About 250 Jazz Patterns
- Hi, my name is Evan Tate and I’d like to introduce to you my book “250 Jazz Patterns”. Although there are many books like this one on the market, “250 Jazz Patterns” differs from them all because it starts from the beginning up to the mid-level in all keys.
Plus, this is the first book of its kind to include;
- Improv Etudes over several known jazz standards
- many transcribed solos from Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins and Cannonball Adderley
- technical exercises over symmetrical scales and suggestions for improvisation
- How did “250 Jazz Patterns” come about?
-
I have been teaching saxophone and jazz improvisation for over 20 years and have taught hundreds of students in school, privately and in workshops. When it came down to what materials to use for teaching improvisation, I’d always had have to create my own exercises and such because although there are many books on the market, I never found that any of them were worth using all the information contained in them.There was always something missing, and they weren’t “hip” enough either. Many of the patterns books contained plenty of conservative approaches to playing through changes, but not any really modern licks and patterns, and no real way to learn to incorporate them into your soloing.
- So, I sat down and committed all my methods, patterns and exercises to paper.
- Thus, “250 Jazz Patterns” was born.
- A known dilemma –
- When I first started learning improvisation, I learned the method that many people studied – the Chord/Scale Method. Although it’s very important to know which notes to play to which chord, but it’s not that effective in really teaching you how to improvise.
- As I started learning transcribed solos, especially from Charlie Parker, it was great to emanate these great masters and learn their phrasing and ideas, I didn’t understand how and why some lines worked!
- About 2 years had gone by before I had the so-called “Aha!” effect. I finally understood how and why many lines worked and what didn’t work. I had practiced many, many solos for many hours , but I couldn’t get the licks and patterns to come out naturally. At the same time, I was still reaching out to try to play what I was hearing in my head.
- Not until I discovered “Improv Etudes”!
- What are “Improv Etudes”?
- You are probably familiar with this situation:
- You’ve just transcribed a cool lick from a recording of your favorite artist, or you’ve gotten it out of a transcribed solo. You practice this lick day and night in hopes that it will become your own. You go to our next gig or jam session expecting to use the new lick at some time, but …
It almost never happens!!
- And, if you did play it, it wasn’t played so convincingly that it sounded it organic to your solo.
Why is that? The answer is clear. You’re practicing the lick or pattern in a vacuum! – outside of the framework of a tune to be able to use it. In short – it’s theory, but not the practice!
- “Improv Etudes” is a name I’ve given to a method of “practicing” improvisation that I had learned while I was studying with Ex-Miles Davis, Ex-Elvin Jones Tenor saxophonist, Steve Grossman. I studied with Steve privately during my college days while studying with Joe Allard at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City.
- “Improv Etudes” is a way of concentrating your best ideas, licks and patterns in the framework of a jazz standard or any tune, into a form that you can “practice” your soloing. Now, that does not mean that you just memorize them and play them on stage, that is not really possible.
The “Improv Etudes” are written with continuous eight-notes, without rests, in order to:
- build up and train your linear thinking
- prevent you from just memorizing them and playing them on stage.
- The Etudes are ideally practiced in many keys, and your are advised to write your own as well. This is guaranteed the fastest way to learn how to play, the way you want to play.
What the Pros are saying about “250 Jazz Patterns”:
“I highly recommend the book “250 Jazz Patterns” by Evan Tate, it is an invaluable tool for the development of improvisation in the jazz language. I use it with my students to develop their ear towards a more melodic and motif oriented approach to playing chord progressions, specifically turnarounds and the essential ii V I variations. There is more to this book than meets the eye, it not only feeds student but it teaches the student to cook so that he/she can feed themselves for a musical lifetime.”
- Chico Freeman
Tenor & Soprano saxophonist / Recording Artist
www.chicofreeman.com“In a world already overcrowded with instructional books written about jazz improvisation, Evan Tate’s rises to the top. I urge any beginning musician interested in becoming a more fluent improviser to buy this book. It will help you tremendously.”
- Gary Smulyan
Baritone Saxophonist/ Jazz Educator
www.garysmulyan.com
Now you too can improve your soloing dramatically! Don’t be misled and take the slow path to improvisational skill. Improve your ears and technically abilities.
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