14 May
Posted by admin as Saxophone Lessons
Can somebody expand or elaborate on this description of ‘Modal Jazz’?
‘Modal jazz is a development beginning in the later 1950s which takes the mode, or musical scale, as the basis of musical structure and improvisation. Previously, the goal of the soloist was to play a solo that fit into a given chord progression. However, with modal jazz, the soloist creates a melody using one or a small number of modes. The emphasis in this approach shifts from harmony to melody.’ (Source: Wikipedia ‘Jazz’ article).
But aren’t the melodies still played over certain agreed-upon chords? How does the accompanyment know what to play to support the soloist? Are the chords inferred from the scales in the melody chosen?
One Response
Soulmate
May 14th, 2010 at 3:28 am
1> But aren’t the melodies still played over certain agreed-upon chords?
Maybe, maybe not. The agreement might be "we’re going to avoid key centers and tonalities and just play modally in this section, doing whatever is appropriate to support the solo." Or the agreement might be "We’re going to play Maiden Voyage by Herbie Hancock," which is a song that is written in a modal style. Or the agreement might be to play a song that is not modal, but to reharmonize it in a modal style.
>How does the accompanyment know what to play to support the soloist?
Jazz players use their ears a LOT. Good players don’t need to be told anything about what’s going on … no chords, no key, no nothing… because they can hear what’s going on. It is the ability to hear what’s going on and respond to it in real time that is the essence of jazz improvisation. For example, if I’m playing a tune and the pianist substitutes a maj7#11 for a plain ol’ major chord, I might hear that and incorporate a #11 in my melodic line. Or vice versa… if the soloist starts playing with a certain feeling the accompanist may respond by playing something similar (or something contrasting) beneath it. For example, suppose the soloist blazes through a solo to a sudden stop… and then starts playing very quietly. The good accompanist will hear this and back off to give the soloist room.
>Are the chords inferred from the scales in the melody chosen?
There’s no one formula Law Man. Stop looking for it! There are many ways to harmonize a melody. And there are many melodies that could fit well with a given chord progression. And a jazz player will rarely play the same thing twice. It’s about creating in the moment, not painting by numbers.
When you gonna get that teacher I keep telling you to get?
Yer bud,
Soulmate
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