Improv vision

A talk with Greg Abaté,
road warrior

by Michael Caito

Greg Abaté

Though the new record is titled Broken Dreams (Seaside), there are numerous dreams still intact for veteran alto player and composer Greg Abaté. An imminent tour through Colorado, Texas and California and numerous clinics co-sponsored by Selmer, makers of his saxophones, will again place him in front of a national audience. Closer to his Cranston home, he's still instructing at the Music School, and among his high-energy bebop/Latin vibe-o-rama gigs, classes and a trip to his lawyer's office we managed to muckle him for a root beer at the Cable Car. The new record review can wait a little; suffice it to say that Abaté, who says he has more or less committed to alto these days, seems poised for a breakthrough. His life, with wife, kids plus hectic tour itineraries and composing deadlines, leaves only the rare morning to actually write. "I feel fresher then," he said, gobbling down a sandwich. "My wife says my most creative times are those immediately following a lot of stress. Coming down off that, I guess, makes the energy fresher."

So the journey continues . . . .

Greg Abaté:The next tour starts October 9 in Denver -- a day clinic at the Lamont School of Music, a live broadcast on KUVO then three-night stand at El Chapultepec. Then another clinic at University of North Colorado, then a trip to San Francisco. Numerous college clinics then some jazz clubs. High school clinics, too. Then it's the Texas Jazz Festival [in Corpus Christi.] Thirteen or 14 clinics total, plus concerts.

Q: Which do you prefer?

A: Both -- festivals and clinics branch off into education for young people. That keep the arts alive, because obviously the government doesn't help, and Idon't mind if you quote that either. I'm trying to keep education going about the art form of jazz.

Q: So you see clinics as vital in jazz education?

A: If someone like Dizzy Gillespie was doing a festival today, they would probably hire him to do a clinic. What an experience that would be, having someone like that talk to you. I teach very minimal classes at the Music School . . . improv and an ensemble.

Q: How does one teach improvisation?

A: You're teaching structure of harmony and theory to apply to a student's technical abilities. It's mechanical at first, and after you go through maybe 10, 15 years of being mechanical you start to get an idea of what it is to play jazz. Improvisation is going to the direction of playing jazz, because if you're just an improvisor you're basically premeditating something to play on something.

Q: So without these years of "mechanics" you can't start?

A: Unless you're an absolute natural. I'm still learning, playing with different people. So no, if you're not born with great ears and good technique -- and most are not. Some have better tendencies to get better than other people. Lester Young, for example, knew more about theory than maybe Dizzy Gillespie did. Dizzy had more of a harmonic sense. Most of the great players that we follow were mostly instinctive -- great ears with natural ability.

Q: Would Monk fall into that?

A: He wasn't technically in-depth like Bill Evans or McCoy Tyner or Kenny Barron. Monk would be one in that sense of a natural player. I don't know how good a teacher he would've been, but to improvise, you have to know what language you're talkin'. Without that you can't say anything. The language of improvisation comes from learning the scales and chords and how to put things together. When Iteach I try to show examples of this, applied to standards. I'm doing an improvisation to jazz for a CD for Jazz Player magazine.

Q: Dan Moretti did one of those too.

A: That was a "Play-Along," this is a "Master Class." I did a "Play-Along" a while back with a Hammond -- Diamond Centofante was on keys, Kenny Hadley on drums.

Q: I've been listening to a lot of early Cuban jazz lately, from the '40s and '50s. A parallel path to other Latin-based jazz forms, but definitely with its own flavor. Agreed?

A: I think they have their own sound. People go there to study -- Harvey Schwartz, who I'm involved in another Blue Chip/DAMusic CD with, goes there and studies Cuban music. The bass player he studies with is half his age. Eighteen or 20 years old and he's teaching Harvey.

You asked how do you teach someone to improvise. If you've played an instrument for, say, five years, hear a record and try to imitate that you may be able to do it. But sitting down with a teacher there, they'll point out the scales and tell you that you can put the notes anywhere you want, and you have the freedom to do intervals the way you want. That's the open door to a whole other world. If you don't know what to do, you limit yourself. There are lots of things Ican still learn, too -- theory points, things that are relative to the same family.

