Jazz Improv I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOzcnxzQZSs

So many things I could say about this performance and about Oscar Peterson…I guess the first thing I noticed was his attention to voicing. Though not quite as explicit as Keith Garrett, Peterson carries his voicings to completion and you can hear the movement of the lines, especially in the beginning of the piece. Another thing is that this trio has no drummer. You can see the importance of proper comping (by the guitarist and pianist) in keeping rhythm when there is no drummer.

One last thing – I want to use trills like he does.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU2ze9tE6S4

This is a random live piece I stumbled upon a couple years ago when looking for jazz flute solos. The jazz flute solo in this piece sounds incredibly done to me. I love the way it works so well with the more latin style music. The piece also features a wonderful piano solo. The pianist does a great job of interacting with the drummer and the bassist making his solo impressive in flexibility. The bass solo is very technical and the soloist is great at creating quick melodic lines. However, he didn’t seem to develop any motifs or themes other than arpparegiation that I could tell. I hope you guys enjoy!

Apparently this is one of the best-selling jazz singles of all time, so I may be a little late to the party. The thing I first noticed about this piece was the 5/4 meter. Quintuple meter always unsettles me, personally, but it keeps the energy in this piece high. (Fun fact: this piece was inspired by the sound of galloping horses and Dave Brubeck was like a cowboy.) I think the saxophone solo showcases why it’s important to practice scales and arpeggios and the drum solo showcases how varied rhythms can be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krrfgAd4wFc

This is one of Elton’s classic transition techniques between songs. I think it’s cool how you can definitely see that he’s making intentional eye contact with his band members as he navigates them out of the song and into his solo. I like that he uses a lot grace notes in his licks. He uses the whole range of the keyboard in his solo and and the full variety of dynamics. It’s neat how he morphs his improv licks into the popular theme. Then he starts varying that theme and transforming it into the style of his next song (Bennie and the Jets). The youtube caption says he’s high on cocaine, but it’s still an impressive conscious solo to my ears.

The way he incorporates harmonics into his solo is beautiful. I also like how he creates a groove for himself that he can build on, leave, and then come back to it later. Also a very good using of the tapping technique to create a great sound.  I love how at the end he tunes his string to create a resolution, really amazing.

Art Tatum uses a lot of parallel movement in his licks. I can’t quite figure out what intervals they are, but they sound so rich and full. I also noticed his technicality – the arpeggiation he does in his left hand is something I only associated with classical music, but he does it so effortlessly.

Does anyone know what the title of this piece is?