Mastering Jazz Tunes: Navigating the Sea of Ideas

Jazz Guitar

As a guitarist delving into the rich and complex world of jazz, one of the greatest challenges and joys is the multitude of creative choices that unfold with each new tune. Over time, your musical vocabulary expands, offering a treasure trove of ideas for interpretation, improvisation, and arrangement. However, this abundance can also be overwhelming. Here’s some thoughts to help you refine your ideas and get them under your fingers efficiently.

1. Start with the Basics

Before diving into the myriad of possibilities, ground yourself with the fundamentals of the tune:

  • Melody: Learn the melody thoroughly. Play it in different octaves and positions on the fretboard.
  • Harmony: Understand the chord changes. Practice comping through the changes with basic voicings.
  • Form: Be clear on the structure of the tune. Know the intro, verses, chorus, bridge, and any other sections.

2. Identify Key Elements

Focus on key elements that define the tune:

  • Signature Licks or Phrases: Every jazz tune has its defining moments. Identify these and practice them until they become second nature.
  • Rhythmic Motifs: Jazz is as much about rhythm as it is about melody and harmony. Pay attention to the rhythmic feel and motifs that recur in the tune.

3. Explore Different Interpretations

Once you have the basics down, start exploring:

  • Check the source:Listen to as many versions of the tune as you can. You may hear things/ideas/devices that you’d like to include.
  • Different Voicings: Experiment with various chord voicings. Try drop 2, drop 3, and rootless voicings.
  • Scales and Modes: For each chord, explore the scales and modes that can be applied. Practice these scales in different positions and octaves.
  • Improvisational Ideas: Improvise over the changes. Record yourself to capture spontaneous ideas that you can refine later.

4. Limit Your Choices

To avoid feeling overwhelmed, limit your choices:

  • Choose a Focus Area: Each practice session, choose a specific focus area such as a section of the tune, a particular scale, or a type of chord voicing.
  • Set Boundaries: Give yourself specific constraints, like using only two or three voicings for each chord or limiting your improvisation to certain scales.

5. Develop Themes

Develop themes and variations within your practice:

  • Motif Development: Take a small melodic or rhythmic idea and develop it. Explore how it can be altered and extended throughout the tune.
  • Thematic Improvisation: Base your solos on a central theme, creating variations to maintain coherence while exploring different ideas.

6. Integrate and Internalize

Integrate the chosen ideas into your playing:

  • Repetition and Variation: Practice the selected ideas repetitively but introduce slight variations to keep it fresh and reinforce learning.
  • Contextual Practice: Play along with backing tracks or a metronome. Practice with other musicians to apply the ideas in a real-world context.

7. Record and Review

Recording your practice sessions is invaluable:

  • Self-Evaluation: Listen to your recordings critically. Identify what works well and what needs improvement.
  • Progress Tracking: Track your progress over time. Noticing improvement can be highly motivating.

8. Stay Inspired

Keep the creative juices flowing:

  • Listen Actively: Listen to recordings of great jazz guitarists. Analyze their approaches and see how you can incorporate their ideas into your playing.
  • Continuous Learning: Keep learning new tunes. Each tune will bring new challenges and ideas, keeping your practice dynamic and engaging.

Conclusion

The journey of mastering jazz tunes is a continuous cycle of exploration, refinement, and integration. By methodically narrowing down your ideas and focusing on the most compelling ones, you can transform the overwhelming sea of possibilities into a structured and fulfilling musical experience. Embrace the process, and let your creativity shine through each note you play.

Wayne Shorter’s Footprints – cover version

Wayne Shorter’s ‘Footprints’ was the tune of the month in Matt Warnock’s Jazz study group. This is my end of the month submission for feedback.

On Matt’s suggestion from last month I switched my focus from technical to musical items. So rather than use x scale and y arpeggio, I used a different idea for each chorus.

As Matt says, “Scales and arpeggios are a means to an end, if you keep focussing on the means, you’ll always play in a technical way. If you focus on what those means can do for you, create musical ideas, then your focus is on the end result, making music.”

“The word ‘jazz,’ to me…only means ‘I dare you.” Wayne Shorter

I played in Em so that I could use open strings. To a drum pattern that I found while practicing to random drum beats on my looper (something I do quite often). I tried to use a theme for each chorus. This was the first and only take after setting up levels. I like this tune a lot……another great month. Thanks Matt.

0:00 Chords
0:37 Melody
1:11 Melody + Ornaments
1:45 4ths
2:19 Single String
2:45 Bend + Tap + face 😉
3:40 Patterns ala Bickert
4:03 Just play *2
5:15 Chords
5:48 Melody + Ornaments
6:26 Out

Infant Eyes, Wayne Shorter cover with Lyda Van Tol

Here’s a Wayne Shorter’s “Infant Eyes” with wonderful vocals from Lyda Van Tol….guitar work from yours truly. Backed by the Confinement Crew. We hope you enjoy it.

