It is not manditory to be able to read music to play jazz. Some of the greatest jazz guitarists couldn't read music. granted if you are playing in a big band that bhas charts you will probably need it, but in a combo unit, it is usually head arrangemenets. I usually hear this arguement from someone who has gone to school for music not from a life musician. I've been playing jazz for around fifty years. The last time I read a chart in jazz was way back in the late 60's and even those charts were basically very liberal. Not much reading.
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