The Jazz Sax & Improvisation Blog of Saxophonist Bobby Stern - bobbysternjazz.com

Have You Met Miss Jones? - She awaits you on the bridge!

3/28/2025

Have You Met Miss Jones?
She awaits you... on "the bridge"!

Have you met Miss Jones? If not - well, allow me to introduce you.

"Have You Met Miss Jones?" - a Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart song classic - was first introduced in 1937 as part of the Broadway musical / political satire, "I'd Rather be Right".

Having been recorded by artists as diverse - in style and era - as Louis Armstrong and Robbie Williams, "Have You Met Miss Jones?" has since become a Jazz Standard, making its way onto the exalted list of 20th Century songs known as the "Great American Songbook".

What sets "Miss Jones" apart from the rest of the pack is her unique bridge in which the key centers modulate in descending Major 3rds (a song's bridge being the eight-bar "B" section - bars #17 thru #24 - of the 32-bar, AABA "standard American popular song" form).

Augmentation Station: An Augmented Scale Sequence

9/27/2024

Augmentation Station:
An Augmented Scale Sequence

Here's a nifty little exercise, featuring the still somewhat mysterious and enigmatic Augmented Scale.

The Augmented Scale is a six-note symmetrical scale with its interval scheme alternating between augmented and minor 2nds before repeating at the octave (F-G#-A-C-Db-E in F). This interval setup can be flipped to form what's known as the "Inverted Augmented Scale" (F-Gb-A-Bb-C#-D), meaning that 2 different scales can be generated from the same note.

Because the Augmented Triad splits the 12-tone chromatic scale into three equal parts, there are really only four unique transpositions of the Augmented Scale.

Airegin - Six Short Etudes - First Eight of the First Ending

9/22/2023

"Airegin" - Six Short Etudes
Based on the First Eight Measures of the First Ending

Earlier this month, Sonny Rollins - the iconic tenor "Saxophone Colossus", turned 93 years old - which is a major accomplishment in and of itself. So, as a belated birthday salute, I thought we might hone in on a section of one of Sonny's well known and oft played originals - "Airegin" - the title which is, of course, the name of the West African nation Nigeria delleps sdrawkcab (spelled backwards).

Like several of his other originals - which include "St. Thomas", "Oleo", "Doxy" & "Paul's Pal" - "Airegin" has long ago made it to the list of must-know Jazz standards.

It was first recorded in June of 1954 on the Prestige label as part of the 10-inch EP "Miles Davis with Sonny Rollins". In this post, we'll focus on an eight-bar section of "Airegin" - namely measures 9 thru 17 - which make up the first half of the first ending of the tune.

The SUPER 4 - A 4-Note Swiss Army Knife

7/27/2022

New Shortbook™ : "The SUPER 4"
A 4-Note Swiss Army Knife For Improvisers

The “Super 4” is a collection of four tetratonic (4-note) structures, bound together by a consistent set of intervals and their inversions, resulting in a handy, streamlined tool with which to create colorful melodic lines over multiple chord types, while at the same time avoiding some of the more time-worn cliches.

Originating from a set of well known piano voicings, these structures form a quartet of unique 4-note “scales”. Due in large part to the presence of the intervals of a minor 2nd and tritone, they offer a good deal of “bite”.

This harmonic and melodic tension was first fully appreciated by such innovators as Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, et al in the early 1960s and beyond.

"Come Rain or Come Shine" - An All-Weather Etude

8/19/2021

"Come Rain or Come Shine" - An All-Weather Etude

As an improviser, one of the most effective ways to learn and study any tune is to compose an Etude over its chord changes.

This can get you up close and personal with the tune's harmonic structure, as well as its harmonic and melodic resolution points.

It will also reveal where you are in terms of your own aural understanding in relation to where you might want to be (this never stops - it's a continuous process!).

One particular tune I personally wanted to delve deeper into was "Come Rain or Come Shine" - music and lyrics by Harold Arlen & Johnny Mercer. It debuted as part of the 1946 Broadway musical "St. Louis Woman", and has since been performed and / or recorded by just about everyone and anyone. It's enshrined as part of the "Great American Songbook".

A Jug Full of Ammons - Gene Ammons' "Exactly Like You" Tenor Saxophone Transcription

7/20/2021

A Jug Full of Ammons - Gene Ammons' "Exactly Like You"
Tenor Saxophone Solo Transcription

Tenor saxophone giant Gene Ammons, aka "Jug", was one of the seminal figures at the crossroads between the earlier tenor saxophone styles of Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster - and the BeBop evolution / revolution of the mid to late 1940s, sparked by the innovative genius of Charlie Parker.

