February 2015 - There Will Never Be Another You

[Dana]

This month’s winner is ‘There Will Never Be Another You’

I’m stepping in for wiz {Howie} who unfortunately is having computer difficulties. I’m sure he’ll be back next month at the regularly scheduled time.

I’ve decided to post a little early since we’ve had Stella for two months now. Perhaps some of you are ready for a change. So, without further ado……

Lead Sheet----------> Box

Backing Track (95 bpm) ------> Box

Backing Track (140 bpm) ------> Box

Have fun!

[pkirk]

I'm at the tail end of a 6 month stay abroad, I'll see if I can get it together to post a new one before the month is up when I finally get my favorite guitar back under my fingers. In the meantime, here's an 8 year old clip of mine from a similar thread on a different newsgroup

[PaulD]

pkirk, beautiful playing as always, and great tone on the Tele! Looking forward to the new version.

Sounds like the bar is being raised here, so let me bring it down a few notches

Here's an old video I did in 2007

Here's a quick take I did today with the same guitar:



Paul

[Vladan]

This one looks pretty easy, I could almost read it after some (serious) practice. Guess I'll join for this month.

BTW, good takes till now, everybody.

[lawson-stone]

So this is rather scary for me. Having heard every clip posted so far, all of which go beyond what I am capable of, I decided to post something anyhow. I was actually testing out my recording set up, reviewed this clip, and decided that I'd post it. It does not represent my best playing, but it presents some of my better moments and identifies areas where I struggle. I'm pretty good at the basic chord-melody style playing. Improvising lines is a struggle. When i stop playing chords, I get a little confused where I am in the tune. I get ideas, start a line, make a mistake… you know how it goes I'm sure.

So I wanted to post a real "slice of life" for me at this point in my jazz journey. I hope to learn a lot, and perhaps other beginning/intermediate players will get the courage to post their efforts. We never learn anything without putting our stuff out there, warts and all.

[PaulD]

Lawson, nice job - glad you posted it. I thought the chordal stuff was good and sounded confident . I can see where you started to hesitate a little on some of the single line stuff, but I think that’s a matter of getting the form of the tune to a point where you can naturally feel 2, 4, and 8 beat phrases. I used to take a 2 to 4-bar section of a tune and practice blowing single lines over the changes using straight eighth notes over and over till I could nail it, then move on to the next section. Eventually, the counting became more instinctive and I could add some syncopation without getting lost in the form.

Paul

[pkirk]

Lawson
it sounds real good to me. you've got lots of good stuff, especially the chord soloing.

One thing about this comment

It does not represent my best playing, but it presents some of my better moments and identifies areas where I struggle. I'm pretty good at the basic chord-melody style playing. Improvising lines is a struggle.

in my opinion, for every musician, the range between his worst moments and his best moments is not that wide, and the goal is to increase one's *average*. It is painful to hear yourself on a recording knowing that in practice you have done much better, but those of us who live outside your head probably get a fairly accurate view of where you are on the jazz path from any clip you post.


What I like is to hear is how people who participate progress as time goes on, and in particular how they approach certain things. I get ideas from all the clips posted.

[lawson-stone]

Thanks you all. Good encouragement and advice. I also decided to post because I don't want to be one of those guys who is all talk and no playing, all hat and no cattle. By posting, you know where I'm at, and I can't give speeches about music when I haven't got the chops to bear it out. I know I read the comments of those who post their playing very differently from those by non-posters.

My basic goals are to have my chordal playing move up a level to more interesting harmonies, and yes, to give birth to a decent line-playing ability. In all the years I've worked with jazz, I still don't know the fingerboard the way I should, and have trouble implementing things like chord-tones, arpeggios, etc.

So I'm hopeful that being active here will expose me to some good advice.

[pkirk]

My basic goals are to have my chordal playing move up a level to more interesting harmonies

So I'm hopeful that being active here will expose me to some good advice.

OK, since you asked: try to incorporate some melodic minor sounds. A good place to start on this tune is to use C melodic minor on the F7.

[christianm77]

Here's my first bash at it. Playing on me tod for this one. There is, I'm afraid, an Explanation. I start playing at 1:27.

[christianm77]

So I wanted to post a real "slice of life" for me at this point in my jazz journey. I hope to learn a lot, and perhaps other beginning/intermediate players will get the courage to post their efforts. We never learn anything without putting our stuff out there, warts and all.

That's what it is for anyone who plays music....

It can be difficult for us musicians to accept that the playing on recording or video is actually how we play. It's never quite right haha....

