some notes for the new improviser

7/30/2019 Some Notes for the New Improviser

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Jazz Improvisation Some Notes for the New Improviser

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Introduction

When asked what is jazz?, Louis Armstrong is reported to have replied if youve got to ask, youll

never know. Nobody is going to argue with Louis, but Mark Levine (the pianist and educator)

suggests that the voodoo, if there is any, is in the 1% inspiration that makes a great performer as

opposed to the 99% component, which can be learnt.

Improvisation is basically composition in performance within a harmonic and rhythmic (and probably

style) framework, agreed with your fellow participants. Like all composition, it requires attention to

melody, harmony, rhythm and rests (dont forget the rests). Because of its on the hoof nature, unlike

most art forms, it exposes the composers instant creativity (as well as his/her performance) to analysis,

with no chance to perfect it before delivery. As a result, it takes a bit of courage to participate.

The following notes summarise some of factors in improvising. As a summary, it is necessarily

incomplete and occasionally imprecise. The notes may introduce some new terms and ideas to you,

which you find a bit mystifying. But remember, in reality, the suggestions are only different ways to

organise your thoughts for improvisation. In the end it is still the same old 12 notes.

Western Music.

Firstly, lets take a quick overview of Western music. Western music, that is the musical evolution in

Europe and North America, as opposed to Chinese or Indian or other non-western areas, has a few

fundamental ingredients. It is conventionally built on major and minor scales and on a harmony

framework (chords) constructed by stacking notes on top of each other in intervals of major and/or

minor 3rds(an interval is the distance between the notes). The basic three-note chord is called a triad

but, in practice, a 4th note (major or minor 3rd above) is frequently added, with the option of further

additions, on top of the stack. The bottom note of the chord is called the root and example chords,

with C as the root, are shown in Fig. 1, together with their most common description in jazz notation.

(There are, notionally, some 60 chords for each note as a root but a few of the chords are seldom used.)

Ourmusic is also key-basedand we have been subjected to so much exposure, in the west, to key-basedharmony that the listener is aware of some home note or harmony, which will release musical tension

(usually an arrival at the tonic). As a result, all of us can sing a major scale but we find the music of

China and India unfamiliar and frequently unsatisfying.

When the harmony chord is built using the notes of one particular key, the chord is described as diatonic

to that key and Fig. 2 shows the diatonic, 4-note chords for the key of C major. Under each chord is the

common jazz description for each chord. The chords built on each degree of the scale, as the root, are

given Roman Numerals (C=I, D=II, E=III, F=IV etc) and, thus, the chord Dm7 is the II chord of the key

of C and G7 is the V chord of the key of C. Playing any of the diatonic chords in any order will make

the listener vaguely aware of the key of C but will also hint at the nearby keys of F and G.

However, there are 2 particular sequences, known as cadences, which define the key for the listener and,

when these cadences are played, the listener is strongly aware of their approach to the tonic I chord.

These 2 sequences are IV-V (Fmaj7 G7) or, more usually for the jazz player, II-V (Dm7 G7), sincethe II chord is very similar to the IV chord. These cadences, followed by the I chord, are ubiquitous in

our music and awareness of them is a useful part of the improvisers tool-bag. (When the improviser

sees the pattern II-V-I in any key (e.g. Cm7 F7 B or Fm7 B 7 E ) he/she knows that the

improvisation over that sequence can use the notes of the tonic key. More of that, later).

Fig. 2 : 4-note chords diatonic to the key of C major

(I)

(II)

(III)

(IV)

(V)

(VI)

(VII)


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Structuring the underlying harmony based on a stack of major and/or minor 3rds creates what we regard

as a concordant sound. When we play a note coincidentally with that harmony we are playing an

interval between our note and the constituent notes of the underlying harmony. We could stick to

diatonic intervals but melody and harmony played only on diatonic notes would be an unnecessary

restriction and composers add colour to their pieces by the introduction of non-diatonic (chromatic)

notes and harmonies. Thus, in addition to the diatonic intervals, we have chromatic intervals and the set,

with the note C as the reference, is shown in Fig. 3. The enharmonic intervals (i.e. sounding the samebut described differently are not shown). Intervals which span more than an octave, are sometimes

described as compound intervals (e.g. C to D plus an octave is called a compound 2nd) but the more

popular jazz descriptions are shown (e.g. C to D plus an octave is called a 9th). These compound

intervals are described using jazz vernacular, which tends to omit major, minor, diminished etc.

When we improvise, we generate a succession of these intervals related to the notes in the underlyingharmony. We want these intervals to be consonant (i.e. sound good) or, when they sound dissonant

(i.e. clash with the underlying harmony), to be at least something over which we have some control.

Before we look at that more closely, lets just review the framework in which we will be playing our

jazz.

The Performance Format

Historically, the format for playing jazz has been an ensemble rendition of a tune (sometimes called the

head and usually recognisable by the audience) followed by improvisations (solos) on the melody and

harmonies of the tune by some (all) members of the band. At the end of the solos, the ensemble tune is

repeated to finish. Like a lot of jazz terms, head has had different meanings (dont even ask about

jelly-roll and hot-tomato) and was originally short for a head-arrangement one that was conceivedin the heads of the participants and not written down. A lot of early bebop was recorded as head

arrangements and much has entered the jazz repertoire by patient transcription of the recordings.

