playing behind the beat

[shazzo]

my sax teacher says i often play behind the beat, e.g. like dexter gordon, lester young, sonny rollins, zoots sims etc.
i've tried changing to be more "modern", but sometimes i just play what i feel, and do something sonny-ish or dexter-ish...this isnt bad right?
i'll still work on being more modern, trane-ish type of playing but it's hard because i'll just play and practice what i like...and sometimes what i like are 'behind the beat' stuff... :lol: .

what do you guys think? am i a bad player for sticking to some 'old' formulas? :) is there still a place for me in the jazz sax world? hehehe

[MattC]

I don't think there's anything wrong with it at all!!! Now, if you said that you could ONLY play behind the beat, then there would be a problem. But if you are choosing to play that way because that's what you hear inside and feel, well then that's just you finding your own voice, IMHO.

As far as comercial viability goes (and I'm saying this as a former bass player who hasn't played professionally in many years so take it with a boulder of salt) you probably need to be able to play a variety of ways in a variety of styles. This is sometimes counter to finding your own sound - in the end you choose what is most important to you.

[gary]

I don't believe playing on, before or after the beat are particularly "old formulas", or new ones. There were plenty of players the same vintage of Dexter who played on or before the beat.

I agree that if you can play on and before the beat and are playing behind the beat as a matter of controlled choice, not because you are playing late cause your execution is slower than your ideas, then it should be OK. Why did your teacher bring it up. Was that just an observation or a criticism?

[Saxturtle]

Never apologize for playing behind the beat. This is a great way to avoid the real sin of most Jazz wannabes: RUSHING. Stay behind the beat and keep everything cool. The monkey with the drum dictates the tempo, not you :lol:

[shazzo]

wow, thanks guys. well, my teacher just commented on that thru his observation of my playing. frankly, i play better outside than i do in class. i'm nervous when i'm with him, feels like i have to prove something...when i'm out on gigs, i'm pretty cool and relax and just let everything come out as it is. i dont really worry about bump notes etc., just let it flow. but when i'm in class, i'm a little too careful... :shock:

[colibri]

When you're playing Latin jazz, you'd have to be on top of the beat. In other words, in certain styles it is wrong to lay back.