The Jimmy Bruno Thread

[neatomic]

jimmy b has been really enjoying his new telecaster..said in more recent vid hes lovin the tele!!!..and super excited about getting a new roger sadowsky solidbody- a mahog tele shape with 2 humbuckers!!

of course jimmy sounds great on anything..but it's nice to see the recent tele love...fun stuff

cheers

[KirkP]

Jimmy plays the first two etudes from the Wohlfahrt book and then looks at how the Real Book gives chords to "Cry Me A River."

I enjoy Jimmy’s stream of consciousness videos and learn something from each one. His dissection of the Cry Me A River chart is fun. I go through a similar process whenever I use a fake book — finding harmonizations that don’t work for me, and stripping the tune down to vanilla as I try to memorize it. I might reharmonize it in my own way later, but I want to learn the tune vanilla first. I’m much much slower at it than Jimmy is in this video, but I’m glad to see evidence I’m on the right track.

[MarkRhodes]

I enjoy Jimmy’s stream of consciousness videos and learn something from each one. His dissection of the Cry Me A River chart is fun. I go through a similar process whenever I use a fake book — finding harmonizations that don’t work for me, and stripping the tune down to vanilla as I try to memorize it. I might reharmonize it in my own way later, but I want to learn the tune vanilla first. I’m much much slower at it than Jimmy is in this video, but I’m glad to see evidence I’m on the right track.

Have you looked at Ralph Patt's "Vanilla Changes"? It's a book of the 'vanilla changes' to 400 standards. It's viewable online here.
Index

[KirkP]

Have you looked at Ralph Patt's "Vanilla Changes"? It's a book of the 'vanilla changes' to 400 standards. It's viewable online here.
Index

That’s what got me started on the vanilla approach to learning tunes! As I recall, Ralph said there’s not necessarily a “correct” vanilla version of a tune, since more than one way to harmonize from a given melody. I found I learned a tune better by going through the process on my own instead of looking at Ralph’s charts. Sometimes I’d look at Ralph’s charts only after I went through the process myself to see if I liked his choices better.

Also, I don’t think he intended that anyone actually perform to his vanilla changes — it’s just an exercise to boil a tune down to its essential harmony. Once you’ve done that, you’ve got a great starting point to reharmonize in your own way.

It’s been a few years since I looked at his stuff. Thanks for the reminder — I’ll take another look.
Here’s a link to Ralph’s introduction:
The Vanilla Book

Here’s Ralph’s vanilla chart for Cry Me A River:
Cry Me A River
I haven’t check carefully, but I’ll bet it’s pretty close to what Jimmy ended up with in his video. I think Jimmy said he thinks of the first two bars as just a plain minor chord. Ralph instead includes the typical line cliché, stepping down from the root to the 6th. I think it’s also acceptable to play a line cliché stepping up from the fifth to the b7.

[MarkRhodes]

That’s what got me started on the vanilla approach to learning tunes! As I recall, Ralph said there’s not necessarily a “correct” vanilla version of a tune, since more than one way to harmonize from a given melody. I found I learned a tune better by going through the process on my own instead of looking at Ralph’s charts. Sometimes I’d look at Ralph’s charts only after I went through the process myself to see if I liked his choices better.

I think that's a good point. For memorization, it helps to know where the chords are going. Apart from the melody. (This helps with one's own compositions too, as you find a nice set of changes and come up with your own melody for them.) When the chords are given in a "Real Book" way---with the melody note on top of the chord and no intention is given to provide "blowing changes"---it can be hard for a younger player to have a sense of what the harmony is supposed to be doing. As Jimmy points out, you don't want to be comping with lots of alterations while someone else is soloing---you want to give them a wide berth. You want to "play the form," which is hard to do if you're not sure what the form is. When the form is clear (-12 bar blues, rhythm changes) more liberties can be taken with the harmony because the form is so familiar. If the form is not familiar and you're playing chords based on putting the melody note on top, you really don't know what you're doing in terms of creating a framework in which other soloists can work. (Or you can work when soloing over that tune.)

Barney Kessel suggested learning tunes by first playing just the bass note and the melody note. (Frank Vignola gave me this exercise in a private lesson, choosing the tune "All The Things You Are.") You can't do that unless you have a definite set of changes--that's what the bass line is (at least in part.)

[KirkP]

I think that's a good point. For memorization, it helps to know where the chords are going. Apart from the melody. (This helps with one's own compositions too, as you find a nice set of changes and come up with your own melody for them.) When the chords are given in a "Real Book" way---with the melody note on top of the chord and no intention is given to provide "blowing changes"---it can be hard for a younger player to have a sense of what the harmony is supposed to be doing. As Jimmy points out, you don't want to be comping with lots of alterations while someone else is soloing---you want to give them a wide berth. You want to "play the form," which is hard to do if you're not sure what the form is. When the form is clear (-12 bar blues, rhythm changes) more liberties can be taken with the harmony because the form is so familiar. If the form is not familiar and you're playing chords based on putting the melody note on top, you really don't know what you're doing in terms of creating a framework in which other soloists can work. (Or you can work when soloing over that tune.)

Barney Kessel suggested learning tunes by first playing just the bass note and the melody note. (Frank Vignola gave me this exercise in a private lesson, choosing the tune "All The Things You Are.") You can't do that unless you have a definite set of changes--that's what the bass line is (at least in part.)

