Classical --> Jazz

[Dikai]

yo, there should be a lot of jazz people here??  how did you guys make the transition from classical to jazz??  i'm 23, am i too old to learn??  it would seem that jazz pianists just one day start playing jazz and skip the learning part.  just amazing.

kinda too rooted into classical, trying to think off-beat is just so unnatural, and the chords are way too complicated... ouch...

[Brian Healey]

In high school, I heard Thelonious Monk for the first time, and that was it. I began studying jazz from then on. I still studied classical, but jazz became (and still is) my main interest. However, when you say "skip the learning part," what does that mean? I've spent way more practice time and intellectual energy trying to play jazz at a high level than I ever spent playing classical music. Of course, for me that's by choice, but what I mean is that learning to play jazz is every bit as involved as "classical" music.

Peace,
Bri

[Dikai]

but then all jazz music comes in chords only, how can i know what to play??  by just listening to the CDs and MP3s doesn't quite help either, i don't have good ears for too many notes... the most transcriptions of so-called "jazz" turn out to be not quite so jazz.... more like boogie-boogie thingy... really hope that there can be as much learning material for jazz as for classical

[mound]

you have to spend alot of time studying jazz harmony and theory in order to "learn the language" - then you have to do lots and lots of listening, and most importantly, get yourself into a group and start applying it.  learning jazz is a very different process from learning classical, and I guarantee " jazz pianists just one day start playing jazz and skip the learning part." is very far from the truth.

[lilpep4ever]

heyy...WELL...I LIKE JAZZ MUSIC BETTER THAN CLASSICAL MUSIC.... BUT MY MOM MAKES ME PLAY CLASSICAL MUSIC AND I DON'T REALLY SEE ANY JAZZ MUSIC THAT IS FOR PIANO...AT LEAST THAT IS A SOLO INSTEAD OF LIKE JAMMING WITH OTHER INSTRUMENTS....

[twilightdriad]

I have played classical, pop, and church-type piano for nine years now. Just this last fall I was given the opportunity to audition for our college jazz band for keyboard. I am fairly fast as sightreading and blagging it so I got in without a problem. But I am not satisfied with what I'm doing!

Just like the first poster - I don't have a very good ear for hearing something a million times then picking it out or improving it. I have tried a few books, techniques, study with jazz pros here - to no avail. I am slowly getting better, but not enough to rahlly make a difference in the rhythm section.

Sigh.