Milton stewart, structural development in the jazz improvisational technique of clifford brown, jazzforschungjazz research 67 1975. Charlie parker, thomas owens, improvisation, thesis. Charlie parkers improvisational technique was largely based on formulas or riffs that he would transpose to fit chord progressions. Full text of charlie parker dissertation volume ii thomas. The project has a strong interdisciplinary approach combining. Charlie parker dissertation volume i thomas owens 1974 free ebook download as pdf file. Rather than playing the same standards over and over, parker began to think outside the box and create.
Ive found this works great with either ballads or uptempo tunes. Charlie parker and thematic improvisation provides a muchneeded reassessment by showing that parkers solos are often related to the original themes in unexpected and sometimes ingenious ways. Milton stewart has studied clifford browns style from a schenkerian perspective, 9 and thomas owens has included several schenkerian graphs of charlie parker solos in his previouslymentioned dissertation. In simpler terms that means a ii v i progression followed by a turnaround chord, which is the v7ii sometimes incorrectly called the dominant. Charlie parker, blues, improvisation, schema, formula, phrasing. Techniques of improvisation by thomas owens doctor of philosophy in. Woideck is a saxophonist and jazz educator, and the book is an outgrowth of his masters thesis on parkers earliest work. Charlie parker alto sax john coltrane tenor sax pat metheney guitar resources.
He has recorded six solo abums for crp records and is r,ow recording abums for polygram records. Jason davis music lesson overview a standard lesson will last 30 minutes and will consist of 4 basic areas. Jazz, improvisation, computational musicology, pattern mining. Colorado teacherauthored sample instructional unit 7th grade, drama and theatre arts unit title. Books, images, historic newspapers, maps, archives and more. Owens 11, who was able to catalog 193 recurring melodic patterns. A true staple in the jazz improvisation world is the approach note technique. On november 1945, parker led a record date for the savoy label, recording as charlie parkers reboppers, the record was marketed as the greatest jazz session ever.
Wilson 1961 and deafferentation techniques in monkeys taub, heitmann and barro 1977 that points to the existence of motor programs that can run off actions in openloop fashion. The main scales of western music are major and minor scales. Walk, waiting for charlie, bus stop, five up five down. The method has been used for different purposes in theatrical history. In his seminal 1974 dissertation on parker, thomas owens identifies approximately one hundred melodic. Charlie parker and thematic improvisation by henry martin, 9780810841550, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Free jazz improvisation pdf downloads improv pathways. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Jazz techniques and practice in improvisation and general music practice tips. You have the skills and tools to handle solos over most kinds of chord progressions. A study of the improvisational style of theodore fats navarro. These are acting techniques which can be developed through practice and repetition. Charlie parker dissertation volume i thomas owens 1974.
Colorado teacher authored instructional unit sample drama. In november 1949, norman granz arranged for parker to record an album of ballads with a mixed group of jazz and chamber orchestra musicians. Tommy potters and are undoubtedly pertinent to parkers sessions in general. The drummers improvisation is more intense and interactive. April 22, 1985 the arts theatre incus festival london, england.
Walk, tennis ball, status pictures, questions game, to heck with your fear, ding. Jazz scholar thomas owens affirms that navarros style was not a. Konitz is totally committed to really improvising, as. Impro improvisation and the theatre keith johnstone. Which blues musician is sometimes considered the charlie parker or jimi hendrix of the harmonica. Charlie parker dissertation volume ii thomas owens 1974. Improvisationacting high school, 14, 21 lesson 2 tsw do five up five down. Working with the approach note and enclosure technique greatly increases awareness of arpeggios, the fretboard, and the sounds of each chord as it forces us to focus on. Charlie parker, dizzy gillespie, clifford brown, john coltrane d. They are improv, technique, ear training and history. A collection of jazz improvisation exercises licks performed and recorded by charlie parker. Robin williams was famous for his improvisation skills both in his standup comedy and in his television and film work.
A study of the improvisational style of theodore fats. Improv can be used by teachers in a few different ways. A schenkerian perspective benjamin givan almost all schenkerian studies of jazz improvisation have focused on modern jazz idioms. Approach notes and enclosures for jazz guitar guide. Jazz is largely a blend of musical elements of two traditions. Full text of charlie parker dissertation volume ii thomas owens 1974. Jazz improvisation techniques i have a few special techniques that i occasionally reuse in different ways but not in all situations. Charlie parker was a pioneer of jazz and bebop, which were cutting edge during his lifetime. The implementation of techniques that aim to improve the fl learners confidence level will invariably. Martin, four studies of charlie parkers compositional. Improvisation and scene creation page 2 of 18 unit title improvisation and scene creation length of unit instructor choice focusing lenses perspective standards and grade level expectations addressed in this unit dta09gr.
