Experienced Saxophonist Greatly in need of HELP!
Hi All,
My name is RJ. I am a saxophonist who has been playing the sax since 1984. I'm 29 years old. All of my time playing, I've been considered a very talented player. However, most of my experience has been classical. I love jazz and am an avid listener. I have always aspired to play in the style of today's "young lions" so to speak, (i.e. Joshua Redman, David Sanchez, James Carter, etc). However, I have been extremely confused as to how to achieve this. I have countless numbers of method books and such.
I will be honest. When I was younger, I was in such a rush to become a good jazz musician that I never really disciplined myself to do what it took to become a great player.
Now, I'm older and more mature and ready to begin that long road to becoming a great jazz saxophonist, I don't want to play professionally or anything like that. It's a personal endeavor for me at this point.
I'd like to ask those of you who are accomplished jazz saxophonists here what should I be practicing on a daily basis to become a good jazz improvisationist?
For instance, I know scales and chords and modes are key. But my question is how do I practice them to actually apply them to jazz improvisation situations?
What about Jazz Etudes or Transcribing Solos? Should I be practicing those? If so, how often? Should I play solos that have already been Transcribed or should I transcribe all solos myself?
I guess my question, as largely a classically trained saxophonist is this:
WHAT IS THE PROPER WAY FOR SYSTEMATICALLY PRACTICING JAZZ SAXOPHONE THAT WOULD PROGRESSIVELY, AND OVER TIME, LEAD ME TO PLAYING IN THE STYLES OF THE PLAYERS I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED?
P.S. I know that the end goal is not to simply "sound" like someone else, but to create one's own unique sound and style of play. However, I believe the adage that "first you imitate, then you innovate".
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