Improvisation: Jazz Video (DVD)

Jazz is a beautiful genre with a complex structure when you break it down -- improvisation is a major component of this musical style. The ability to deviate and go on a musical journey with your entire band accompanying and keeping the rhythm and magic is difficult, but worth the effort to fully explore jazz itself. There is an intimate relationship between songwriting and improvising within the jazz circle and this program explores that connection with other jazz musicians. Courtney Pine demonstrates his "Jazz Step", a percussion-heavy, 12-bar blues structure as his starting point in discussing how small jazz groups interact with improvisation. He also covers techniques such as blues scales, three-chord progressions and riffs -- all important components in jazz. Next Django Bates examines the inner-workings of big band jazz and shows the dynamics of composing large-scale pieces where improvisation is integral to the performance. As the jazz saying goes, a piece isn't finished being written until it's played