I have been involved with jazz music most of my life and have been asked that question often. Many books and systems have been written on this subject and most will improve your ability to improvise, but I have learned through close observation of many players, not everyone can excel in this field. This situation can be attributed to several factors and one I hold to be true is that not everyone can learn to play jazz at an acceptable level. One of my very best musician friends was an avid jazz enthusiast and spent most of his life listening…