Jazz... on the Viola??

[@全くの積木玄人]

i'm Japanese undergraduate student and I'll start viola in my university's orchestra. i dream of playing jazz by viola. i'll enjoy playing viola!i can't wait!

[@audrey829sj8]

This is my first time seeing violist playing jazz as well, I personally think that the tone and range of viola is very suitable for jazz. (Also because viola is my fav string instrument ;D) Maybe you could search for more jazz tunes by using this key word: Jazz standards.

[@ViolaKing]

I found some free standards on the internet so there might be quite a few jazz viola tunes coming out on my channel soon

[@abigails.3639]

great introduction to this InTrEsTiNg topic

[@PabloCardonaMusic]

Look up Les Violons de Bruxelles, there's a viola in the band who often takes solos, comps and plays the melody. They play old style of jazz, all acoustic and their arrangements are extraordinary.

[@scottyscott2722]

I actually did jazz viola in high school!! We competed in a jazz competition and I got a distinguished soloist award! Obviously, did not sound anything near as amazing as those you shared! You really have to have a technical mastery for great improv, but I loved the topic! Took me back to the stressful times learning and memorizing all the more complicated heads😂🤕

[@ViolaKing]

That’s awesome! I wish I had played jazz in high school

[@scottyscott2722]

@@ViolaKing the teacher was SUPER strict on us💀💀💀 but it was fun!!

[@figura2000]

Look for ''Tcha Limberger - Gypsy Jazz Viola'', "still tuesday'' by katrine wreede ''Benni Von Gutzeit - Goodbye Pork Pie Hat - Reharm (Piano / Viola)"

[@asaqvarnstrom3465]

Thank you for these recommendations! I'd like to recommend jazz alto saxofonist Johnny Hodges.

[@robertbrawley5048]

There used to be a guy on KZbin that taught jazz violin and he was terrific. But he is long gone I need a replacement. Please take it up so your channel can be my favorite

[@LilyViolaMandola]

I love that you covered jazz viola! I’ve been too scared for almost a decade to dive into jazz viola. I love listening to jazz and jazz hip hop, so thankfully I recently got over that fear. I don’t know where learning jazz music will take me but I’m excited! I started jazz lessons a week ago! I’m so glad I came across your video today. It’s comforting to know other classical violists are interested in jazz viola and respect the idea of jazz viola. I listen to violin jazz because it’s the closest thing to viola. I find a lot of jazz violinists listen to sax players and other jazz instrumentalist to learn the language... naturally. Here’s Zack Brock’s jazz violin Spotify playlist that he made for his students: open.spotify.com/playlist/15zfRyZbOJNX6q52tD7fGG?si=3Pl_DUbST1aGg7POaxDeKw Personal jazz violin favorites: -Grappelli -Stuff Smith (1930’s) Contemporary jazz violin favorites: -Zack Brock. Check out his solos with snarky puppy and also his trio. He’s a beast. -Adam Baldych Here are some of my favorite jazz musicians from various eras: -Oscar Peterson -Ella Fitzgerald -Coleman Hawkins -Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond - Miles Davis -John Coltrane -Joshua Redman -Roy Hargrove -Robert Glasper -Esperanza Spalding That’s what I’ve been listening to lately. I could go on, but I’ll stop there. Haha. Good luck on your jazz journey! ❤️❤️❤️

[@CutiePieZphi]

Check out Regina Carter if you haven’t already

[@elisabetevegins]

Hi James, unfortunately there aren’t many jazz violists so we must learn from the violinists. There are two modern ones that I particularly like: Jason Anick and Christian Howes. The last one does lots of events for creative strings, mostly in the US and it’s open to viola and cello. Have fun!!

[@keljive8619]

It makes my heart happy that you found these vids. Lifelong trombone performer here, I picked up viola two years ago and one of the first studies I did was on Grappelli videosJust a suggestion if you read treble clef try the Jamey Aebersold approach for jazz improv. He has a different scale approach than most classically trained string players I have met. Thanks for dropping your video. 😊

[@SebastianPeszko]

Thank you for including our perfomance in your video. I like your channel, just subscribed. All best to you!

[@dgunde13gunderson78]

Hey Thanks, seems I should have seen or heard of SG playing jazz on viola!!!! We were able to get tickets to see him toward the end in Van BC! Douglas viola, piano, organ guitar, recorders and poet of SD CA

[@karinvasu3005]

eye opening video

[@Gigglingsiren]

I play the viola recreationally. This is my first time hearing jazz on a viola. They fit together like puzzle pieces. Now, I want to know how to learn jazz on the viola. Are there books?

