JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 17) - In Walked Bud

**mr. beaumont** · 05-10-2021, 12:48 PM

Got to do some lunchtime listening today after a busy weekend...lots of takes on this, as I had hoped. It's one of those tunes that's pretty accessible, but can also open up a long time study.

I'll keep comments to everybody's first take for now, for sake of time...

John-- loved the chordal bits, and those Monkish seconds in them. You did some great very chromatic stuff too that balanced out nicely with the chords and bluesier bits.

RP, I like the touch of distortion and the playfulness/risk taking I heard...I get the feeling you kinda hit record and said "well, let's just go for it" and I like that.

Alter, great stuff. I honestly didn't notice you "repeating yourself" until I saw you mention it...and it certainly didn't bother me...a bit of that is actually a good thing in my opinion. Nice snappy tone too.

Gionnio, nice to have you aboard this week. Note choices were fine to my ears, you found some great "monk-approved" notes to hang on in there too. I guess my critique for now would just be to concentrate on your time.

TOMMO, I always enjoy your takes for their relaxed nature...and this fit right with it. Your confidence on a few lines might have been low, and your time wavered a bit on those, but for an early take on the tune, I'd say you're well on the right track. I can always hear you going for a melody, no canned licks.

Great week so far, everyone. And to anyone reading, let me know if you'd like to call next week's tune! If not, I have a good one in mind, and we can start the order of callers over again too.

**TOMMO** · 05-10-2021, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by John A.

Nice one. Good phrasing, some cool ideas, great tone. I like what you did on the head a the end harmonizing against the piano counter-melody.

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

TOMMO, I always enjoy your takes for their relaxed nature...and this fit right with it. Your confidence on a few lines might have been low, and your time wavered a bit on those, but for an early take on the tune, I'd say you're well on the right track. I can always hear you going for a melody, no canned licks.

Thanks for the kind words and compliments to the both of you - much appreciated.
Jeff: I'm still working on connecting the chords in a way that makes sense melodically and my time is off due to that: lack of vocabulary...

**Triple_Jazz** · 05-10-2021, 02:30 PM

This wasn’t a tune I’ve ever played but LOVE listening to Bobby Broom’s recording of it. I gave it a Soulive feel, not sure if that was the best approach, I just kind of plowed through it!

**Peter C** · 05-10-2021, 03:13 PM

You're right Reg and your intentions are good. John A, too. I wish I had more time explore all the harmonic possibilities as that would also benefit (soloing over) my own music. Maybe other guys have more time on their hands and I was speaking for myself.

**rpjazzguitar** · 05-10-2021, 05:33 PM

One of the problems I've worked on is dragging or playing too far behind the beat, to the point where the music doesn't feel right.

In case anybody else is dealing with that, here are a few things I found helpful.

I'm hoping that others might be intereted in contributing suggestions.

1. Listen to some of Reg's videos on youtube. Every note he plays snaps and crackles. The difference between his time-feel and others (that is, mine) was obvious and helped me hear more clearly when I was not snapping and crackling.

2. Recording gigs, jams and the tunes on this thread. That's to reduce the discrepancy between what you thought you played and what you actually played. I think the more you do this, the more granular detail you can hear and then the better your time-feel can get.

3. Recording into a DAW (I have Reaper) using a click. IRealpro, for example, will export into a Reaper-readable file. Before inputting the media, set the bpm to be the same as what you're about to load. Then the click and the vertical grid lines will line up with the backing track. Solo and see where your notes are in relation to the grid lines. If they're all perfect (not a problem I've had), then try dragging them forward or back about 20ms and hear what that sounds like. This isn't to replace using your ears, rather it's to keep yourself honest.

4. Playing with the best musicians you can trick into playing with you. I have repeatedly had the experience where it seems like I can't comp a single thing right. Then, on another night, with different players, the reverse happens and it feels like I can't play anything wrong. Combo jazz is an art form you can't do by yourself. Maybe I could "organize" the time if I were a stronger player, but I have to get there first.

**gionnio** · 05-10-2021, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Gionnio, nice to have you aboard this week. Note choices were fine to my ears, you found some great "monk-approved" notes I guess my critique for now would just be to concentrate on your time.

Thanks for having a listen and providing feedback. I do plan to spend more time on my time ;-)

**Reg** · 05-10-2021, 07:32 PM

Hey... Peter, I didn't take your comment as an attack etc... and I don't really think your right or wrong, we're just posting and trying to improve etc...

Here's an example of shaping a solo, the tune is the real guitarist. Not that much of a solo, but it builds to high point and then relaxes back to head. It draws you in and takes you somewhere. Granted... I may suck and where I go is the last place one may want to go... but It does have a shape.
I just got back two of my jazz boxes... I'll post the monk tune and try and shape with other techniques...

**rpjazzguitar** · 05-10-2021, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by John A.

Here's another one, this time with a backing track, trying to add a somewhat different color and feel from my first. I also thought about some of the things said on this thread about varying the content more, taking liberties with the head and trying not to fall into too much do-be-do-be-do-be unbroken strings of 1/8 notes.. And I had fun with the track, which is pretty funky.