That’s what seems to work best for me. Although I also benefit from varying my approach to learning a tune — maybe focus on the melody and roots at first, then add some vanilla chord tones (e.g., 3ths & 7ths) in between, then turn things around and focus on the chord voicings (inversions) to make the inner voices move around in nice ways without trying to play the melody (or maybe humming it), then try to improvise a new melody over some voicings I like, then maybe focus on the base line trying to turn it into a melody voice. Then I might change key and go though the process again to see if I discover anything new. I’m not at all disciplined about it, but I enjoy the process much in the way an artist might enjoy a sketch pad (which might tie into the “Art and Music” discussion elsewhere on this forum).
I spend much more time on this than practicing technique. As a result my technique sucks. Good thing I do this for pleasure rather than to put food on the table.

[MarkRhodes]

[neatomic]

past week, jimmy's been sounding good on his new budget gretsch streamliner...with bigsby..in flashy goldust color no less...haha!!!

actually nice qc guitars at budget price



cheers

ps bigsby can be removed/replaced with no damage to arch top (no extra holes)

[clebergf]

Hello there, Frank Vignola and Jimmy Bruno recorded a duo CD that will be released soon.

I'm looking forward for this one, I love guitar duo and this track is amazing.

[neatomic]

nice to see the jimmy b love...amazing comeback!!!...

i too happily posted this track in the listening to now thread yesterday

jimmy's using his brand new bill comins guitar!..

cheers

[MarkRhodes]

They sound great together.
I'm definitely buying this CD when it comes out.

It's interesting to contrast their styles. Especially when one is very familiar with how they teach. They both "practice what they preach". And their timing is great.

[neatomic]

jimmy was certainly jazzed about playing with frank!!!...they got 17 first takes!!...they also did a homage to jimmys dad...guitar boogie shuffle...jimmys dad had played (and arranged uncredited) on the hit by frank virtue

they are planning to combine the new recordings with teaching material

spread the word!! the maestro jimmy bruno is back!


cheers

[MarkRhodes]

nice to see the jimmy b love...amazing comeback!!!...

i too happily posted this track in the listening to now thread yesterday

jimmy's using his brand new bill comins guitar!..

cheers

It is amazing. He was in very bad shape there for awhile. Glad he's "still alive and well" and also glad he's playing so well.

(I'm going to post Johnny Winter's "Still Alive and Well" but I'll do it at the "What are you listening to now?" thread.)

[neatomic]

absolutely mark, i'm longtime fan too...have watched all his vids since his illness...remember when he thought he'd never play again...dark days!!...then saw him playing, but struggling...(it was heartbreaking)...and slowly he got better and better, and just recently seems to have really got it all together...cuttin tracks with frank this week was great for him!!!..kudos to frank v!! jimmys very proud of these recordings


cheers

[MarkRhodes]

jimmy was certainly jazzed about playing with frank!!!...they got 17 first takes!!...they also did a homage to jimmys dad...guitar boogie shuffle...jimmys dad had played (and arranged uncredited) on the hit by frank virtue

they are planning to combine the new recordings with teaching material

O, man, I'll be all in for that. I'm subscribed to Frank's True Fire channel now. Have a lot of lead sheets he sent me when we did a private lesson. Spent about a year in Jimmy's workshop and was starting to think it might be time to go back. This could be the impetus.

[Steven Herron]

Wow - how cool is that!

Jimmy and Frank sound so good together - I was sucked right into what they were playing immediately!!

I would have to say that they have both recovered just fine from their various injuries.

Thanks for posting that for us!

[MarkRhodes]

Frank Vignola has posted the take of "Autumn Leaves" on his TrueFire channel.

[MarkRhodes]

At the end of the performance, Jimmy says, "That's the shit, man."
Great stuff.
Interesting arrangement.
So good to see and hear Jimmy back in top form.
And Frank is great too.

[clebergf]

Great! Thanks.
You know, I asked Jimmy once if he thought his dad's solo was patterned on Charlie Parker's "Now's the Time" solo. He said he didn't hear it that way. Maybe I'm the only one....

But this is great to hear.

I'll listen to this, I didn't know that Jimmy's father was a guitarist too.

[neatomic]

jimmy b also still has his dads cherry red gibby 355 guitar...

cheers

[Hep To The Jive]

Jimmy knows how to use Bigsby, bravo! Bigsby is a beautiful thing, a great expression tool. Jazz snobs hate it, but they're missing out. After I've heard another Jimmy- Jimmy Shirley, I knew it can be used in jazz to a great effect!

[Jkniff26]

Amazing to hear him playing in that sort of setting again. I have seen him in a few stellar duos over the years. These guys sound great together. I have been watching those great daily videos and rant sessions like many of you. It’s great to hear him play and not have to hear him bitch about anything. Long time fan here.


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[clebergf]

News from Jimmy about the CD

[MarkRhodes]

News from Jimmy about the CD

That's great! Look forward to the "commentary" portion of the project. (The music too, of course, but that's a given.)

[Doctor Jeff]

That's great what I heard--glad to see he's back in the saddle.

I've mentioned before my fiancee's sister who is an excellent visual artist had a stroke 2 years ago that affected her speech and right sided strength. She is still recovering and improving even to this day, is back doing art and just ordered a 3-wheel bike so she could enjoy one of her main physical pursuits.