| October 2006 | Visit us on the web at: visual-jazz.com |
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Welcome to the October 2006 issue of jazzView - the Visual Jazz Newsletter! When you subscribe to this free newsletter, you'll get the latest in interviews, articles and tips on important topics in jazz, such as improvisation, combos, performance, sight-reading, and more.
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jazzView: Who are your main keyboard influences?
For classical playing, I like Arthur Rubinstein; I really listen to his phrasing. For jazz, I like Oscar Peterson and Red Garland. I enjoy playing sort of like them and listen to them often. Although all three are different, they all play beautifully and make and communicate music.
jazzView: How do you approach the piano in general?
Murray: I try to approach the piano from the back, that way it can't see me until it's too late. (Sorry, it was long rehearsal day ...)
I don't know exactly how to answer that, but I will say that I have been told "I live at the piano" - I am so comfortable there. My earliest background being classical, I am conscious of getting a good, pleasing sound. I try to fit the sound to the material I'm playing - for example, a warm sound or a rock sound - but I do work to have a natural sound that works with the material, as well as for the conductor or singer. A secret of a good sound at the piano is to be relaxed and also use arm weight and gravity. Let gravity do the work and you'll sound terrific. Somehow the piano seems to know when you are tense; not only will you have to work harder and get less, the tone will sound forced, too.
For me, it's relax first - beyond that, I do what's necessary to get the sound I want. In the theater and in synthesizer work, it's good to be flexible in technique. The idea is getting the synth sound to be as close to the real thing as possible and then phrasing as the actual intrument phrases. (One thing that isn't always intuitive to pianists is how and when wind players breathe). And if you are, for instance, playing a "reed intrument sound" along with a real reed section, do what you can to phrase with them. That applies when using a piano sound on a synth, as well as string sounds. I generally use a lot less pedal on a synth, and none at all on string and acoustic instrument sounds (an exception is holding a chord). Learning a good finger legato is necessary for playing string lines on a synth. For the record, I would rather hear acoustic instruments whenever possible.
Check out this free ebook - I like and use some of his ideas:
http://members.aol.com/chang8828/contents.htm
I sometimes separate my work music from my enjoyment music. For the theater work I can't say I have any influences (and I don't consider myself a "theater musician" although I am a musician who at times works in the theater.) Of course I do my best to keep the conductor happy, but I use common sense in phrasing, and I phrase in a way that matches the section I'm playing with. My Rx is being aware of the indicated and "penciled in" dynamics and what is long and what is short is my. Remember to play as a part of the group; generally blend in, unless there is a line or solo that is only in the keyboard part. Listen to what everyone else is playing.
Murray (bottom row, third from right) with touring and local musicians for The Full Monty
Larger view
jazzView: What are some of the more unusual experiences you've had while accompanying Broadway shows?
Murray: The list of unusual experiences could probably fill a book itself and musicians that have worked on tours, cruise ships and I guess almost anywhere love to share stories. (Hint: It can also be a good ice breaker!) I enjoy hearing them. Jack Imel from the Lawrence Welk orchestra had so many funny ones that I encouraged him to write a book!
* There was the conductor who, six months into a tour, stopped the orchestra during a rehearsal to admonish the local bass player not to rush between two specific bars and the stern admonishment took several minutes. The bass player looked back at the conductor with a weird look. When the conductor asked "Why are you looking at me like that?" the bass player answered, "Because I am not playing anything in those bars!"
* During the "Funny Girl" tour the onstage prop luggage fell into the pit.
During Fiddler on the Roof, the 2 plates from the wedding scene fell into the pit. During "Ragtime" one big wooden hat fell into the pit.
* There was a touring guy that loved to make caricatures and if anyone played a wrong note he'd have a comic looking picture of the person playing the wrong note and a funny one or two caption under it. (I kept the ones of me, one of my favorite is me playing keyboard with the sustain pedal moving further and further away while my right leg was growing.)
* During the Ice Show I saw something on the ice near the orchestra and pointed it out to the conductor so that no one would get hurt trying to skate over it. The conductor dug it out and got excited telling me that it was mouthpiece from one of the prop long valveless trumpets that was used to announce Mickey and Minnie. The real sound was from the orchestra, but he said that those were actual instruments that can play, and he wanted to play one for me in the next city. What he didn't know was that one of the "trumpets" got bent when it was packed, so it was decided to fill all of them with concrete so they wouldn't be apt to bend again. We found that out after the conductor nearly fell over trying to get a sound out of it.
jazzView: How do you keep your chops in shape with a demanding road schedule?
Murray:This is very important to do! If all you play for two years is the same show and the rehearsals for that show, it can catch up with you. So I play though classical music I like, such as Chopin Etudes and technical studies, and I practice scales. Sometimes I'll just pick out a technical passage and play it as an exercise. I go through the Hanon Studies, 1 to 31. And I'll play through some of the transcription of jazz pianists - mostly the Oscar Peterson ones from Band in the Box (they're extremely accurate ones transcribed by Miles Black).
Murray, perfoming at a jazz club
When I can, I get the touring guys that play jazz to play a couple tunes between shows, but I have to be careful of the union rules of the theater. Also, I ask the local musicians if there is any jazz bands playing in the area that let people sit in. When I practice in the pit, I do the other musicians a favor and plug the headphones in. And I always practice my technique hands separately, with emphasis on relaxation and cutting down on wasted motion.
jazzView: What advice would you give to accompanists who are getting started with professional gigs?
Murray: Well, to accompanists and to anyone getting starting with professional gigs, the social skills really help. There's a saying - "Treat people as though in five years they will be in the position of saving your life" ... Treat fellow musicians as well as you can. Again, get their phone number give them yours, recommend them if you can. And do keep a spare and accurate copy of your professional phone book. Go to rehearsal bands and play with anyone, at least in the beginning of your career.
