JazzPiano–OurRhythmicRole(s)andResponsibilitiesinComping

DanCavanagh–UniversityofTexasatArlington

www.dancavanagh.comcavanagh@uta.edu

Whatareourrolesasjazzpianistsinabigband?• Supportthebandby:

! Outliningtheharmonicstructure! Providingappropriaterhythmicinterest! Supporting(andperhapspushing)thesoloist(s)

Howdowefulfilltheseroles?

• Themaingoalistoprovidesupportinamusicalwayo Thatmeansthatyouhavediscretionastowhattoplay,andwheno Thisalsomeansyouhavearesponsibilitytounderstandwhatelseishappeningacross

thebandatanygivenmoment• Youneedtodecidehowmuchtovaryfromthepartthatisthere.However,thethreemaintypes

ofjazznotationcanhelpyoudecidethefreedomyouhave:

o Typically,writtenornotatedpartsneedtobeplayedexactlyaswritten:

fromWideAnglebyDanCavanagh,©2012

o Rhythmicnotationindicatesthattheplayershouldplayexactlythatrhythm,butmayusewhichevervoicingisappropriate:

fromThawbyDanCavanagh,©2016

o Slashnotationindicatesonlythechordorsoundthatisoccurringintherestoftheband;

thepianistcandeterminethevoicings,rhythms,andevenwhetherornottoplayatall:

fromTunnelVisionbyDanCavanagh,©2007

BestPractices–theSeaofSlashesMuchofthetime,thefullynotatedandrhythmicnotationsectionswillbefairlystraightforwardtounderstand.Themostchallengingpartofourjobasjazzpianistscomeswhenwehavethe“seaofslashes:”

fromMysticCatsbyDanCavanagh,©2012

Whataretheconsiderationsweneedtodealwithwhenthe“seaofslashes”rearsitsstormyvisage?Remember,themostimportantruleistomakemusicaldecisions.Allisdependentonwhatishappeningmusicallyatthemomentwemakethosedecisions.But,generally:

1. Wehavetohaveasolidunderstandingofeachchord,anditsappropriatevoicing,thatweseeinthechartinfrontofus.Ifwedon’tknowevenoneofthem,wewilldisrupttheflowofthemusicbothforthebandorsoloistwearesupporting,andfortheaudiencelistening.**Seethelistofgoodvoicingbooksforgreatsuggestionsongettingstartedhere.**

2. Weneedtoberhythmicallysolid,andnotreactionary.Oneofthemostcommonnon-musicalwaysofcompingIoftenhearinvolvesconsistentlyplayingthechordrhythmicallyAFTERthechordappearsinthechart.Thisisasurewaytomakeyousoundlikeyouarereactingtothesoundsyouarehearing/seeingratherthancreatingthosesoundsinconjunctionwithyourbandmates:

fromGit‘R’DonebyDanCavanagh,©2005

BADEXAMPLE

3. Wewouldbebetteroffanticipatingthechordswithsyncopationand/orplayingthemdirectly-

on-the-beat:

fromGit‘R’DonebyDanCavanagh,©2005

Herearesomeadditionalrhythmicnotationexamplesofsolidrhythmiccompingfiguresthatdemonstrateplayingchordsonorbeforethebeat:

Thereare,ofcourse,somanygreatexamplesofpianistswhodothiswell.Whilenotabigbandplayer,RedGarlandusedtoplaythistypeofrhythmbehindMilesDavis’solosallthetime(checkouttheWalkin’,Cookin’,Workin’,Steamin’withtheMilesDavisQuintet,etc.recordsfromthemid-1950’s):

Notethatthechordheplaysalwaysisavoicingpertainingtothechordonthenextbeat.Soforexample,the“and”ofbeatfourwouldbeavoicingforthechordthatwasonthedownbeatofthenextmeasure.Thisstyleofcompingprovidesareallygreatforwardpropulsionandmotion.ThebestpieceofadviceforunderstandingrhythmicallyhowpianistscompinanappropriatewayistoLISTENandLISTENoften.Findrecordingsandlistenspecificallyandonlytothepianistfortheentiretrack.Transcribethecompingrhythms,evenifyoucan’tgetthevoicingnotes.

GOODEXAM

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ResourcesfortheJazzPianistVoicingsforJazzKeyboardbyFrankMantooth.DistributedbyHalLeonard.

• Greatoverviewandmethodfordevelopingmodern,quartal(fourth-based)voicings.Irecommendallpianistsstarthereforbasiccompingvoicingsthatwillbeapplicabletoalmostanysituation.

JazzPianoVoicingSkillsbyDanHaerle.PublishedbyJameyAebersold.

• Moreofacoursemethod,butcanbeusedtolearnbasicsofvoicingsJazzKeyboardHarmonybyPhilDeGreg.PublishedbyJameyAebersold.

• Step-by-stepmethodtolearntraditionalvoicings(oftencalled“A-Bvoicings”)TheArtofCompingbyJimMcNeeley.PublishedbyAdvanceMusic.

• Thisisanintermediate-to-advancedbookbuttalksaboutcompinginareallywonderfulway,withlotsofexamplesofvoicings,etc.

ModernJazzVoicingsbyKenPullig.PublishedbyBerkleePress.*Notspecificallydirectedatpianists,butcoverslotsofvoicingstylesthatareapplicabletopiano.TheJazzPianoBookbyMarkLevine.PublishedbySherMusic.

• Oneofthejazzpiano“bibles.”Inadditiontovoicings,lotsofothertopicsarecoveredingreatdetail

TherearealsosomeJameyAebersoldPlay-Alongbooksthathavethepianovoicingstranscribed,suchasvolume1,volume54,volume30,etc.Mostofthesebookscanbefoundonwww.amazon.com,www.jazzbooks.com,etc.