DAVID N. BAKER's MODERN JAZZ SERIE IMPROVISATIOF{AI PATTERNS Rhe BLUES

DAVID N. BAKER'S MODERN JAZZ SERIE IMPROVISATIOF{AI PATTERNS rHE BLUES

FOR ALt TREBLE CIEF INSTRUMENTS

,t A, mauro grossi musicista I7-) ty'ia Yl cji Salvrano. rr , f/124 Uvomo - ltatia Tel. e Fax 0586 ffig7äg - Celt. 328 2298912

CHARLES COLIN - 315 West 53rd St., New York, N.Y. 10019 t -a,i

PREEACE

"lmprovisational Patterns: The Blues" is a part of a series books predicated of pattern on the belief that while certain patterns seem to transcend eras and styles, the greater. bgdy of materials is high specificity with regard .improvisafional of to its timeänd ptacä within the jazzcontinuum. Unlike : the subjects of the other books in a this series "The Beb;;-dr;;öiles t, z -a and 3) and "Contemporary Patterns,"the i blues ir trrti a music which does i, indeed transcend eras and .dt styles and it is this p"ruu"riu", ubiquitous and universal quality which is addressed in this book. I 4if il

Scale Syllabus...... 4 t_ Chapter l. The Blues: An Essay...... 6 The Performers...... 8 Boogie Woogie ...... 9 t_ Discography ...... 9 Chapter ll. Some Suggestions for Using This Book...... 14 FurtherSuggestedStudy. ....1,4 t_ SignalsintheBlues ...... 15

Chapter III. Blues Patterns...... 16 t_ Chapter lV. (1) Some Model Solos Based on Various Sets of Blues Changes. . .26 (2) Some Model Solos Making Exclusive Use of Specific Scales. .46 l_ WholeTone...... 46 Diminished ...... 47 Diminished Whole Tone. . . .49 Lydian Dominant...... 50 l-- TthScales ...... 52 Pentatonics and 4ths...... 53 Blues Scales ...... 59 (3) 16BarBlues .....63 (4) BlueswithBridges ...... 66 t_ (5) Variations on Minor Blues Changes ...... 77 t_. Chapter V. Some Popular Boogie Woogie Patterns . ...75

Chapter Vl. Some Common Riffs and Backgrounds l_ to be Used as Models ...... 80 Chapter VII. Some Model Piano Voicings for the Blues ...... 85 t_ Chapter Vlll. Some Model Bass Lines Based on Basic Blues Changes ...... 89

Chapter lX. Some Original Blues Compositions for l_ StudyandPerformance ....92 (1) Brother :...... 92 (2) Line for Wes . . . .92 (3) Blues for Bird ...... 93 t_ (4) The Naptown Strut...... 93 (5) The Felix Walk (with bass line). .94 (6) Herman's Theme (with bass line). 96 (7) Le Miroir Noir (with bass line) l-- from the original recording . . . .98 (8) TerribleT(with bass line)...... 99 (9) Mon (L'odeur du Blues) with the solo line from the original t-- recording .....100 (10) Kentucky Oysters (composition and David Baker's transcribed solo from the original L: recording) ...102 (11) Honesty (cr,.rmposition and David Baker's transcribed solo from the l-- original recording ... 105 t-- t_- SCALE SYLLABUS

Relationship Of Chords To Scales Major Famity Cho.d Typ. (t) Major-13579... Scrlr Form .Major12345678 Major(14)13S79[1 1 .Lydian12314567g Major(14Is) j 3 {s 7 911 1 ...... Major(b619)1gsz Lydian Augmenred.l 2 3fl4 [56 78 gir rr... .Augmented1 Major13579 1235 b67 1 ...... diminished Major13S79.... 1 b2b3!39456 b78 234sb678 il;;;;;;;; ...brueslb3q3414Sb78::lT:l'cM_ajor1 ...... mjnorpentatonic 1!34s b7g . . . Majorpentatonjc 1 23 S6 g minor Family Chord typ! Scsle Form minor, tonic (l) Function ...... Dorian 1zbg4'6b7 I Nalurat minor 1 Z bg Ä S phrysian b6 b7 I 1 bZß 4 sb6b7 I Ascending Melodic minor 12b34567a Harmonic minor 1 Zb3 4 5167I mrnor pentalonjc 1 b3 4 5 b7 S minorTth(r)Funcrion . . ;:,,il,T;tilitlrrt Ascending melod jc minor 12b345678 Fjarmonic minor 1 213 4 Sb67 1 minor pentatonic 1 b3 4 5 g örues1b334i4578 b7 dimjnished (start wirh whote step) | 2b348415678 Dominanl Family Cho.d Typo Sc.l6 Fo|m Dominanl 7th unattered . .. Mjxolydian 13s b79 t ZeqSAbt A Lydian Dominant g 1 2 14 5 6 b7 I Major Penratonjc 1 23 5 6 8 minor pentatonic 1 b3 4 s 67 I ulues 1 Dominant 7th b3 13 4i4 5b7 I lrr...... Lydian domjnant 135 b79t1 1 1231456b78 Oominant 7th b5, or 15 borh...... 13bs17 WholeToner 23r4f5d6 r 3f5 b7 13(bsis)b7