The basic tunes give rise to the harmonic pattern, which may occupy 12 bars for a 12-bar blues or 32

bars for a standard. (A standard is a tune so popular and frequently played that everybody knows it.

A standard usually comprises two 8-bar melodies (A&B) which are played in the sequence AABA with B

being known as the middle eight, bridge or release.) Tunes of other harmonic lengths are not

excluded, of course. A complete statement of the underlying harmonic pattern is called a chorus (e.g.

12 bars or 32 bars) and a soloist will improvise one or more choruses. The harmony pattern will have

built-in cadences at the end of a chorus to return the soloist/band to the start of the harmony and these are

known as turn-arounds; often some variant of the II-V-I sequence.

Sometimes the choruses will be broken up by soloists playing 4 bars (or 2 or 8 etc) followed by another

soloist, so that the harmonic pattern is completed in these increments. This is particularly popular when

it is the drummers turn to solo, in that each melodic soloist swaps 4 bars (colloquially trading 4s) with

Fig. 3 : Intervals referred to C

Note tha t enharmonic intervals (i.e. intervals sounding the same but

written differently) are not shown. e.g C-F#, enharmonic to C-Gb, is an 'augmented 4th'.

Minor 2nd

Major 2nd

Minor 3rd

Major 3rd

Perfect 4th

Diminished 5th

Perfect 5th

Augmented 5th

Major 6th

Minor 7th

Major 7th

Perfect Octave

Minor 9th

'9th' Minor 10th

'10th'

'11th'

'Sharp 11th'

'12th'

'Flat 13th'

'13th'


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the drummer. (Even though the accompaniment often stops during the drummers solo, the harmony is

deemed to have moved the appropriate number of bars so that the next soloist must pick up at the right

point in the harmony). These presentation deviations will be pre-agreed or may be communicated on the

bandstand, so it is useful for participants to pay attention.

Accompaniment to the solos is generally left to the rhythm section (piano, bass, drums and maybe guitar),

who lay down the beat and the harmony. Occasionally, however, the band might support the soloist

with a written or agreed backing figure or they might play a repeated melodic motif (known as a riff)which drives the soloist both rhythmically and harmonically.

The above loose performance format is pretty much the same now as it ever was.

What do I do for a solo?

In early jazz, the improvisations might merely be embellishing the tune (with emphasis on syncopation)

and a few arpeggios on the underlying chords for good measure. Early on, however, the practitioners had

also recognised the harmonic possibilities of the blue notes in a scale (the blue notes are the flattened

3rd, flattened 5th and flattened 7th). The passage of time brought increased technical facility, more

sophisticated harmonies and rhythms and the jazz educators. Dwarfing the problems of rhythm andrests, the minefield ofwhat notes to play is what consumes the aspiring improviser.

The improviser can:

1) Solo by ear either knowing the chords or listening to the harmony (only recommended if youregood at it not many people are).

2) Know the harmony and the embellishments that can be applied to the chords in the harmony3) Know a selection of scales related to the harmony, which can provide a pool of notes.The jazz educators decided that the best way to teach jazz improvisation was by reference to scale

options available against an underlying harmony (Option 3). However, according to Bird, who

said learn the changes, then forget them, the target is to be good at option 1)! And in the end, it isprobably technical mastery of your instrument and the ability to hear and play. We can regard option 3,

therefore, as the route to the nirvana of Birdland.

So, whats your current position? There you are, youve just played the head, hoping the band leader

didnt notice a couple of bum notes in your reading and its your turn to solo. You stand up and what

do you do? you flannel (OED: hot air, nonsense). You generate a flurry of notes searching for

some that fit what the rhythm section is playing. When you find them you play them louder until you

discover that the rhythm section have moved on and your contribution is now dissonant; this triggers

another flurry and search. You have a go at hinting at the head, throw in a snippet of Summertime

which always fits a minor chord and then treat the audience to the lick (a pre-practised difficult

phrase) that youve been working on for 4 weeks. You sit down, grateful that the ordeal is over until

your next attempt to do it by ear. Everyone flannels at some point in their career; some semi-proshave been doing it for years, banking on braggadocio rather than consonance. Dont worry about it,

youve just constructed a solo and, although you wont make a living out of it, its your own artistic work

made with the tools you have available. All your musical friends will applaud your courage if not your

expertise and many in the audience wont have noticed.

O.K., but what notes could you have played? According to Band Leader Ed Harvey, the ABRSM

writer, arranger and educator, any one you choose. A tempting doctrine, but one that is fraught with

pitfalls. The problem is that the listener (and the player) will soon get bored with too much dissonance

so some of the notes might have to be used sparingly.