I really like the freedom of expression. There's an intensity and a sense of fun. There are several things I'd like to transcribe. Nice stream of new ideas throughout. Time is solid.

I have the same guitar (if that's a circa 2009 EXDC). I loved the tone. How did you amplify it?

**John A.** · 05-11-2021, 12:44 AM

Originally Posted by rpjazzguitar

I really like the freedom of expression. There's an intensity and a sense of fun. There are several things I'd like to transcribe. Nice stream of new ideas throughout. Time is solid.

I have the same guitar (if that's a circa 2009 EXDC). I loved the tone. How did you amplify it?

Thanks, a lot! Yes, it is an EXDC. I'm not sure of the year, but it's definitely from the first production run of these that got blown out cheap in 08 or 09. I got it in 2011. On this track I went direct to GarageBand, using a Vox AC30 model, chorus, stereo delay, and reverb (going for Sco-ish sound).

**Hep To The Jive** · 05-11-2021, 04:02 AM

Recording right after my second shot of the vaccine, and a crazy construction goin on where I live. Yes it all affects the notes, so if something sounds not quite right, blame on those things

**Hep To The Jive** · 05-11-2021, 04:24 AM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Ha, thanks...I meant to put it up here last night but got distracted.

Rag, you manage to make it sad. Which I guess, isn't that crazy, its a minor key tune, but I've never heard anybody do it like that, and I kinda dig it...maybe write a new melody, make a contrafact.

Here's mine. I'll definitely try and do another. I have a tough time just being myself on Monk tunes. I feel like I should play more angularly or something.

ahhh I wanted to steal this lick @1:18, so good!

**TOMMO** · 05-11-2021, 06:58 AM

Originally Posted by Hep To The Jive

Recording right after my second shot of the vaccine, and a crazy construction goin on where I live. Yes it all affects the notes, so if something sounds not quite right, blame on those things

Loved those jump blues licks that you put in there, Hep! And congrats on getting your second shot!

**John A.** · 05-11-2021, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by Hep To The Jive

Recording right after my second shot of the vaccine, and a crazy construction goin on where I live. Yes it all affects the notes, so if something sounds not quite right, blame on those things

Yeah! Great one. Love the back and forth between bop and blues, and the Donna Lee quote. Really cooked in the sections where you played fast, great sense of groove throughout.

**PickingMyEars** · 05-11-2021, 11:03 AM

Hep, you inspired me to post

I'm back, just to play. Talking on the forum leads me nowhere and keeps me from practicing. Posting my playing pushes me to practice more.

**mr. beaumont** · 05-11-2021, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by Hep To The Jive

Recording right after my second shot of the vaccine, and a crazy construction goin on where I live. Yes it all affects the notes, so if something sounds not quite right, blame on those things

Yeah with the Donna Lee quote! Nice edge, fun take, thoroughly enjoyed that.

Oh, as for stealing my lick, go right ahead...just moving a dominant chord (5 b7 3) up in minor thirds there

**Liarspoker** · 05-11-2021, 12:28 PM

Great playing all!!

I'll try to join in this week though jazz isn't really my bag......but I'm willing to learn. ?

**Hep To The Jive** · 05-11-2021, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Yeah with the Donna Lee quote! Nice edge, fun take, thoroughly enjoyed that.

Oh, as for stealing my lick, go right ahead...just moving a dominant chord (5 b7 3) up in minor thirds there

Originally Posted by John A.

Yeah! Great one. Love the back and forth between bop and blues, and the Donna Lee quote. Really cooked in the sections where you played fast, great sense of groove throughout.

Originally Posted by TOMMO

Loved those jump blues licks that you put in there, Hep! And congrats on getting your second shot!

Thanks guys, Donna Lee was premeditated tbh, I thought what if and tried before recording. It worked, but it's not spontaneous

Originally Posted by PickingMyEars

Hep, you inspired me to post

I'm back, just to play. Talking on the forum leads me nowhere and keeps me from practicing. Posting my playing pushes me to practice more.

Cool bro, me too, less talking more action. Shut up and play yer guitar

PS: I did enjoy reading your posts though, you have a very creative style writing.

**wzpgsr** · 05-11-2021, 10:48 PM

Back in the saddle after a couple weeks not submitting—minor flood in the old music room, move to a new music room, flying solo with two kids for past 2 weeks, etc. (I will eventually post a take for Along Came Betty—not quite there yet.) Here's my take on In Walked Bud:

**TOMMO** · 05-12-2021, 01:34 AM

Originally Posted by wzpgsr

Back in the saddle after a couple weeks not submitting—minor flood in the old music room, move to a new music room, flying solo with two kids for past 2 weeks, etc. (I will eventually post a take for Along Came Betty—not quite there yet.) Here's my take on In Walked Bud:

Nice and relaxed!