4 Chord Typc Seda Form DominantTth(bg) ...... Diminished -- 135b7bö' 1b2Fl3l4s6b78 Dominant 7th 19 ...... Diminishedlb2ß 13i45b78 1 35 bTls Diminished wnole tone 1b2 13!3f4ls168 Dorian12t3456b78 Brues I b3!34$45b7I ritinor oentatonic 1 b3 4 5 b7 I Dominant 7th bg and f 9...... diminisheö1b2b3 !3h56 b78 diminished whole tone 1 b2 b3 13 i4 t516 I minor pentatonic 1 b3 4 5 b7 I Elues 1 b3 !3 414 5 b78 Dominant 7rh bs and bg o,',"iTr"i, 13 g4 s 6 b7 s diminished whole tone 1b2ß!3 14 lsü68 minor pentatonic 1 b3 4 5 b7 8 Bruesl b3!34f45b78 Dominant 7th . . diminisheo scale bs and b9 13 b5 b7 bg 1bzt3 13$456b78 pentatonic ls and $e 13 ls b7 is minor b5 anrr is 13 b5 b7*9 1b345 b78 fs and Us 13 ls b7 b9 Brues 1 b3 134$45b78 (and/combination)

Halt-dlminlshed chords

chord Typ. Scda Form (halt{iminished7th ...... Locrian 1b2b34b5bob78 1 2 t3 4 b5 bo b7 I (ö7) locrian $2 -

minor 7th (b5) diminished (start with whole step) 1b3bsb1b3bsb7 12b3414fs678 brues 1 b3 13 414 s b7 8

dlminished chords diminished 7th . diminished scale (o7) (starl with whole step) 1 b3 b56 12b34141567I

