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Lesson 12: Improvisation aka Evans Created by Camtasia Studio 3

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There is a score as a set for lesson 12.

I love Bill Evans. One of my favorite memory is that I have shaked hand with him at the entrance of Village Vanguard. That was somewhere in 1967. I was young and so was he. That was big hand, right . . . And here is an imitation of his style with Twikle twinkle Little Star.
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Lesson 12: Aka Bill Evans

<Confirmation>
Have you tried to get acquaint with diminished fifth chord? It is composed of C-E-Gb as chord, F-A-B as chord F and G-B-Db as the chord G.
How do you find videos, "Blue Monk" and "Don't blame me"? If you feel like it, you would send me your comment to my email (tokyoblue@infoseek.jp)

<Wow! Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans, they are two exstreme standing opposite. Which do you like him? I love them both. They heal my feeling but on different occasion equally. >
Evans is opposite to Monk, chord wise and meody line wise. He play melody more smoothly. But mind you he doesn't legart.

It sounds like legart because of the left hand backing. His left hand is no choppy. He changes scale. Putting in major seventh of primary three chords explains that.

C major 7th=B, like this
F major 7th=E, like this
G major 7th=F#, like this.

The scale for improvisation of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star goes;
D-E-F-G-A-B-D
You do not use "C" unless you resolve to it. And in doing so, you'd better go to "C" from either "B" or "D". That makes the melody line smooth.

Then the improvisation sound like modal. I do a few bars. Note my dragging left hand. I'm pushing Cmajor7th chord. The major 7th chord makes the sound like Bill Evans. As it does the counterpart to Monk's diminished fifth.

If you try score 12, that is an arrangement of TTLS ala Bill Evans, do not play is exactly the score is. It ruin the image. You'd play with dragging left hand and scattering triplets here and there.

<References>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2LFVWBmoiw
"My foolish heart", the standard number. He plays with closed spaced left hand and it yields chord tension. The reason I recommend this video is that he is playing nicely following original chord progression but in his own way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSlUM8eNr-Q
This is rare occasion of Bill plays blues. Four piano players start out the theme. Then Bill goes into improvisation. Marian take over hime then John Lewis. This is the kind of luxury you can enjoy during the festival. It is hard to identify each player blindholded. But if you watch the movie then you'll be able to hear the difference exists inbetween each players.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p_dHE5hQIA
"Summertime" I brought this video up for I like Chuck Israel better because of his melodious bass line. Aren't they beautiful? But drummer has to be Paul Motian. Another reason to recommend this video is that Bill playing melody at higher octave. That is his characteristics as well and I tried that on score 12. (According to MC, Chuck is 29. Wow. Where is he now?)

enjoy!

<Assignment>
Listen to Evans a lot. And get acquainted with his dragging left hand. Yes, this is the end of lessons. You can keep going back whichever the lesson. I won't take out the uploaded files till I die or my hosting company, which is hostgator by the way, crush the server.

I hope you have find your way of playing jazz or at the least a light that might guide your way. Don't forget, all the theory comes after the music established by its own. And the music never be the physics or mathematics, it is of the outburst of your emotion. I hope you have enjoyed my lesson. I will contact you through email series from now on. I'll inform you as I become ready with new exciting products. Till then, stay in health and enjoy jazz music!

<Additional Note>
As the guide line, I have attached Score 10. For your practice, you can refer to the chords assigned to score 10. At first, you may change chord C to G, then the other way around G to C. You can try to change chord F to C as well. And find out how the chord change effects on the melody line development.

Note: If you assign "b" or "#" to a certain note, that is effective to all notes at same position in the bar. Check the note "A" in the second bar. It is designated to be "b"(read as "FLAT". You use black key here) at the first "A". Then the second note of "A" should be read as having "b" attached. You play two "Ab"(read as "A flat") in a row in this bar. Same thing is said to "E" of next bar. You read as you see two "Eb" continue.