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GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH JAZZ 3
So let's settle for this: some folks don't need to "teach themselves jazz". Good luck to them. Others would like to try and teach themselves jazz—good luck to them, too. And they don't need to feel guilty about it.
Next question: how do you set about teaching yourself jazz ? First of all, don't put your whole weight on books. Relying on books is like trying to eat a dishful of mustard, with a little dab of meat on the side of your plate.
Jazz is sound. Sound reaches you through your ears—not through your eyes. This is a heavy statement of the obvious—but for many of us it is easier and lazier to take things in through our eyes. Listen all you can. Play all you can. These are the two essentials.
Listen and Learn.
How, then, can books help ? Well, first of all they can give you the background to jazz. You can learn about the history of jazz, about the colourful personalities that helped to make it.
Next, books can save you time, energy and money. You can get far more out of listening or playing if you are willing to sit down for a little and think about what you mean to do, planning it out ahead in your mind.
Now for a good first step—join the National Jazz Federation (see Appendix fiA', page 105). The Federation will put you in touch with your local |
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