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Anybody out there interested in playing in a swing big band. We need tenor sax, trombones bass and piano. If you play trumpet that would be OK. We meet every Friday morning at St Marys church, Walkley (Howard Rd S6 3RX) from 10am to 12pm(midday). Subs are £3 but you don't have to pay on first visit. We play written arrangements of various numbers from pop tunes (Stevie Wonder, Doors, Rolling stones etc) classical in swing style, Standards and Jazz compositions (Ellington, Nestico , Charlie Parker etc). I've written out any solos for those who don't read chord symbols; however, If you are at grade 5 or above they should all be fairly easy to play but anybody is welcome and that is certainly not a prerequiste. Please ring 07513417896 or leave a text just to check we are on that week (ie not on holiday). This is ongoing.

I would be really careful about using harmony until you really know what you are doing. A Robert Johnson blues would sound a bit strange with Jazz chord substitution. Please watch my video HTPB 12: The spiritual aspect (first 15 minutes or so) to understand what I mean about ruining a song with too many strange sounding chords; sometimes simpler is better. Again, my opinion on music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkVIFNh38jc&index=12&list=PLVv3MW1LdQ3u5TWsEKURDZkn4Tiublu_1

Hi Ava - this is not really my type of music; Jazz is my thing. Having said that I do think you have talent. I really like the song Chin up, but without being nasty, not the way you sing it. At 143 beats per minute it just seems really fast to me. I played it on my Saxophone at 107 bpm and it sounded so much nicer. But what do I know - not really my kind of music so just my opinion.

You, or anyone else, can contact me at andyfourbikes@gmail.com. I don't know if you have the same problem as me, but I find that most people in Jazz are obsessed with Funk or Modal music. Personally I find that kind of music alright but unchallenging. Bebop/hardbop is more complex, beautiful, and it's past and present adherents are among the best musicians jazz has produced. I'm not 'interested' in this music; I'm obsessed with it! I put on this thread both to get people out there interested in this great music, and for isolated individuals to reach like minded people. I have studied Berklee harmony to level 4; also concert music and Traditional harmony with the OU. I bought a book on Shenkerian analysis just so I could study Charlie Parkers brilliant Voice leading. My plan is to create a You tube channel and put on a selection of videos. These would be on reviewing books; the technical side of Bebop and modern Jazz in general; the players etc. There are a lot of idiots on You tube so it would be an invite channel only. If people are interested they could join the group and either contribute with there own knowledge or simply use it as a resourse. I have set up a studio for this purpose. I want to say now that I consider myself an expert on Bebop and have found many mistakes in some of the leading writers on the subject. For instance: David Baker contradicts himself; Barry Harris teaching can not be applied to Charlie Parker; The Charlie Parker Omnibook is very inaccurate in places: Carl Woideck does not take into account Parker's 'turning the ryhthm section around' style of playing. What he considers 'wrong' in Parker's playing are not mistakes at all. If you, or anyone else, is interested in what I've been writing please get in touch.

Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Clifford Brown etc. You know the kind of music. I play Alto Sax and am looking for someone who is interested in studying these great players from the 1940s. For the past few years I've been collecting books and Phd studies in an attempt to decipher this style of jazz. However, I think bouncing ideas off other musicians would really help in my quest. I was thinking of bringing together a group of open minded individual/s to discuss current theory on this subject. If you have been working or thinking along similar lines I would like to hear from you. PS please don't tell me to go out and buy David Bakers 'How to play Bebop' series, Barry Harris's videos etc - I already have them, and a lot more.

I play Alto Sax and am a Parker fanatic. I would be interested in what you are doing because, as you indicate in your Thread, Jazz is not the usual subject matter on this forum.

I would be very interested to hear this project when it's up and running. Sorry can't join you, far to many other commitments at present.

I play Alto Sax - if that is any good to you.

Yes I was there in 1974 as well and remember Mr Swift and the trick with the hammer. The person who was killed on his motor bike (a blue suzuki 250) was called Vaughan Richardson. He is buried in the graveyard at Swindon Parish church. He was in my group along with a few others I remember, namely Mick Wild, Bruce Norton, Graham Sullivan and two girls called Margaret and Jill. I remember the faces of the others but can't remember their names. I left Engineering in the 1980s and moved to Birmingham for a while but am now back in Sheffield.