Add to that the blues influences of his native Chicago - as well as that of his celebrated pianist father, "Boogie Woogie" innovator Albert Ammons - and you've got one of the "phatest", most distinct, expressive and soulful tenor saxophone sounds ever heard.

Ammons recorded for several record labels from the late 1940s until his passing in 1974, but the bulk of his recorded output was for Bob Weinstock's Prestige Records label.

It's from one of these Prestige recordings that the subject of this post - a transcription of Jug's solo on the popular show tune "Exactly Like You" - is taken.

The Andalusian Cadence, Triad Pairs & "Song for my Father"

6/18/2021

The Andalusian Cadence, Triad Pairs & "Song for my Father"

Something that caught my attention recently was the familiar chord progression, i - bVII - bVI - V (Cmin-Bb7-Ab7-G7, in C), known as the "Andalusian Cadence".

This progression is reported to have its origins in the Flamenco music of Andalucia, the region of southern Spain where Flamenco culture was born.

The Andalusian Cadence has long become a staple in many forms of music around the world, including Pop & Jazz.

One obvious example that quickly comes to mind is the Ray Charles classic "Hit the Road, Jack!", and there are literally thousands more.

Another popular example from the Jazz repertoire is pianist Horace Silver's classic "Song for my Father", which is the focus of this post.

An Etude for a Brighter Day - John Coltrane's "Mr. Day"

8/28/2020

An Etude for a Brighter Day! - John Coltrane's "Mr. Day"

On numerous levels, John Coltrane's original 12-bar blues “Mr. Day” has always been an inspirational favorite of mine.

Recorded during an evening session on Oct. 24th, 1960, it became part of the classic Atlantic LP “Coltrane Plays the Blues”, which was released in July 1962, after Coltrane had moved to the Impulse! record label.

This session was part of several which took place that same week and which produced all the material for the Coltrane albums “My Favorite Things” - released March, 1961 - and “Coltrane's Sound”, not released until June, 1964 a well a the rest of "Coltrane Plays the Blues".

A previous version, slower in tempo and more deliberate, listed as “Mr. Day (aka One and Four)”, was recorded in Los Angeles about a month and a half earlier as part of a compilation for the Roulette label. Coltrane was touring the West Coast with his new quartet, which did not yet include Elvin Jones on drums, who joined the group a few weeks later. Instead Billy Higgins, an LA native, known for his work with Ornette Coleman and subsequently everyone else, was the drummer.

Jazzitudes 3 - Ten More Solo-Styled Jazz Etudes With Attitude!

1/29/2020

"Jazzitudes 3"- Ten More Solo Styled Jazz Etudes With Attitude!

The ten original, solo style Jazz etudes “with attitude” found in this, the 3rd volume of “Jazzitudes”, are based once more, on the chord changes of familiar, time honored Jazz & Pop standards.

Each etude is presented in C, Bb and Eb versions.

Creating etudes over a familiar set of chord changes is a practical method of “transcribing one's mind”, as well as a vehicle for employing different musical concepts in a musical manner. While not all concepts might be stylistically relevant to a given musical situation, many of the concepts found in previously published Shortbooks™ are employed successfully here within these various etudes.

For Your High-Ness: An Etude on "Someday My Prince Will Come"

9/20/2016

For Your High-Ness:
An Etude on "Someday My Prince Will Come"

"Heah come da Prince!"

This is yet another solo style etude, which I this time fashioned from the chord changes of the popular Standard American Song, "Someday My Prince Will Come".

This tune has been in my repertoire for a while, but I started to take a closer look at it recently, for reasons I'll get into.

The music for "Someday My Prince Will Come" was composed and scored by Frank Churchill back in 1937 for the first ever full length animated Disney movie, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs".

I don't think I've ever actually seen the whole movie myself, but I think we all grew up knowing about little Ms. White and her seven vertically challenged buddies (Sleepy, Creepy, Peepee, Goofy, Doofy, Humpty & Dumpty....I think - off the top of my head; no?!?!?).

In any case, Someday My Prince has been a staple for improvising musicians and singers and has been recorded often - the definitive version possibly being Miles Davis' 1961 recording on Columbia (featuring tenor solos by both Hank Mobley and John Coltrane) from the album of the same name.

Monk's "Skippy" - The Etude

8/17/2016

Monk’s “Skippy” - The Etude

Based on a previous post, which included a breakdown of Thelonious Monk's challenging original, "Skippy", I finally got around to putting together a one chorus, 32 bar "solo style" etude, as a means to decipher ways to navigate the changes of this roller coaster ride of a tune.