&t2 The Btues I he (u) section ot the bfldge ts the secuon wnere new The blues has had a profound influence on American contrasting material is introduced, (i.e., music. It is without a doubt the most widelv used sono form in black popular music and jazz. As a iorm and ai ABA influence, the blues can be found in much music of the i- 12---l l*8*r '--12-. theatre, and in country and western music. lt is the foun. dation of much gospel music, most rhythm and blues compositions, much rock and roll music, all booqie _ arbitrary number or bars.) woogie. as well as other universally popular song forÄs, Examples of such compositions are "Bill not phil" by Bil and it has shown a decided influence on some European Harria, "Traneing In" by John Coltrane and;an) Art music. otnerS. A cu.sory examinatjon of all the recorded iazz music In many instances instrumental blues in the iazz tradt- would probably reveal an unbelievably percentage high tion tends to.be more predictable and regular in structure of blues and blues-influenced compositions, as well äs (symmetrical) with the exception blues.influenced performances. of biues by Ornette Tire yield would be Coleman and those of similar persuasion. (Many higher in certain eras than in others. avanr- During the halcyon garde players tend toward the säme irregularitiei, asyrr" days of Bebop it was rare.to find a ZB and later an L.p. metricalities freedom indigenous without a blues on it. 9nd to many voca blues.) The Classic Blues," 'Ctty Blues" and.othär It is not an accident that more almost without exceDtion the sophisticated forms have settjed into reqular forma players who have influenced the flow of iazz have been -well.rooted structures (twelve or sixteen measure oatterns) often a.t great blues players and,/or composers in the expense of vitality, spontaneity anä the demands oi blues: Louis Armctrong, Jelly Ro|l j{orton, Count young, content. Basie, Earl Hines, Lester Charlie parker, While blues instrumentalists Dizzy Gillesple, Thelonlous of the iazz oenre have ltonk, Sonny Rolling, tended to certain regularities wiih relard Charles llingua, Ornette Coleman, _accept to the Archie Shepp, numDer ot measures in a blues (i.e., 12, g. 16, etc.). and othe.s. "Watermelon Man," Herbie Hancock-16 bars- These men and others, often as not, chose the blues as "Stolen Moments," vehicles Ollver Nelson-16 bars, thev have fo. improvisation for many reasons, some of been less wedded to the sanctity which follow: of the original simple I lV V progression. Some of the iubstitute c-hords foi the 1. T}le blues is a highly flexible form with exceedingly instrumental blues follows. (See example l, p. 10.) simple harmonic structure (thfee chords). Some examples altered 2. lt allows of bluej are:',.Dahomev extreme latitude for musical exDression Dance, John Coltrane; Honesty,'David Baker; issuing out of this simplicity. Sip - pin at Bells," l|llles Davis; "When Will the Blues Leave,' J. lne blues provides a compositional type common Ornette Coleman. to the background of every would-be jazz player ir- Likewise, jazzmen have been much less riqid in their respective of era, musical persuasion or stylistic adherence to the 4/4 12y8 preference. / metric scheme prevalent in vocal blues, Virtually every meter and combination of 4. The blues is a form that can be .endered as simple meters has been used in jazz blues, i-e., 6/A,314, 514,714. or as complex as the individual performer/com. 514 + 614,7/8 5t8 ad poser + infinitum. desires. Some sample compositions include: 5. The ubiquity of the blues (via radio, T.V., church, jukebox, 3t4 nightclub, etc.) provides a form with which "Valse Hot"-Sonny Rolllng most aspiring jazz players are at least superficiallv "Kentucky Oysters"-Davld Baker conversant. "Terrible T"-Davld Baker . In addition to those compositions actually employing a Compound 6/4-5l4 rormat Dtues structure, lhere are countless compositionS ''Four-Five-Six''-Lanny Hartley which borrow heavily on the other components oi blues_ Amalgam 414 I 314 I 214 I etc. e.g., "Worksong by Nat Adderley, "Moanin'by Bobbv "Blues Timmona, ..Sister in Orbit"-Georg€ Ruasell Hummin by flat Adderley. Sadier. 12t8 by Horace Sllver and others. "All peteraon, Blues"-i[llee Davlg Many jazz players-Oscar Horace Sllver. "Roly Poly''-Davtd Baker Wes llortgomery, Irült Jacklon, Stanley Turrentlne, "Foot Prints"-llilea DavlE and others-show a decided propensity fär convertinq "Senor Blues"-Horace Sllver pop compositions to blues typ;s.