[@elissahunt]

The first piece (Grapelli playing) is "Sweet Georgia Brown". (Just thought you might like to know.) I think you would enjoy listening to some of the great saxophonists. Alto sax is about the same range as viola. My husband (who majored in jazz and played professionally for 26 years) suggested these guys off the top of his head: Paul Desmond, Cannonball Adderly, Phil Woods, Charlie Parker, and Lee Konitz. Of course, there are literally hundreds of amazing jazz saxophonists. These are just to get you started.

[@ViolaKing]

Thank you so much (and to your husband)! I’ll listen to all of these

[@UrsulaSkaug]

Hey! You should really check out violist Oene van Geel, he won the Boy Edgar Prize some years ago (National Jazz Oeuvre Prize of The Netherlands). He composes in a more funky/later period jazz style than the works you mentioned. Love your channel, keep up the viola-tastic work! :)

[@jankowelt2790]

You have to check out Stringsville by Harry Lookofsky. He was a concertmaster of a professional orchestra and plays both violin and viola in this album. Its crazy good.

[@Lamadesbois]

And even the tenor violin!

[@kerberosdelhades]

Great video. Thanks for the deep research and the thorough approach. Keep up the amazing work!

[@beefstroganoff1774]

My high school orchestra teacher had us play a short solo every quarter for a grade (about a page or a little less usually) and I play viola and she gave my group a piece of jazz and it wasn't that bad, in fact it was kinda groovy, but it was a little boring for me cause it was super easy

[@ViolaKing]

I can imagine sitting through everyone else’s solo and playing accompaniment would be a bit dull

[@beefstroganoff1774]

@@ViolaKing ah, for the performance for the grade we'd be called down individually, btw I love your video essays :)

[@sofiabuitron8329]

That's pretty S A C R E L I G I O U S jkjk I love the Viola and ur channel😄

[@songfulmusicofsongs]

So, I know a little bit about jazz. There are several genres in jazz, and I don't know which one would be more interesting for you. So here are a few suggestions. Charlie Parker. He was a bebop saxophonist. He has a lot of great solos, there are so many that I don't know what to say. Some of them are: A Night In Tunisia, Parker's Mood, All The Things You Are. John Coltrane. A hardbop saxophonist. Has several very good solos, such as Blue Train, Equinox, All Or Nothing At All, My Favorite Things, Body And Soul. Perhaps I forget some important ones. Stan Getz. Has a very distinct style. He was also a hardbop saxophonist, but also made some bossa nova. In my opinion his solos on Garota De Ipanema and Insensatez are very good (not sure if they are the best). Another important name is Johnny Hodges. He was a saxophonist in Duke Ellington's ensemble. He also has a lot, but anyways, there are too many to mention in just one comment.

[@ViolaKing]

Thank you so much, I’ll listen to all of these

[@viojoe11]

Dude I've totally seen your thumbnails before haha

[@janewoodside960]

Viola sounds great in jazz. Check out Turtle Island Quartet -they added a lot to the tradition of strings playing jazz. Also this article provides a great overview and people to listen too. www.jazzedmagazine.com/articles/guest-editorial/we-are-jazz-musicians-who-play-violin-not-violinists-who-play-jazz/Violin is more common in jazz but viola works just fine (and violins get strung with octave strings to get that lower strings sound)

[@ViolaKing]

Thanks, I’ll have to check them out!

[@claytonr.young-music912]

Here's a little playlist: music.kzbin.info/aero/PLHbhM5mM_S-OWKpz0FbNcsQtrI1CIuDHY

[@8Phoenix8]

I wish #twosetviolin had an appreciation for jazz.

[@chrismengos8379]

Do you think that viola size matters in a viola audition? thanks

[@hobbysatanist6667]

Look up Martin Stegner. Berlin Phil Violist who does a bit of jazz in his free time.

[@ViolaKing]

Sounds interesting, I’ll look him up

[@8Phoenix8]

Try Christian Howes he has good jazz videos.

[@paulgruen655]

Maybe try these things: learn the harmonic minor scale, and its 5th mode -- the "lydian dominant" mode. Learn the "chordal scales" -- e.g., for key of C, they would be: Cmaj7, Dm7, Em7, Fmaj7, etc. etc. Learn what "ii-V-I" and "iim7b5 - V - i" are. Learn what "functional dominant" or "secondary dominant" chords are in a song. Learn diminished 7 arpeggios and how they can be played over dominant 7 chords. Learn 9th and b9th chords and how one usually is implied but not the other. Learn to analyze the chord progression of a song and how the above concepts relate to it. It's not rocket science and it will give you a harmonic structure. Also, learn how swing rhythm is more than just bouncy rhythm (the weak spot in classical musicians' attempts at jazz).

[@androidkenobi]

Jesus could definitely hang around listening to jazz

[@djadams3356]

More like bluegrass but it still works

[@VR-Trooper]

It's not that different from jazz violin. Look up Gabe Bolkoski. He's great! Love Reinhardt!