Disclaimer: I’d like to start this and really should start most of my blog posts with HIGHLY recommending pulling out earbuds. You will not regret it.

If you’ve skimmed or read my blog page before, you’d know that I previously wrote a post about the prevalence and significance of improvisation in music (Peanut Butter and JAM). One of the most important points I touched on was the extent to which improv is essential within certain genres. Nowadays, improv can often be seen with instruments such as guitar, saxophone, bass, and even drums. While not all musical performances involve improv, such as most classical concerts, improv is most often a staple in jazz.

There is one form of improvisation that I personally connect with. What I’m talking about is vocal improvisation. Though I’ve been singing since before I can remember, vocal improvisation is relatively new in my life. When I tried out for jazz band in my senior year of high school, I sang “All of me” popularly sung by Ella Fitzgerald. After finishing, the jazz director looked at me with his slightly intimidating eyes and said something along the lines of “If Ella was singing this song she would now start scatting, go”. I took what little I knew of scatting and took off. Though I had much to learn about scatting, he told me I should expect to be scatting on stage. I was determined to learn, so I listened to Ella Fitzgerald.

It is said that scat emerged in jazz in the early 1900s as vocalists impersonated instruments. It is also said Louise Armstrong was the first to record scat on his 1926 song “Heebie Jeebies” when he may have forgotten the words and looked towards improvisation to make up for it. Becoming acquainted with scatting has changed my perspective on vocalization. Something revered about Ella Fitzgerald is her impeccable ability to keep up -in intensity and tempo- with any instrument she’s playing with. This ability is showcase in the video linked below as she sang the song “How High the Moon”.

This video above is absolutely breathtaking. Hearing it opened my mind to new vocal possibility. Since taking up vocal improvisation, I have become much more confident while performing with my bands (Check out “Melvin Walker” and “Jam Ease” on Spotify:) ) because if I forget any lyrics I can make things up! Below is a famous example of Ella forgetting the lyrics to the song she was singing and ends up improvising with a spot on impression of Luoise Armstrong.

Vocal improvisation is one of those things in life that is endlessly fascinating and endlessly exploratory. The more I continue to sing -especially jazz- the more I find new ways to explore and use my voice. I believe this goes to show that hobbies, interests, and passions that seem simple can always be made complex when you look at them from new perspectives and learn from past greats.