JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 33) - Milestones (Old)

**TOMMO** · 08-31-2021, 04:38 AM

Originally Posted by Peterson

It’s a difficult song to improvise melodically over. When I feel the resolution should come it just doesn’t. I get tangled in seemingly endless tension.

Love the way you leave lots of space - sounds very relaxed!

**John A.** · 08-31-2021, 08:02 AM

I haven't have a lot of time, and couldn't get the head down well enough (will keep at it, though) or really feel like I have the tune completely in hand, so here's just a quick chorus.

Listening to others now ...

**John A.** · 08-31-2021, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

I wonder if a lot of these less than glowing reactions to the tune reflect the fact that many of us learned jazz in a period in which bebop was not the "common practice language" and so its basic motions and characteristics feel alien? I love bebop, listen to it constantly, and would love to be a good bebop player, and so I love this tune and enjoy all its quirkly little twists and turns. Play it? I likely will make a hash of it. But I don't see how anyone could all it cold, sterile, or whatever. It reflects the quirky, unpredictable, surprising nature of bebop at its height. You can't just zone out on a predictable form, though these tunes have their own inner logic.

To me, it's a challenge: do I force music to fit my expectation, or do I let it challenge my fixed ideas and emotional reactions? I confess I fail to rise to this challenge adequately in the face of some kinds of music and some tunes, but for me bop's challenge is one I really want to meet.

I'd say the changes are not so much a bop tune as a bop reharmonization that skips that actual tune. I think if you have a decent amount of bebop language at your command, this is still a pretty hard tune (for me, very hard). You gotta just take your lumps on this one. Anyway, the grumbling is mainly Ragman, and for him that's just a way to show enthusiasm.

**ragman1** · 08-31-2021, 08:57 AM

Thought I'd do this as an experiment. Medium pace and pretty simple.

TJ, I don't think the clock stopped on this one but I might have bought it in a cheap shop :-)

**ragman1** · 08-31-2021, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by John A.

the grumbling is mainly Ragman, and for him that's just a way to show enthusiasm.

I was only grumbling about the head because I thought it sounded too composed, too obviously 'let's write a bebop tune'. But, you know, you can get used to anything. But the changes are fun.

Btw, I liked the way your vid faded out... Hey, that's not what I meant!

**Triple_Jazz** · 08-31-2021, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Peterson;[URL="tel:1143475"

1143475[/URL]]This take is like a typical day for me. Four kids, oldest 7, all boys. Rare glimpses of structure amidst periods of gradual breakdown.
Feedback appreciated! I’ll give it another go before Thursday.

Your clips aren’t bad, maybe just need some command and attitude in the playing. The note choices and phrasing seems solid.

**Peterson** · 08-31-2021, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by TOMMO

Love the way you leave lots of space - sounds very relaxed!

Thank you!

Originally Posted by Triple_Jazz

Your clips aren’t bad, maybe just need some command and attitude in the playing. The note choices and phrasing seems solid.

I guess that’s the hard part. Note choice and phrasing is so much more concrete and easy to practise.

**John A.** · 08-31-2021, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by ragman1

I was only grumbling about the head because I thought it sounded too composed, too obviously 'let's write a bebop tune'. But, you know, you can get used to anything. But the changes are fun.

Btw, I liked the way your vid faded out... Hey, that's not what I meant!

The best thing about my take is that it was short.

**lawson-stone** · 08-31-2021, 05:54 PM

Guys I had every hope of learning this tune, but this is the week before my classes start up and I have a ton of work to do, and one week is just pushing this too hard too fast for my feeble skills.

I'll be listening to your takes, and envying you for getting it done, but I think I'm going to hoist the white flag.

**wzpgsr** · 08-31-2021, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

Guys I had every hope of learning this tune, but this is the week before my classes start up and I have a ton of work to do, and one week is just pushing this too hard too fast for my feeble skills.

I'll be listening to your takes, and envying you for getting it done, but I think I'm going to hoist the white flag.

Same. Not a good week for me.

**ragman1** · 08-31-2021, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by John A.

The best thing about my take is that it was short.

Don't worry, it felt longer... Hey, that's not what I meant either!

It was fine, of course. Quite hard to keep that sort of thing going. Not an easy tune anyway.

**Ronstuff** · 08-31-2021, 08:40 PM

Here's another one... I had this unused Attila Zoller pickup hanging around so I decided to try it in my Guild. Seems cool sounding.

**Ronstuff** · 08-31-2021, 08:48 PM

John, cool Scofield type tone. Nice chords in the solo!