Lets have another look at Fig. 3, which shows us the intervals relative to C. If the note C is in the

underlying harmony, and we play any one (or more) of C and the 11 other possible notes in any octave,

we are playing one of the intervals shown in Fig. 3. The good news is that there is only one interval

that western ears find discordant and that is the minor 9th (Whenever you hear a discord in your

band, its 95% sure someone is playing an unscheduled minor 9th interval with another instrument). So,


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against our harmony containing the note C, to be concordant we can play any note we like, as long as it

isn't the D an octave and a semit one above. Applying the same logic to the notes E and G, if they

were in the harmony, we would avoid playing F and A respectively. The notes C, E and G make up

the triadic chord C maj so if we see that chord in the harmony wed have to remember that we can play

any notes except D , F and A (leaving C, D, E , E, G , G, A, B , and B).

Lets look at the II chord in the scale of C; remember it was Dm7 comprising the notes D, F, A and C.

Avoiding minor 9ths in this harmony means that we cant play E , G , B and D (leaving the notes C, D, E, F, G, A , A, B). Before your eyes blur over, lets just do the same thing with the V chord of C

i.e. G7 comprising G, B, D and F. Omitting the minor 9ths against this chord gives us available notes of

D , D, E, F, G, A, B , B. (There is a pattern beginning to emerge here but, for the moment, just be

aware of it. For example, you may have noticed that the 5 tones G, A, B, D, E are permitted notes on

all the 3 chords and we could also use the scale of C major on all 3, if we are careful with C and F.)

Having painted the minor 9th interval as the only joker in the pack, however, there are situations where

even that interval is harmonically acceptable. One nice exception is the dominant 7th chord, where the

harmonic content of the sound permits a minor 9th on the root. So we can add A to our available

notes against a G7 chord. (In general, in any chord the 2 most important constituents are the 3rd and the

7th and these dont respond easily to having a minor 9th placed on top of them.)

But there is even more relief in that a discord depends on where you put the dissonant note in a bar.

Ray Brown, bass player to Oscar Peterson among others, had a view that a bum note was only an

accidental in the wrong place. It is useful that a chromatic or discordant note on a weak beat in the bar

(usually 2 or 4 or the and beats) or perhaps used as a passing note between 2 concordant notes can

pass the listener by without too much disturbance. Also, if the player generates a repeated motif, at

different pitches, then the listener will begin to ignore the harmony and listen for the motif, permitting the

player to play outside the chords (a common jazz device). Again, the player could hold a discord

across the harmony waiting for following chords to render it concordant (like a suspension). So there

are situations where you can use any of the potential discords as long as you put them in the right place.

As an aside, before we leave the subject of dissonance, it is worthwhile mentioning that some authoritiesregard the minor 9th interval as hard dissonance and characterise other dissonant intervals, such as the

minor 2nd and major 7th, as soft dissonance. However, the minor 2nd and major 7th are so

widespread in jazz that to classify them as dissonances to be avoided, would be unnecessarily severe.

Some mixes of soft dissonances e.g. two major 7ths in one chord (Cmaj7#9), might offend your ear, but

the choice is yours remember dissonance is great for building musical tension.

Scale Selection.

Looking at the previous section, it looks as if Ed Harvey is right; we can play any interval with just

maybe a bit of extra care in some places. But it would be useful if we tyros could know the right notes

before we have to consider making sure that the dissonant notes are in the appropriate places.

We could remember all those permitted tones for a particular chord as one pool of consonant notes.

Alternatively, we could learn that, for example, seeing a minor 7th chord meant that we could play any

note of the scale starting a tone below the root with the addition of the flattened 6th (see Dm7 above).

There are maybe other ways that we can commit the options to memory but the jazz educators came up

with the idea ofdeveloping scales and applying modesto enable us to link the harmony chord with a

pool of available notes for improvisation. In effect, you can forget the obscure explanations given

above as to why you choose some notes and not others and just concentrate on the following scales and

modes!

Why scales and modes? Well, firstly, it is a method where a selection of notes are related to the root of

the chord and its description (e.g. Cm7) and, like major or minor scales, can be drilled, thus

minimising the instantaneous thought process in improvising. (Bad news, these scales and modes get

added to your scale practice.) Secondly, the various scales and modes contribute a musical flavour to

the improvisation, like a major or minor key does. Thirdly, it works better, they say, to relate chords to

scales rather than harmony.


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Lets remind ourselves of the permitted notes of our sample chords:

Cmaj permitted notes: C D E E G G A B B

Dm7 permitted notes: C D E F G A A B

G7 permitted notes: D D E E F G A A B B

Examples of some of the scales devised to cover these chords are shown below and the notes whichrequire care in emphasis or placement are shown shaded. The notated examples of some possible

C scales are shown in Fig. 4. Note that the example scales are not exhaustive; there are other options

and a more complete list is shown in Fig. 5, using C-root chords as examples.