-This metamorphosis i! "Mohawk"-J.J. Johnaon usually brought about by the imposition of tÄe blues The next musical consideration is that melody. scale, blue notes, certain of characteristics inflections and Perhaps it would be best to first examine vocal blues, phrases, and the unique use of characteristic rhythms. As would be expected the range of most vocal blues Whatever the means used to effect the change. ail good melodies because of voice jazz playeß limitations is much narrower evince some aural evidences of their blues (range and general placement within roots. the range) than instrumental blues with two, three, four or mori octave in. What are the musical characteristics of the blues? Most struments, lr ost vocal blues blues utilize melodies, with the exceo- a twelve measure structure consistino of tions of falsettos and other dramatic note disolacement!. three chords. Because of the exceptionally pers;nal rarely exceed an oqtave. Many of these bluäs melodies nature of the blues and extraordinary its flexibility, the are strongly reminiscent of tfe sorrow songs and other measure structure might include seven, ten, eleven, thir- tour and trve note melodies- teen, seventeen or any other amount (Form, of measures. Vocal blues melodies while highly personal usually struqture. internal arrangement are always subservient to derive.their personality content from the lyrics and/or style rather in the blues and most other African derived than the originality of the musical line, which musics,) The cirord is often sequence might also vary greatly trite, predictable and derivative. Often a single melody without causing blues the to lose its identity. For in- will serve hundreds of disparate verses and coÄpositioni. stance. many blues even have a bridge or releaje section. Blues melodies usually follow the tdnets of other vocal forms of melody, i.e., essentially diatonic (pertaining to Things such as slides, fall'offs, slurs, grunts, yelps, rips, the standard major and minor scales and to the tonality yodels and other such inflections have been added to the derived from these scales), symmetrical, relatively instrumental color pallet. The instrumentalist has also predictable, and singable. added such idiosyncratic spinoffs from vocal practices Jazz instrumental blues melodies are often wider in as: lip trills, shakes, various articulations, flutter tongue, range than vocal melodies (althotjgh often much nar- muting effects, harmonics, and multiphonics (playing rower in expressive range). Of course, the wider range of two notes simultaneously on an instrument traditionally harmonic variation permits a commensurately greater thought of as single Iined, i.e., trumpet). variety of melody types, asymmetrical, angular, wide This wide choice of possibilities, of course, offers the range, dissonant, and unpredictable. Jazz melodies of the blues vocalist and instrumentalist a great deal of room quite blues variety are usually distinctive and individual for personalization, This last is, of course, one of the ma- and much less likely to resemble all other blues jor factors which helps to define blues and jazz. melodies. Of course, there are many exceptions such as As near as can be ascenained, the blues did not exist in ("Now's "Jumpin riff type melodies the Time," With Sym- slavery although the group work songs of that era did pro- phony Sid") and many ultra-funky melodigs ("Sack O' vide an important link. The work songs with their in- "Cool Woe," Blues"). Exceptions notwithstanding, the in- evitable call-and-response patterns helped to provide a dividuality of jazz blues is even apparent in works by the But work song with its inherent "Straight form for the blues. the same composer, e.g., T. llonk's No Chaser," rigidity lacked two vital elements, indigenous to ever the "Misterioso," "Blue "Bongo Monk"; or C, Parker's Bop," earliest blues types, personalization and flexibility. "Barbados," "Buzzy"; "Au Privave,'' or George Russell's second and perhaps even more imPortant con. "Stratusphunk," "Blues A and Davld Baker's for Bird," tributory element to the blues was the holler, The holler, "Roly "Brother." (See Poly," and example 2, p. 11.) unlike the work song, was not intended as a means of The vocal blues are usually on horizontal scales, such group expression. The holler, in its earliest form, was a as the blues scales, the major scale or some simple modal means of communication, intensely personal and usually or pentatonic scale. (A horizontal scale is a scale which is wordless. It was functional. The cry was usually pitched used to color an entire area of harmonic activity as in the high and with sharp syllables to enable it to be heafd instance of blues.) The C blues would use one scale to col- across vast distances. or all of the chords in the tune. (See examples 3 and 4, p. So personal was the holler that around the countryside 1z.l a man could be easily identified by the Pitch, timbbre and These scales are usually much easier to hear and the shape of his holler. As the holler evofued, it became a paucity of materials makes improvisation a lot less dif. kind of fteely structured, usually modally derived phrase, ficult and much more accessible to the novice as well as often melismatic (many pitches to a single syllable), but the professional blues singer. These horizontal scales, of still highly personal. According to Paul Oliver, the course, offer the possibilities of the use of chordal adopted sound preference of these later hollers was the melodies drawn from scale tones. pentatonicscalewithab3andbT(i.e.,D E F C A B C The blues instrumentalist in jazz usually draws on a or the dorian scale). much wider variety of scales, although the blues, major The earliest blues, like the hollers, were modal