Peterson your stuff sound good, everything is right in the changes.

It's a tough one for sure!

**grahambop** · 09-01-2021, 08:55 AM

No idea how I played the head ok on this, it's a tough one on guitar and I was going to give up after 3 hopeless attempts. Then I had to go and do something else for half-an-hour, so when I came back I gave it one last try. I guess the break helped my concentration, and my hands had warmed up a bit.

**lawson-stone** · 09-01-2021, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by Ronstuff

Here's another one... I had this unused Attila Zoller pickup hanging around so I decided to try it in my Guild. Seems cool sounding.

Sensational! You really played melodic ideas and tuneful phrases that sounded wonderful to me. The tone was super as well.

**lawson-stone** · 09-01-2021, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by grahambop

No idea how I played the head ok on this, it's a tough one on guitar and I was going to give up after 3 hopeless attempts. Then I had to go and do something else for half-an-hour, so when I came back I gave it one last try. I guess the break helped my concentration, and my hands had warmed up a bit.

That was inspiring! In tone, tunefulness, boppish accents, it reminded me of Joe Pass on the Joy Spring album. I don't know how to give a higher compliment than that!

you've now got me thinking I will keep working on the tune even though I can't get it done this week.

**Ronstuff** · 09-01-2021, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by grahambop

No idea how I played the head ok on this, it's a tough one on guitar and I was going to give up after 3 hopeless attempts. Then I had to go and do something else for half-an-hour, so when I came back I gave it one last try. I guess the break helped my concentration, and my hands had warmed up a bit.

Great take, just full of tasty lines with a great feel and tone!

**Ronstuff** · 09-01-2021, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

Sensational! You really played melodic ideas and tuneful phrases that sounded wonderful to me. The tone was super as well.

Thanks! Trying to be musical while making the changes. I’m digging the Zoller pickup but I believe my other one(Ibanez super 70) is warmer.

**grahambop** · 09-01-2021, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

That was inspiring! In tone, tunefulness, boppish accents, it reminded me of Joe Pass on the Joy Spring album. I don't know how to give a higher compliment than that!

you've now got me thinking I will keep working on the tune even though I can't get it done this week.

Thanks Lawson. I’ve noticed that playing melodies in the lower or middle register on the 175 gets more of that thunk sound, so I think I keep going there!

I find all the descending triplets in this tune are hard to play well on the guitar though, I suspect they are easier on sax or piano.

**grahambop** · 09-01-2021, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by Ronstuff

Great take, just full of tasty lines with a great feel and tone!

Thanks Ron!

**Peterson** · 09-01-2021, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by grahambop

No idea how I played the head ok on this, it's a tough one on guitar and I was going to give up after 3 hopeless attempts. Then I had to go and do something else for half-an-hour, so when I came back I gave it one last try. I guess the break helped my concentration, and my hands had warmed up a bit.

Damn, I’m jealous! You find tons of melodic sweet spots hidden in the harmony. Excellent!

**wzpgsr** · 09-01-2021, 02:55 PM

Not a ton of time for me this week for listening or playing—I’m envious of those who were able to plow forward on this tune. It sounds pretty tricky and like a tune worth tackling some day.

**grahambop** · 09-01-2021, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by Peterson

Damn, I’m jealous! You find tons of melodic sweet spots hidden in the harmony. Excellent!

Thanks. I really like that description, it sums up what I’ve been working on for the last 40 years!

**Ronstuff** · 09-01-2021, 08:52 PM

I was inspired by Grahambop's take so I did another one. I tried to use more of the middle strings on the guitar like Graham. I used an Abersold track where the tempo is slower and included his very famous count-in for your listening pleasure

. Also tried to only think of V chord in II-V's to simplify things a little. A work in progress...

**John A.** · 09-01-2021, 11:04 PM

I spent some more time shedding the head today (I had a bad chart that I had spent too much time with, and wound up having to just get it off the Sco/Henderson recording by ear tonight). I've pretty much got it now, but no time to do any recording for the next couple of days.

Ron: good stuff on both takes, definitely mastered the changes.

Ragman: I didn't get to all of yours yet. So far I like the sort of bossa-ish vibe of the first one.

RPJ: Nice demo of the fingerings. I probably should have watched that before I shedded the head myself. The improv sounded good to me, though you've got this kind of barking overtone on your guitar that I'm not sure fits :-)

Peterson: Valiant efforts, and I feel your pain.

Trips: I think this one was really good. Your time was spot on, nailed the changes, came up with some good ideas. One of your best so far.

Graham: Yup, you got it.