The lyrics were written later by someone else. I cannot find a definitive answer to who and when they were written…..if you know please tell me. Anyway, here they are…

There’s no place beneath the sky, the voice will never arise
That could sing of my love, for my dear infant eyes

Infant eyes, you are my own
Without your smile, the stars would fall
And the moon would lose its glow
And the rivers would cease to flow

I wish you could realize, this love I have inside
A love that never dies, for my dear infant eyes

Some day you will grow up, you’ll grow up and have your problems
Little girl you must try to be strong, for being strong
Is the one thing in the whole world that will save you
And always keep room in your heart for love
For love will teach you to care
And in caring, you’ll find the need for sharing
And through sharing, you’ll live a happy life

A joyous life my dear sweet child
May God be with you all the while
And go on your way working harder day by day
Until your dreams, your dreams come true
Make your dreams come true

Infant eyes you are my own
Without your smile, the stars would fall
And the moon would lose its glow
And the river would cease to flow

You know, I wish you could realize
This love I have inside
A love that never dies
For my dear infant eyes
I love you infant eyes
I love you infant eyes

Footprints – Wayne Shorter

The weather has been grim. It’s been raining for days. More guitar time then! On the Strat-Talk forum where we discuss all things stratocaster there is a weekly challenge that I sometimes join in with. This week’s challenge was to record oneself playing over a backing track for Wayne Shorter’s Footprints. I liked the sound of of it, and decided to gve it a go.
I spent a happy morning teaching myself the melody by ear then recording this…..

Here’s what we have….
Drums intro, 4 bars keyboard turnaround, 2* Melody, 4 choruses improvisation, 2* Melody, 2*tag, outro.
I recorded using a 1967 ‘Chet Atkins’ Gretsch Country Gentleman – also know as the George Harrison guitar, through a DV Mark Little Jazz amplifier into Ableton Live. The backing track was posted by Monte over on strat-talk. Here’s the challenge thread in case you fancy having a go, or checking out what other players made of it.

A great morning on the guitar learning about a tune that I was not familiar with. What you been up too?

Footprints” is a jazz standard composed by saxophonist Wayne Shorter and first recorded for his album Adam’s Apple in 1966. The first commercial release of the song was a different recording on the Miles Davis album Miles Smiles recorded later in 1966, but released earlier. It has become a jazz standard.

Alone Together jazz standard cover

I’m working hard on my Jazz playing. Here is a cover of Alone Together, a jazz standard written by Arthur Schwartz with lyrics by Howard Dietz. It was introduced in the Broadway musical Flying Colors in 1932 by Jean Sargent.
The song soon became a hit, with Leo Reisman and His Orchestra’s 1932 recording (vocal by Frank Luther) being the first to reach the charts. It has become a jazz standard. The first jazz musician to record the song was Artie Shaw in 1939. Though I reckon the version most people know best is the Chet Baker version from 1959.

Alone Together was the August ‘tune of the month’ in the PJG (Play Jazz Group) study group on facebook. This was my submission for the end of the month ‘final project’. Posting a final project gets you feedback from Matt, and from your peers. Another great month of learning! I have thoroughly enjoyed working on this tune. It was one that I didn’t know, and now I love it. I‘ve learnt so much this month about navigating tricky changes. I’ve had such fun with comping. My goal for the past couple of months has been to be more succint, to start and end phrases properley, also to create tension where appropriate. I think I’m getting there, still a way to go though. I played the bass part using Matt’s walking bass line from the weekly excercises. For the comping, I used diatonic moves, some approach chords, and substitutions….and a little ’arrangement’ walking the Fmaj7 down to the Dmaj7 in half steps (bar 11 onwards). I normally play the melody straight for FPs, but this time I decided to add flowers. Soloing wise, bars 9 to 13 became my favourites. Find it Matt Warnock’s Play Jazz Guitar Facebook group here…
https://www.facebook.com/groups/playjazzguitar/

Sidestepping excercise over the B scetion of ‘Alone Together’.

Nobody has asked me how I’m getting on with my Jazz studies! So…..

Sidestepping excercise over the B scetion of ‘Alone Together’ using G, G#, and Am pentatonic. The G# pentatonic is used over the C7 chord making for a very tense sound that releases when you use Am pentatonic over Fmaj7. This excercise is from Jazz tutor Matthew Warnock. You can find it and other excercises relating to this month’s tune of the month Alone Together in his Play Jazz Guitar Facebook group here… https://www.facebook.com/groups/playj… I started studying Jazz guitar with Matt a while ago. He has a way of explaining things that make it easy to understand. I’ve learnt more in the past few months than I have in the past few years! Plus, I’m really enjoying playing, and have never been more in love with the guitar. If you are thinking of getting into jazz guitar, the group is free to join, there is excellent camaraderie amongst the members. It’s a lot of fun. Here is Matt’s website – https://www.mwgcourses.com I’m using a Fender Telecaster straight into a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6. Ableton Live is my DAW. Video from my Ipad.

