From birdtrane2003@yahoo.com Sat Aug 22 13:44:57 2009
Subject:Re: A fine jazz and blues / teacher

Leaving rhythm out of it
Look at the blandness of a C triad-  yet amazing melodies are STILL awaiting discovery within those 3 tones.
Analogies are never on the money, but the particle  wave  concept comes to mind when I think that a chord is both a vertical stack but also individual lines.
Counterpoint is something I left out.  Check it out-  very deep stuff.  A great mine of possibilities in contrapuntal music.
Another "proof" of my point.
Any moderately talented musician can learn chord progressions
The far more difficult part is divining the wonderful lines within it.
Trust me- though I meant to provoke thought- i was 100% telling the truth.Harmony ain't nothing compared to melody.And by melody i mean ANY line-   from Gregorian to Hendrix to Coltrane and Bach
Harmony is very much less important than melodic lines.
I suggest folks play melodies ... melodic fragments- ignoring key centers- just play whatever comes into your head.   Which was more difficult do you suppose- the chord changes to "Summertime" or the solo Coltrane played on it?
Still not convinced?  Better example-  the Blues.
Peace