Q: After decades of playing, is it harder to pick up new things in terms of improvising? Not saying this is the case, but you know . . . old dog, new tricks?

A: Thanks, Mike. You get confidence, but you still have to learn. I do, everybody I've known does -- even players who have been out there longer than Ihave. First time I did the Lionel Hampton Festival in Idaho, Paquito D'Rivera's room in the hotel was next to mine. I'm hearing him play my "Play-Along" from Jazz Player, and I'm thinking this guy's putting me on. But he told me that he really digs those songs.

Q: The new record will be represented at the Pelham gig?

A: I've been stretching my playing -- more and better ideas and hoping that I can get some of that captured on my next recordings. I feel that [in] all the recordings I've done, they've been kinda sterile.

Q: C'mon!

A: I really believe that. The sound of the instrument, the recordings, I don't think that there's a true representation of how I actually play.

Q: Why? Nerves in the studio? Natural development?

A: All factors. Rushing. Rush sessions, having an engineer's mike placement that doesn't really capture your sound. The Seaside CD [Broken Dreams], the one after the Blue Chip with the Kenny Barron Trio, I recorded in Boston with Peter Kontrimas. That came out a little more free. He did a great job.

Q: Have you considered self-producing, or do you need another set of ears in the booth?

A: I think you do. It's better if the band's tight and we know each other and you can just play. I've played with a lotta major names, but we didn't really know each other well enough.

Q: What the hardest thing to teach kids?

A: To take the horn out of the case. To teach them how to practice. But to teach them how to play jazz is very hard, because you can't teach that, and I think that's what you meant about improvisation, right? In the dictionary "improvisation" means to make something happen by using means you don't have. Makeshift. Jazz is elusive. You don't have a good definition. It's slang and yet it means something . . . a word that describes something we can't put our finger on. If I'm playing a solo and I'm thinking about something, really, before I play it, it's not really jazz. I can do that to be entertaining or maybe to put a quote in. If a quote comes out and it just happens -- it's not premeditated -- that's jazz. To play something that's fresh, that you're playing without thinking about it, when you forget technical aspects and you're on autopilot. That's what I think jazz is.

Q: You mentioned earlier that some classical players don't hold jazz in high regard -- how many deem it "having fun with music."

A: They don't think that it's legitimate. "There's no music reading and you're just playing notes." But those notes must come from somewhere -- from a theoretical background -- to be able to play a solo. Also, the time always has to be cookin'. You can't play random notes in time -- it's gotta always have that swingin' and boppin' feel. Just like a waltz, it has to have time.

It takes skill to do anything that's creative, just like it takes hard work to play classical flute or violin or cello. It can be fun for the player who's into the music he or she's into. I play and can read classical music. I don't have the drive to be reading music all the time. Ineed to be playing melodies and writing.

The Greg Abaté Quartet (with Paul DelNero, John Grieco and Boris Octagon) performs at Pelham on Saturday night.

STARS & BARS. Melvins arrive, as do the altered Fighters of Foo. We're in the midst of the Tuesday Action Speaks series at AS220, and the resounding Africa in Concert fest arrives at Vets Aud. For quicker paper picker-uppers, a reminder that tonight (10/2) finds John Hammond joined by the inimitable Paul Geremia. Blues cognoscenti recognized Geremia's latest, Live from Uncle Sam's Backyard, as a live gem. If you thought he sounded good in Minnesota, imagine what'll happen here. Radio Kings keep the R&B swinging at the Call on Friday; eyes open for rockabilly legend Sonny Burgess there on October 18 with Jack Smith & the Rockabilly Planet opening. Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters play the night before. Michael Corcoran and Margie Wienk of Difference Engine celebrate their new release (featuring the wondrous track "Proverosa") in the same place this Sunday. The Met Cafe has Purple Ivy Shadows/Alley Sway on Friday and Abdoul Doumbia's palpitating percussive work on Saturday, while the Schemers re-group at Lupo's on Friday. Geri Verdi will be breaking glass and kickin' a** at the Green Room (cost: nil) Saturday. Don't forget Monday is live jazz night at Jerky's, though on this particular Monday most everyone in New England will be hoping that Tedy "Where's My" Bruschi blindsides Elway so hard that Number 8's nipples fall off. Sorry. 5-1, meet 5-0.