in and modal scales are still the most popular for realizing character and showed a decided preference fo. the b3and blues changes. (The horizontal scales are particularly a b7 (flatted third and flatted seventh). Even though the populqr among the soul jazz proponents, i.e,, Horace blues, from the beginning, was essentially a solo form, it Sllver, Ramsey Lewls, [.ou Donaldson, the Turren- retained the essential characteristics of the work song-a tine brothers, the Adderleya, et al.) Some of the other call.and-response pattern (couple and refrain). Prior to scales with wide-spread currency and the manner in World War I it evolved into the relatively inflexible twelve which they are used to color the blues chords follow. (See measure three line form that we now know. Buy its very example 5, p. 13.) nature, and the nature of the blues People, the form re- Increased possibilities for harmonic variation, of mained subservient to the content but the model was course, offer a broader base for using different scales, established. (See example 6, p. 13.) The blues could only have beeir born after a concept of As with melodic and scalar possibiiities, rhlthmic leisure time, however illusory, emerged. The blues from possibilities are much less vast for the blues singer than the beginning has been a means of self'expression, a man the blues instrumentalist. Traditionally the instrumen. alone singing of personal tragedies, or chronicling his talist (in whatever field) is usually thought capable of han- own heroic feats imagined or otherwise. During slavery dling a greater variety of rhlthmic structures than the the concept of a black man alone with his thoughts was vocalist; consequently, instrumental blues (azz) music is inconceivable, usually much richer is rhythmic materials and variety and In all probability the blues made their first public ap' contrast. pearance at the juke joints, Saturday night fish fries, In the area of timbre, the.jazz blue instrumentalist has country suppers, "bar.be-cues," and other social gather' tended to borrow from the blues vocalist. ln fact, the in' ings of black people. At any rate, by the time of the first süumentalist has tended to borrow all those things which major migration to the cities by Blacks, the blues was were originally considered the domain of vocal music. firmly established. w use of negleCed intervals, economy of notes grert ft Ihe Performere and It would be impossible performers pungency of wit. lt is no wonder that Young has been to list all of the in great vocal blues and instrumental called the epigramaticist of jazz. His was the splrit blues, but foiour purposes blues it is possible to enumerate some of the more important of the singer-directness, economy of means. irony, musical double entendre. blues singers and instrumentalists across the history of black music. Harmonically speaking, Young was th€ first to incor- porate These performers in vocal and instrumental music most of the revolutionary devices of the thirties in- to his own style, Whether have come from diverse geographical, musical and or not he introduced them is of philosophical situations. Each period little consequence, for he was the only iazz player who in black music possessed .since the early 1920s has produced its great blues per- the tastefulness required to make thern musically convincing. formers. Jazz produced great instrumentalists and blues In many of Young'! great singers. It would be easier from our standpoint to solos of the mid.thirties, one may detect the instinctive groping start with the great blues instrumentalists who have toward chromatic progres. issued from jazz. sions of descending minor sevenths, which was to ' become a cliche in modern jazz blues playing some fif. Although few if any historians would type l-ouls Arm. teen years later. There has been strong as a blues player per se, it is a fact that the spirit much sDeculation and dispute among critics as to whether young of the blues is pervasive in much of the playing of his ear. or not was ac. tuglly thinking in terms of minor progresiions, ly years. His uncanny ability to invest even the most seventh or if he merely liked the sound of something pedestrian "pop" tune with an air ofjazz spontaneity is at- Binny Good. man had done as his partner tributable largely to his feeling for the blues. Aside from on the Tcddy Wlleon-BllUe Hollday recording "l Must his extensive and skillful use of the blues scale and blue of Have Than Man." In retrospect it seems only natural notes, Armstrong's playing and singing contained a that Young'r inven. tiveness would dictate preference great deal of those things which we perceive as in- a for tunes which mov. ed in the conventional (e.q.. digenous to the blues and roots oriented black music. cycies of resolvinq sevenths "Blues," "Sweet, Georgiä pöp Armatrong's free and imaginative use of vibrato (par- Brown," and th-ousands of ticularly what Gunther Schuller in Earlv tunes). Most of what is truly fascinating about his müsic Jazz referi to stems from the fact as terminal vibrato), his wide repedory;f shakes, trills, that, restricted by the harmonic boundaries of the blues and jazz his use of elision, slides, slurs, fall-offs, and his imDec- most and pop tunes of his time, he always cable sense of swing, atl suggest that if his playing did-not managed to replace ionventional come out of the blues, at the very structures with fresh, colorful shapes sounding at times least, it drew very perversely heavily from the same sources. complex, but which, in fact, have the true greatness simplicity which Most of the great and near great jazz bands of the late of is so characteristic of the blues. 