Experimentation in Improvised Jazz by Andrys Onsman Robert Burke & Robert Burke

Author:Andrys Onsman,Robert Burke & Robert Burke
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Taylor & Francis (CAM)
Published: 2018-09-14T16:00:00+00:00

The phrase “mixing elements of modern jazz and popular music” positions the band as playing mainstream rather than experimental music, stylistically situated in the traditions of the American jazz canon as opposed to a European ‘style’ jazz. In effect, it is difficult to identify these players as French or even European in the way that, for example, ECM4 is.

On a large-dimension observation, the performance swings and refers to the blues. Even though they describe themselves as playing ‘contemporary jazz’, each member of the ensemble takes on the traditional instrumental roles of pre-bop swing jazz from the mid-twentieth century. As a rough guide, the performance features blues licks and a strong swing feel that is reminiscent of recordings of Jimmy Smith. From a known (musical) knowledge perspective, Pachet comps on the guitar by playing four beats to the bar. The bassist plays predominantly a walking bass line of four quarter notes to the bar, outlining the bass notes of chords and giving the soloist a harmonic centre to play their melodic ideas onto. The drummer plays a straight-ahead swing feel on the ride cymbal and outlines the form with the obligatory fill, sometimes catching rhythms from the saxophonist or piano. The groove of the ensemble is focused on the drummer’s ride cymbal and high-hat swing pattern. At times there is some variation or ‘looseness’ to the feel which can be observed in the medium level mid-way through the performance when the guitar ‘pushes’ the time feel and as a result the ensemble has to adjust to come together a bar later. It is noticeable that at this point the guitar, piano and saxophone are not together. Interaction occurs at the micro level with each musician inherently listening and adjusting to each player’s time feel and the ensemble’s overall sonic groove.

Focusing on the saxophone in Pachet’s study, his stylistic approach is based on presenting previously learned elements.5 He creates tension and interacts with the ensemble by playing ‘back on the beat’ at certain points during his solo. This causes a reaction from the drums by way of informing the structure of the next fill: an example of an in-the-moment interaction. His improvised solo contains many stylistic clichés, including blues licks, references to the melody, which appear periodically (notably) at the beginning of the ‘A’ sections of the form.6 There are also sixteenth note7 licks that are formulaic and repeated several times during the solo. Many of these examples are known knowledge but are used as devices to create interaction by introducing a familiarity that the group can interact with (interestingly, most often with the drums). A case in point is when the sax plays on the beat, the drummer simplifies his playing to emphasis the groove and at the micro level the tensions between playing behind or ahead of the beat. In summary, the interaction in the Mark d’Inverno Quintet is limited to extant knowledge and composition. The tune provides stability and the traditional interpretation and replication of style places some restriction

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.