Truly amazing stuff can happen! For instance, when I was the music director on the cruise ship I had a captive 10 piece orchestra, soon I was writing for the acts that came onboard. Then other musicians starting writing, and then some who were writing (and some who weren't) started learning some serious music copying. (We were writing so much that we didn't have time to copy out the parts). One trumpet player in particular took the copying very seriously and now has an ad in the International Musician (the union paper) as a copyist! You bet I would use him for copy work.
Musically, learn all you can - it's a lifetime adventure. For example:
* Learn block voicings; be able to write 16 bars of a tune in 4 voices within an octave, and the same with drop 2. (Also look at the free orchestration course at www.garritan.com).
* Learn at least the basics of one of the music notation programs.
* Learn the transposition and range of a few common instruments.
* Write a tune.
* Put a free ad in the musician's section of craigslist.org, or maybe respond to some of them. (craigslist and sites like it are very valuable - how can you not like free advertising?)
* Take some interesting jobs. Once I played piano for a psychologist who played violin. Once a week I'd drive over and play through violin with piano accompaniment pieces, violin sonatas, and commercial arrangements he had.
* Play (as a professional) in high school orchestras when they need "ringers" to fill out their orchestra for their high school plays. (If you do this, get the phone numbers of the other professional musicians!)
In Philadelphia where I live there is 23rd Street Jazz. I haven't been there in a while, but it is a place where mostly doctors and lawyers play jazz. (It never hurts to know doctors and lawyers!)
I was asked on the cruise ship, would I prefer to hire the "great" player with the bad attitude or the "ok" player that was a nice guy. The answer is that in the field it is easy to find great players that are nice guys (and gals) and that the guys with attitudes don't get asked back. Do leave the egos for other people to have. It has been my experience that all things being equal the "easier to get along with people" will get and keep the gig hands down. And that applies triple with touring jobs, as you are literally seeing, living with (as least in the same hotel) and travelling with them for possibly years. I can say that the best entertainers, the best conductors and the best musicians I know are down to earth and nice people. I don't mean to point out Bob as an example, but look carefully at what he is doing here, a book on sight-reading, on improvisation - helping musicians benefit from sharing knowledge. This is a good example. If and when you can, inspire the musicians around you.
Thanks for the chance to let me get on my soapbox!
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Article 25: From Classical to Jazz
Why do some classical players jump into jazz and run with it, while others struggle to find their bearings?
(READ MORE >>>)
Article 26: Singing the Blues ... Again
Over the years, I've noticed a very interesting phenomenon with many young jazz vocalists and scat singers ...
They are addicted to the blues.
(READ MORE >>>)
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This month we feature jazz vocalist Linda Merrell from Reno, Nevada.
 Linda Merrell |
Linda Merrell Jazz Vocalist Brief bio: At 19 Linda went to New york City and studied with Paul Curtis at the American Mime Theatre and worked in the off-Broadway production of the Fantastiks. In 2005, after returning to Reno, she jumped back into the music scene and created and hosted the original jazz jam sessions at the 3rd Street Blues club. She also performs with pianist Peter Supersano and jazz bassist Phil Jerome, members of Linda Merrell and the Notes. Check out her audio clip of "You Do Something to Me" ... Check out her web site at: www.asingerwithstyle.com |
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In this issue, we spotlight two more amazing jazz videos on YouTube.com, this time featuring guitarist John Scofield. Click on each picture to start the video on YouTube; a brief description of the highlights is also included. Miss an issue of jazzView? Not to worry - we've got them all here ... just click and read! Issues are sorted by date (recent to early) and interview feature. ©2006
Visual Jazz Publications – All Rights Reserved.
You Speak My Language - w/ Pat Metheny (guitar), Steve Swallow (bass), and Bill Stewart (drums) at the Stuttgart Jazz Open, 1994
*0:00-0:50 - Background, German-language narrator
*1:38 - Scofield solo, borrowing triplet ideas form tune melody
*2:09-2:13 - Interesting quarter-note triplets with a variety of articulations
*2:25 - Tight chord clusters
*2:51 - Four-against-3 eighth-note triplet groupings
*3:15-3:20 - Nice example of laid-back (cool) phrasing
*3:19 - Offbeat attacks
*3:50-4:50 - Alternating double-time and single-time passages
*5:23-5:35 - Nice slides and effects
Medley: Funk tune, Loud Jazz (3/4 time) - John Scofield, Dennis Chambers (drums), James Genus (bass), Gary Grai (keyboards)
*0:34-1:00 - Start of Scofield's blues/funk solo - notice the smooth but energetic transitions between keys
*1:06 - Turn up the fuzz
*1:15 - Nice angular, outside melody line
*2:24-2:35 - Great tune ending
*2:39 - Start of "Loud Jazz"
*3:28-3:40 - Nice rhythmic punches and drum fills
*3:56 - Start Scofield solo
*4:34-4:37 - Half-time feel licks
*4:55-4:57 - Burn 'em up
*7:00-8:22 - Great drum solo by Chambers, tightly synchronized with rhythm section punches
Back Issues of the jazzView Newsletter
September 2006 - Murray Snyder (part 1)
August 2006 - Susan Muscarella, The Jazzschool
July 2006 - Jeremy Wilson, JazzStandards.com
June 2006 - Bob Curnow, Sierra Music (part 2)
May 2006 - Bob Curnow, Sierra Music (part 1)
April 2006 - Kelly Eisenhour, BYU Jazz Vocal
March 2006 - Initial Issue
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