Comping

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Comping (an abbreviation of accompanying) is the art of harmonically, rhythmically, and melodically supporting a jazz soloist with improvised material. In a standard jazz combo, the pianist typically comps during the horn and double bass solos by improvising chords and notes. During the piano solo, the pianist often plays melodic lines with his right hand while comping with his left hand, treating his right hand as the "soloist".

There are many other forms of comping. In combos with a guitar player, the guitar player usually comps for soloists. If there is both a pianist and a guitarist, they may either switch off comping or comp at the same time. However, the latter is quite difficult to do well. During swing feel songs, drummers will usually comp with one hand on the snare drum while playing time on the cymbals.

In combos with less common instrumentation, any horn player can comp using melody lines. For instance, in a duo for saxophone and bass, the saxophonist sometimes comps during the bass solo. During a drum solo the pianist sometimes comps, often using a predictable pattern of "hits". A classic example is the second half of "Take Five", with Dave Brubeck's piano vamp comping for Joe Morello's drum solo.

Since a jazz solo has such wide ranging harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic possibilities, pianists must have a similarly wide range of tools at their disposal to support the soloist properly. First of all, they must know many different types of chord voicings so that they can match the mood the soloist is trying to create. Second, they must have an understanding of rhythm that allows them to respond to the rhythms the soloist plays. Finally, they must have the melodic sense to be able to derive appropriate countermelodies to supplement the soloist's melodies and fill empty space in the solo.

By comping, pianists provide the "glue" that holds the rhythm section together; they take the soloist's melodies and add harmonies (as a bass player does) and rhythms (as a drummer does). By doing this, the pianist helps ensure that the band is always at the same energy level as the soloist.

Wynton Kelly and Herbie Hancock are examples of pianists who are responsive when comping. Oscar Peterson usually comps busily, while Count Basie comped sparsely. There is no single appropriate way to comp for a soloist.

[edit] See also

• Slash notation

[edit] Further reading

• Green, Andrew (2005). Jazz Guitar Comping. ISBN 0-9700576-4-4.