Cmaj scale options:

Cmaj permitted notes: C D E E G G A B B

Major Scale (Ionian Mode): C D E F G A B

Major Pentatonic scale: C D E G A

(Minor) Blues Scale: C E F G G B

Lydian Mode: C D E G G A B

Dm7 scale options:

Dm7 permitted notes: D E F G A A B C

Dorian Mode: D E F G A B C

(Minor) Blues Scale: D F G A A C

G7 scale options:

G7 permitted notes: G A A B B D D E E F

Mixolydian Mode: G A B C D E F(Minor) Blues Scale: G B C D D F

Diminished Scale (H)Starting on Half-Tone

G A B B D D E F

Major Pentatonic G A B D E

The Pentatonic scale, surprisingly so-called because it has 5 notes, gives an open, spacy feel to a solo but

is restrictive in its note choice (Auld Lang Syne is pentatonic). The modes provide their characteristic

sounds (simple and solemn for dorian and soft and effeminate for lydian according to the OED, butwhat do they know. The dorian What Shall We do With a Drunken Sailor? is hardly solemn.) The

(Minor) Blues does just what it says on the tin and is very accommodating of the emphasis of its shaded

note. The minor is in brackets because some authorities only recognise one blues scale (the minor)

Fig. 4 : Some Scales and Modes referred to C

Major Scale (Ionian Mode)

Dorian Mode

Mixolydian Mode

Lydian Mode

Blues Scale

Diminished Whole Tone

Diminished (H) Scale(begin ning on 1/2 step)


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but some separate 2 scales into major and minor. The Diminished Scale (H), starting on Half-Tone, has

a bebop feel. The selection of notes from the scales/modes do not have to be played either beginning on

their root or sequentially (as, indeed, a normal scale doesnt); the scales and modes represent a pool

of notes.

You might have observed that the three modes shown in the options are all the scale of C major but

starting on different notes. What imposes the modal or scale flavour is the playing of tones from that

scale over the underlying chord. A melody in the scale repeatedly using all the tones in a mode and,preferably, starting and ending on the modal root, would also give a modal flavour, without the

underlying chord.

The example chords shown above give some scale options when confronted by the chords Cmaj, Dm7

and G7. These chords also constitute a II-V-I in the key of C major, permitting that scale to be played

over the 3 chords but remembering to take care with the shaded notes. This is exactly what you do if

you select the notes from the ionian, dorian and mixolydian modes for your improvisation.

But what about the other chords and keys? Well, first lets consider all those chords on C as the root,

shown in Fig. 1, (the chords become more complex from left to right, in the illustration). Fortunately,

in many tunes, the pianist will be playing only the first couple, or so, of the chords shown in each group,

unless specifically instructed to include the more complex structures in the harmonies. He mayvoluntarily add some other notes to a chord, such as 9ths and 13ths but he should also be listening to the

soloists and responding to their scale choices. Keeping the harmonic accompaniment to the simpler

chordsallows the soloist to add all the rich embellishments from a scale that he chooses. (The

wealth of alterations available on a dominant 7th chord makes that one of the improvisers favourite

chords.) So, if the chords are kept simple, we might get away with learning a couple of modes and the

pentatonics.

However, chords like Calt have changes built into them so youll need to know what scales are available

for chords like that. Unfortunately, we do have to cover all the options (see Fig. 5) if our skill is to

developed as far as possible.. Additionally, we have the problem of that throw-away line, beloved of

all music educators. Now learn the above in all 12 keys. Not good news if you have a day-job,run a home and family or are doing your A-levels. Maybe you can get away without the most obscure

scales but, in addition to your major and minor scales practice, you ought to consider adding the Dorian,

Mixolydian and Lydian modes plus the (Minor) Blues and Diminished (H) starting on Half-tone

scales to enable you to handle a selection of chords (sorry about that).

Learning modes and scales in all keys does present a challenge of a similar magnitude to learning major

and minor scales. Is it necessary to do them all? Well, the more you do, on more roots, the better.

The ABRSM, in its Course work, consider thata Grade 5 Jazz student should know the following

scales and modes in the keys shown.

Major

(Ionian)

Minor Major

Pentatonic

Minor

Pentatonic

3

Pentatonic

Dorian Mixolydian Lydian Blues Chromatic

C, F, G,

B , D,

E, E ,

A, A

C, F, G,

D, A, F#

C, F, G,

B , D,

E ,

C, G, D,

E, A, B

C, G,(This

scale only

used for

grade 1-2)

C, F, G,

D, E, A,

B

C, F, G,

B , D, E,

A,

C, F, G,

B , D,

E ,

A

C, F,

G,

B ,

D, E,

F#, A,

C, D, A


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Fig. 5. Scale options for chords

Typical

Chord

Scale

Degree

Scale or Mode OptionsDont let the classical-sounding names put

you off. They are just handy names for a

group of notes.

