Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner - Non Classical Why Do You Practice Or Play Jazz Piano?

I received the most bizarre question other day that literally stopped me in my tracks. I would love to get your opinion on this guys. Let me explain…

I met a person the other day who asked me why I play piano. I mean on a simple level I play because it's fun and of course I also support my family through music. So, I told her that but she wouldn't accept any of those answers. She insisted there was more to it.

I think she was trying to ask a more deep question though…Like, why do you do what you do? Why piano? What's your desire there?

I sort of steered the conversation in another direction and we parted ways soon after but her question really got me thinking.

The reason I'm struggling with this is because I play because I always have….Like I drink coffee in the morning and I play piano…two mundane facts about my life.

I haven't questioned why I play or what my desire for doing this is in over 20 years I just feel far removed from that because it's so ingrained in my life at this point.


So, I thought it would be fun to open a dialogue here? For those of you who have are sort of new to piano or jazz...What do you want to learn jazz or play jazz? What desire does it satisfy for you?

If you've been playing awhile, are a semi pro, or a pro... what desire does playing or practicing jazz satisfy for you?

it's for the girls, Steve)

Ha Ha! Love it Dave.

I play little classical or jazz these days, just spontaneous creation of my own sounds via improvisation, most of which I record. All the simply stated reasons, while true, fall far short of adequate, as your friend implied. The words "dependable ecstasy" come to mind, but that is just an elaborate version of "enjoyment". To answer just for me, music is a true quest for beauty and mystical experience, to do with what Huxley called the visionary landscapes of the mind. Music has an effect similar to those visionary dreams we experience a handful of times in decades, and which alter the whole course of consciousness over a lifetime. Some people have none of them, some few and some many.

"Emotion" is also a totally inadequate word to describe my musical perception, and in any case the older I get, the less relevant emotion seems. "Total absorption in abstract beauty" is better, and certainly, music has to have beauty, at least to my ears, else I would sooner work in the garden; but it still fails to describe either the mental state during spontaneous creation or its effect on the listening mind; the magic, chaotic feedback loop, which generates an infinite series of effortless ideas. Certainly, at the best of times, the sensation is as if I am a spectator of something being channelled through me. I have heard other improvisers talk in roughly these same terms.

This is essentially a type of mystical experience, but it has a bonus, in these days of easy, high quality home recording, in that it can be largely recaptured during listening. I realised as a boy that I am musically far too solipsistic, far too individual in taste, to be a professional, although my teacher wanted me to be one.

I have no idea if this is the sort of answer you want, or if anybody else at all thinks this way. "Dependable ecstasy of mystical experience." It all starts to sound a cross between Aldous Huxley and Aleister Crowley once I try to explain it in English. Come to think of it, "music is a way I can be completely and harmlessly mad" isn't such a bad description either.

Ok, I admit to hitting the Google button for "solipsistic."

I think, , , if you play, eventually you'll get to Jazz. If you stay curious. If you're a searcher. Eventually, you'll find Jazz. As far as piano goes, it's my least skilled instrument. It still surprises me, and I really like that. I can get lost in the woods and most of the time find my way back. I take this to mean, that although im not much of a pianist, the head still belongs to a musician, and that's what matters. This re-affirmation, though I didn't try for it, is fascinating. Serendipity. It's a cool thing.

action is always the convergence of ability and desire.

It's the desire part that gets tricky.

Try to explain your desire for anything beautiful.

Forrest

Because I love music! I get a personal satisfaction from playing any instrument well and performing for others. Be it piano, mandolin, guitar or drums. I love the sound of many instruments. Piano was my gateway drug to the world of keyboards. I have a special place in my heart for each. My two main instruments are piano and guitar. They allow me to accompany myself or others singing, compose songs and relax after dealing with the logical world of computers systems and satellite atmospheric measurements. Plus my hobby pays for itself!

During the daytime I can be mild mannered NASA engineer, and at night Billy Joel Hendrix!

A rock musician plays 3 chords in front of thousands of people, a jazz musician plays thousands of chords in front of three people.

so why do I play jazz? Because I hate people.

It's good... because I like it.

I feel like jazz piano is an old art form that should be sustained throughout time.
Also, it's fun and everyone has their own personal way of playing, when they are alone or playing with others.
That's what I find really interesting, is how others (as in jazz pianists) play with a group. You can learn about someone when they make music with others. It's like looking into them.

... But it's fun to play songs your "own way".

Fabulous! You sound somewhat like my daughter who's not a musician, but has limited patience for the clueless among us.
For me jazz, or should I say my attempt to play jazz feeds the creative juices more so than any other musical form. The richness of the chords when you find the right ones, the rhythmic sensations, are very intoxicating. As for girls, well yes my girlfriend sort of melts when I play something interesting.

I grew up as a jazz snob, but I am really not a jazz player these days. Mostly boogie/honky tonk/blues. I practice jazz standards. I can't help but play piano. I don't know why.

The journey is the reward.

I enjoy playing some ragtime and jazz for enjoyment . . . Scott Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton in particular, and it is nice with this music to not be burdened with memories of negative experiences from persons who give me a hard time about not playing music exactly as it is in the published notation!


M.

A B natural in a classical piece [ key of F] may very well sound like a mistake....but not in an F blues scale. I like the voicings of jazz but it seems the pieces you may like the most you will ever find in accurate notation.....so you have to have a great ear to figure sound combinations. On the other hand if you read music well you can play anything that is notated. Overall I think the more diversity I can play the more I have a greater understanding of music.....and like Pablo Casals said at '90' years of age....I practice because I think I see progress...I love that.

rada

LOL

an excellent question, though

I love music. anyone who truly loves music instead of loving what music can do for himself - such as bringing chicks, money or applauses - eventually turns into a musician himself too.

regarding piano specifically, I've been in love with it ever since in my childhood I came close to one for the first time at my grandparents' house and, timidly, pressed one of the heaviest keys. That deep resonant metallic clang sounded so futuristic, straight from some SW sound effects. it was love at first listening...

'it was love at first listening...' and might I add , love at first touch.

rada

Honestly I feel that jazz is much richer, musically, than any other form of music. The harmonies, the chord progressions, the arrangements are more complex and more satisfying to my ear. And then there's the rhythms and the swing beat.

I picked up piano to help my sax playing, and as a 2nd instrument to play on the side for fun. Also it's nice to play an instrument that can be the whole band.

Other instruments I considered were the double-reeds, guitar, drums, and bass, but I chose piano as there was already one in the house, and I had used it before for doing things like arranging and playing chord progressions from lead sheets. Piano is the most universal instrument!

Also, because of what Sonny Rollins apparently said one time. A student says "Hey Sonny, give me one tip to become a better improviser". Sonny smiles and says "Play piano"

I could go on for ages. There are so many confusing and disputable facts in life, disagreement, worry, planning, unanswered questions (ha!), it's really an enormous tornado and for me music and the piano says "Know this. It's all here, everything you need is here." I believe that music is a better conveyor of emotion than words. A couple of months ago I had a terrible case of the flu and music was the only thing that made me feel better. I gave up on pain meds (didn't work!!!!) and listened to music. Music feels like my mother and father, my best friend, my lover, my shelter. Jack Kerouac aphorized it beautifully: "The only truth is music."
Some may disagree, but have you ever been able to disprove a song? I suppose that could go for art in general. However, with music, you don't have to see it to know it's there! My question would be, "Why do you NOT play piano (or other instrument)?"

EDIT: Missed the jazz part. I'm interested in jazz because...freedom.