How Quoting Jazz Standards in Your Solos Can Create Piano+Drums Connections!

---

Download the PDF for this lesson:

---

Check out this spontaneous rhythmic connection in my solo over “Like Someone in Love”. Keith knew where my phrase was going rhythmically because we share the same rhythmic language.

Language (both rhythmic as well as melodic for that matter) can come from melodies to tunes! This is yet another reason why it is so crucial to learn many tunes - because it contains so much jazz language that can inform both your soloing and comping.

When we reference a melody from a different tune in an improvised solo, this is referred to in jazz as a “QUOTE”. A quote is usually more exact without any variation to the melodic shape like I did here, but you can see here how the opening melodic phrase to the Miles Davis tune “FOUR” is the genesis of what led to this beautiful moment of rhythmic telepathy.

This excerpt is from “Like Someone In Love” (Jimmy Van Heusen) from the recent Bijan Taghavi Trio Residency at Cliff Bell’s (Detroit, MI). To watch the FULL cut, click HERE

Personnel: 
Bijan Taghavi (piano), 
John Webber (bass),
Keith Hall (drums)