Scale Intervals(W = Whole Tone,

H = Half Tone,

3 = Minor 3rd)

Scale Tones On C

Cmaj,

Cmaj7

I Ionian or

Lydian (usually when acting as IV)

Major Pentatonic

W-W-H-W-W-W-H

W-W-W-H-W-W-H

W-W- 3 -W- 3

C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C

C-D-E-F#-G-A-B-C

C-D-E-G-A-C

Cmaj #4

(#11)

I Lydian (usually when acting as IV)

Major Pentatonic

W-W-W-H-W-W-H

W-W- 3 -W- 3

C-D-E-F#-G-A-B-C

C-D-E-G-A-C

Cmaj #5 I Lydian Augmented(3rd Mode Melodic Minor)

W-W-W-W-H-W-H C-D-E-F#-G#-A-B-C

Cm maj7 I 1st Mode Melodic Minor

Minor Pentatonic

Diminished (W) starting on a Whole Step

Harmonic Minor

W-H-W-W-W-W-H

3 -W-W- 3 -W

W-H-W-H-W-H-W-H

W-H-W-W-H- 3 -H

C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C

C-E-F-G-B-C

C-D-E-F-F#-A-A-B-C

C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C

Cm 6

I AeolianMinor Pentatonic

Blues

W-H-W-W-H-W-W3 -W-W- 3 -W

3 -W-H-H- 3 -W

C-D-E

-F-G-A

-B

-CC-E-F-G-B-C

C-E-F-F#-G-B-C

Cm7 II Dorian

Minor Pentatonic

Blues

W-H-W-W-W-H-W

3 -W-W- 3 -W

3 -W-H-H- 3 -W

C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C

C-E-F-G-B-C

C-E-F-F#-G-B-C

III Phrygian (not usual, mainly only as III in III-VI-II-V)Minor Pentatonic

Blues

H-W-W-W-H-W-W

3 -W-W- 3 -W

3 -W-H-H- 3 -W

C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C

C-E-F-G-B-C

C-E-F-F#-G-B-C

VI Aeolian (not usual, mainly only as VI in III-VI-II-V)

Minor PentatonicBlues

W-H-W-W-H-W-W

3 -W-W- 3 -W3 -W-H-H- 3 -W

C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C

C-E-F-G-B-CC-E-F-F#-G-B-C

Co V Diminished (W) starting on a Whole Step W-H-W-H-W-H-W-H C-D-E-F-F#-A-A-B-C

C7 9,

C7 #9

V Diminished (H) starting on a Half Step H-W-H-W-H-W-H-W C-D-E-E-F#-G-A-B-

C

C7 alt V Diminished Whole Tone(7th Mode Melodic Minor)

H-W-H-W-W-W-W C-D-E-E-F#-G#-B-C

C7 V Mixolydian

Major Pentatonic

Blues

Diminished (H) starting on a Half Step

Lydian Dominant

W-W-H-W-W-H-W

W-W- 3 -W- 3

3 -W-H-H- 3 -W

H-W-H-W-H-W-H-H

W-W-W-H-W-H-W

C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C

C-D-E-G-A-C

C-E-F-F#-G-B-CC-D-E-E-F#-G-A-B-C

C-D-E-F#-G-A-B-C

C7 #11

(#4, 5)

V Lydian Dominant(4th Mode Melodic Minor)

W-W-W-H-W-H-W C-D-E-F#-G-A-B-C

Csus V Mixolydian W-W-H-W-W-H-W C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C

Csus 9 V 2nd Mode Melodic Minor H-W-W-W-W-H-W C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C

C+

(C7 #5)

V Whole Tone W-W-W-W-W-W C-D-E-F#-G#-B-C

Cm7 5 VII Half Diminished or Locrian

Locrian #2 (6th Mode Melodic Minor)

H-W-W-H-W-W-W

W-H-W-H-W-W-W

C-D-E-F-F#-G#-B-C

C-D-E-F-F#-G#-B-CNow learn all the above in all 12 keys


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A Closer Look at a Solo

So back to what do I do for a solo. Is it a little run up the Dorian mode when I see a minor 7th, adding

a pinch of mixolydian and a half-bar of halftone diminished, when I see a dominant 7th? Well, yes, if

it works, but probably not. Certainly Louis and Bird didnt do it that way. The scales and modes

pertaining to a chord are giving you a pool of notes to fashion your solo. As your technical facility

increases, you will be able to hear the modes/scales and move through them in an interesting way

perhaps linking them to a following chord by a common tone or a lick (qv) or familiar motif or some

other way. Because you are composing, you can use any of the widespread composition tricks. Even

the best composers werent averse to borrowing a phrase, to keep the rhythm and change the pitches or

keep the pitches and change the rhythm or turn a melody upside down or work lots of variations on

one theme. (The development of a theme is an important constituent to give structure to your solo,

so that it has a beginning, a middle and an end.) Also, you will accumulate a stock of remembered

phrases, which help you, in performance, to link melodic ideas. (Not all jazz is instantaneously created.)

All this comes later; at the moment your first job is to fashion a solo in which all (or most) of the notes

are right.

Lets look at Fig. 10, the lead-sheet of Have You Met Miss Jones? A popular and well-known

standard built on the 32-bar AABA format and written in F (concert) - a nice, simple key, youd think.The tune is written out twice, bars 1-32 are straight, as read in a Real Book (see paragraph on

Repertoire) and bars 33-64 are how a jazz rendition might be phrased. Bars 65-96 are an annotated

improvisation, within a relatively small compass. Since the written solo and your solo would be related

to the harmony, lets examine the harmonic pattern of the tune.

