupporting,andfortheaudiencelistening.**Seethelistofgoodvoicingbooksforgreatsuggestionsongettingstartedhere.**
2. Weneedtoberhythmicallysolid,andnotreactionary.Oneofthemostcommonnon-musicalwaysofcompingIoftenhearinvolvesconsistentlyplayingthechordrhythmicallyAFTERthechordappearsinthechart.Thisisasurewaytomakeyousoundlikeyouarereactingtothesoundsyouarehearing/seeingratherthancreatingthosesoundsinconjunctionwithyourbandmates:
fromGit‘R’DonebyDanCavanagh,©2005
BADEXAMPLE
3. Wewouldbebetteroffanticipatingthechordswithsyncopationand/orplayingthemdirectly-
on-the-beat:
fromGit‘R’DonebyDanCavanagh,©2005
Herearesomeadditionalrhythmicnotationexamplesofsolidrhythmiccompingfiguresthatdemonstrateplayingchordsonorbeforethebeat:
Thereare,ofcourse,somanygreatexamplesofpianistswhodothiswell.Whilenotabigbandplayer,RedGarlandusedtoplaythistypeofrhythmbehindMilesDavis’solosallthetime(checkouttheWalkin’,Cookin’,Workin’,Steamin’withtheMilesDavisQuintet,etc.recordsfromthemid-1950’s):
Notethatthechordheplaysalwaysisavoicingpertainingtothechordonthenextbeat.Soforexample,the“and”ofbeatfourwouldbeavoicingforthechordthatwasonthedownbeatofthenextmeasure.Thisstyleofcompingprovidesareallygreatforwardpropulsionandmotion.ThebestpieceofadviceforunderstandingrhythmicallyhowpianistscompinanappropriatewayistoLISTENandLISTENoften.Findrecordingsandlistenspecificallyandonlytothepianistfortheentiretrack.Transcribethecompingrhythms,evenifyoucan’tgetthevoicingnotes.
GOODEXAM
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ResourcesfortheJazzPianistVoicingsforJazzKeyboardbyFrankMantooth.DistributedbyHalLeonard.
• Greatoverviewandmethodfordevelopingmodern,quartal(fourth-based)voicings.Irecommendallpianistsstarthereforbasiccompingvoicingsthatwillbeapplicabletoalmostanysituation.
JazzPianoVoicingSkillsbyDanHaerle.PublishedbyJameyAebersold.
• Moreofacoursemethod,butcanbeusedtolearnbasicsofvoicingsJazzKeyboardHarmonybyPhilDeGreg.PublishedbyJameyAebersold.
• Step-by-stepmethodtolearntraditionalvoicings(oftencalled“A-Bvoicings”)TheArtofCompingbyJimMcNeeley.PublishedbyAdvanceMusic.
• Thisisanintermediate-to-advancedbookbuttalksaboutcompinginareallywonderfulway,withlotsofexamplesofvoicings,etc.
ModernJazzVoicingsbyKenPullig.PublishedbyBerkleePress.*Notspecificallydirectedatpianists,butcoverslotsofvoicingstylesthatareapplicabletopiano.TheJazzPianoBookbyMarkLevine.PublishedbySherMusic.
• Oneofthejazzpiano“bibles.”Inadditiontovoicings,lotsofothertopicsarecoveredingreatdetail
TherearealsosomeJameyAebersoldPlay-Alongbooksthathavethepianovoicingstranscribed,suchasvolume1,volume54,volume30,etc.Mostofthesebookscanbefoundonwww.amazon.com,www.jazzbooks.com,etc.