1920s and 1930s emerging from (Kansas the Southwest lssuing directly City, Denver, etc.) were blues oriented bands. That is. out of the southwest, instrumental their repertoire primarily blues and the Lcster Young tradition, is another sax. consisted of blues and blues ophonist, parkcr. type compositions. The presence of a heavy blues Charlcr Chrlrtophcr (..Blrd'.) tradi- Parkcr served tion virtually assured a modicum his apprenticeship in great blues bands of experience with blues like that of Jay llc8hann. to the young musician from these areas. A cursorv ex- At one time or another he amination of the recordings of Count Basle, came into contact with all of the great blues shouters and Wiltcr players of the P_age and the Blue Devils, Alphonsa Trent, B€nny southwest who weie his contemnoraries. Despite Parkcr'r I{oten, and others will reveal an overwhelmino diet of many innovations he was and re- blues and blues influenced music. mained throughout his career a blues plaver. lf one were to examine While the number of brilliant bluesy'iazz soloists his recording output, he wöulä probably find to that the blues -Bird's" come out of this era and area is too vast warrant comprised well over half of record. t; an ex. ed works. ln addition haustive approach, it behooves us to at least examine the to this, of his tunes which have become a part of standard jazz repertoire a great mahy work of the Count Easl€ soloist, who is usually given the ..Billiesof title of "the fifst great blues instrumentalist." them have been blues: "Now's the Time," P"9n.9,1' "Cheryl," "Bird's Blues," "Happy Bird Bar. Lester Young was the most important soloist to come bados," "Cool Blues," to mention a few. ffom the ranks of the Count Baale band. He was the ftrst of the lreat instrumental players..He was largely respon, Aside from these more obvious manifestations. sible for the reestablishment of the rhythmic priorities in Parkcr'3 use of the blues scale, blues pattems and th€ jazz, priorities inextricably linked to the blues. Young'e like allowed him to invest any composition with the vitali. most impo.tant contributions were basically melodic, his ty, urgency and earthiness of the blues. lt is perhaps this experimentation with sustained rubato phrasing and even attitude about the blues that he was able so lucceisfullv artlculated eighth notes was something entirely new to to communicate to later generations of players. We can jazz, Young's musical though! flowed freely over barline, hear this musical phenomenon as filtered throuqh parker not unlike his contemporaries in vocal blues, His lyricism in the playing of most of the major players of this genera. extended the traditional riff-style blues melodies com- tion, Cannonball Addcrlcy, Joh; Coltrlnc-, J.J. mon to soloists of his time. Johnron, Archlc 8hcpp, Ornctte Colcmrn, and Young's lyric style often impressed many of his con- others. temporaries with its sophistication in comparison with Continuing the southwest tradition and the Lcatcr an,thing that had gone before. There is undeniably a Young-Charllc Parkcr blues lineage is another young sense in which Young's approach to a chord progression southern saxophonist, Orrcttc Colcman. Orncttc was was more ingenious than that of any of his predecessors. born in Forth Worth, Texas, March 19, 1930. He was ex. Where Coleman Hawklna would exploit everv note in posed very early to the blues by singers and various the chord, racing up and down the arpeggioi, Young groups with their ingeniously improvised instruments: would pass along the same harmonic path by means of kazoos, combs with tissue paper, washtub basses, omission, implication and suggestion endowing even the spoons, etc, He learned from records the various rhvthm familiar blues changes with a strange orientation by the and blues tunes as they came out and began mäking blues gigs. He along with his young friends "investigated Llghtnin' Hopklns: Createst Hits. Prestige-7592. the honky tonks where the various rhythm and blues The Legendary Son House. Columbia-CL 2414. groups played. His young contemporaries included the Shaky Jake: Mouth Harp Blues. Prestige-Bluesville 'later to be famus tenorman Klng Curtle. He consciously 1027 . imitated the rh,'thm and blues heroes of the day, such as The Immortal Blind Lemon Jeffereon. Milestone- Lynn Hope, Blg Jay llcNeely, Arnett Cobb, Louls 2004. Jordan, and Gene Ammons. The blues lessons that he Blind Wlllte Johneon. Folkways-FG 3585. learned during these formative years have never been Robert Johnson, King of the Delta Blues