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This week, a gospel infused "soul jazz" classic, the blues, but not a 12 bar...
I'll kick us off as usual, and comments are always cool with me.
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03-04-2021 06:23 PM
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Sounds great! A bunch of nice harmonic ideas, all executed with good time feel and with bluesy melodies.
Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
This week, a gospel infused "soul jazz" classic, the blues, but not a 12 bar...
I'll kick us off as usual, and comments are always cool with me.
I have to follow that?
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I accept your challenge, Mr. B. I will try to get something posted either tonight or tomorrow.
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Thoughts on this tune...
My introduction to it. Played this in a jam band I was in from the age of like 16 to 21. Never dawned on me they just made it a 12 bar minor blues for the solos, which I guess is cheating, but I don't care.
My favorite current version...man I love Gregory Porter. Though his delivery, in its more subdued parts, really makes me wish Lou Rawls had done this at some point, but to the best of my knowledge, he didn't.
See also the incomparable Nina Simone.
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It's too difficult for me
(Some v. nice stuff in there, Mr. B)
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It's a challenge. But if there is a will...
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HARDLY. Start shedding Originally Posted by ragman1
It's too difficult for me
(Some v. nice stuff in there, Mr. B)
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I'm not saying this is gonna be enjoyable, but it sure is... different
That lyric was about my general feelings of being a "roaming teacher" even though my primary role is not to teach the kiddos, not really COVID 19 (though that is stressful stuff). I want us all going back safe, but--like most teachers--I really miss the students. Not gonna go politics here. Just gonna say, I know my work and I see the work of others. Being a teacher, even before C19, is hard work if you want to do right by the students. And the majority of the teachers I speak to want to do right by the students...
Anyway...
Sometimes... you need a sense of humor. I blame Kris for this one
Last edited by PickingMyEars; 03-05-2021 at 01:41 AM.
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My semi has been feeling a bit neglected of late, and I felt like switching it up a bit. Maybe later in the week I'll do one straightahead .
The Butterfield version was my introduction to this one, too. Bloomfield is definitely one of the biggest (if not the biggest) influence on my playing, though probably not terribly evident here. To keep the form straight, I keep the Oscar Brown lyrics in my head. Hold it steady right there where I hit it, well I reckon that oughta get it ...
John
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The Yamaha Pacifica 012, Zoom PX5D (Tweed 2x12), into the Crate GFX15. This is the gear I usually use to practice with IRealPro.
I noticed that MrB added what I'll call transition chords, which sounded great. Here's hoping that he'll be kind enough to explain how he learned to do that.
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An absolute favourite of mine that I had the pleasure to play with some great musicians live a couple of years ago. Thanks Jeff and you got it off to a good start.
John: rockin' version I like it a lot.
rp: very relaxed - enjoyed it.
Same with me here: I first ever heard the tune by the B.B.B. decades back.Last edited by TOMMO; 03-05-2021 at 06:17 AM.
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Oh god, later, later... :-) Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
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It doesn't matter what you play, but it matters how you play.
It seems to be an easy piece and requires concentration in leading phrases.
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John, love the attitude and tone of your take. Definitely feel a bit of BBB in there.
Rp, great swinging take, nice lines, was great to hear you singing along with them a bit too.
I'm not sure what you mean by "transition chords" though?
Picking, I'll have to listen tonight, work firewall blocks soundcloud and my phone's speaker is messed up.
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Only so much you can do with it...
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Hello, Originally Posted by PickingMyEars
I'm not saying this is gonna be enjoyable, but it sure is... different
That lyric was about my general feelings of being a "roaming teacher" even though my primary role is not to teach the kiddos, not really COVID 19 (though that is stressful stuff). I want us all going back safe, but--like most teachers--I really miss the students. Not gonna go politics here. Just gonna say, I know my work and I see the work of others. Being a teacher, even before C19, is hard work if you want to do right by the students. And the majority of the teachers I speak to want to do right by the students...
Anyway...
Sometimes... you need a sense of humor. I blame Kris for this one
I like your singing.Intersting voice and feel.Very nice sounding guitar.
Best
Kris
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Definitely interesting... the melody went out of my range quick and I didn't quite realize that I sang it before.
Used to be in chorus in high school. USED to. Totally out of practice now, but all that singing did help me with my musicianship.
Kris, you are spot on with the "concentration" comment. With pieces like this where everything hovers around the same key center and their isn't a ton of harmonic movement (even less than So What, IMHO) it is hard to keep things moving forward and interesting.
For instance, Mack the Knife. I love Sonny Rollins' solo on that tune. Saxophone Colossus, I think. Anyway, I finally looked at a chart after not hearing in tune in years and... it's a VERY key centered and "simple" tune. Yet when Sonny plays it... an absolutely beautiful solo. I think weaving beauty into the "mundane" is more challenging than navigating harmonically complex tunes. I mean, the harmony kinda gives you a road map. Not so much with a more "basic" tune. Maybe not harder or easier, but different challenges for each.
