I've always been a lover of Coltrane and Charlie Parker, Listening to the HCH allstarts video #4 again (and at the event) It's really made me think of the great jazzy blues intersection that some of the instructors were ocupying during their solo's (e.g. adam's 1st solo and alex's (A -Pac) I thought that it might be a cool idea to try and take some jazz standards and work up a harmonica part.
Although this is where I'm at somewhat of a loss. I don't really know the 1st thing about playing jazz (well about playing it properly, I did a coupple of jazz piano grades but all that ment was learning a few cool songs on the piano)
So where should I start? Anyone know of any good jazzy bluesy songs that translate well to the harmonica?
I think I've got most of the techniques I need down. (all draw / blow bends and OB's on 456 and the 7 OD)
Any advice on where to go from here would be great. I guess for now I'll just try and coppy the solos from the 'allstars' video.
here is the solo I was refering too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSFKH13eciw&feature=player_embedded#at=61 ---------- "imagination is more important then knowledge" - Albert Einstien
"All Blues" is a good one and is doable on a diatonic harp in second position. "So What" is doable on diatonic in third position, but you need to use 2 harps. These are, of course, Miles Davis tunes from the KIND OF BLUE album. "Jean-Pierre" is a funky Miles Davis tune that's doable in second position and sounds great with pedalboard electronics.
"Cold Duck Time" is an Eddie Harris tune doable in third position. "Equinox" is a haunting minor key blues by John Coltrane that lays out very well in fourth position. "Afro Blue" is playable in third position, but I prefer doing it in fourth position.
"Chitlins Con Carne" modulates between Dorian minor and natural minor which is doable in Fifth position (you bend 4D a half step to get the major sixth). Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island" is for the most part playable in third position although i need to lay out on the turn around since I don't OB. "Watermelon Man," another Herbie Hancock tune, is playable in second position.
"St. Thomas" is a Sonny Rollins tune with a calypso feel and a major 7th that lays out perfectly in first position. "Little Wing" (the Jimi Hendrix tune) is close to jazz and lays out perfectly in fifth position. "Straight, No Chaser" is a jazz blues by Thelonious Monk. "Red Clay" is playable in second position.
The thing about jazz is that you've got to learn the heads note for note and play them in a disciplined manner. Also, the progressions are not always (or even usually) I-IV-V, so you've got to use your ears and can't just play the SOS when you solo/improvise. BUT one can get a surprising amount of mileage from the blues scale on some of these tunes although you will also be playing sixths, seconds and ninths, which are not blues scale tones.
Many jazz tunes simply have too many chord changes to be playable for me on diatonic harp since I don't OB. i don't pretend to be a jazz player, but i have a limited repertoire of jazz tunes i can play. Both of the band leaders of the bands i work with regularly have Masters degrees in music and each of them also has a jazz trio. They invite me to sit in and it's sink or swim so i had to pick up some of this stuff. I had to have some of the heads written out for me, though, which (fortunately) one or the other of the bandleaders were willing to do for me. Playing this stuff even on a limited basis has been great for my musical development and has really helped my ability to play other styles of music, including blues.
Last Edited by on May 27, 2011 6:45 AM
Hi, I like jazz-blues also! It would be nice to try to play:
Watermelon Man Now's The Time Blue Monk Stright No Chaser Mo Better Blues Cantalopue Island All Blues Freddie Freeloader Cameleon Equinox Worksong Summertime
Check Jamey Aebersold books and playalongs. I suppose that you have to change your way/kind of thinking about improvisations, I mean no blues licks and patterns, no pentatonics (on the start).
Play melodies on right chords by right scale, knowledge about harmony and modes is absolutely useful.
Listen your favorite jazz tunes all time long :o) If you will have any questions, feel free and write to me/us on forum.
Thanks for the advice! I've just started reading a short music theory course online here: http://www.riccardos.org/harmonicas/theory/ It's not bad and I think gives some good ground work for learning jazz theory/harmony.
If you guys know of any free resources or even good books on jazz theory/harmony let me know. But for now I think that's more than enough songs to sink my teeth into :)
---------- "imagination is more important then knowledge" - Albert Einstien