Singers, abandoned, He spent some time in Pee Wee Cralrton's Columbia-CL 1654. Rhythm and Blues band. B.B. Klng: Indianola, Misiissippi Seeds. ABC-S.713. It seems very natural, in light of Coleman s Huddle Ledbetter: Keep Your Hands Off her. Verve- background, that blues should be a pervasive influence FVS9021. on his music. Despite the juxtapositions of usually Crlppled Clarence Lofton. Vogue-LDE 122 segregated elements, his playing has never been any fur- l|lemphls Sllm: Just Blues. Prestige-Bluesville 1018. ther out than that of a country bluesman. His bluesy, Negro Folk Music of Alabama (game songs and others). folklike playing and composing have had far reaching Ethnic Folkways Libr ary -78, 447 l-7 4. ef- -4477 fects on legions of young avant garde musicians- Negro Folklore from Texas State Prisons, Elektra- Charlea Tyler, Archle Shepp, Albert Ayler, and 8KS.7290. otnerS. Negro Folk Music of Africa and America. Folkways- FE.4500. BOOgle WOOgle Negro Prison Songs from the Mississippi State Peniten- - Tradition-TlP.1020' Booiie Woogie wä the first and to date the only ex- --tiary' ctusively piano music to issue from the blues. Boogie Ma Ralney: Blues the Wofld Forgot. BiograPh-12001. tf-!l:-Blues' Atlantic-1348' woogie, a term which is used to descfibe the blues pian; 1":t: - ptayi"ng inat thrived roughly between the years 192b and story,',col,umbia-cl 855-858' -was P9::l-t :-lllt a highly popuiar"music in teneÄents. The very Be-ssie Sfilth' The-World's Great Blues Singer. i9.i5, tolYt?l=Yt name "Boogie" was another name for the "house rent ".1 ,. party. Boti terms describe a phenomenon that took Rolgevelt- Syi{es: The Honeydripper. Prestige- t'luesvllle lul4' - ptaci inthe crowded tenements of chicago, Detroit, New ^ Vork and virtually every city with a largi black popula- Terry/Brownle lqrchee. Fantasy-3254. *nly Blues. tion. Because pou.tty *u" u way of liie, black'piople {9e Tu-lTer.'.Bo:s of the Atlantic-1234. learned quickly to depend on each other to band together Dlnah washlngton: Best in Blues. Mercury-20247. - and to work toward common goals. one such goal was Jlmmle-,Wltheiepoon: Evenin'Blues. Presiige-73oo. that of simply being able to pa/the rent. With u;mploy- t{uddy W-ater8:.After the Rain. Cadet-CS-320. ment at a irormatl/ nigh level"(at least for Blacks), men !:an:)' Ms-o-n:.llurt.So.Bad' Capitol-ST353' tong accustomed to s-urviving under the most adverse Howlln' Wolf:l1oanil:rl Moonlight. Chess-1434. women of the llte 534- - co.räitions ingeniously devise? a technique that served . -Blues -RcA'victor-LPV the combined purposäs of raising the reni and providin^ Jlmmie and llama Yancey: Pure Blues. Atlantic- a means of social intercourse. " 1283' The "House Rent Party" ("The Parlor Social," "The CollGctlonr - Boogie") was a party given by a tenant as a means of rais- DiscographylFor the Blues ing his rent. For the nominal sum of "two bits" or "four Country Blues'Classics. Vol, 1, 2, 3 Blues Classics (A) bits," the tenant s neighbors were treated to an evening of BC 5/617. boogie woogie piano by some local hero, some southern The Rural Blues. RBF Records (A) RF202. ! culinary treat such as catfish and Kentucky oysters (bring Conversation with the Blues (documentary). Decca (E) your own drinks) as well as some "hangin out." Of course, LK 4664. such parties were reciprocal-"you come help me pay my Screening the Blues. CBS (E) (M) 63288. rent and I'll come help you pay yours." Blues Roots. The Atlanta Blues RBF (A) RF15. The blues pianist, unlike most other instrumentalists, Modern Chicago Blues. (An Anthology). had a great deal of mobility mainly because he didn't Blues Southside Chicago. (Chicago Chess Recording have to carrv his instrument with him. For this reason the Vol. 1, 2, 3). blues piano player was often somewhal of a cosmopolite, Blues Singer. Folkways FJ 28V4, Vol.4. traveling with the mood, or the local Sheriff, struck him. Boogie Woogie. Folkways FJ 2810, Vol. 10. Some of the more famous boogie woogie players were: The Blues. Folkways FJ 2802, Vol. 2. iq.ade Lux Lewlc, Albert Ammona, Crippled Clarence Lofton, Jlmrny Yancey, and Sugar Chlle Boogla WooglG , Roblnaon, Cow Cow Davenport, Plnetop smith, Jay Honky Tonk Train. Riverside (E) RLP 8806. - I[cShann, and Pete Johnson. Barrelhouse Blues and Boogie Woogie-1, 2. Storryille sLP 1.551183. Dlecography Ciants of Boogie Woogie. Riverside 12-106. Blucr Boogie Woogie. Folkways FJ 2810, Vol. 10. Anthology of Rhythm and Blues. Columbia-CS-9802. Blues Roots. Arhoolie-Poppy 60003. Blu€a Initn rGntrllrts (Jrzz) R.y CharleE: Genius Sings the Blues. Atlantic-S-8052. Louls Armstrong Plays the Blues. London (E) AL 3501. Hank Crawford; Mr. Blues Plays Lady Soul. Atlantic- t ester Young-The Immortai Leeter Young. Savoy MG s.1523. 12068. W.C. Handy Blues. Folkways-FG-3540. CharleE Parker-Historical Masterpieces. PLP 701. History of Rhythm and Blues. Atlantic-8 record set. The Happy Bird. PLP 404. John Lee Hooker: Real Blues. Chess-1508. Ornette Coleman-Change o? the Century. Atlantic That's My Storyl John Lee Hooker Sings the Blues. tJzt, Riverside- 12-321. The Shape of Jazz to Come. Atlantic 1317. t'