Bar 1 is a tonic major chord bar (the triangle is sometimes used to indicate major) and the pianist could

select any chord from the tonic major group in Fig. 1 (in F, of course!). (If he uses a maj7 or 9th, hell

try and ensure it doesnt interfere with any solo.) Bar 2 has a D7 9, which is the dominant (V) of the key

of G minor so the ear next expects a G minor chord. This chord is duly supplied in Bar 3 but with a

minor 7th (rather than the expected minor tonic chord), which hints at a return to the key of F. Bar 4

confirms the return to F with a C7 (the good old II-V heading for a I) and, just when you are expecting the

Fmaj, the composer interrupts the cadence with an Am7-Dm7-Gm7-C7 sequence in bars 5-8. Thesequence in bars 5-8 is the well-known III-VI-II-V interrupted cadence, where Am7 and Dm7, which

are very similar to the F maj, replace the expected F chord. Our old friend, the II-V turn-around in bars

7-8, returns us to the tonic in bar 1.

The first 6 bars are repeated but at bars 15 and 16 a key change takes place in a II-V, which, sure enough,

is confirmed with the I at bar 17; were now in B major! But dont get too comfortable, a II -V at bar

18 puts us in the key of G major, confirmed at bar 19 and then the roller coaster hits us with another II -

V at bar 20 putting us in the key of D major (confirmed by the I at bar 21). Still reeling, were back to

G major at bars 22 and 23 with another II -V-I until the II-V at bar 24 gets us back to the key of F major

confirmed at bar 25. That is, in bars 15 24 our solo must travel through the major keys of B ,

G , D, G and F.

Bars 25-32 are similar to bars 1-8, but with the harmony squashed up a bit to end on the tonic F for bars

31 and 32. (Or permit a II-V turn-around in bar 32 to start all over again.)

Yes, very interesting, but enough of all that, youll say. Just tell me what notes should I be playing for

a solo on Have You Met Miss Jones?

Well, we can look at it in, at least, 3 ways:

1) Playing chord tones and embellishments from our knowledge of the harmony chords (Theeducators non-preferred way).

2) Choosing notes from the scales inferred from all those II-V-I movements in the harmony3) Playing notes from the modes/scales appropriate to the chords.The following table in Fig. 6 summarises the last two methods in columns 3 and 4. Column 5 shows the

scale choices made in the Solo Chorus of Fig. 10.


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Fig. 6: Scale options for solo on Have You Met Miss Jones?1 2 3 4 5

Bar

No

.

Chords Possibilities inferred fromthe II-V-I chords

Any note from the following

scales. (Potential dissonant tones

shown in brackets)

Possible First Choice

Scale/Mode PossibilitiesAny note from the following modes and

scales. (Potential dissonant tones shown

in brackets)Note how the names of the choices in

this column relate to the chord root.

Scales/Modes Selected to

give notes in example Solo

Chorus of bars 65-96(Scales selected which differ from

col. 4 are in bold italics)

1 Fmaj F maj. (B ) Ionian on F (B ) Ionian on F

2 D7 9 G min. (G, B ) Diminished (H), starting on

Half-tone, on D

Diminished Whole Tone

on D

3 Gm7 F maj Dorian on G Dorian on G

4 C7 F maj (F) Mixolydian on C (F) Lydian Dominant on C

5 Am7 F maj (F, B ) Phrygian on A (F,B ) Phrygian on A

6 Dm7 Fmaj (B ) Aeolian on D (B ) Aeolian on D


8 C7 F maj (F) Mixolydian on C (F) Lydian Dominant on C

9 Fmaj F maj. (B ) Ionian on F (B ) Ionian on F


Half-tone, on D

Diminished (H), starting

on Half-tone, on D


12 C7 F maj (F) Mixolydian on C (F) Mixolydian on C

13 Am7 F maj (F, B ) Phrygian on A (F,B ) Phrygian on A

14 Dm7 F maj (B ) Aeolian on D (B ) Aeolian on D

15 Cm7 B maj Dorian on C Dorian on C

16 F7 B maj (B ) Mixolydian on F (B ) Mixolydian on F

17 B maj B maj (E ) Ionian on B (E ) Ionian on B

18 A m7 -

D 7

G maj G maj (G ) Dorian on A Mix. On D(G )

Dorian on A Mix. On

D

19 G maj G maj (B) Ionian on G (B) Ionian on G

20 Em7-A7 D maj D maj (D) Dorian on E Mix. On A (D) Dorian on E Mix. On A

21 Dmaj D maj (G) Ionian on D (G) Lydian on D

22 A m7 -D 7

G maj G maj (G ) Dorian on A Mix. On D(G )

Blues on A Mix. OnD

23 G maj G maj (B) Ionian on G (B) Ionian on G

24 Gm7-C7 F maj F maj (F) Dorian on G C Mix (F) Dorian on G

25 Fmaj F maj. (B ) Ionian on F (B ) Blues on D


Half-tone, on D

Blues on D

27 Gm7 F maj Dorian on G Blues on F

28 C7 F maj (F) Mixolydian on C (F) Blues on F

29 Am7-Dm7 F maj (F,B ) F maj

(B )

