The 'Practical Jazz Workshop' is here to help any player who is prepared to put in the time and effort to improve as a Jazz guitarist. If that’s you, welcome aboard! Before you get stuck right in, please take a minute to read the five Guidelines, which are designed to help everyone to get the best possible experience from this thread. 1) A new Jazz sound file – typically accompanied by a chart and some pointers to help you get started – will be posted on the first Saturday of each month at 6pm Eastern Standard Time (or thereabouts). 2) Please keep your take within the Jazz tradition, preferably quoting the top line melody at the ‘head’, and making the fullest use of the chord changes in your subsequent improvisation. 3) In the initial stages of these Practical Jazz threads, the music will be selected by either @dogletnoir, @davidKOS or @montemerrick, who will also provide charts/lead sheets and study/reference material as they see fit, as well as some feedback on performances which they feel will be helpful to participants. They will be working to a rotation system that allows time for preparation, and avoids last-minute debate over what composition should be chosen next. 4) Participants are encouraged to practice the number beforehand as much as their time allows, but please make any submissions a genuine, ‘bandstand style’ take, without edits or overdubs. 5) Constructive critiques of the other submissions will be allowed, but please be mindful of other people’s feelings. Pointing a way forward will certainly be more helpful than simply mentioning things that you felt were 'wrong' with a take. Let’s keep Practical Jazz Workshop a happy, safe environment where everyone can learn from each other. If you have a Jazz number you feel could benefit participants, please start a Conversation with @davidKOS, @dogletnoir, and @montemerrick, rather than posting it into the thread. PJW #1: COLD DUCK TIME downloadable backing track (changes: cycles F7 to B7, then Db Maj 7 to Eb Maj. 7) The original Live At Montreux version: As played by Larry Carlton & friends: Originally written by Eddie Harris in 1969. Form: 8 bar intro, play the head (main melody) 2x, solo over 2 choruses, then back to the head 2x. Do feel free to practice, investigate, and work at this for as long as you like before hitting the 'record' button... Here are some definitions for a few terms which will most likely come up from time to time around here: bridge: a term which is sometimes used to indicate a 'C' section of a tune, also sometimes used interchangeably with chorus: the 'B' section of a tune; also used to indicate a complete solo run through the entire tune. changes: the basic chords/progression of the piece. chart: see 'lead sheet' comping: playing chordal 'accompaniment' to a vocal or instrumental single note line. head: the main melody line of a tune lead sheet: a condensed version of an arrangement which indicates the chords, melody, and form of a piece of music. fake book: a compilation of many lead sheets, often of dubious origin and/or accuracy. grips: chord shapes vamp: a repetitive rhythmic pattern often used as the basis for soloing; also as an intro or closing section to a piece. verse: the seldom heard opening section of many a jazz standard. voicing: the way the notes in the chord are ordered/stacked. i know i'm posting a bit early this time around, but what the heck... i'm kind of excited to get this going! P.S. A huge thanks to @simoncroft for his assistance in drafting the guidelines!
so, what im hearing on the soundcloud downloadable is an 8 bar intro, then the head comes in.....am i correct?
You can hear a cue from a horn or I thought I did. Maybe it's because I've had the record since 1969.
im just making sure everyone understands to count 8 bars (or do whatever) before you begin the head. otherwise its gonna get confusing. that way it will work out perfect....8 bar intro, head 2 times, solo 2 times, head 2 times again.
i totally agree. but ive never heard this song, and even though jazz aint my thing, i still want to try to learn how to play it, just in case i ever get old. and i think this whole thing is a great idea. so, for this stuff, yeah im gonna be a good boy. plus, i cant break the rules playin jazz until i can actually play jazz.
Sounds right to me for cueing the change... sorry for the delayed response; my internet went out shortly after posting, and i've just gotten it back. EDIT: extended backing track take withdrawn; i will submit a take using the official thread backing track asap.
i'm looking forward to recording this.... a gentle way to touch the jazz coming from the blues... but now, off to Eureka - i'm the guitarist for the house band for the DaDa Cabaret... shouldn't be too much of a problem for me to play nonsense!
I've been playing with this one some. Added a count in, some tracks with piano, Rhodes MK1, sax and some light background horns. Kind of mixed down the backing tracks guitar parts as best I could to make some room a bit as well. Gives me a chance to think about some of the improv sections since the head is pretty straightforward. Having fun if nothing else. Edit: Removed the short sample of what I was doing, which turned out to be the wrong direction.. removed so no one gets super jealous of my mad VST sax skills.
Crashing the party - it's such a cool backer. I did 2 x head, 1 x solo, 3 x head. One take jam after practicing it a bit this morning. Finger picked it to get closer to the vibe but finger picking is not my forte, "Conard Confit":
ive been messin with this a little and this is why jazz messes with me.....on the chart it says F7, but when i do F7 stuff it just wont work right for me. but when i do Fm7 stuff it works great. the B7 sounds good though. so i guess ill be breakin the rules after all. the F7 chord works fine, played as a chord, but the arpeggio sounds bad for some reason. strange how that works.
I like how Larry Carlton plays his old BB Kingish style that he used to use on the old Crusaders records from the early 70’s. Hint hint ...