From brass sections to big bands

...is probably what some of you will retort: "Playing a melody you have already heard at least once is much easier." Maybe that is indeed so, but just think of the poor chaps who need to play parts that sound nowhere near the melody. One answer to this problem may be: "Obviously, one needs to think of the melody while practicing one’s own part, because the tune is what it’s all about." Right again, but that is precisely the point I want to make: only when hearing what "the others" play does it become meaningful to adapt the articulation, phrasing, timing and intonation of one’s own part. And despite the truisms I just mentioned, it should be clear by now that "listening" is key to playing music.

Especially active listening is important. Active listening has nothing to do with switching on the radio and having the music wash over you. Active listening is about analyzing and paying attention in a systematic way.

Just listen closely to a bigband or a bigger brassband, and you will realize that the overall sound is the result of a rather complex compound of sometimes widely different musical elements. Understanding what we are hearing becomes easier if there is some kind of system that allows us to classify the various "sounds".

One easy system could start out with the identification of rhythmic elements:
- tempo (slow/fast)
- rhythm (time signature)
- phrasing type (binary/triplets)
- articulation

The same applies to the melodic elements:
- melody (lead part)
- parts running in parallel with the melody (harmonic extensions of the melody)
- contrapuntal parts (running against the melody)
- complementary elements, i.e. so-called backings (complementary rhythmic elements or solo parts, e.g. vocal)

This approach allows musicians to identify structures likely to help them make sense of the part they play within the overall structure.

"Play with the Killerhorns" refers to the practical dimension of the present workshop. For the application of the systematic approach mentioned earlier within the framework of a workshop, I suggest we work with the smallest bigband in the world: a rhythm section, a singer and three horns. For group sessions, I have prepared bigband arrangements of pieces performed by the current Supercharge lineup. In addition, and no doubt equally importantly, there are recordings of the pieces we will prepare without the bigband. This should allow all members to come to grips with the style of the pieces without drowning in their own scores.

Granted, a three-part brass section like the Killerhorns is not a genuine bigband. Yet, a three-part brass section allows me to illustrate the essential structure of any bigband arrangement. Voicings, harmonic structures, articulation and phrasing can be presented in a readily intelligible way and later applied to the various instruments, sections, and eventually the entire bigband.

See the "Mind the swing!" workshop for more exercises

In the meantime, have fun!

Big Jay.