Lee Konitz

FREEING MELODY

Improvisation and Composition in the work of Lester Young, Lee Konitz, and Ornette Coleman


                              David S. Bond



For the past fifty years, I have been actively involved in musical improvisation. The impetus for my pursuit is rooted in the inspiration of several improvisers, specifically John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman. Given the opportunity to explore music in the academic community, I have chosen to acquire a more in depth understanding of musical improvisation world--wide.

The purpose of the following report on my research is to clarify and solidify some of this knowledge, for me personally, and to apply it specifically to sound recordings of existing improvisations. This application illustrates the use of specific musical concepts found in the practice of improvisation, such as the expansion, reworking, and development of a melodic line.

                                PREFACE

This research explores various ideas and approaches to improvisation with a focus on melody, pitch, and tone quality. It will be divided into an introduction and three chapters.

The introduction presents thoughts and opinions on musical improvisation as put forth by several noteworthy ethnomusicologists and musicologists, including Motivic development, oral tradition, speech and language tones. The purpose of this section is to provide the reader with basic information regarding improvisation, which can be applied to the following chapters of this research.

Chapter one presents a synopsis of the musical background and development of the composers/performers Lester Young, Lee Konitz, and Ornette Coleman. I have chosen these three musicians because of their emphasis on melody and melodic development, which is a major interest of study for me.

It is my opinion that many  comparisons can be made between the approaches of these three improvisers, and my contention that Young, Konitz, and Coleman  developed from a similar musical tradition.

Konitz and Coleman have both been influenced by Lester Young's concept, each in their own way. Konitz's style is directly descended from Young in terms of melodic and harmonic development, and Coleman's approach to melodic development has many similarities to Young's, even though his concept of harmony and form departs a great deal from the more traditional style.

The second chapter presents notation of the three approaches to improvisation by these composers/performers. An analysis of one recorded example of an improvisation by each composer/performer serves as the source from which comparisons, contrasts, and conclusions are drawn regarding each individual's approach to improvisation. This analysis focuses on how Young, Konitz, and Coleman utilize and develop the musical concepts and features presented in chapter one.

I have chosen these three particular improvisations because they clearly illustrate melodic phrasing and development, and motivic improvisation.









                                                                            A
                      ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank Professor David Locke…. for his unfailing support of my study and research at Tufts University. His role as ethnomusicologist, musician, professor, and adviser have been extremely valuable to my musical growth and learning.

I would also like to thank master musicians Mr. Dewey Redman, Mr. John McDonald, Mr. Archie Shepp, Mr. Jimmy Giuffre, and Mr. Lee Konitz for the knowledge and expertise they offered to me in their roles as teacher and mentor. My thanks especially to Dewey Redman who, in addition, has been a personal and supportive friend through the rough and magical times over the years, and a guiding star for me.

For the past fifty years, I have been actively involved in musical improvisation. The impetus for my pursuit is rooted in the inspiration of several improvisers, specifically John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman. Given the opportunity to explore music in the academic community, I have chosen to acquire a more in depth understanding of musical improvisation world--wide.

The purpose of the following report on my research is to clarify and solidify some of this knowledge, for me personally, and to apply it specifically to sound recordings of existing improvisations. This application illustrates the use of specific musical concepts found in the practice of improvisation, such as the expansion, reworking, and development of a melodic line.




PREFACE

This research explores various ideas and approaches to improvisation with a focus on melody, pitch, and tone quality. It will be divided into an introduction and three chapters. The introduction presents thoughts and opinions on musical improvisation as put forth by several noteworthy ethnomusicologists and musicologists, including Motivic development, oral tradition, speech and language tones. The purpose of this section is to provide the reader with basic information regarding improvisation, which can be applied to the following chapters of this research.



Chapter one presents a synopsis of the musical background and development of the composers/performers Lester Young, Lee Konitz, and Ornette Coleman. I have chosen these three musicians because of their emphasis on melody and melodic development, which is a major interest of study for me.

It is my opinion that many  comparisons can be made between the approaches of these three improvisers, and my contention that Young, Konitz, and Coleman  developed from a similar musical tradition.

Konitz and Coleman have both been influenced by Lester Young's concept, each in their own way. Konitz's style is directly descended from Young in terms of melodic and harmonic development, and Coleman's approach to melodic development has many similarities to Young's, even though his concept of harmony and form departs a great deal from the more traditional style.

The second chapter presents notation of the three approaches to improvisation by these composers/performers. An analysis of one recorded example of an improvisation by each composer/performer serves as the source from which comparisons, contrasts, and conclusions are drawn regarding each individual's approach to improvisation. This analysis focuses on how Young, Konitz, and Coleman utilize and develop the musical concepts and features presented in chapter one.

I have chosen these three particular improvisations because they clearly illustrate melodic phrasing and development, and motivic improvisation.



















ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS



I would like to thank Professor David Locke…. for his unfailing support of my study and research at Tufts University. His role as ethnomusicologist, musician, professor, and adviser have been extremely valuable to my musical growth and learning.

I would also like to thank master musicians Mr. Dewey Redman, Mr. John McDonald, Mr. Archie Shepp, Mr. Jimmy Giuffre, and Mr. Lee Konitz for the knowledge and expertise they offered to me in their roles as teacher and mentor. My thanks especially to Dewey Redman who, in addition, has been a personal and supportive friend through the rough and magical times over the years, and a guiding star for me.

Amid the mass of jazz scholarship which still concentrates on the most famous architects of the music (Parker, Davis, Coltrane etc) it is all too easy to overlook the contributions of less recorded and commercially successful artists.  Ted Brown, tenor saxophonist and former student of pianist / educator Lennie Tristano, is such a player.  Never quite as successful or well known as fellow Tristano students Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh, Brown nonetheless participated fully in the musical culture that grew up around Tristano's Manhattan studio.  A unique and melodic improviser and composer who contributed several tunes to the Tristano canon, Brown managed to reach the highest levels of jazz performance while simultaneously working a full-time day job.  An examination of his musical life lends insight into what Nat Hentoff called 'the jazz life', as well as into the practical application of Tristano's pedagogical methods.  A talented artist with a decidedly unique story, ...