Like, Jazz, Man!

 It started innocently...

Django

    I added "Careless Whisper" by George Michael to my song list and it has a B flat major seventh chord in the progression. This chord has a variation that required learning a new hand position. After a couple of weeks of diligent practice I was able to play it without the frustration that one feels when their hands aren't cooperating. The first time you get it right is always a cool moment. "Careless Whisper" is a very simple pop song otherwise, but it does have a jazz feel and I think it will endure and become a standard in the future, also due to that signature melody, played by a saxophone on the recording, but just as compelling on guitar. 

     From there I started adding some other standards that led me away from the folk/rock/pop songs that make up the majority of my repertoire. It required me getting out of my comfort zone and I realized that I had stigmatized myself with regard to my ability to advance as a musician. 

    Jazz is intimidating at first; for me it's like standing on the edge of a limitless expanse that extends far beyond my sight. The musicians who play it seem superhuman in their virtuosity and mastery of their instruments. I see now that believing I could never achieve that level of playing I simply avoided trying.

F Minor 9th Double Flat 5th

F Minor 9th Double Flat 5th

    Simply put, jazz is adding one note to the traditional three note triads that compose the familiar chords of popular music. This changes the tone of the sound, making it slightly dissonant or complimentary to the others, and this complexity requires learning new hand positions and the muscle memory that goes with it, some of it pretty gymnastic. Gifted players have longer fingers that make this easier, but for normal  guys like me the stretches are awkward at first. With practice one's hands become accustomed, but it does take time. 

    One of ways to master these chords is through learning some of the many standards that use them, but another is to compose one's own. By applying what I'm learning to a composition I'm getting much more comfortable with some of the established conventions of jazz as well as making myself a platform to improvise melodies, which is the other part of jazz that's challenging and compelling. I'll be writing about these songs in a future post. One, "Mediterraine", is a song on one of my first recordings way back when, which was fun to update and rework with a more jazzy vibe. 

    My point of entry is a sub genre called "Smooth Jazz" which evolved as a more commercial alternative to the styles that frankly require a more educated ear to appreciate. Examples of this are songs by artists like George Benson ("Broadway") and Nora Jones ("Don't Know Why") that crossover to pop radio, and there are many others whose instrumentals define the genre. The other common element is typically a 4/4 rhythm percussion and bass line that propels the songs, rather than the more syncopated beats and time signatures of advanced jazz composition.

    I'm just beginning this journey; at this point I'm a tourist visiting the land of Miles and Bird, but I'm on a well worn path and excited to see what's just beyond my musical horizon. The six songs I'm working on will eventually be released as an EP, and in the meantime I'd just encourage anyone who feels that something is beyond their reach to make that stretch. You may discover, as I have, it's not as far as you might think.

Singer/Songwriter Rick Millward lived and worked on the West Coast until moving to Nashville in 2000. He was part of the Music City songwriter community, collaborating with other artists and producing over 30 projects in his boutique studio, including two EMMY nominated soundtracks. Now in Southern Oregon, Rick has discovered a vibrant local music scene centered around the many tasting rooms. 

His latest record “Loveland” is available on Spotify and other streaming platforms. Rick's latest, "Astronomy", will be released in early 2022.

LOVELAND ON SPOTIFY