Exarnple 1

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playing them in the style of the model. 1. Read the various essays found throughout the book. and and on your instru' 2. Take time to enjoy the recommended readings. f. singing, memorizing Playing (and piano) the various solos that serye as 3. Try to listen, in dePth, to as many of the recom- ment as models. mended recordings Possible. you Familiarize yourself with as many different styles 10. See how many of the choruses (sets of changes) genesis, then study and eras of blues as possible (from Bunk Johnson to can identify with regard to their the AACM). these originals. decidinE 5. Investigate through study and performance boogie 1 1. Experiment with all of the examples before woogie, rhythm and blues, classic blues, country on favorites. them: blues, bebop, fusion, etc. 12. Read lots of exercises for familiarity with and apply those that you like better than 6. Make the learning of a few of the basic blues Patterns memorize included herein a part of your daily practice ritual' the others. patterns, a rhythm sec' Transpose all patterns to all keys. 13. Practice the licks, etc. with a. record. (Jame! Play patterns varying temPo, meter' reglster' tion or another horn or a Play'along b. all this volume, articulation, intensity' etc. Aebersold's play'a-long series is excellent for purpose.) ultimate goal is to internalize as man) c. If you're in doubt as to proper inflection, articula- The tion, etc., go to the source(s) (Bird, Diz, Ray batierns as possible anä be completely comfortable Charles, Huddie Ledbetter, Miles' et al.). with them. player' yourself witl' d. Strive for authenLicity of expression. 14. lf you are not a piano familiarize Play with the recordings of your fav-orite blues thL pages of basic voicings for Piano included herein ?, line construction tecF' olavers and sinqers. Imitate. emulate!: Widen your 15. Bass players should study the try your hand a: bluis horizons by continually including singers and niques in the section on bass. Also lines on the model substitute Derformers unfamiliar to You. creating original a variety of bass f. if the blues have lyrics, learn them. changes. Listen to Players Playing thorough study of the different sets of the blues in a variety of circumstances. 9. Make.a patterns, scales, etc. are to the blues bYr 16. Once the various exercises, substitutions by repeate: a. transposing them to all keys learned. begin the assimilation Process playing them with varied temPos, articulations, and continual use. b. they fit your expressive markings' etc. 17. Personalize all Patterns so that Playin! c. listening to recorded examPles and style, emerging or otherwise. analyzing the various changes and the patterns' d. player himself a jazz musicia: scales, rhythms, etc., used to realize the' Remember no can call with his blues. e. creating your own solos using the substitutions until he is comPletely at home Further Suggested 9tudY Gcncral Plano Players by Dan Baker, David' ImProvisational Patterns' The Bebop Jazz lmprovisation ior Keyboard - gr", Vof. t, 2, anä 3. (available in Treble Clef or Bass Haerle. Voicings for the ContemPorary Keyboard Cle0 JazzlRock Improvisational Pattems' Contemporary Plaver by Dan Haerle. Bakei, David. by David Baker, pg. 133. piit"rn.. {available in Treble Clef or Bass Clefl Jazz improvisation ImProvisation' Chapter Xl "The Saker, Oavia. Jazz Gultar E lues. gJer, Arranging and Composing for the Small Oa"fa. lmprovisatlon for RoclCadence as a Cre;tive Guitar Coker, JerrY. Listening (Particularly through 6) Jerry. The Jazz ldiom. Ted Dunbar. Pp.3 Coker, to Jazz Cuitar. Ted Dunbar' ÄeUersota, iamey. Nothin'But Blues" Vol 2' New ADDroaches The tniirrelationshlp of Chords. Scales and Finger' 12 Tonalities of the Guitar. Ted Dunb- Blues are also found in the following Aebersold Play' board of the alonqs: TRANSCRIPTIOTS v"l. t. s. 6, ?, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 77, and' 27 Parker Omnibook' (ava ' Spcclflc Instrumentt Aebersold, Jamey, Charlie able in Eb or C editions) David. Charlle Parker Monograph' J'J' Bass Viol. llonk lrlontgomery Electric Bass llethod' Baker, Davld Baker. Johnson lrlonograPh. edited bv Parker: Techniques of- l:-' impidvisation for Strings, Vol' 2' Cello and Bass' Owens,- Thomas.:'C'harlle laä provisatlon, Vols. I t'll (Ph.D. 1974, Oniversity of David N. Baker. XVll' The California, Los Angeles ) .larz--ä".1üi"f IÄpäuiiatton. Davld N. Baker, ChaPter .t See pages 143-1441A Few Hints on Playing the Blues) 14 I SIGT{ALS III THE BLUES

1. A major 7th chord on the first measure of the blues ususally signals the advent of something out of I the ordinary, i.e., "Bird" changes I Fr I E-A, I D-c, I c-Fr etc. I "Sippin' at Bells" changes

FA I Bb, I n-c- lr*-e, lj. 2. A major 7th chord in measure five usually signals the advent of something unusual, i.e., I r, I r, I r, I r, I ao1 | eo-eu,f n-o, I Ab-Db,lc-l c' erc. lr' I r, l-r, I eua I e-e, I a I ao-eo, etc. t Likewise listen for the dominanHth to signal the return to 'regular' changes, 3. On slow to moderate tempos, very often, the second measure of the blues goes to the lV7, i.e,,

[- F, lBb, I F, I F, I nu, I er'' I n, etc.

4. Slow blues particularly in 12y8 meter a la gospel are very often in the Keyof G (probably a carry-over t from "After Hours" played by Avery Parish with the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra). a. ln the above situation the changes are almost always some variation of the following: li 12t8 @t C,tG,tG, c, I c#", IGr IEr "Roly Poly" II and Ar l Dr l G' l G?ll "Mon" II 5. Db is also a favorite key for slow blues. 6. Whenever substitute changes are used they should be played more than once. They may be initiated by either the soloist or one of the chord-producing rhythm instrument

II 7. Onusual substitutions which are not yet of the public domain variety such as "Clyde," "Bird," "Sippin' at Bells," etc., should be discussed ahead of perlormance. II 8. The favored keys (currently) for the blues are: F major C minor Bb major D minor II C major F minor Bb minor II II II t t t- Bluee Patterns act|on I

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