Using Jazz for Classical practice...

[minona]

Hello, I've looked at many books on classical technique, and it just occurred to me while watching Art Tatum that it might be better and more exciting to learn Jazz riffs, runs and other improvisation materials to develop technique... even for classical players. At least then you are learning things that can be used creatively instead of boring exercises that bite away at your creative urges.

Some classical players insist that learning pieces is better than scales and arpeggios, since that is what you'll have to play in the end anyway.

Thoughts?

[indianajo]

There is no limit to the number of things you can learn, IMHO.  It just has to do with how you use your time.  My piano teacher long ago quenched my desire to learn to play a pop song by ear, by insisting that sort of thing was trivial.  That is not true, but the skills to do that were not part of the method she was teaching.  As it took me an hour a day of practice to keep up with her expectations, and two or more to keep up with school work,  I didn't branch off to the dark world of pop.  that is what teachers call focus, or gravitas. 
However, since the lessons are over and she is retired, I can learn anything I want.  the blues scale, the Klesmer scale, vamps with the left hand or Cubano salsa octave riffs, there is a whole new world out there.  I've already transcribed a George Winston piece off the record to figure out exactly what he was doing.  That sort of thing is not jazz, but sounds like it even though the notes are all written on a page (by me).  Doesn't mean I can't learn to use those chords and riffs a bit more freely in the future. 
So, while time is limited and the lessons cost $x a week, find your passion, and focus on that.  It might be classical music, it might not.  When that is mastered, there will be time for something else, I hope.  There has been for me.  And piano practice is a much cheaper hobby when not working than, say, owning a bass boat.  I heard some hot salsa riffs at the World Fest last weekend.  I think I'll give JS Bach a rest for a few weeks and try to learn some of those off the CD.  Nobody has any expectations of me now, it is only time and no money.