This is my opinion – it does not change the value of others and what they find value in.

When I think about jazz/rock improvising what I hear most of the time is an emotion; very much the same type of emotion I get when I listen to a great drummer.

Years ago I brought a recording to my guitar teacher and after listening I asked for his opinion; his answer was that the guitar player was very good but he sounded like a hundred other guitar players. It took me a while until I received the full meaning of what he said.

What I hear in the many areas of Rock/Jazz today is a well put together group of scales and modes based on the chords or key being played. I was lucky to be on a job with an excellent Tenor Sax man; we were playing an old Sinatra tune Witchcraft. When he took his solo I realized that his solo was based on the chord progression – ¾ through with the song he leaned close to me and said, “What song are we playing”.
Please understand I respect all types of music and how they are played; they all have a story to tell.

When I listen to Django Reinhart his lines are good and not tiring. He may use some scales but most comes right from his heart. My take on jazz is based on the song itself. I take the original song and begin to add and substitute – to fill the empty areas – to create more areas where notes are silent. You can actually hum the song I am playing although I am playing only scatted parts of the melody. It is my version of the song. I work within the original structure of the song.

John C.