Phrygian on A (F,B ) -

Aeolian on D (B )

Blues on A

30 Gm7-C7 F maj F maj (F) Dorian on G Mix. on C (F) Dorian on G Mix. on C

31 Fmaj F maj. (B ) Ionian on F (B ) Lydian on F

32 Gm7-C7 F maj F maj (F) Dorian on G Mix. on C (F) Dorian on G Lydian

Dominant on C

For our solo, we can use any mixture of the columns 3 and 4 (plus a bit of harmony knowledge, if we

want to). However, if our tune had not had the plethora of II-V-Is, the key centres would have been

more difficult to define, as listed in the column 3. The approach in the Scales/Mode column (4) avoids

that problem and also gives us the opportunity to apply some different scales to colour the

improvisation. The selection in Column 5 shows what a soloist mightchoose and these have given rise

to the solo melody of bars 65-96 of Fig. 10.

Repertoire.

If you can get to grips with the requirements to develop a solo, as broadly explained above, you still have

to choose your style and the source of the tunes on which your improvisations will be based.


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All aspiring jazz players should have a few of their favourite tunes (or, better, audience favourites) for

which they know the melody and the changes. These can be learnt from a Real Book, which is a

compendium of standards, blues, jazz transcribed from records, pop, funk etc. usually comprising a

single melody line and the associated harmonies. (They are Real to differentiate them from their

precursor Fake Books, which were normally bootlegged versions of melody and chords, with doubtful

harmonies). Although there is no need to commit the whole of your real book to memory, it is

undeniable that you will fashion a better solo if you are familiar with the chords of a tune. Some people

have a talent (or think that they have) for playing by ear, but even the best wont do anything outside theircurrent repertoire. George Shearing, who had a better reason than most for playing by ear (he is blind)

refused to busk Mountain Greenery with Mel Torme despite playing together for years. Zoot Sims

claimed to have a repertoire of 24 tunes at any one time and wouldnt play anything other than those.

If your favourites are a bit obscure, keep copies of the concert lead sheets (showing melody line and

chords) in your instrument case to give to the rhythm section on a gig. A couple of must knows are 12

bar Blues sequences in concert F (plus B and E ) and Rhythm Changes the chords to Gershwins

Ive Got Rhythm, which form the basis of a number of jazz standards. Although there are a number of

variants of both these sets of chords, the basic changes are shown in Figs. 7 and 8, in concert key.

Licks.

A lick is a practised phrase intended to dazzle the audience by its apparent spontaneity and virtuosity.

The purists will tell you that real jazzers dont use licks, because everything comes from the instant

creative process. Dont believe it. Stan Tracey, when resident pianist at Ronnie Scotts, became

increasingly exasperated by the giant egos of visiting American jazzmen. So he listened to their recordsand practised their licks. During performance at Ronnies the big egos would let loose their stunning

licks, which Stan would nonchalantly echo at the piano; a nice cutting down to size.

Fig. 7 : 12-Bar Blues Chords

Fig. 8 : 'Rhythm' Chords

1.

al Coda

D.C.

al Coda

Coda


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Licks are part of your repertoire to assist you in performance; use them with the same sensitivity and taste

that you bring to your solos. A typical lick used over an F7 chord, which incorporates both the triad of

the basic chord and that of the chord a tritone away (B7), is shown in Fig. 9. A couple of books of licks

are included in the bibliography, which, although aimed at the piano, give many single note runs useful

for horns. The best and most exclusive licks, however, are the ones you invent yourself.

Backing and Comping (jazz vernacular for accompanying)

When non-professional musicians are confident and relaxed with a piece, there is a tendency for them toplay their part molto fortissimo. Since a backing phrase is often quite simple, the poor soloist gets

submerged under a welter of sound, when supported by an arranged harmony or a riff. Playing quietly

so that the soloist can be heard helps in everyone listening to what is going on around them.

Pianists in general should stay out of the register of the soloing instrument. The modern tendency is to

voice the chords so that the root (and the 5ths) are left to the bass player and the pianist includes bite

tones of 9ths and 13ths. For a more traditional style, the pianist might omit the bite notes and play the

chords in the root position.

Always be aware of the style of the jazz you are playing. Guitarists beating 4 to the bar may be alright

in a Django inspired Hot Club band, or even as a Freddie Green soundalike in a Count Basie Big Band

but it should be remembered that Django and Freddie had acoustic guitars with rapid decay and a

lightness of touch. To apply the same techniques to bebop or to strum electric guitars with boomy

chords is not sympathetic. In a more modern jazz framework, the guitarists job is either to lay-out

(stop playing) or undertake the pianists duties of comping by feeding chords to the soloist (the pianist

and guitarist might agree on sharing comping duties)

The addition of a rhythm guitar also adds a further rhythm voice and too many rhythm voices frequently

complicate the pulse of a piece. Additional rhythm needs to be used with care. Dave Holland once

had the temerity to ask Wynton Marsalis to stop tapping his foot since it was upsetting the groove of a

number. (Foot-tapping can be a general problem also; there is nothing worse than a bars silence from

the rhythm section being disturbed by a ghostly Monty Python army of foot-tappers, keeping the beat.)