Well done for posting! Nice one...

[gggomez]

lawson-stone do you listen to a lot of Barney Kessell? really enjoyed it.
Christian class act everyone really nice, I listened to them all thanks, for the entertainment.

[lawson-stone]

OK, since you asked: try to incorporate some melodic minor sounds. A good place to start on this tune is to use C melodic minor on the F7.

Thanks for that. I need to bone up on the melodic minor. Do you mean the scale that changes going down from how it went up, or the "jazz" melodic minor, basically major scale with b3?

[lawson-stone]

lawson-stone do you listen to a lot of Barney Kessell? really enjoyed it.
Christian class act everyone really nice, I listened to them all thanks, for the entertainment.

At one time I listened to tons of Kessel, and I can usually spot him after about 4 notes on a recording. I'd say next to Joe Pass and Jim Hall, Kessel has been among the players I've listened to the most.

[pkirk]

Here's my first bash at it. Playing on me tod for this one. There is, I'm afraid, an Explanation. I start playing at 1:27.

Nice.

The fisheye lens thing makes your right had seem twice the size of your left.....

[christianm77]

Nice.

The fisheye lens thing makes your right had seem twice the size of your left.....

No it's actually like that and it's very rude to point it out.

This is what happens when you spend to much time playing.... errr.... gypsy jazz rhythm guitar!

[Vladan]

... My basic goals are to have my chordal playing move up a level to more interesting harmonies, and yes, to give birth to a decent line-playing ability. In all the years I've worked with jazz, I still don't know the fingerboard the way I should, and have trouble implementing things like chord-tones, arpeggios, etc.

So I'm hopeful that being active here will expose me to some good advice.

I think you should not insist on complication. I think you should insist on your feel of swing, because you have it. When you pick up the tune where you know it, it's really flowing. Play anything (in tune) with that feel and it will sound great. No need searching for complication. It will inevitably come and just in time, when you become able to play it.

What Pkirk said seem like very good place to start. Think I should try it myself sometimes.

[pkirk]

Thanks for that. I need to bone up on the melodic minor. Do you mean the scale that changes going down from how it went up, or the "jazz" melodic minor, basically major scale with b3?

I just mean 1 b3 5 7 (not b7). what else you add is up to you, the usual starting point is to play with the scale 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 both ascending and descending. but really I mean use the sound of a b3 and a (maj) 7

[lawson-stone]

I just mean 1 b3 5 7 (not b7). what else you add is up to you, the usual starting point is to play with the scale 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 both ascending and descending. but really I mean use the sound of a b3 and a (maj) 7

That has been a really hard sound for me to get into my head. I have a lot of trouble just thinking "Hey yeah, that b3 Maj7 goes here..."

What has helped in the past, (sadly), is that I've taken an idea and gone to the lick books and learned 3-4 licks built on the scale or mode, and then pretty much forced them into tunes until I got the hang of it.

Might have to do that on this one. I imagine there is a much more spiritually pure way to learn this, but nailing down a couple licks sometimes can implant the sound.

[boatheelmusic]

Here's one from me, comments welcome and appreciated!

[Jehu]

In the meantime, here's an 8 year old clip of mine...

Paul, I have no idea why you insist on wasting away in academia when you could be raking in those sweet, sweet jazz dollars.

Good stuff, everyone! I have to say, it's so awesome to see this series revitalised. (That's Kiwi for 'revitalized'.) It was a bit of a dark time there for a while.

[nick1994]

Nice, fuzzthebee and destinytot

I'm at the tail end of a 6 month stay abroad, I'll see if I can get it together to post a new one before the month is up when I finally get my favorite guitar back under my fingers. In the meantime, here's an 8 year old clip of mine from a similar thread on a different newsgroup

love the tele, tone and playing

[targuit]

PKirk - All I can say is it should be illegal to get that sweet jazz tone out of a Fender Tele! Nice playing.

[christianm77]

Nice, fuzzthebee and destinytot

I'm at the tail end of a 6 month stay abroad, I'll see if I can get it together to post a new one before the month is up when I finally get my favorite guitar back under my fingers. In the meantime, here's an 8 year old clip of mine from a similar thread on a different newsgroup

Yeah that's a great tone....

See Telecasters rule!!! :-)

Having the right player helps too...

[nick1994]

PKirk - All I can say is it should be illegal to get that sweet jazz tone out of a Fender Tele! Nice playing.

See I told you...teles can get the job done too