Bennetti’s Jazz Blues Club March 2020

With all bars and restaurants closed, and travel banned for non essential purposes there was no way Bennetti’s Jazz Blues Club could go ahead in March. Instead we put out our first ever online broadcast. This featured music from members only. You can listen to it here….

Music from Norrie Snakebite Burnnett, Tim Bragg, Andy Berry, Ann Ellam, Rod Millgate, Madame Blanc, and Steve and Ev’ from Highland Hotclub.

Bennetti’s Jazz Blues Club 2020

Bennetti’s Jazz Blues Club…proudly presents a programme of Jazz and Blues for 2020….
27th February – Soleil Couchant
30th April – Soleil Couchant
25th June – Soleil Couchant
27th August – Soleil Couchant
29th October – Soleil Couchant
26th December – Soleil Couchant

There will be some additional ‘secret sessions’. Please ‘like’ our facebook page to be kept informed.

If you are looking for some Jazz and Blues action in the Haute Vienne, Charente area of France, then Bennetti’s Jazz n Blues Club could be the place for you. We meet on the last Thursday every other month. All players of all abilities are very welcome, all I ask is that you contact me first so that I can fit you in where you’ll be happiest. Bennetti’s Jazz n Blues Club is primarily for musicians, our aim is, “to create a warm loving environment in which like minded musicians can meet, play, share, grow, and get hip!”, having said that, all fans of jazz n blues are welcome.

Bennetti’s Jazz Blues Club Special…REVIEW

Our Jazz n Blues special took place on Sunday 9th November at La Ferme St Michel in Confolens.

All on stage at the end - Bennetti's Jazz n Blues!

Are you wondering how it went? Was the three months of work worth it? Did it all come together on the night?
Well yes it did! It was fantastic! Better than I could have hoped. In fact it was just perfect! The place was packed, and a great afternoon was had by all. So many people thanked us, and yet we have so many people to thank. Right from the ‘load in’ and set up at 12 noon through to climbing into bed at gone 1am the next day….perfect!

We even got a review in the local press….thanks Annie Grandjean at Charentelibre.

Confolens : le public au rendez-vous du Bennetti’s Jazz & Blues club.
Lynn Garner and Brad Lang

Ce sont près de 160 personnes qui ont fait le déplacement dimanche après-midi à la Ferme Saint-Michel pour assister à l’animation organisée par l’association Bennett Productions en partenariat avec l’Amac. Bennetti’s Jazz & Blues Club a offert au public un concert de deux heures d’une grande qualité. Ce concept réunit des musiciens de tous horizons, le but étant de jouer ensemble, apprendre les uns des autres, échanger autour d’une même passion. Quinze musiciens amateurs et professionnels se sont succédés sur scène pour jouer divers morceaux. De longs applaudissements et de longues discussions avec les artistes ont conclu cette soirée qui fut une grande réussite aux dires du public présent.

Le “Bennetti’s Jazz & Blues” sera jeudi 27 novembre á partir de 20h30 au Golf de Saint-Junien. Entrée gratuite.

Read more on the Charente Libre website here.

We have pro’ photographer Ian Wilson to thank for a superb album of photos. Here’s a selection to give you the idea…..

Blues Shouter Norrie Snakebite Burnett…
Norrie Snakebite Burnett

Andy Roxburgh on Saxes…
Andy Roxburgh on Saxes

Birthrite‘s drummer Ron Draper – who flew out from the UK just for the weekend to take part…
Ron Draper - Drummer with Black Country Steampunk bnad Birthrite

Here’s me, in the background, hanging on every note from fab French bluesman Bobby Dirninger
Bobby Dirninger

You’ll find the full album of pictures here.

Thanks to all the musicians who took part. You were all fabulous, and to see you enjoying what you do best made my day.
Thanks to all the team at La Ferme St Michel for having us. Especially Seb’ of Asscociation AMAC.
Thanks to all the supporters and fans of Jazz n Blues that came along on the day. It’s as much about you as it is us. It’s ‘our’ show!
Thanks to all the team at La Ferme for a great sound and a making us all feel welcome. We had a great sound – thanks Yan!
Thanks to all the wives and partners who ‘mucked in’ and helped. Lin on the merch’ table, Jaci on seating, Dave and Bill on the door.
Oh and needless to say…Thanks to Carla (Madame Blanc) her all her help and support, and for presenting the show in French! I could not have done it without her.

Madame Blanc… 🙂 <3 Madame Blanc