On a 4/4 piece the walking bass frequently controls the pulse (and, indeed, can increase tension bybeating 2 or even not playing, before finally entering in 4/4). The bass player usually sketches the

outline of the harmony, often using chord tones on all 4 beats or, alternatively, chord tones (maybe tonic

and 5th) on strong beats (1 and 3) linked by diatonic or chromatic passing notes. On funky/rock

numbers with a heavy back-beat, the drums have a more dominant role, with the bass-player supporting

with a repetitive riff, helping to define the rhythm by the repetition.

Swinging

Another question to which Louis Armstrong might have given his if youve got to ask answer is what is

swing? When a group is swinging it is normally playing a tune in 4/4, usually at a moderately fast

tempo, and has a rhythmic pulse, which all the participators (and the listeners) feel is moving in an

exciting way. The emphasis contributed by the players tends to push the beat. In particular the pianistwill feed chords perhaps a quaver ahead of the changes (aka syncopation). (In unpractised hands, the

pushing of the beat can result in the tempo gradually getting faster)

Fig. 9 : A typical 'Lick' on an F7 chord


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The players also tend to play quavers as swing triplets, as shown below and this mark is often shown on

big-band and other scores to indicate a swing feel:

The description comes from the swing era, mainly 1940s and 50s and, with the advent of more latin,

funk and rock jazz, the swing has been replaced with a groove. Manifestation of the feel might be

a primal urge to dance, nod your head or shake your bum. If you cant feel a swing or a groove, we havea serious problem.

Modal Jazz

The modes (modal scales) described in Fig. 5 are a sequence of notes separated by fixed increments of

tones and semitones, which give the mode its musical flavour.

The names are a useful identification for the available pool of notes against a harmony chord. Some of

the names of the modes refer to divisions of Ancient Greece but the modes did not come to us from some

Delphic mist, where, for example, all the Dorians were whistling embryonic Coltrane solos as they fluted

their columns. The Greeks didnt write their music down, so we dont know for sure. However, theexistence of modes in some mediaeval and Gregorian chants indicate some prehistory and the names were

given, by the Church, to celebrate that possibility. For many of us, an early familiarity with a mode

might have been singing or listening to the Dorian Scarborough Fair.

Modal jazz tends to confine itself to improvising using mainly the notes from the mode appropriate to the

harmony chord (e.g. Dorian mode for minor 7th chord). The style is characterised by a slow harmonic

rhythm (infrequent changes of chord) and this is often offset by a fast tempo. Because of the repetitive

chords, the soloist can often experience the where are we? effect and a sympathetic rhythm section will

develop a motif, or pedal, to indicate the end of a chorus.

Conclusion

So if you know, and are deft with, all (or most) of your scales and modes, can recognise chords, II-V-Is

and other cadences, have a back-up repertoire of remembered phrases and some licks and a developing

ear, you are well on the way to becoming an improviser. Reading some of the Bibliography can help,

but it doesnt replace practise.

Bibliography/Play-alongs/General Reading

Title Author Publisher ISBN (2003) Comments

Jazz Theory Book,

The

Levine, Mark Sher Music 1-883217-

04-0

35 Its all here. Scales, Harmony, repertoire. The current

best how to do it

Jazz Piano Book, The Levine, Mark Sher Music 0-9614701-

5-L

30 Excellent Reference for Pianists. Deals with

Harmony, Scales, Voicings, the LotExploring Jazz Scales

for Keyboard

Boyd, Bill Hal-Leonard 0-7935-

1544-0

9 Detailed treatment of pentatonic and blues scales

Jazz Piano FromScratch

Beale,Charles

ABRSM 1-86096-015-4

17 Mainly for pianists but is a useful guide with a goodCD

Contemporary Piano

Styles

Mehegan,

John

Amsco 0-8230-

2574-9

17 Informative for pianists on styles but chords are in

Roman Notation

17 All-time Standards

Vol 25.

Abersold,

Jamey

Jamey

Abersold

Play-along

Part of a series. Useful work-outs but tend to be a bit

fast for the beginner

Approaching The

Standards. Vol 1.

Hill, Willie L. Warner Bros.

Play along

0-7692-

9217-8

12 Part of a series. Relaxed tempos. Transcribed solos.

Useful

Keyboard Runs for

the Pop / Jazz Pianist

Lienhard,

Noreen Grey

Ekay Music

Inc.

0-943748-

93-3

15 Mainly for pianists but lots of single note licks, some

on CD. Etude joins licks together in a solo.

Tons of Runs Leverne,Andy

Ekay MusicInc.

0-943748-95-X

12 Mainly for pianists but lots of single note licks ondominants, II-V-Is etc..

Jazz Fordham,John

DorlingKindersley

0-7513-0050-0

15 A coffee-table anthology covering the instruments,the music, the musicians and key recordings.

History of Jazz, The Gioia, Ted OUP 0-19-

509081-0

14 A scholarly but readable analysis of the development

of your art form.

3

=


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some notes for the new improviser

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