jazz standards

I've been playing straight ahead jazz for about a month now and it is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding styles of music i've done for a while. I love hearing BOUT THE STORIES BEHIND TUNES PEOPLE ETC... EVERYTHING THAT GOES ALONG WITH JAZZ HISTORY. APPAREnTLY TUNES WERE PLAYED iN BRoADWAY SHOWS AND THEN AFTERWARD AT THE RESTAURANTS, BANDS WOULD PLAY TUNES FROM THEM. OOPS.
Anyway i am just having the time of my life. I feel like i am starting to get the nuances of the tunes; when to swing hard when to lay back and when to cut loose. A few tunes that I HAVE REALLY GROWN FOND OF PLAYING, A COUPLE SPECIAL Ones are; Have you met miss jones, Softly as in a morning sunrise,
All the things you are in 3/4, Freedom jazz dance is awesome fun i think it's an important tune tell me what tunes you really enjoy any stories etc.. go back and check out Ella and Louie together, I get it now they SET the STANDARD!!!
here is our set list;
All the things you are
Billie’s bounce
Have you met miss jones
Stars fell on Alabama
What Is This Thing Called Love
Softly as in a morning sunrise
Sweet georgia brown
Cissy strut
Invitation
The Nearness Of You
Magnolia triangle
Recorda me
Freedom jazz dance
Bright size life
Giant Steps
Corcovado
Central Park west
Beatrice
Dance Cadaverous
Red top
Sugar
Segment
Manha de carnival
Sandhu
Solar

I know exactly what you mean, Kenny.
There's a doorway and you go through
it and you see things that you thought
you knew were there and you find that
there is so much more than you thought.

Good on you, man!!

  

KENNY: congratulations, you have opened a treasure trove of ideas, a real gold mine. ENJOY AND LEARN!

Thanks guys. *I've played some jazz before but never really dug into like this before. I have a steady thursday night gig with the group, now it's my job! I have so much to get from this, first thing to work on; brushes! I'm already straightening out my bass drum work. A friend told me Blakey once had him put his ear right up to the bass drum. He played it so quietly he couldn't hear it but he could feel it! These young guys are amazing with their knowledge! This really fulfills my need to play with good players. I'm going back to the roots! "to turn to tradition IS progress" Listening non stop to the greats, today I checked out, Chet Baker. I'm making the ride cymbal all important. Now it's time to refine, lighten up, find new inspiration and take my time. This is a situation i can fall right into, the blues forms yet, they are much more than that! I always think they are going to resolve then there is another cadenza i wasn't anticipating because i didn't know the tune. I played west African music for 30 years yet, nothing prepares you for a Charlie Parker tune! There's so much information to absorb. I read a quote from the drummer for the rock band Steppenwolf of all places," Play what you KNOW is right." You can tell I'm Jazzed!

You've mentioned ride cymbal and bass drum. I'm curious what you are doing to get an authentic left hand happening. It seems the players of straight jazz all have a different attitude, technique, and voice when it comes to the left hand. The ride may vary a little but mostly it's ting, tinga, ting. Bass and hats 1/4 notes and accents. But the snare seems to have no common language for traditional jazz players. Some things I hear most players do, but they all seem to play things differently overall.

Good question! i think about this a lot. I listen and pick up things. Some times marking the one and down beats of measures on the snare is something i caught. Makes sense to help guide the tune and keep it together. Mostly I do a lot of ghosting with accents where ever i feel them. It seems kind of random and on off beats. One guy i need to really get into is Roy Haynes.  Maybe Billy can give us some basic tips on jazz drumming.
  The thing i had to get away from was a habit of keeping a pulse on the bass drum it sounded corny. In some types of music you want that but in jazz I want to keep it interesting. It's where my African studies come in for inspiration. Some keep a very soft pulse as I've seen, but I'm attracted to funky syncopated accents and patterns. I've looked at some you tube on the subject but it seemed almost strict in a sense and my playing is freer. I guess you just listen and pick up what you can and create your own style. Again, BILLY!
It's funny i listen back to my solos and think well it's somewhat impressive but it needs more form or shape to it. Mostly i want to incorporate more groove and also simplicity or less in a way. It's all a work in progress and always will be.