The idea of "quoting" in regards to improvisation in the American styles most often implies taking the melody of one song and playing it in another, usually within the course of one's improvisations. For example, quoting the line from "When the Saint's Go Marching In" when playing "Sweet Georgia Brown." Can we quote "Sweet Georgia Brown" in "When the Saint's Go Marching In?" Absolutely, quoting any line can go anywhere ... the trick is to hear it and make it work in the music we're creating yes?
When players "quote" melodies from other songs, it really is a sign that they are pretty well thinking about what they are saying. That their thought process is pretty well connected to what they're hands are creating on their chosen instrument. That "quoting" so often brings joy and smiles to players and listeners alike, revealing the depth and thread of thinking of the soloist. Kinda like "scat" singing through their horns? Yep.
The hook. So many good tunes have cool hooks. The hook in the tune is the line that "sticks" in your head whether we want it to or not. So often it is the hook of a tune that gets quoted in improvisation. Easily recognizable, the hook or cliche lick from a tune can usually stand alone, thus stands out within the blowing. Most cliche hook ...? "Mary Had A Little Lamb?" I think Stevie Ray Vaughn did a cover of this tune ... bet he cooked it real goooooood!
Learning heads. As the years go by and the musical creation matures, so much of the playing revolves around playing the melody. Tis not uncommon to know fifty tunes. Pro players often exceed this greatly, for this oftentimes becomes their bread and butter. Perhaps the best source of musical ideas, learning tunes can create a vocabulary of melodic ideas, unique interval combinations and help develop a sense of musical form within the artist. All of these factors are key ingredients to the improvising artist.
Can one idea simply trigger another? Tis is the case indeed. To develop the idea we just played? Tis what it's all about in improvisation. To create a fluidness to our musical expressions in a conversational way so as to draw in other band members and their response as well as the listeners, dancers and everyone else who hears, to draw them into our musical magic. Tis is an interesting dynamic and one that is in integral part of much of the American sound and style.
Rhythmic quotes. Do players ever quote the rhythm of a hook or melody while changing it's pitches? Absolutely, but you knew that yes? This is perhaps a bit trickier that quoting melodies, which of course include their rhythm. Advanced players often glue their extended soloing with rhythmic quotes, gradually evolving or metamorphosing the rhythm as the move through their solo. Easy to say ... but a real bear to keep track of while soloing in real time.
Cool? Comments / questions?
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