Charlie parker improvisation montreux jazz festival dvd. A statistical analysis of parkers formulas can be found in toward a cognitive analysis of creativity. Improvisationacting high school 15, 16, 20 lesson 3 tsw play the game ding. Based on charlie parkers ornithology arpeggio, this exercise combines rhythmic variety, harmonic extension, and stepwise resolution to help jazz students understand some of the techniques involved in playing the changes of their solo. Aebersold and thomas owens, and his improvisations are considered representative.
Techniques of improvisation, volume 2 charlie parker. In 1944, norman granz and gjon mili collaborated on a film about jazz music called jammin the blues. Techniques of improvisation, volume 1 thomas owens snippet view 1974. This analytical study scrutinizes parkers improvisation technique by closely examining his twentytwo performance versions of nows the time with the aim of instituting a comprehensive analytical model for related studies. However, navarros presence in these types of studies is often.
Improvisation unit grade 10 improv and acting drama. This was first evident in recordings he made with charlie parkers group in mid 1940s. The theatrical form known as the commedia dellarte was highly improvisational, although through repeated performances its characters developed stock speeches and stage business and. Charlie parker once i could play what i heard inside me, thats when i was born. Charlie parker, jazz, jazz composition, bebop, jazz analysis. Although charlie parker and dizzy gillespie were the originators of bebop, many. Theolonius monk, miles davis, count basie examples of the above four jazz styles based on oh susannah. I ld l t thn alx adrn nd ll frnd t th etn shl f m fr th nprtn t trt th prjt.
A study of the improvisational style of theodore fats navarro, 19491950 russell c. I l ndbtd t n l, hrn f th hrd str prt nt t th enlnd cnrvtr fr h thn. Improvisation unorthodox approach to piano playing. Charlie parker dissertation volume i thomas owens 1974 scribd. It is a technique that has been used by all of the greatest jazz improvisers of the 20th century. Keith johnstones involvement with the theatre began when george devine and tony richardson, artistic directors of the royal court theatre, commissioned a play from him. Charlie parker tune book transcriptions by fred parcells. Holiday dizzy gillespie fats navarro charlie parker level 4 stronglevel 4 strong as a strong improviser, youve paid your dues in practice and concerts. He was able to methodically combine the best attributes of his idols. Yet, as scott deveaux 1991 has noted, there are considerable musical continuities betv\een modern jazz and its stylistic precursor, sving. His music and life is a useful addition to the parker literature, building on the work of earlier writers and musicologists like robert reisner, gary giddins and thomas owens. This study analyzes improvisatory techniques of theodore fats navarro 1923.
At level 4, you can take rhythms and expression to new. Larson is not alone in applying schenkerian techniques to jazz improvisation. Parkers line continues through the next a section, in a phrase that recalls the opening of the solo. Improv improvisation is the art of composing music on the spot. Firstly, improv games can be used as warm up or energy building activities to break the ice in a classroom or to build environments of trust. Improvisation, in theatre, the playing of dramatic scenes without written dialogue and with minimal or no predetermined dramatic activity. Over 350 concise musical examples to illustrate what youre learning. The technique of bebop variation might be better understood if we distinguish how the themes three. Charlie parker if you dont live it, it wont come out of your horn. In 1950 they collaborated again on a film about jazz improvisation that was never completed jazz at the philharmonic.
Introducing the jazzomat project jazz solo analysis using music. Thelonious monks contribution was along multiple reinforcing lines. He would have to do this in order to play as fast and as fluently as he did, even when he was high and this is in no way a criticism of his creativityhe did invent an entire musical language using his riffs as words. As an intro, i use the bridge or the last 8 bars of the tune im going to play. It influenced many trumpeters of the cool jazz and hard bop styles producing a large body of recordings with many distinctive, highquality performances. The conclusion sums up features of parkers style and discusses his. Full text of charlie parker dissertation volume ii thomas owens. In this chapter he states his artistic credo, offering one of the most extended accounts of the practice of improvisation by a jazz musician. Easytoread explanations of 7 elements of improvisation, in 5 skill levels.