Are we getting blues all wrong by thinking about the chords? Content: 0:00 Intro - Sonny Rollins 0:25 Tenor Madness with John Coltrane 0:56 Example #1 1:14 Changing the Chords - Intuitive and Decision driven 2:10 Is it Chi-Chi changes? 2:44 Altered but not altered scale 3:19 A Motif across the Chords 4:24 Eaxmple #1 Slow 4:45 Reharmonizing Bars 5-9 5:07 Example #2 5:30 A Musical Reharmonization with two voices 6:50 Example #2 Slow 6:59 Example #3 7:09 Parallel Minor Chords (Like Parker and Coltrane) 8:04 Is that a Wrong note, Mr Rollins? 8:55 Example #3 slow 9:10 Blues phrases that are not Dominant chords 10:09 Example #4 10:14 Bb Triad + Chromaticism 11:44 Example #4 Slow 11:56 Examples #5 and #6 12:10 Using Bbmaj7 on the Blues 12:36 Examples #5 and #6 - Slow
Have always loved this recording. It's interesting to compare and contrast Rollins and Coltrane's approach to the blues. Thanks for breaking the reharm ideas down-helps to really think about what's happening!
I'm really interested in the role of harmonization substitutions to develop different melodic concepts. This is a tantalizing lesson, selfishly, (please) more on this...! Thank You! 😎
Hi Jens. In this you discuss a diminished idea on a dominant chord which sounds really nice and, I think something very similar happens in Stan Getz's ' You turned the tables on me'. Not sure though, but it did remind me of it.
@@JensLarsen I'm no expert but, if the beauty of a dim line over a dom is to be shown in all it's glory,( if this is what it is), that'd be a good example. Though I can't speak for anyone else's tastes. :)
This is fun and interesting stuff. I find myself wondering though, if the chords used in the first six bars are not traditional, how are we to know what the next six bars do?
Hello jens, could you do Michael Brecker 's style? Also a jazz fusion Scott henderson video would be cool as well. I hope these two ideas can be helpful. Thank you!
Thanks Samuele! I will most likely do a video on Brecker or at least something related to him. I might change how I do these videos because making one with a focus on one artist is most of the time really bad for the other videos :)
Hey Jens, I have a different question this time. I am heavily looking into buying a jazz guitar, but I am unsure first of all, whether to go with an archtop or a semihollow, and secondly which models. I found some interesting ibanez stuff for example, but there aren't that many recommended jazz guitars that I found. So I wanted to know which guitars you would recommend? Budget doesn't matter basically, but it doesn't need to be the most expensive Gibson 335 necessarily. I have other versatile guitars for all sorts of genres, but I wouldn't feel comfortable bringing a headless guitar with a whammy to a Jazz jamsession for example and I want a more authentic jazz tone and feel. Would be super awesome if you have a few guitars that you can recommend. As always great video and keep it up.
Great analysis! Among the materials that Sonny gave to the New York Public Library are practice materials that he developed for himself. Some of these include annotations in his own hand. These materials may be useful in deciding how conscious he was of reharmonization. I am a big fan of Rollins, and I suspect that he was not on the same page as Coltrane in terms of reharmonization or playing modally. archives.nypl.org/scm/24238
Agreed, but not to the same extent as Sonny Stitt. Stitt was a good improviser but didn’t go beyond bop. A better comparison with Rollins would be Cannonball Adderley. Both of them had their own sound, although within a bop framework.
Hi Jens, how does Sonny get away with playing major 7ths on strong beats? Is he able to do this because he has a chemistry with the band, and they are aware he does this? Playing major 7ths on a blues seems very bold.
It's fairly common actually. Parker and Pat Metheny does it too. Maybe you should try it out and see how it sounds? But you should notice that he very rarely really leans on it :)
So, I have a laymen question: if there is ever a note that is not diatonic to the chord in that part of the solo, does that mean they could be thinking of an altered chord?
How about a Sonny Rollins Lesson re: Intro Chord Comping for us guys trying break outta rock into II-V BeBop. Thx in advance & Always & Enjoy your lessons Sir! God bless & best - jj - ( jjsbluz RUclips)
To answer your question about if Sonny is still playing. He has to stop playing off of doctor's orders (tho I wouldn't be surprised if he played in his home in private)
Are we getting blues all wrong by thinking about the chords?
Content:
0:00 Intro - Sonny Rollins
0:25 Tenor Madness with John Coltrane
0:56 Example #1
1:14 Changing the Chords - Intuitive and Decision driven
2:10 Is it Chi-Chi changes?
2:44 Altered but not altered scale
3:19 A Motif across the Chords
4:24 Eaxmple #1 Slow
4:45 Reharmonizing Bars 5-9
5:07 Example #2
5:30 A Musical Reharmonization with two voices
6:50 Example #2 Slow
6:59 Example #3
7:09 Parallel Minor Chords (Like Parker and Coltrane)
8:04 Is that a Wrong note, Mr Rollins?
8:55 Example #3 slow
9:10 Blues phrases that are not Dominant chords
10:09 Example #4
10:14 Bb Triad + Chromaticism
11:44 Example #4 Slow
11:56 Examples #5 and #6
12:10 Using Bbmaj7 on the Blues
12:36 Examples #5 and #6 - Slow
That descending line pattern is something that I hear in Wes's playing too! This gives me some new ideas --thanks, Jens!
That could be. Which one of the descending lines are you referring to? :)
more Sonny Rollins please! Great video, Jens!
Thanks Cristinel!
That jazz-blues example was sweet - Jens, your are outperforming yourself with the amount of good content you upload.
Have always loved this recording. It's interesting to compare and contrast Rollins and Coltrane's approach to the blues. Thanks for breaking the reharm ideas down-helps to really think about what's happening!
