Jazz Smugglers Master Workshop

Jazz Smugglers Master Workshop
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Monday 25 November 2013

DUETS. LAST NIGHT WAS SPLENDID. CONGRATS EVERYONE

Andrew and Geoff came in early to try out some sax duets. Brilliant, I don't know how they manage to read that well. Straight off, very difficult piece, called The Jazz Police, and one other. This is the Big Phat band version of it. I like the two saxes.



In the workshop we played Cantaloupe Island. 2 saxes paired off, also a sax and trumpet. Each played a duet but agreed who was going to do what beforehand.

While two were playing the other two worked out their arrangement. I thought it sounded fantstic, really good. We must do it again in the workshop and on stage.

We learnt from it as well. We learnt that we can do simple arrangements on the fly, with one setting up the theme and the others copying. We also found a nice way of harmonising with a semi-tone side-slip. Andrew suggested harmonising with each one settling on a new note each time - was it every 4 bars, Andrew?

That worked well.

Andrew, can we do The Jazz Police in June - good punchy song and rhythm, can we work out a band intro, then you two with maybe just bass and drums behind you? Then let Dave do a solo on it, you two harmonising and the band plays out last 8/16. That would tie in the band, and get you two featured. It might need a lot of practice nearer the date.

Then you both can do that other duet you liked, separately on its own. What do you think?

REHEARSAL PLUS WORKSHOP NEXT SUNDAY
Can we have a Smugglers rehearsal next Sunday at 6.00 please? We have a gig the following week with a lot of new songs, and some without arrangements.

Perhaps we can do Maria's songs first so that she can slip away.

Workshop, would you guys mind joining in with us on the band songs at 7.00 You know most of them anyway. You can come in at 6 if you want. This is a gig you could play but neither of you is free.

Here is what we have arranged for the song list so far. I'm taking the Dec 7th song list, the new ones.
Where I have marked them EARLY these are for Maria at 6.00. She does get tired if she stays long on a Sunday.

SOON existing arrangement
SPOOKY  V     EARLY  arrangement to do
I REMEMBER YOU V existing arrangement EARLY (for Maria)
WAVE Arrangement to do
NIGHT AND DAY V existing arrangement
CARAVAN existing arrangement
I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU V existing arrangement
FEEL LIKE MAKING LOVE V   EARLY  Funk.intro Fm piano 4 bars.
IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU V  EARLY  arrangement to do
LULLABY OF BIRDLAND  Dave Straight in. Guitar melody . Solos:  Piano, - with drum fills mimicking rhythms of lead or comp ,
CHAMELEON we know it but I have not written it down
SO WHAT (BLUE SKIES V) V  EARLY  Funk Intro 8 bars Use me riff gtr with bass line. 8 bar gtr riff between solos, Solos Blue skies vocal
DINDI V  Vocal and Bass 8 last 8 bars as intro out of time.
A FOGGY DAY IN LONDON TOWN V existing arrangement
MY FUNNY VALENTINE V existing arrangement
WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE V EARLY  Intro last 16 bar unaccom Maria vocal rythmn soft backing. Coda guitar with arpeggios
EXTRA
SUMMERTIME existing arrangement

John

The Jazz Smugglers in East Sussex

Jazz Smugglers workshop, near Chichester, East Sussex


We need another front line workshopper please. If you know of anyone in West sussex.


This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.


If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 

JAZZ SMUGGLERS BAND Facebook 

and LIKE our workshop page as well.

THE JAZZ WORKSHOP AT CHICHESTER Facebook

In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.



Monday 18 November 2013

JAZZ DUET SOLOS THIS COMING SUNDAY

You all MUST MUST listen to this. Andrew would you and Geoff be willing to try out something like this on Sunday at 6.00 until 7.00. It needs thinking through beforehand if you are willing. What I have in mind is finding interesting ways of playing off each other, maybe even partly arranged as this is. It has some melody in it, some arrangement in it and soloing. Let's try something different before we all die. Up to you two guys.




THIS COMING SUNDAY
I'm going to ask each of you to cook up a Duet with a partner over a Love for Sale in Eb (con), and again over a new song, this one, Cantaloupe Island.




Bob could you please look at some of the other Cantaloupe videos on YouTube for drumming ideas. In some it is almost a drum feature. This is another good one for example

Have a look at this one boys. The drummer is hitting the 2 beat, the bass is playing broken time, and the guitar is almost as good as Dave.





DUET SOLOS THIS COMING SUNDAY
Here are the simpler options for two people soloing together.

