Working on and thinking about working on

[rpjazzguitar]

In no particular order:

I'd like to have my band play rhythm so well that people start to dance spontaneously (samba based jazz). Happens occasionally, but more often to other bands. How does a band practice that?

Recent lesson had me singing all intervals against major and dominant chords. The idea is to be able to hear all twelve notes, which makes it more likely you can use them well.

It's easy to play 8 beats of, say, Cmaj7, but it sounds better if you've got movement happening (what Reg refers to as chord patterns, if I understand him). Same for most other comping situations. Think of Freddie G. He was moving constantly. Not difficult for a 2-5, but as the harmony gets complex it helps to be prepared. For me that's playing tunes, singing simple countermelodies and getting them in the soprano voice of some interesting chords.

So, there you go, rhythm, melody and harmony.

[pamosmusic]

In no particular order:

I'd like to have my band play rhythm so well that people start to dance spontaneously (samba based jazz). Happens occasionally, but more often to other bands. How does a band practice that?

Recent lesson had me singing all intervals against major and dominant chords. The idea is to be able to hear all twelve notes, which makes it more likely you can use them well.

It's easy to play 8 beats of, say, Cmaj7, but it sounds better if you've got movement happening (what Reg refers to as chord patterns, if I understand him). Same for most other comping situations. Think of Freddie G. He was moving constantly. Not difficult for a 2-5, but as the harmony gets complex it helps to be prepared. For me that's playing tunes, singing simple countermelodies and getting them in the soprano voice of some interesting chords.

So, there you go, rhythm, melody and harmony.

Wicked.

I like how the first and last are kind of aspects of the same maybe?

I’ve been working a lot on the harmonic motion stuff lately. Diminshed passing chords and stuff.

[CliffR]

Nice!

I'm working on Confirmation. I learnt the head by ear. Now that Christian has correct the notes I misheard, I'm working on getting it really under the fingers and up to a decent speed.

Meanwhile, I'm practicing scale fragments and arpeggios over the harmony. Last couple of weeks I was focussing on pivot arpeggios up and scales down. This week I've been working on an idea from Jens Larsen: scale down followed by arpeggio up, but in the middle of the scale, on an offbeat, you throw in a lower chord tone to break it up. Then some form of chromatic motion into the next chord.

Finally, taking the rhythm and contour from Bird's solo on Blues For Alice and applying them to my own licks over Confirmation. There are so many great ideas in the first eight bars alone. Been doing this for weeks now, but it doesn't seem to be getting into my spontaneous playing as yet.

[JazzPadd]

Great thread, thanks! Interesting stuff you all are working on. As we say in Japan, “ganbatte!”

I took a couple weeks off from working to travel with the Mrs. and visit family in the States, we’re traveling lightly so no guitar.

Regarding the goal of dancing mentioned above, I went to a jazz jam session with my brother in the States a few days ago. We were amazed at how lively and appreciative the audience was, applauding enthusiastically as each player took a turn.

And we noticed that a friend of the house band was inviting ladies (and an occasional gentleman) to dance with him in front of the stage. That person, along with a very good session host, really appeared to get the joint jumping. As far as I could tell, what made it work well was that the venue seemed like a local hangout for about 40-50 regulars, around 20 of which were actually jamming. So, maybe community relations is one factor in getting people to come out to a venue and on to the dance floor.

As for what I’ll be working on, I was invited by the host of one of the jam sessions I frequent in Japan to join their band for a live set at a regional jazz festival in October. At our jam session just before I left for the trip, we ran through some tunes for the set, including two I called, “Summer samba,” and “You and the night and the music,” as well a tune called by the trumpet player, “Ceora.” There were also several vocal numbers, among which were “Night and day” and “Tea for two.” There will be other tunes at subsequent rehearsals, so when I get back I’ll likely be working toward that.

Although I’ve played “Summer…” and “You and…” regularly at jam sessions here for the past couple of months, I still need to work on soloing, as well as come up with intros and endings. I’m somewhat familiar with the vocal tunes so far but need to learn them in the keys called by the vocalists. I really like “Ceora” but rarely play it, so will need to put some serious work time in on that before October.

For me, I suppose most of what I work on is for jam sessions (I go to 3-5 every month) and for an occasional guest appearance. Most technique and theory oriented work stems from those opportunities, and I’m very thankful to have them.

[ccroft]

I'd like to have my band play rhythm so well that people start to dance spontaneously (samba based jazz). Happens occasionally, but more often to other bands. How does a band practice that?

Not having heard your band it's hard to say. IME as guitarist and part-time percussionist in a Sometime Ago / Manha type thing, I'd say it can be helpful to focus on the actual dance rhythm and tempo. It can be hard for the guys not to show off their chops, which can sometimes confuse the dance. Bass need to stay right in the pocket like Bootsy on funk. We had a tendency to play too much and too fast. (must've been something in the water in the 70's)

Also, and I'm not joking here, see if you can get the band to learn how to dance. The groove needs to be 'built-in'.

Forgive my indulgence, but this brings up something I haven't thought of in a long time: one of my proudest moments was when my parents came to a gig and showed the kids how it's done. They had won Best Samba in a local ballroom competition and they got that classic thing where all the hippies stopped, stepped back to give them room and watched.

As to the original question: I think about working on everything. Currently it's mostly learning some Martino stuff, trying to get better at playing on changes from Joy Spring to Inner Urge, and reading Bach Cello Suites by Mr Mackillop. And I'm working on retirement so I have more time for all of it.

[sgosnell]

If you like moving chords, check out Eldon Shamblin. He was the master at that. And for dancing, too, because Bob Wills wanted, above all, to get the crowd dancing. His entire band was built around that. Not sambas, but still dancing.