Playing Jazz

[Richard Prowse]

I have always loved jazz and it has always been my favourite type of music to play. I thought it might be nice to have a thread where people give their thoughts on playing jazz. I started life as a violinist and was taught in the classical tradition. I changed to bass in my twenties. What really inspired me to play was hearing jazz - I loved the freedom that came with it, but, most of all, when I heard a walking bass, the hairs stood up on the back of my neck. I haven't played that much jazz over the last few years and I've decided to try to get into the local scene.
Presently I'm flicking through the real book and working on my time with a metronome.
I love soloing, but sometimes I'm guilty of trying to play too many notes. I'm trying to be more intuitive when I solo and to remember Dizzy's words,
"Leave some holes for the music to get out."
So, who wants to talk about jazz?

[Anselm Hauke]

i don´t know if this is legal, but:
if you need some more look here
http://www.dearnell.com/musique/Real%20Book%20PDF/

[Richard Prowse]

Wow Anselm - that's a lot of books. Tell me about your jazz playing, I heard a rumour that you do a bit.

[Anselm Hauke]

Originally Posted by Richard Prowse

Tell me about your jazz playing, I heard a rumour that you do a bit.

well, hm, sometimes, now and then

[Richard Prowse]

Originally Posted by Anselm Hauke

well, hm, sometimes, now and then

Anselm, my dear friend, sometimes getting information out of you is like trying to get blood out of a stone!
I did a short tour with Gordon Brisker once. Unfortunately, my dad died and I had to leave the tour early. He told me that he liked my swing feel. We played in Auckland (the night my dad died, but I didn't know until the next day). Gordon had really cold hands and my wife tried to warm them for him. I guess that playing with Gordon was the high point of my jazz career. Some of his charts were quite badly written and were very hard to read. We played a ballad at each performance that we (the band) always seemed to muck up - in reality it was because we couldn't read the chart. We got it right at the last concert and Gordon turned and gave us the thumbs up.

[Anselm Hauke]

great story.
i know you will find a good band again.