Improv

I’ve been trying to do more improv work lately by practicing etudes and exercises. It’s one of those things I knew I should be doing, but, was I? I felt overwhelmed every time I opened my Bob Stoloff book- he goes so fast! How does it he do it!

After watching a Darmon Maeder masterclass a few weeks ago (at the Vocal Jazz Summit) I decided I really needed to do real work to get there. So I bought his book and have been using it! It’s hard, but you know what, when you practice things, it gets easier!

Today I heard a podcast from 10 minute jazz lesson and they were discussing this Sonny Stitt improv he does over All of me. He played a bit of it and I was like, wooow, that is nice. I know I should listen to horns more, I just find the human voice so compelling.

I’ve been working on All of Me for weeks now. I feel like I’m in a love hate relationship with this song at this point. I want to be able to improv over it, and I’ve been learning Ella’s and Sarah’s scat. It’s great practice, but I feel like it’s so THEM I needed another approach to this.

Hearing Sonny I thought, well, it sounds super hard, BUT there are some really cool things going on there and it wouldn’t be crazy to at least try to learn it, even if it’s at a much slower clip.

So, this is what I shall try to do! Still trying to find a digital version of this song so I can bring it into AnyTunePro… we’ll get there.