The second of our Pizza & Workshop series, Jazz Improv 101, took place last Friday. We spent three hours talking shop, sharing ideas and, most importantly, playing some great music.
Although many people who RSVPed were sick, we still made some amazing music. Some people had never really performed a jazz solo before, while others simply weren't aware of what the other instrumentalists were doing. Throughout the evening, we touched on what makes an effective solo melody, how a pianist alters chords to make them "jazzier" as well as how a bassist makes a solid walking bassline.
We also discussed how each instrument interacts with the other: the relationship between a bassist and pianist; the role of the soloist against the other player; and what the heck do the drums do anyway? Finally, when all was said and done, we spent some time playing all together, trading solos as well as some laughs.
At the end of the session, guitarist and pianist Avi also showed us all a bit about slide blues guitar - a very nice addition to the jazz perspective.
We're definitely planning many more of these events for both classical and non-classical students alike. Hope to see you at our next Pizza & Workshop event!