“Perfection is the enemy of excellence” (...)
“Perfection is always one step away from perfection” (...)
“If I had waited to be perfect, I would never have written a word” (Margaret Atwood)

WHY PERFECTION IS THE ENEMY OF JAZZ

Everyone hopes to be perfect one day or another. To play with perfect intonation, perfect lines, perfect sound... but what if we thought instead that the very idea of perfection is what holds us back? This aspiration for perfection can not only damage our daily practice, but it can take away the fun and pleasure of discovery, the whole process of learning.

Playing jazz is one of the most individual pursuits we can embark upon. Think for a moment about Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans... each individual is completely original, unique.

But often the way jazz is taught is anything but individualistic, as if there were a “standard” way of playing and thinking about jazz, with universally accepted norms of what is “good” and what is “bad”. That every chord requires a certain scale, every instrument must sound a certain way, and every jazz musician must approach music in a similar way.

But the idea of perfection is exactly that: an idea, created and supported by those around us, by our influences, our teachers, friends, and above all, ourselves.

Over time, this idea of perfection in terms of sound, technique, and even what jazz itself is, tends to direct and limit the way we approach music.

HOW THE IDEA OF PERFECTION ARISES

We do not have this idea innate in our minds; at a certain point, we become curious to know what perfection might be...

We play jazz for the energy it gives us, because we feel carried away by the music, but as we continue with our study, analysis and rationalisation, the flame stops burning as it did before.

It all begins with our first obsession with one of our musical heroes...

Imitating, copying, and dismantling one of our favourite musicians piece by piece is essential to the learning process, but we often lose ourselves in the musician themselves, elevating them to such a level of greatness that we can never hope to achieve.

Our musical hero thus acquires this image of perfection in our minds, and everything we do with our instrument, from searching for tone to lines, phrases, and timing, must be measured against him. We have created this idea of the perfect musician, who does everything in the only “right way”, and we are very far from that.

But the idea of perfection does not stop there. As we study the technique, sound and repertoire of the instrument, an image of instrumental perfection emerges, where we fix in our minds what it means to have “great technique” or a “beautiful sound”, even though these are part of individual interpretation. For example, Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans both have great technique and beautiful sound, but they are completely different, to the point that they are recognisable from a single note or chord.

We go so far as to construct an idea in our minds of what it means to play jazz “perfectly”. We have this idea of jazz perfection, which dictates everything we do, from the songs we play, to the solos we transcribe, to our general attitude, to the very meaning of “being a jazz musician” or simply “being a musician”.

We create all these ideas of perfection – consciously or unconsciously – for one reason: to help us understand what we like and what we don't like, to bring us closer to our ideal, which could theoretically be something useful.

The problem arises when we are so attached to our idea of perfection that we reject our individuality, creativity, satisfaction and exploration, which leads us to become discouraged and lose interest.

It is this obsession with perfection that sends us straight into a wall, into a cage of limitations, destroying the very engine that should drive us to learn, with enjoyment as a rewarding experience.

So, how do we recognise this obsession and how can we overcome it?

HOW TO OVERCOME THE OBSESSION WITH THE ’PERFECT HERO”

Learning from our musical heroes is fantastic, and probably the most direct way to learn the language of jazz. By playing along to recordings of the masters, we absorb details that cannot be communicated verbally or on the written page.

Let us use our heroes to inspire us, to motivate us, to understand the inner workings of jazz improvisation. Let us use them to discover, define, and create our own musical personality.

However, if we feel that we are becoming obsessed, if we feel that we want to become like them rather than ourselves, it is time to look in the mirror.

3 STEPS TO FREE OURSELVES FROM THE OBSESSION WITH THE ’PERFECT HERO”

1. We are consciously different from our heroes. – Let's make decisions, choosing to play differently from our models. For example, if they play a piece in the high register, let's play it in the low register. If they play loudly, let's play softly. If they play fast, let's play slowly. Let's distance ourselves from their choices; it can help us discover our own.

2. Let us strive to create and define our musical ego – Let's get used to learning from our role models as if we were learning from ourselves. Let's ask ourselves, for example: What do I like best about their playing? What don't I like? What would I change? What can I add? We often take whatever they play as gospel, just because them They played it. Instead, let's build on what we like, forget what we don't like, and make the material we discover our own.

3. We experiment and we are confident – Let us constantly ask ourselves: how can I take what they are doing and go further?

We use what we learn from the masters to stand on the shoulders of giants, not to stand in their shadow.

