Narrative Essay and Reflection: Highlighting The Process of My Jazz Musical Career and Preparations

Edwarné Woodley-Gift

Department of English, CUNY City College of New York (CCNY)

FIQWS CP2

Professor Conroy

November 10, 2022

Narrative Essay

What is Jazz Music? A Musical Journey on How I Prepared for My first Jazz Performance!

Music an important part of my life, when I think about music, I can almost imagine notes and sequences based on the sounds produced. Additionally, every genre of music gives a different feeling and emotion towards the listener, but why?  Music is so powerful that everyone can find something they like and would enjoy listening to but why? For me, I believe it was Jazz music, especially big band music with the instrument of the saxophone having the most emphasis in the musical piece.  In addition, to being a musician in both Classical and Jazz music, I chose to focus on Jazz music because I am very passionate about playing the saxophone and the History of Jazz music. After studying for several music examinations throughout my musical career since I was six years old Jazz music has always seen to be different to classical and mainstream popular Pop music.  This particular reason is why, I chose to highlight my experience while playing jazz music.

The intended audience for this piece would be musicians and persons who enjoy music or are interested in listening to music. During reading this piece I would like the audience to feel comfortable, and calm while questioning the idea of them preparing to play Jazz for the first time. But why play Jazz, and what type of instrument would you play? What kind of piece would you play? Where would you perform? Only on the journey of playing or listening Jazz can one be able to tell!

 Constantly, listening to my mother play jazz music allowed me to engage in music classes in the piano, saxophone and steel pan. While being a part of these classes I constantly got the chance to engage in the jazz subculture even more as I got older. Particularly, while preparing for my first jazz performance. The preparations for this performance were just as challenging like an exam, as it was the first time, I played a solo jazz piece on my own without any accompaniment. I was extremely nervous and shy because the audience I was playing for was experienced in the jazz subculture, so the expectations were high. Myself being a two-year saxophonist at the time, I was extremely terrified as many popular saxophonist and clarinet players were playing at the time of the concert. The piece was given was entitled “My Favorite things” and music was always my favorite thing to play!  However, playing Jazz was very different when compared to playing classical music, I usually played at the time, nevertheless I was up for the challenge!

After weeks of practicing and constantly listening to various jazz pieces, I began to notice a pattern in all the jazz pieces. The pieces all had a similar smooth, rich and melodic tone unique to jazz music. This similar sound and pattern gave me the rhythm and idea of how I should perform while playing my piece , giving me the little moves and swings to dance with while playing. These little tips gave me the idea of me being able to play Jazz music and sound like a professional player. I felt confident as I was finally able to play with my gold saxophone in front of a large crowd.

Constantly practicing on my saxophone, I realized that jazz music not only sounded similar while being played but a unique art existing within the musical genre . The method used by the players; switching between keys constantly and having the correct finger positions at the right times were not easy. Along with proper breathing control and techniques used to play the right notes on the saxophone. This became extremely challenging upon playing lower notes such as middle C which required all 6 keys and additional side key  and high D  which required me to use three side keys at once. Practicing was no joke while being a jazz musician as this became a part of my daily routine in my days of high school.

An image displaying my gold Alto Saxophone , I played Jazz music with . (2016). photograph.
The photo above shows the saxophone I practiced while preparing for my concert.

 During the night of the performance playing the piece made me feel like a professional saxophonist as the sharp staccato notes were played with precision, giving it a smooth but sharp sound on the low notes. Also, the movements done to reach from the low to high notes were smooth and clean. Moreover, during my performance I followed a sequence of steps to add feeling and meaning to my piece.

Dreamstime. (n.d.). Saxophone player/ai. photograph. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-image-saxophone-player-ai-image2223491. Similar to the one in the picture above.

vexels ]. (n.d.). Musician playing saxophone silhouette PNG Design. photograph. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://www.vexels.com/png-svg/preview/149956/musician-playing-saxophone-silhouette. . Similar to the one in the picture above

After playing the piece I bowed and everyone in the audience clapped and cheered, like a football game. I felt excited by receiving these cheers. After this performance, I knew my hobby for playing jazz music had just begun. Sometimes I look back at the night and questioned if would I have received the same applause, if I had played the piano or even did a twist and played the Steel pan? What would have happened if I chose another type of piece, such as a piece without such rich, sharp and heavy notes? Why did the audience enjoy Jazz, and what made the saxophone special for this piece?

That night I questioned if I had understood the jazz quote “If a jazz musician plays someone else’s song, he has a responsibility to make a distinct & original statement.” by (Todd Boyd, p.2).  At the night of the concert, I created my own emphasis to the piece, I was playing giving it my own style. After the night, I played my first jazz piece at a concert I never looked at Jazz the same again.

Bibliography

The citation for the online image source can be found below.  The picture of the alto saxophone was taken by me during the preparation for the event.

An image displaying my gold Alto Saxophone , I played Jazz music with . (2016). photograph.

Dreamstime. (n.d.). Saxophone player/ai. photograph. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-image-saxophone-player-ai-image2223491.

Jazz quotes – quotations about jazz. A Passion for Jazz! (n.d.). Retrieved November 21, 2022, from https://www.apassion4jazz.net/quotations2.html

vexels ]. (n.d.). Musician playing saxophone silhouette PNG Design. photograph. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://www.vexels.com/png-svg/preview/149956/musician-playing-saxophone-silhouette.