Player A Tune and Tune embellish
Player B
Fills
Harmony
Improv
Ensemble
Exchanges 4,2,1/feed each other/Q+A

We had a thin turnout yesterday - very good reasons, like number 11 buses they all came at once. Thank you very much Paul for staying, you were really helpful. The rhythm section did new stuff and it worked! Excellent Bob and Vic. Bob copied Pauls lines, Vic took charge of breaks, Bob also hit things very successfully, and Vic broke the timing on the bass. It all sounded good.

John
The Love God


The Jazz Smugglers bands in Sussex
The Jazz Smugglers workshop, Bosham, Sussex

WE NEED TWO NEW FRONT LINE PLAYERS.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.


In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.

Tuesday 12 November 2013

JAZZ PLAYERS PRE-NUPTIAL AGREEMENTS

JAZZ PLAYERS PRE NUPTIAL AGREEMENTS 

Men sign first

For a JAZZ night out with the boys

You need to apply in writing with the date, time of departure, time of latest return
You should state the number of alcohol units to be drunk broken down by beer/wine/spirits.
You should state the location to be visited and times.

The following are not allowed;

  • Speaking with unauthorised women
  • Turning off the mobile
  • Exceeding the alcohol allowance
  • Watching any act involving stripping, or lap dancing, or lewd behaviour of any kind
  • Picking fights with strangers (fights with friends are permissable)
  • Urination other than in a prescribed location for said purpose
  • Attempting to breed upon returning home
All above requests to be Approved or Denied. No appeal is allowed against the decision.

Women to sign second.

For a night out with the girls


I’m going out, ok.


Signed …………..

Indulge me for a moment, would you?
I had my 19th birthday in the RAF. This is where I heard this record, Line for Lyons, my first jazz experience. You MUST listen to this as a prime example of how good it can sound when two players know each other so well, have such brilliant ears that they can play duets like this. They are improvised lines but Mulligan always thought through his lines like an arranger and no doubt they talked together in rehearsals.
Listen to the counter point.


The background.
Mulligan had already arranged and played in the Miles Davis Birth of the Cool band. He had arranged for Gene Krupa's big band and for Stan Kenton.

Gerry Mulligan,  the megalomaniac, control freak junkie and the laid back, passive-aggressive narcissistic, selfish beautiful Chet Baker, were together for just nine months. Two totally different people who disliked each other intensely, Baker told Mulligan to “F off” at the first rehearsal. They made hit after hit before Mulligan went to jail for drugs and it all fell to pieces.

Mulligan was the gifted arranger/composer for big bands, while Baker could hardly read. Their quartet started what became West Coast Jazz. Neither would ever again find a partner as sensitive as the other. They complemented each other by playing improvised duets in smooth harmony. Mulligan always wanted to change how jazz sounded which is why he got into this pianoless quartet even though he was a good pianist himself. There has never been any two players remotely as good at this, that I've heard.

“I believe Chet was kind of a freak talent,” Mulligan said years later. “There’s no figuring out where he learned what he knew.”

Note to Andrew and Geoff. How about coming in one Sunday at 6.00 and trying out these ideas between the two of you. Talk them through a bit. How about the 24th?

Last Sunday was like working with professionals. You people are getting so good. This girl Maria never fails to astonish me. She tried Ain't no Sunshine for the first time, and it was pure Soul. Compers mucked it up of course but we'll settle down. Then she shifted Blues Skies up a semi-tone in the bridge of So What without any guidance and hit it right on. How do you do it M?

Maria, I know you are not too sure of I remember you, but there is a good story behind the song. Can I keep it?

SONG LISTS COMING UP

FOR DEC 7TH
THIS IS OUR XMAS PARTY AS WELL.

DEC 11TH IS TO SUPPORT THE FESTIVAL OF CHICHESTER

DEC 11TH IS MORE OPEN BECAUSE WE SHARE THE PROGRAMME WITH 2 POETRY READERS SO WE'LL HAVE TO DROP OUT ABOUT 4/5 SONGS.
WE ALSO MAY HAVE TO ADD "GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL". A HIT SONG FOR ONE OF THE READERS

GREENSLEEVES
SPOOKY  V
I REMEMBER YOU (BECAUSE THERE IS SUCH A GOOD STORY BEHIND IT) V
WAVE
NIGHT AND DAY V
FEEL LIKE MAKING LOVE V
CARAVAN
DARN THAT DREAM V
LULLABY OF BIRDLAND
I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU V
--
INTERVAL
--
CHAMELEON
BLUES SKIES (SO WHAT) V
DINDI V
SUNNY
I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU V
IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU V
ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE
MY FUNNY VALENTINE V
WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE V
SUMMERTIME V

EXTRA
WATERMELON MAN

REHEARSAL 6.00 DECEMBER 1ST. CAN YOU DO IT FOLKS?


