Jazz Players - How do you go about it..

Sixstring · Kitten Joined: 28 Dec 2001 Posts: 140

Where would I have heard you before?

Steve · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 7:28 am Post subject:

I think beyond knowing a little music theory, which helps me negotiate the more complicated Contemporary Worship songs, Jazz is an attitude, like Blues.
There are times when you can inject a Bluesy phrase or fill and it adds a flavor.
There are approaches to chords and phrases that have a certain Jazz flavor to them.
You can "Jazz up" a tune like "Shall We Gather At The River," with some nice Jazz chords: say, substituting Maj7 chords for plain majors, and minor7 chords for the straight minors, using your ear.
Then rhythmically you can "swing" a bit through certain passages by lightening up the feel a bit and putting emphasis away from the 1 & 3 beats, and onto the 2 & 4 beats. A bit of rest on the "one" followed by a pulse on the "and" (rubato) can add some syncopation without being too "in your face" about it.
This adds a "hipper" sound when appropriate.

It also depends on the congregation too. If they are steeped in traditional music, or it's getting prayerful, you don't want to disrupt the focus with anything that draws attention away from the Spirit.

Other times, like during Offering, or "specials," they may put up with more "entertaining" music.

DenverJazz&Blues · Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:17 pm Post subject:

Think dixieland or swing, you get that swing rhythm going in something like amazing grace or joshua fougght the battle of jericho to give you some ideas.