Free For All

Maybe that's why you're here posting tonight instead of out playing a gig!

Hi Scott! Welcome to you too! If you are an organ freak then you've come to the right place. Yes, the A or the Ab would work fine. I think there is a lot of leeway in the interpretation of rhythm changes. Which is why they've become as standard as blues in the jazz repertoire. As long as the other fundamental chord tones are strong in the iii-VI-ii-V cycle I think you can take some liberties with other chord tones, even one as vital as the seventh. The effectiveness of tension lies as much in the resolution of same, IMHO.

****OFF TOPIC WARNING**** Ahhhhh....home of the Anchor Bar! And not far from Rochester, home of Country Sweet and Sal's. Funny how I connect each city with its local food legend. I miss my "road days"............

I've always liked this one. I'm a fan of Vince Mendoza- a great arranger/composer! What's the other one- "Instructions Inside", I believe?

Cu-cu-ca-choo!

A compilation of all the Tonight Show band highlights.

D half-diminished would work, though. That would "validate" the Ab. Also, there's no reason one has to "commit" to one or the other- it all depends on the context of the melodic line. Yes, if one "parks" on a chord tone like a maj. 7 while the rhythm sections "parks" on a dom. 7, it won't sound particularly good. If a soloist uses a LOT of the maj. 7 in his content, I would expect the rhythm section to comp accordingly. Same with the dom. 7th. Otherwise, the "fleeting" dissonances are to me a huge part of the attraction of jazz harmony. The dissonance implied by using the #9/3rd is derived from the blues scale. Regarding the maj.7 vs. dom.7th, I've heard players like Woody Shaw play a major 7 on a dominant chord, but he tends to use it as a passing tone, and often resolves it to the dom. 7. IMHO, there's a fine line between a tasteful dissonance and a out-and-out CLAM, and the distinction lies mostly in the ear of the listener. You know, John, even though you don't give your location, between using the term "interlocutor" and signing off with "cheers" I'm sensing a UK connection!

Nothing wrong with that at all. My feeling is that I play a lot in Ab and Eb, both keys I enjoy, so if I get a chance to play in A or E (which I rarely do) I want that experience. I find that some of the "undesirable" keys make me think and play differently (which is good, IMHO) and often "lay" better on the horn once you get over the initial unfamiliarity. When I started playing blues in Db (like Speedball, or the dreaded Woodchopper's Ball w/Woody) I was initially uncomfortable, but after doing it for a while, I now actually prefer that key to many others. So come grab a salad! Sorry, don't have any Latin chops.

Yes, I think he was wondering what type of tonic chord is appropriate.

Hi John, and welcome! Regarding your question, I have found the same thing to be true regarding the "home" key on rhythm changes. Frequently a one might play something from the blues scale, which then implies more of a dominant tonality. I don't think the BbMAJ7 has to be "carved in stone" per se. To me, just writing "Bb" with no designated seventh implies that multiple interpretations are possible- Bb MAJ7 , Bb dom.7, or Bb 6. It's all good.

Ash?

I think learning tunes in multiple (if not all) keys is good practice as well as a practical skill. I find the range of the melody often makes a tune prohibitive to play- why not do it in a different key? I find that tunes written for Eb instruments (like Parker tunes) lay pretty well on trombone, but tunes written for Bb instruments often are too low or too high and need to be adjusted key-wise. I wish Joy Spring was about a fourth higher- the head would be a lot easier to play. This has nothing do with the changes, just the head. Another reason for changing keys is that I seem to know a LOT of tunes in the key of F, so I change keys when appropriate to keep things interesting. Plus, after working on a tune in all 12 keys, I find that my understanding and fluency in the home key are significantly increased. There are some exceptions, however- I feel that some tunes were written in a specific key for a reason. For example, I think Monk's tunes should stay in the same "sacred" keys (like Round Midnight). Or Body and Soul. Lush Life. I think they were written in the "darker" flat keys for a reason. I think moving a tune a half-step or so to put it in an easier key is a bit of a cop-out, though. B-)

Dan's A-Z. Who's going to get through the alphabet first?

Shouldn't you be practicing on your bari? I heard you got a gig.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Ron!

No shit! OK, I give up. My education was worthless after all. nucular nucular nucular nucular nucular nucular nucular nucular nucular nucular

Good news, agreed, but dammit, "transition" is NOT a verb!!! EDIT: Sorry I blew up.

Well, from the choices you provided I'd probably go for the Elvin or the Byrd/Adams. But that's just me. EDIT: Hmmmm...bluesy, exploratory and swingin'- what about the Max Roach? or Turrentine (not so exploratory, but bluesy and SWINGIN'!)???

I have no complaints about the board, I'm just posting so I don't have to see "Constipation Smiley" every time I sign on.

I'm quite sure you won't enjoy them at all. We'll be waiting. Dibs on the Baker and Desmond.

I think it's confusing to many because (as I learned the tune) the first chord is minor, but the tune ends on the major. Some people also play the first chord as major. I think the whole point of the tune is the minor/major back and forth, hence the "bittersweet" vibe of the lyrics.

Is this thread about Gsus?

A couple things here- The criteria for what constitutes a "best" solo is at best quite a subjective issue. Sometimes the "best" solo isn't necessarily the fastest or most emphatic one. It's frequently an issue of who best exploits their placement in the solo order, IMHO. A good contrasting second solo can often outshine a frenetic first solo. And why does there have to always be a "winner"? Each player should get a chance to shine. Also, the "best" solo in a rehearsal may or may not be the of the same quality with the different variables of the actual perfomance. That being said, I also think it's good to choose who plays first to create the desired effect relevant to the tune- Freddie will most often create a different vibe than Wayne or Curtis, for example. But listen to how Wayne sets the tone for the subsequent soloists on the tune Free For All (although Blakey takes top honors for creating the initial intensity level!). I also think it's important to let each soloist in a group experience playing first AND second AND last- I feel that there is a different approach inherent to where one's solo happens in the order.

Rosolino and Fontana (both looking quite devious B-) )