Taking liberty with standards' melodies

[larryb]

I know I can do whatever I want to do when playing solo (that is, not accompanying a singer or in a band situation), but I'll just ask for perspectives on this. If I am playing jazz standards, is it "ok" to take liberties with the timing of the melody line diverging from the original. Is it mostly about capturing the overall feel of the song, or even changing the feel to what I want? For example, when I hear (and play....yeah, almost there) Laurence Juber's "All of Me," he is moving pretty far away from the original melody line in timing and even in leaving out and adding notes. But it's still instantly recognizable as "All of Me."

In other words, is interpreting a tune and creating an arrangement that adds, subtracts notes and messes with the timing ok as a solo performance?

Again, I know I'm free to do what I want, but is this a musically acceptable practice?

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by larryb

…If I am playing jazz standards, is it "ok" to take liberties with the timing of the melody line diverging from the original.

Hi lb…

When my gigging partner and I mess around with melodies, it's called 'improvising'. We do it all the time for the sake of interest and variety.

If you don't audiences limit themselves to the 'golf-clap' or they call your performances nap-time (or time to catch up on smartphone texts).

Capturing the feel of a piece is pretty important as well. Establishing a style and sticking to it, while improvising is musical maturity.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by larryb

I know I can do whatever I want to do when playing solo ...

Originally Posted by larryb

Again, I know I'm free to do what I want, ...

About summed it up yourself.

Whatever is tasty. Melody wise if you want to be audience acceptance safer establish the melody clearly at the start, do your variations, return to the melody. Timing is even more open if you can fit the melody line into it.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by larryb

I know I can do whatever I want to do when playing solo (that is, not accompanying a singer or in a band situation), but I'll just ask for perspectives on this. If I am playing jazz standards, is it "ok" to take liberties with the timing of the melody line diverging from the original. Is it mostly about capturing the overall feel of the song, or even changing the feel to what I want? For example, when I hear (and play....yeah, almost there) Laurence Juber's "All of Me," he is moving pretty far away from the original melody line in timing and even in leaving out and adding notes. But it's still instantly recognizable as "All of Me."

In other words, is interpreting a tune and creating an arrangement that adds, subtracts notes and messes with the timing ok as a solo performance?

Again, I know I'm free to do what I want, but is this a musically acceptable practice?

Well, if Juber can get away with it.... (have the Jazz Police come to arrest him yet? )

Seriously, you've hit the nail on the head: "it's still instantly recognizable as "All of Me." - that's the trick, to not deviate so much that the tune disappears. It means you need to know the tune intimately, so you can relax into it, feel how the phrasing works and how much it can be stretched (the same as a singer would).

Of course, that's only in the "head" (the opening statement of the melody, and when you restate it at the end). In the solos, you can deviate as far as you like .

Still, improvisation begins with "embellishment of the melody". That process can begin during the head, it just stretches further in the solos; but it's good to have some continuity there, rather than have head and solos totally unconnected (head fixed, solos random).