Title:
|
Contemporary jazz guitar performance : perspectives on the development of improvisational language
|
The primary goal of this investigation is the proposal and subsequent demonstration
of a practice-based methodology for the development of original improvisatory
language, in this study specifically applied to jazz guitar.
My findings are presented as 'Volume 1 - Theoretical Writings and Evidenced
Application of Practice Methodology', and COs 1-7, which contain 7.5 hours of audio
recording (both live and studio) documenting my own performance and development
throughout the period of study. Examples of what are deemed stylistically defining
improvisational techniques/approaches are subsequently drawn from this recorded
catalogue and, for ease of reference, presented in isolation as 'Cropped Audio
Extracts: Personal', included here as COs 15-19. Each 'Extract' is supported by a
related transcription, with all such transcriptions submitted as 'Volume 3b -
Transcription of Cropped Audio Extracts: Personal'.
Providing context to these materials is an analysis of contemporary jazz guitar
improvisation post-Kurt Rosenwinkel ('Stylistic Review: Contextual - Contemporary
Jazz Guitar improvisation'), examining four musicians (Gilad Hekselman, Jonathan
Kreisberg, Lage Lund and Mike Moreno) whom I consider to be among the most
significant to have emerged in the field during the past 10 years. Applying a system
similar to that outlined above, examples of stylistically defining improvisational
techniques/approaches are identified in and subsequently drawn from the publicly
available discographies of these artists, being presented in isolation as 'Cropped,
Audio Extracts: Contextual', included here as COs 8-14. Each 'Extract' is supported
by a related transcription, with all such transcriptions submitted as 'Volume 3a -
Transcription of Cropped Audio Extracts: Contextual'.
Thus, the submission makes an original contribution to knowledge in terms of the
unique 'Practice Methodology' it articulates, its evidenced application of the latter in
the development of my own improvisational vocabulary and the presentation of these
findings in the context of an analysis of the key improvisational techniques and
approaches of contemporary jazz guitar improvisation.
|