For me, I didn't know when MrSunnyBass was gonna stop walking solo choruses until he gave that last minute cue. That said, his bass playing is exquisite. I kinda had a flashback to taking solos where the leader wanted me to keep going... because he wanted food or a drink. I'd keep thinking "oh crap, when's he coming back! I dunno how to play this tune!"
Thanks for the compliment, Kris.
Love all the playing we've posted so far. Maybe we can challenge ourselves to get "deeper" into this tune. Give each other assignments like "just solo with notes from the melody". Or "I want you to back cycle from mid way through the tune to the top". Or "I want you to improvise with a 3 note theme and develop it." I dunno, could be fun too. Since I suggested it, how about one of you all give me an "assignment" do over this tune? Anything you'd think be helpful or interesting to hear. I know I still got A LOT to work on in my own playing
Last edited by PickingMyEars; 03-05-2021 at 02:55 PM.
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A completely different version from those usually played.
My point was to break the standard playing on this tune.
Box
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Some thoughts (not mine) on blues harmony and blues harmony specifically in this tune—playing A natural over the F-7, or playing F7 instead of F-, etc.:
“Work Song” and blues harmony | The Ethan Hein Blog
Anyways, there's a transcription in that article of Wes's solo from the Nat Adderley version of this song that features a nice "approximation" of what the piano player is doing—over the static F7 section, the piano player alternates between F7 and Gb7 to give it a bit of movement. You hear something similar in Lee Morgan's "Sidewinder", I think, although the piano is way more out front in that tune. Going to try to suggest this same tension and release in my lines over those long static sections if I can.
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MrB, In your take, I heard more harmonic movement than is present in the chart. It was as if the chart had a bunch of chords which add interest to the transitions. I haven't sat down to figure them out yet, but to give an example of what I'm referring to ... suppose the chords are /Dm7/ G7/ -- somebody might play that as if it was /Dm7 Ebm7/ Ab7 G7/. So, I think of those extra chords as "transition chords", which is my own internal label for them, not a standard bit of nomenclature. Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
It sounded great. For me to do that, I'd have to sit down with the chart and laboriously try to add this kind of harmonic movement, then write in the chords and practice playing on all of them. So, I'm wondering how you got there.
An aside: years ago Carl Barry told me that Chuck Wayne would harmonize every note in a song's melody with a different chord. Then, he would try to solo on every one of them.
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What I've heard so far:
Mr. B: digging this one, and hearing the the Grant Green influence. I like the way you build tension in the first 6 bars to a peak on the C7, and then kind go dashing down the hill in the second half of the form.
PickingMyEars: Yup, definitely different. I think the lyrics could maybe use somewhat fewer syllables, and the blowing somewhat more. Tone and articulations on the guitar sound really good.
Ragman1: Sounds good. I like the little nooks and crannies of harmony you outline.
RP: Nice, one. I like the scatting.
Kris: Awesome backing track! Did you put that together yourself? Soloing great, too.
John
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Hi John, Originally Posted by John A.
Thanks for listening.
This bacing track I made on BB 2019-very creative tool.
Best
Kris
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John, Originally Posted by John A.
Exelent sound and playing.The overdriven guitar sounds great.You need more funky in background.
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Mmm... I'd heard what Wes was doing and seen the transcription already. I know you're supposed to be able to play what you want as it's 'jazz' but I thought turning it into a near-standard 12-bar in F was getting round it a bit, frankly. Originally Posted by wzpgsr
I'm not sure about the article. There's a bit of overthink going on for me. I'm really not sure the author's saying anything new, just the usual academic stuff about 'blues tonality' and all that. And to my mind he's making a lot of fuss over Wes' solo which is pretty standard fare (for Wes).
No, the tune's in Fm (some people play it in Dm) and it is what it is. Probably the additional F7/Bb7/G7 (usually played Db7)/C7 is unnecessary but it adds something to the backing.
The whole thing, as written, is just Fm. F7#9 can be played as Fm, the ii of Bb7 is Fm and Db7 to C7 is just a slide-in. So using the Fm blues scale all the way through is the simplest way to deal with it.
But, of course, that's pretty deadly to play for more than a couple of choruses. So the challenge, if you like, is to make something else of it. Easier said than done, naturally.
Don't be offended because you posted the article, please, it's just a comment :-)
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Ah, a great Friday here. Decided to indulge my Catholic side and head over to Calumet Fisheries for lunch (located on the bridge the Blues Brothers jump the car over), and as everybody does, I ate half hanging out of my car and plugged in the ol aux cable and listened to some of y'all.
rag, laid back style kinda suits this in a way...you're not working on a chain gang, but home chilling after a long day of labor. Yeah, harmonically, there's not much this tune gives you, so it's about feel, melody, rhythmic interest...more on that later.
Picking, those lyrics hit close to home. Very nice lines on this one, more cliche free playing from you. Interesting so much singing with this one, you writing lyrics, rp singing his lines in his post...it's a CATCHY mf ain't it? I've been singing it around the house the last two days now, trying to impersonate Lou Rawls, because I'm convinced there's some unreleased version of him singing it out there, and it's absolutely killing.