We don't have to do things the same way as our role models. Their approach shows one way of doing things, amid a boundless landscape of possibilities. We learn from role models, but we make our own decisions about what kind of musician we want to become, consciously going against the grain.

HOW TO OVERCOME “INSTRUMENTAL PERFECTION”

One of the aspects of jazz improvisation that can easily captivate us is impressive instrumental technique. When we hear a bassist like Niels Pedersen or a saxophonist like Michael Brecker, we think, “I need to play like that! I need that technique!”.

Or sometimes it's a little more subtle.

When I started studying at the conservatory, I was taught that there were a number of skills that had to be mastered in order to be a good double bass player. For example, clean sound, impeccable bowing, adherence to the string, perfect intonation... and these are objectively necessary things. Other things, such as vibrating every note continuously, are not necessary at all and are part of an aesthetic that I consider totally anti-musical, even though they are accepted by most musicians.

Learning to play in tune with a clean sound, knowing scales and arpeggios, etc., is a necessary step and gives an idea of what it means to “have good instrumental technique”. It is a good starting point.

Often, however, this is not seen as a starting point, but as a set of rules that are more important than anything else, to be respected at all costs. As in the case of studying our models, we can easily become obsessed with achieving this technical instrumental standard. Play with perfect intonation, play with perfect technique, play with perfect sound.

There is a huge difference between spending time practising every day to improve your intonation and sound, and being obsessed with having to play the instrument perfectly.

In jazz, perhaps no one plays perfectly in the absolute sense, which is what a classical musician aspires to do. Often in jazz, the intonation is imperfect, the high register is a little shrill, or the articulation can be unclear.

Jazz is not perfect music. Our models are not perfect, and they often allow themselves to make mistakes.

Even though jazz musicians study hard every day to perfect their technique, intonation, sound, etc., during performances these aspects of music take a back seat to taking risks, telling a story, and creating “musical atmospheres”. These are elements of jazz that serve to communicate with the audience.

Do not fear mistakes, there are none (Miles Davis)

(Do not be afraid of mistakes, they do not exist)

Let's move beyond the (erroneous) notion that there is only one correct way to play our instrument, or that we are not allowed to make mistakes. We are playing jazz, not auditioning for the La Scala Orchestra...

3 STEPS TO FREE YOURSELF FROM “INSTRUMENTAL PERFECTION”

1. We are at our level – Everyone starts out as a beginner, that's a fact. Let's try to feel comfortable with our instrumental level, but let's also try to make continuous progress by improving our instrumental technique. We shouldn't feel frustrated if we can't play as loudly, or as fast, or as articulately as others. Technique and sound improve day by day, in small steps.

2. We have the right to make mistakes – Jazz is riddled with so-called “mistakes”. These are part of what makes this music great. We don't need to always play it safe. The goal is to improvise and be “on point”, so let's learn to “let go”, focus on our inner voice, take risks, and try to play what we feel inside. It's not about playing our instrument with absolute perfection, it's about expressing our inner voice, sending a message, telling a story.

3. We approach our instrument as a lifelong journey. – We have our whole lives ahead of us to improve our technique. It will never be a finished job, but something we work on every day and progress slowly. Let's take the time we need and make “sustainable” improvements.

Let us not be held back by the obsession with playing our instrument perfectly; we must learn to play improvised melodies and take solos with confidence. Instead, let us integrate technical exercises into our daily practice.

HOW TO OVERCOME “JAZZ PERFECTION”

What is jazz? If we ask 100 great musicians, we will surely get 100 different answers, but when we are learning to play jazz, it certainly won't seem that way.

Sometimes it seems that we have to think about what jazz is and play it in only one way – that we have to study a specific list of musicians, in a specific order, that we have to learn a specific language, play certain pieces, and approach jazz in a specific way, in order to be a “real” jazzman...

We must completely abandon the concept of what jazz is or could be.

“For me, the word jazz means I DARE YOU (W. Shorter)

“For me, the word jazz means I CHALLENGE YOU” (W. Shorter)

Some may tell us that we must be able to play funk, rock 'n' roll, salsa, and every aspect of jazz if we want to work, or that we must know thousands of songs, or a host of other possible myths, but the truth is that:

• There is no set of rules that musicians must follow to play jazz, and there is no single way to play it.
• There are many different types of gigs, including the option of inventing our own, and there is no single way to play jazz or work as a jazz musician today. It is up to us to decide what we want to do with music, what we like, and what direction we want to take.

