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Within the 8 points in 4/4, I really love the "and" of 2& 4. Those points give an expanding and a leaning forward type of feeling to the music. That's what I feel anyways, when listening to a song like Miles Davis  "Four".  Another good  example is the way Red Garland often comps. He can  play several measures just playing his left hand  on the "and" of 2 & 4. which seems to propel his beautiful right lines forward. 

 

Check out his rendition of "C Jam Blues"  Pay close attention to his left hand comping during his solo. 

 

 

I have always just let my left fall where it wants when soloing with a rhythm section backing me up, and I never tried playing a more static pattern like Red Garland often did. Well, it turns out that it harder than I thought! I am having to go back to basic right hand lines that I already know, very slowly, stumble around, and work out the coordination. I am hoping eventually my left hand will go on autopilot, but until then I am feeling like a beginner. I guess that's the great thing about our instrument- there's always something new to learn, but I can't help but wonder, did Red Garland have workout the coordination or did it just come natural to him? 

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