Kris, like rag, the "after work" version. Or "Work" song if you're like a jigolo or something. I mean that as a compliment I like smooth/r&b/funk jazz takes when the playing is of a high level and there's clearly improvising going on, and I hear that in yours.
Ok, harmonic movement...what exactly am I doing there...let's see. Definitely throwing in a tritone sub before that G7 at the end of the form a few times.
I think my brain visits a iv minor chord that isn't there a few times. It's there on the head of the Butterfield version. Maybe that's stuck in my head. There's a little sidestepping/ attempt to get a little outside on the transitions in a few spots...not sure how well it connects. And there's one pure accident on a C7 where I go for a b9#5 sound...and start my lick a half step too low
Deceptive day here. Sun is warm and bright, but air is still chilly. But at least since my students are still e-learning, they don't have to smell the smoked fish on me
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This is artistic nudism; I only practice a few hours a week, but WTH.
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:-)artistic nudism
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Mr. B -
Too right. I've worked on many a chain gang, there's not much to be said for it :-)you're not working on a chain gang, but home chilling after a long day of labor
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I'd be glad to use yours, if you're sharing Originally Posted by kris
John,
Exelent sound and playing.The overdriven guitar sounds great.You need more funky in background.
John
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The whole thing as written? On what chart by whom? I mean the guy who is credited as the composer has recorded it both ways, so that's a pretty bold statement. Anyway, I think it's F blues, with an ambiguous third, as is the nature of blues. Most people lean minor sprinkled with major, but the reverse is valid. As long as everyone in the band is on the same page, you don't have to be dogmatic about it. Originally Posted by ragman1
John
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Finally, somebody suggests a technique that I can use! Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
And there's one pure accident on a C7 where I go for a b9#5 sound...and start my lick a half step too low
More seriously, thanks for the run-down.
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Nice takes everyone
me in a kitchen with a laminate nylon string
Working it out
forgot my pick, but I’ve been working on my fingerstyle.
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Well Jeff, your tone has convinced me that I need to get back to flatwounds, to try a less stacatto feel. Good phrasing as always, locked into the rhythm. I don't know if that's a Schaller pup in your Heritage - I had no complaints with mine.
John A. with that vibrato control, you've obviously played a lot of blues-rock at some time in the past. Touché, Monsieur.
rpjazzguitar, I especially liked your some of your note choices over the C7 back to Fm part.
ragman's lines, whether by design or accident (probably a combination of both), are at times fascinating.
I don't know who (or what) was plucking Christian's A string, but it certainly created some tension there. Anyway, very interesting chord work.
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Christian, cool sound with the acoustic bass with the nylon. I gotta admit, I was like "ooh, whats he doing here?" During the head, but your solo settled in really nicely rhythmically and you (as always) played some great lines.
Peter, I thought I was going to have to get mad at you as those 3 seconds of strat sounded great. But then you brought just as much energy to the archtop take. Made me smile a mile.
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Peter,
Your second take, with the ol' archie...
Sounds like you were shot outta a cannon.
Very explosive energy and great playing. I usually have to work up to that type of energy
Nice indeed.
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Really nice time feel. I especially liked it on the octaves at the end. Originally Posted by Peter C
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I'm sticking to the the idea of just playing and putting it out there!
Again with a Bass player and the drum Genius app.
With a little variation in the chords...
Ron
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Peter C: I was also kind of hoping for more the strat, but the archtop was cool. Good energy and vibe. And yes, I've played a lot of electric blues.
Christian: I liked the chord-soloing a lot.
John
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I like this a lot. Your variation on the harmony benefits from slowing it down a bit, great choice. Cool lines, outstanding feel. I've said it before, but this is the kind of playing I like listening to. Originally Posted by Ronstuff
Haven't mentioned it to you yet, but that bass player's damn good too. Stay close to that guy.
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This track is so good! Any chance you're ok to share? Originally Posted by kris
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No problem, for everyone who wants to play the Work Song in a different style ... funky jazz. Originally Posted by Hep To The Jive
This track is so good! Any chance you're ok to share?
The piano plays 8 bars of the intro/ Fm7 I Bb/F I Fm7 I Bb/F I Fm7 I Bb/F I Fm7 I C7alt
Have fun:
Box
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Great variety of feel and tempos in the takes here!
Peter C: liked your tone - reminded me a bit Grant green when he dialed in his amp on the verge of break up.
Christian: never thouhjt that this tune would work on a nylon string.
Ronstuff: great bluesy lines.
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Great sounding guitar .Nice feel and playing no unnecessary fireworks.Cool. Originally Posted by Ronstuff
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Great thanks! Originally Posted by kris
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Nice playing on nylons-free variation on the theme/head/. Originally Posted by christianm77
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Even though you don't exercise as much as you would like, you have a lot more energy than everyone here in the jam. Originally Posted by Peter C
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That's basically me not quite knowing how it goes. Poker face is working well though (or you guys are too kind, one of the two.) Originally Posted by kris
Less dorky takes to follow :-)
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In my case that is admittedly setting a very low bar. Originally Posted by kris
Mind you I had a night's sleep last night, so feeling' good.
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