I was discussing building solos with a friend today, that is starting with simple ideas and really building the excitement. I though I would mention three that I can think of that really exemplify this:
>Kenny Garrett's solo on Human Nature from the album Miles Davis: Live around the World
>Michael Brecker's solo on Sara's Toucn from Steps: Smokin in the Pit
>Lenny Pickett's solo on Knock Yourself Out from Tower of Power's Live and in Living color.
Does anyone have any other listening suggestions for this type of solo or things to think about when improvising.
In order to add more to your repertoire you need to practice new ideas. For example, I have been working on symmetric cycles from Bob Crawford's book for a while and, though I have only tipped the iceberg on this type of playing, it is startng to come out in my playing. I am strating to hear the substitutions. This goes for anything. After you practice new ideas for a while, they start to become a part of your playing.
When you are working on new ideas and concepts, I have found that you have to get a start simply. For example: when I practice the summetric cycles I just play 1,3,5, and 7 on each chord of the cycle to get it under my fingers and then when I gt comfortable with the cycle in a given key, I try to improvise only using 1,3,5, and ,7 to creat lines. I find that it helps to practice with a play along to make sure you hear how the cycle sounds against a given set of changes, or key. You will find that by doing this you are isolating the new concept and and learning to work with it.
As you learn new ideas, whether it be from a book, a solo you have transcribed, or something a buddy showed you, etc. You need to work with it exclusively for a while in order to get comfrtable with it. Then try improvising using only the new idea and forcing yourself to not use you normal ideas and then work it in with your normal improvisation.