You're very welcome Zach! It is indeed a great recording!
thank you for that precious video ..
Glad you like it! Rollins is so good on this track!
Love those descending lines anchored on the Bb starting @ bar 14, I believe.
Yes, that is such a melodic line! :)
Great lesson Jens, thanks a lot!
You're very welcome Daniele! I am glad you like it! 🙂
Thanks for the instructive analysis Jens - great stuff as usual!
Thanks, Jens
You're very welcome 🙂
Great Lesson Jens. Thx for Nuke. I agree with Junior: Please do a Lester lesson.
Great! Can you do something about Lester Young?
I did one over on Patreon already, but maybe I can do that on RUclips as well at some point on RUclips :)
I'm really interested in the role of harmonization substitutions to develop different melodic concepts. This is a tantalizing lesson, selfishly, (please) more on this...! Thank You! 😎
Great lines and Great lesson - in Example 3 I can hear lots of concepts taken from Mike Stern - the lineas are still sound very modern - great thanks
Best video, every one should watch it 😉
Great stuff Jens.
Thank you Paul! :)
Hi Jens. In this you discuss a diminished idea on a dominant chord which sounds really nice and, I think something very similar happens in Stan Getz's ' You turned the tables on me'. Not sure though, but it did remind me of it.
That could very well be :) It is not that uncommon to play diminished scale ideas on dominants :)
@@JensLarsen I'm no expert but, if the beauty of a dim line over a dom is to be shown in all it's glory,( if this is what it is), that'd be a good example. Though I can't speak for anyone else's tastes. :)
Great video thanks
You're very welcome! I am glad you like it! 🙂
I love how the most melodic part of the solo gets referred to as 'old fashioned;
Because it is in terms of harmony 🙂 And melodic is of course a very subjective term
May have already asked but did you ever take a look at analyzing Joe Henderson’s solo on Shade of Jade? Lots of energy
No, I did another song, but with similar results as this one
That Bb7 to F7 sounds really like a Carribbean carnival tune.
This is fun and interesting stuff. I find myself wondering though, if the chords used in the first six bars are not traditional, how are we to know what the next six bars do?
Super,!
Thank you Мария Куренина! 🙂
Hello jens, could you do Michael Brecker 's style? Also a jazz fusion Scott henderson video would be cool as well. I hope these two ideas can be helpful. Thank you!
Thanks Samuele! I will most likely do a video on Brecker or at least something related to him. I might change how I do these videos because making one with a focus on one artist is most of the time really bad for the other videos :)
Hey Jens,
I have a different question this time. I am heavily looking into buying a jazz guitar, but I am unsure first of all, whether to go with an archtop or a semihollow, and secondly which models. I found some interesting ibanez stuff for example, but there aren't that many recommended jazz guitars that I found. So I wanted to know which guitars you would recommend? Budget doesn't matter basically, but it doesn't need to be the most expensive Gibson 335 necessarily. I have other versatile guitars for all sorts of genres, but I wouldn't feel comfortable bringing a headless guitar with a whammy to a Jazz jamsession for example and I want a more authentic jazz tone and feel.
Would be super awesome if you have a few guitars that you can recommend.
As always great video and keep it up.
8:09 I disagree about that being a wrong note over a Dbm7. I'd rather think of that line as coming from an octatonic scale over the V7 of ii.
The ending (last three or four notes of the last bar) at 2:27 is very typical in Charly Parker. A lot frases that I heard of him end this way.
Great analysis! Among the materials that Sonny gave to the New York Public Library are practice materials that he developed for himself. Some of these include annotations in his own hand. These materials may be useful in deciding how conscious he was of reharmonization. I am a big fan of Rollins, and I suspect that he was not on the same page as Coltrane in terms of reharmonization or playing modally.
archives.nypl.org/scm/24238
Thank you! Rollins was indeed very different from Coltrane and stayed much closer to bebop tradition in everything I listened to :)
Agreed, but not to the same extent as Sonny Stitt. Stitt was a good improviser but didn’t go beyond bop. A better comparison with Rollins would be Cannonball Adderley. Both of them had their own sound, although within a bop framework.
Hi Jens, how does Sonny get away with playing major 7ths on strong beats? Is he able to do this because he has a chemistry with the band, and they are aware he does this? Playing major 7ths on a blues seems very bold.
It's fairly common actually. Parker and Pat Metheny does it too. Maybe you should try it out and see how it sounds? But you should notice that he very rarely really leans on it :)
So, I have a laymen question: if there is ever a note that is not diatonic to the chord in that part of the solo, does that mean they could be thinking of an altered chord?
What I’m taking from this is that there are many ways to get to the target note. Some ways make the landing in the target note have a different effect
No, that is not an altered chord. You just need to work on learning to analyze harmony :)
@@JensLarsen any video suggestions on the subject you can suggest
@@djmileski Maybe this playlist: ruclips.net/video/8Lx926gI1QM/видео.html
@@JensLarsen by the way, do you have any albums of your own and/or appeared on any
I notice that all the 8th notes are tied in pairs. Is this because it makes it easier to read?
Yes, that shows which one is on the beat 🙂
I came here from todays video. 13000 people have watched it in fairness 😊
How about a Sonny Rollins Lesson re: Intro Chord Comping for us guys trying break outta rock into II-V BeBop. Thx in advance & Always & Enjoy your lessons Sir! God bless & best - jj - ( jjsbluz RUclips)
Jens sorry I would ask u a few question and u replied immidiately . I just realised that I didn't subscribe , I have done it 😎
No worries 🙂
To answer your question about if Sonny is still playing. He has to stop playing off of doctor's orders (tho I wouldn't be surprised if he played in his home in private)
Ok, Thank you 🙂