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Hello. I am looking for inspiration for a first time jam with a saxophonist friend. We are both reasonable players but not yet experienced in jazz. We are possibly looking for styles that may be developed with additional musicians, not really sure what though. We both want to use this as a vehicle to develop our playing. In guitar jazz, I like Kenny Burrell and Wes Montgomery, although cannot pretend to be able to play like them! I think we would like popular tunes but not necessarily old standards. We both like something with a good groove.
This may be too vague but if you can help we'd be much obliged.
Thanks, Andrew
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07-13-2011 03:32 PM
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I have played with a saxophonist too in the past. Bossa Nova's. The style of Getz/Jobim. Although not as good as those two, it sounded great.
So I would suggest you to play a couple of tunes like Desafinado, Wave, Triste, Meditation, etc. Good luck.
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Grant Green has some pretty cool groove-oriented tunes that are fun to play. My sax buddy and I like to jam on "Sookie Sookie" (Steppenwolf song redone by Grant).
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yup. great place to start with just guitar and sax. also don't forget how insensitive, girl from ipanema, once i loved, man i could go on and on; i LOVE jobim
Originally Posted by Gerard45
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If you guys are just starting out in jazz, modal tunes are great because the changes aren't difficult, and there are long sections of the same chord to improvise over without having to think too much.
Good songs:
So What
Maiden Voyage ( )
Impressions ( )
As far as easy standards, try All Of Me, Satin Doll, Autumn Leaves.
And don't forget the blues!! Easy jazz blues like:
Blue Trane ( )
Chronic Blues ( )
Do you guys have the rest of the rhythm section to play with you?
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Many thanks everyone for all these great suggestions, food for thought! I am sure we can find a few things to start with here. In reply to FatJeff, we don't yet have a rhythm section but if things go well, that would be our next step. I like the idea of the modal tunes for the reasons you gave. We will experiment.
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Hey if it's informal and you want a chance to get the big picture, maybe you can think of working or warming up with a playalong recording set on drum and bass. This will give you a chance to work with comping with a little more space, and to think of yourself in a horn way when you solo. It could be difficult as a beginner to feel comfortable with the space, to hear time and changes in space, so a temptation is to fill it in with chunka chunka chording and when it's time to solo it feels like somebody pulled the rug out. Having a rhythm section is good for a little security. Playalongs are good that way and they're quite forgiving.
David
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Dave, thanks for the suggestion. I note there are some playalongs on Youtube like Mile Davis - So What.
Andrew
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Just read what I wrote - almost sounds rude! ... unfortunate song title in this context!
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Exactly where my mind was going. Try the playalongs from either Hal Leonard (Jazz Play Along - Hal Leonard Online) or Jamey Aebersold. I like the HL series best (there is one track with the melody being played, and an identical one without), and the ones in either series called "Maiden Voyage" are good, comprised of easy tunes. Or, you could mine this free resource: Backing Tracks Originally Posted by TruthHertz
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Play tunes that your comfortable with. If your the kind of player that can fill space and imply grooves... simple tunes are cool. If you read well, tunes with more interest harmonically usually end up sounding more interesting... you don't have to improvise as much. The problem with modal or harmonically simple tunes is when the sax isn't playing... it's all you. Can get pretty boring quick. You'll need a ton of ideas ...
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You're a lucky man. Guitar and sax is such a great duo.
My recommendation is to play what you like, and what's familiar and comfortable. Take advantage of the space that a duet allows, and just listen to each other. Don't worry about repertoire until you've played together a bit.
If it were me, using a play-along tape would definitely be heading in the wrong direction, as you want to take advantage of the space and freedom, not fill it up.
Most of all remember the universal rule, one ear for yourself, one ear for the band.
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I think modal tunes are hard to play duo style, more movement helps me focus and get into grooves better - thats probably just my short coming though.
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One of the rare duets between guitar & sax is Why was I born? by Kenny Burrell and John Coltrane. Beautiful tune, melodic and harmonic interesting.
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Be sure to pick up a copy of Scott Hamilton and Bucky Pizzarelli's "Behind the Red Door" for inspiration...
I think Modal tunes can be tough in a duo format...when that sax stops playing...songs with more changes are a little easier to keep things moving...but as mentioned, maybe more difficult to improvise over....
I know you said "maybe no" on old standards, but who says you can't modernize them a bit, including changing the rhythm?
Bossas are always a great choice...
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Bonjour, je suis francais et je cherche justement la tablature de ce morceau de grant green que je trouve superbe. a tu une adresse ? Originally Posted by beasleybubba
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Man, I'd be careful with those modal tunes. It's really hard to make them sound interesting in a duo format. There's so much space and emptiness. Without drums or bass it can be soul-crushing to try to pull them off.
My recommendation would be to go heavy on the old standards. They have great harmonic movement and lush melodies and are set up for this kind of format. Bossas are also great, because they are so rhythmically oriented and have all the attributes that make standards good for this format, as well.
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