The West Sussex Jazz Smugglers

The Jazz Smugglers workshop near Chichester

For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. There are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS BAND 

and LIKE our workshop page as well.
FACEBOOK SMUGGLERS WORKSHOP CHICHESTER



In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.


Tuesday 5 November 2013

GERRY MULLIGAN / PAUL DESMOND. A JOY

Last night at the workshop I heard great exchanges between Mike Pappenheim and Geoff Valenti. They played off each other, mirrored each other - some of the best question and answer we've ever had.
It is SO good when musicians play together (as opposed to knocking out clever solos, with masses of notes to impress the others)

WE NEED ONE OR TWO MORE FRONT LINE MUSICIANS IN THE WORKSHOP. DO YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO MAY BE FREE ON SUNDAY EVENINGS AT BOSHAM?


Blues in Time. 1957 Sounds like to-day.
Listen to the sheer exhuberance of what they do together. Listen to the patterns, Mulligan does not always play these when he solos but he does when he plays with Desmond - the master at it.

Listen to the effect of the band breaks, when the alto solo comes in after the bass.

Mulligan comes in with the baritone, and the breaks are there again. Someone is nodding to someone to fix these because they are different to the first breaks. You can improvise that when you've just got drums and bass, more difficult if you add piano or guitar, but it can be done.
They finally jam together for the last 12 and it sounds wonderful.

Sheer joy.

John
Ps. When I was a lad of 18 I could hum the licks of all the Chet Baker and Mulligan records, every one. They started me off with Jazz, and girls who danced modern jive did the rest.
Girls either followed trad jazz or modern jazz. The difference was that the modern jazz girls were good looking and very cool, but the trad girls would go camping with you for the weekend. Difficult for young lads.

Next Sunday.
We will do Lover again in C, then D, then E. This is difficult but really paying off. I don't want anyone to miss any of these. (If the chord symbols don't suit you then it takes only a mo to switch them around in BIAB)

We'll also do the funk songs again, Greensleeves, Feel like making love, So What, Chameleon plus we'll give Love for Sale a go with a riff from Dave. Geoff, can you do your six songs demo. And Spooky. Maria is coming in at 6.00 to run through some songs. Vic Bob, Geoff, you ok for this time too?

Jazz smugglers band, sussex jazz workshop, learning jazz, jazz tuition, playing jazz, jazz workshop, jazz chords, jazz scales, jazz songs, jazz improvisation


The Jazz Smugglers bands in Sussex

http://www.jazzenthusiasts.com/jazzsmugglersband.html

The Jazz Smugglers workshop, Bosham, Sussex

http://www.jazzenthusiasts.com/jazzsmugglersworkshop.html


For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. There are about 10 of us each week.


This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.


If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 

FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS SUSSEX BAND 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jazz-Smugglers-band/203722132977929?ref=hl
and LIKE our workshop page as well.
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS WORKSHOP BOSHAM
https://www.facebook.com/pages/JAZZ-Smugglers-workshop-to-help-your-Jazz-playing/275919089138712?ref=hl


In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.





Saturday 2 November 2013

CHANCE OF 5 FREE TICKETS FOR DEC 11 JAZZ SMUGGLERS CONCERT

We have just put up this Event poster on our main Jazz Band website Just go to the FESTIVAL OF CHICHESTER Facebook page and "LIKE" IT. But "LIKE" our own Jazz Smugglers Band page please.



For the moment we are full, until someone drops out. There are about 10 of us each week.

This site is to help the Jazz smugglers workshop group and provide informtion about the following weeks work. We will be working on widening our range of playing styles as individuals, working together in a band, and practising the more difficult things. You need to be able to read.

If you have a Facebook account can you LIKE our band page on Facebook please, 
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS SUSSEX BAND 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jazz-Smugglers-band/203722132977929?ref=hl
and LIKE our workshop page as well.
FACEBOOK JAZZ SMUGGLERS WORKSHOP BOSHAM
https://www.facebook.com/pages/JAZZ-Smugglers-workshop-to-help-your-Jazz-playing/275919089138712?ref=hl


In this blog We will produce tips for jazz piano, and jazz guitar together with jazz saxophone. We will cover jazz chords, jazz guitar chords, and we will deal with jazz scales. We will cover jazz songs. This site is all about jazz improvisation. you can sign up directly to this blog site as a FOLLOWER, bottom rh side panel, you'll get all the posts.