If we feel oppressed by someone else's definitions of jazz, let's follow these steps to break free:

3 STEPS TO FREE OURSELVES FROM “JAZZ PERFECTION”

1. Let's resist dogmas about jazz – There is no single definition of jazz. Magazines, history books, teachers, and others try to define what it is, and what it needs to be in order to be jazz, but this is only their definition. A more suitable definition might be “A musical language constructed by jazz musicians of the past, continued and expanded in all sorts of directions, each of which is unique, and above all, a language that can take us anywhere.”.

2. Let's explore what jazz means to us – What does jazz mean to us? As we delve deeper into music, the answer to this seemingly simple question changes, just as our approach to music changes.

3. Let's take action Whatever jazz means at this point in our development, let's try to move in that direction. Let's not ignore the fundamentals, but let's try to incorporate our own way of seeing music. For example, if jazz means above all playing interesting melodies, or if it's syncopated rhythms or polyrhythms, let's move in that direction. Whatever it is, let's draw inspiration from it to guide our study. Jazz is certainly not one thing: it is not a stale art form that we find in history books.

TRUE PERFECTION: EMBRACE IMPERFECTION AND PLAY FROM THE HEART

Jazz is more than just imperfection than perfection. We must discover imperfection, accept it, and include it in our language.

To understand what this phrase means, let's listen to John Coltrane, for example: we can tell it's him from the very first note he plays, not because it's perfect, but precisely because it's not perfect at all. Just as we recognise the timbre of an instrument from the most imperfect thing, the thing most similar to noise: the attack transient. We recognise John Coltrane by his imperfections, the way he reaches the high register, some notes that are slightly out of tune, his articulation...

Imperfections are what define us and our voice.

This does not mean that we should not practise playing in tune, or with a beautiful sound, or with the right articulation. It means that by working to play in tune, with a beautiful sound and good articulation, we do not get stuck on the inevitable imperfections that may be in our playing.

Our musical heroes are not perfect, no one plays jazz perfectly, and no one can define exactly what jazz is. Perfection in jazz is an illusion, so let's stop punishing ourselves. Let's remember that our voice in jazz does not lie in an obsession with perfection, but in the inclusion of our imperfections through daily work of curiosity, interest, personal discovery, and enjoyment of music.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN: YOU HAVE TO BE YOURSELF (and that's it?)

Of course, there are those who take everything said above literally, but that does not mean that it is to their advantage. For some years now, certain television programmes have been repeating the same thing over and over again. “you have to be yourself” o “You have to be spontaneous.”. Most of the time, these ideas expressed in the television programme, when applied to the musical context, cause irreparable damage. In fact, singers are often out of tune or out of time, but their “coaches” tell them, “you have to be spontaneous”. The result is that dozens of young people who would like to study music think that to become musicians they must first and foremost be spontaneous, to the detriment of study, knowledge of theory, harmony, research, critical listening and knowledge of tradition. Furthermore, the musicians taken as role models are often very mediocre themselves, and taking a mediocre musician as a role model certainly does not contribute to the creation of a musical personality.

Furthermore, the phrase “it doesn't come naturally to me” is used as an excuse to cover up an inability to do something, or ignorance of certain improvisation techniques, or certain shortcomings such as poor rhythm, lack of clarity, etc.

Spontaneity is absolutely useless without knowledge.
Nowadays, the amount of information available for free is enormous, even excessive. Just type a name or a musical genre into YouTube and you will find millions of audio and video recordings. It even becomes difficult to choose a title. Here too, the need for a teacher comes into play, someone who can guide you in choosing the fundamental things and not waste time on trivial matters. Although wandering around at random can still lead us to discover something new, a targeted choice can help us progress. Whatever genre of music we want to play, there are some things that cannot be ignored. We cannot be good jazz musicians if we do not know A Kind Of Blue, just to give an example. We cannot study the double bass without knowing Charles Mingus, Paul Chambers, Ray Brown, Charlie Haden, Oscar Pettiford... but I would add that, whatever instrument we play, we cannot ignore great masters such as Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Lester Young, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Red Garland, Joe Pass, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, and many others. Or do we only play classical music? We cannot ignore the historical works of the greatest musicians of the past: Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, and a thousand others...

Or rather, we have every right to do so, but we will always be poor and ignorant musicians.

Unfortunately, television programmes such as X Factor have created a generation of aspiring musicians who have no idea what it means to be a musician. study an instrument, but on the contrary, they are convinced that they know almost everything about music. And above all, they are very spontaneous in expressing it.