[Harp-L] I've been asked to sit in.

["John F. Potts" <hvyj@xxxxxxx>]

Rick,

As a non-jazz player who has been asked to sit in with jazz bands  
quite a bit lately, let me share a couple of suggestions and ideas.   
First, if all these guys read and are competent musicians, they're  
not going to call you up on a tune that's over your head or which  
modulates through more than one key or which has changes you can't  
handle on a diatonic  harmonica.  Odds are, they'll play something  
with blues changes or an R&B feel for you to play on. There's plenty  
of jazz material like that. If you can't handle minors, be sure they  
know that BEFORE you go up.

You can get quite a bit of mileage out of the blues scale or minor  
pentatonic scale that you probably use for soloing in second  
position.  Unless it's a straight blues tune, you can usually play  
the 6th degree of the scale (blow 5 and blow 2) more freely in jazz  
than you would do when playing blues (it's not in the blues scale),  
and you may not always  bend as much. I assume your friend has heard  
you play and has some idea of your capabilities.  Trust him to select  
material that you can improvise on. If necessary ask him ahead of  
time what material he thinks you can handle.

Sometimes it's easier to improvise around a melody than it is to play  
the melody accurately.  So, if you can't play the head accurately,  
LAY OUT, and come in later with fills or when it's your turn to  
solo.  This is especially important if the melody is recognizable.   
Be sure to get the "groove" or rhythmic feel of the piece.  Jazz  
groove is a little different than blues or rock or folk and it is  
very important to play in the groove, especially if you are  
melodically weak.  Note PLACEMENT and PHRASING are extremely  
important even if your note selection is not the best.  So get the  
"feel" of the material down. This is extremely important.

i play in 5 positions, so i get around on a diatonic a little better  
than most, even though i don't OB.   But,  unless the band is in a  
minor key, I tend to use second position regularly when playing with  
jazz groups.  It can work. The most important thing is the band's  
willingness to select material that can be handled on a diatonic  
harmonica, and if they aren't willing to do this, they wouldn't be  
asking you to sit in.

For all you real jazz players, I realize there's a whole lot more  
involved with playing jazz than the foregoing very basic PRACTICAL  
suggestions.

Hope this helps.

JP