[TPIN] Chet Baker entire recording My Funny Valentine

[William Graham]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dean Betts" <fdbetts at mindspring.com>
To: "William Graham" <weg9 at comcast.net>; <jontrimble at suddenlink.net>; 
<tpin at tpin.okcu.edu>
Sent: Saturday, December 02, 2006 3:04 PM
Subject: Re: [TPIN] Chet Baker entire recording My Funny Valentine


> This is the way a jazz musician plays a tune.  The idea is to improvise 
> over
> a set of chord changes.  I wouldn't call it a "takeoff on 'My Funny
> Valentine'".  It is an improvised, at liberty (ad lib), rendition of the
> tune.  Accuracy in reciting the melody and especially the rhythmic 
> notation
> (exactly as written) is a not priority for many jazz musicians.

I understand that. But accuracy in reciting the melody" is MY priority. 
Unless (of course) the performer is actually improving on the melody. In my 
opinion, most jazz performers do not improve on the original melody, and 
this is why I am not particularly enamored of the genre.
    You may not call it a "takeoff on the tune", but that's what they called 
it in my youth, and I still call it that. - I am 71 years old, and while 
there have been some improvements in the language, I don't see any reason to 
think there is anything wrong with that expression. To me, modern jazz is 
just a radical takeoff on an original tune which is seldom better than the 
original tune was. Those who like it have told me that it is a takeoff which 
is much more interesting than the original because it is new, and they are 
bored with the original tune. - You are welcome to give me a different 
definition.