[TPIN] ANALYZATION/MASTERY/GREAT ART - and Leon - out of Lurk mode

[Vaxtrpts at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/16/2007 8:29:13 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
manderson at okcu.edu writes:

I can't  agree.. Some of these things are all skills and there is a big
difference.  We often misuse the word "art." I'm a fly fisherman and people
talk about  the "art of flyfishing." Its no more art than a worm under a
bobber. It  does require considerably more skill though and it can sometimes
appear to  be visually artistic, but it is all skill and knowledge.

Composing,  improvising and interpreting music is art. Playing the trumpet is
not.  Craft is skill. Creating something original is art. I even think that
the  large majority of music interpretation is a skill not an art. Its a  fine
line and I'm not always sure where it crosses from skill to art. For  some it
never, ever crosses. They play a passage like they have heard it  done or
have been taught to play it by rote. Even in jazz... Until the  improviser is
improvising music that isn't parroting some other player they  are learning a
skill and engaging in a craft.

Good teaching is an  art. In fact, I feel that I am engaged more as an artist
when I am teaching  than when I am playing and I play over 200 gigs a year.
I'm rarely creative  in my orchestra gig. I'm rarely creative on any gig
other than solo  recitals and even then the interpretation is a combination
of skill and  art. 

Mastery is about developing skill. "telling your story" and  "expressing
yourself" through what you are playing is where the art comes  in and it
doesn't happen that often.



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Forgive me for quoting most of Michael's message, but FINALLY - at least  for 
me - the definitive answer to all these dozens of posts on this  subject.  
Yes, analysis has to be a PART of the process of learning, but  way too many 
trumpet players stop there.  They never get past HOW to play  the trumpet and 
don't find the upper reaches of learning, which should  include how to play 
MUSIC!  And yes - agreeing with Michael Anderson, I  feel that I am at my creative 
"best" when improvising a solo, even though the  most "fun" is playing lead 
trumpet.  
Here is where I will make my nod to Leon.  I too will miss him very  much, 
but I consider my life better for having known him.  We had many  wonderful 
talks about the "old days" on the road, and he would always remind me  that he was 
already traveling on busses while I was still in diapers.  What  a wonderful 
life he had!
One of my favorite exchanges of the many that we had over the years, was  off 
list about TPIN.
It was during one of the "over analyzation" on going threads that do  happen 
sometimes.  He said: "Why do some of these people keep playing the  trumpet?  
With all the emphasis on how to play and what not to do, and  no talk about 
making music, how can they be having any fun at all?"  That  was Leon!
So - I do hope that no one will think that I am "lording it over" the rest  
of you because I am so "famous...."
(Speaking of which, I don't consider myself "famous."  Chuck Mangione,  
Maynard Ferguson, Wynton Marsallis and Chris Botti are "famous."  I'm just  another 
trumpet player out there trying to make a living, but hoping that I am  
helping turn on young people to music with my clinics and concerts.)
As I have said before, I do enjoy this list and as someone said during the  
Bozo episode, I TOO have learned things from the rest of you.
Mike Vax



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