“Noir” – Saxophone Thematic Development Exercise 01

Tenor Saxophone: Jim Metzendorf The purpose of this recording is to explore thematic development in improvisation by selecting a small phrase and expanding upon it in a structure free of specific chords or time. The phrase may rely on a certain tonal center, but the improviser may embellish in any manner they see fit. A significant reason for recording and sharing these developmental exercises is to encourage the musician to always maintain a direction and audience for their playing. With that in mind, the end result is far more likely to be musical and enjoyable rather than a purely academic study. As musicians, we should strive to practice the way we perform! To maximize the benefit of this exercise, the performance was recorded in a single take with no prior rehearsal. The only editing was to decrease the “dead air” between some of the musical ideas.