Monk's only recording of "Skippy" was from the 1952 Blue Note session that was released as part of "The Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 2", and which included an alternate take of the tune, as well.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, composing an etude for oneself can be extremely beneficial, in that it slows down the improvisational process and allows one to better see, hear and comprehend certain melodic and harmonic connections and how they tend to resolve - or not.

It's kind of like transcribing your own mind.

Spring's the Thing! - An Etude Based on Freddie Hubbard's "Up Jumped Spring"

6/23/2015

Spring's the Thing! - An Etude Based on Freddie Hubbard's
"Up Jumped Spring"

Seasonally speaking, I realize I'm a few days late, but one tune I've always enjoyed playing is Freddie Hubbard's classic jazz waltz, "Up Jumped Spring" - so I wrote a "solo style" etude based on its changes, which I present here.

Freddie Hubbard was not only one of the music's all-time great trumpet voices, he was also an accomplished and prolific composer who contributed a number of classics to the repertoire (Little Sunflower, Birdlike, Red Clay, etc.), as well as some great lesser known gems (Lament for Booker, Blue Spirits, among others).

"Up Jumped Spring" has a form of A1-A2-B-A3. Each "A" section is 16 bars long and has a different ending. The bridge, or "B" section, is 8 bars long, which adds up to and makes this a 56 bar tune.

Can you name another tune with the same form?

One tune which immediately "springs" to mind is Kurt Weil and Ogden Nash's "Speak Low" (Shhh! It has the same AABA, 16-16-8-16 = 56 bar form, in 4/4).

Toot Your Own Horn Dept. - A Self-Transcription / Etude of "Like Someone in Love"

3/29/2015

Toot Your Own Horn Dept.:
A Self-Transcription of "Like Someone in Love"

The Rev. Dizman Tootoot

Welcome to another, "Toot my own horn!" moment, featuring a self-transcription of the van Heusen-Burke standard, "Like Someone in Love".

As I'd been checking this tune out lately (for about 30 years), I thought it would make good subject matter for a post, with a recorded solo example, as well as an audio file thereof; both downloadable.

Now ain't that generous?!

I think it's a very healthy thing, in terms of self-analysis, to record and transcribe one's self from time to time. The fact is, that if you don't happen to be one of the handful of "household (make that "practice room") names", you might as well transcribe yourself, for yourself.

Besides, "it's my blog and I'll toot if I want to"! Dig?!

Coltrane's "Satellite" - The First Eight

2/21/2015

Colonel Bleeped!
Coltrane's "Satellite" - The First Eight

Col. Bleepdat knows "Satellite".

This post presents an exercise over the chord changes to the first eight bars of John Coltrane's "(Giant) Step-ed Up" up treatment of the popular standard, "How High the Moon", (Charlie Parker's "Ornithology" is based on the straight changes of the tune).

I posted a full transcription of Coltrane's solo, on "Satellite", as well as information about the solo and the recording itself, so I won't repeat that here.

"Satellite" is but one of several 'Trane originals, based on standards, over which he superimposed his version of the "Cycle of Descending Major Thirds", which has become known to the world as "Coltrane Changes" or "Giant Steps Changes".

More Blues Minor - The Coal, Hard Sax!

11/18/2014

More Blues Minor - The Coal, Hard Sax!

Miner Blues - The Coal Hard Sax

This post could be considered as an addendum to "C Minor Blues - The Last Four" from a few weeks ago.

This 4 bar mini-etude didn't make the cut, only because it was conceived at a much slower tempo (ca. quarter note = 120) as in, for example, Joe Henderson's "Out of The Night" or "Bags & 'Trane", than the dozen or so in that post.

It does, however contain the same premise; being based on bars 9, 10, 11 and 12 (bVI7-V7-i-i) of the type of medium tempo Minor Blues as those tunes named above.

This one contains a single, four bar phrase, presented in 12 keys, with a 16th note feel.

It works really well as a warmup type exercise.

B. There! - "Invitation" - The Last Eight

10/29/2014

B. There! - "Invitation" - The Last Eight

Here's another in a series of "Last Eight" (or "Last Four") groups of etudes; designed to zero in on a certain section of a particular tune, where the chord / scale choices and their connectivity might be somewhat ambiguous, and might in general, might make you say "Huh?!"

This time, we'll take a look at the well known and oft played standard "Invitation", by Bronislau Kaper, the Polish born film composer who also wrote "On Green Dolphin Street'.

At the very end of last year, I posted an etude based on the complete set of changes of "Invitation" (here), for what it's worth.

The last eight measures (and especially the last four) of "Invitation" used to make me scratch my head (I'm sure it wasn't dandruff, or worse), before I knew how to recognize and handle Melodic Minor chord / scale relationships in these situations.

And if you didn't already realize it "Invitation" is a Melodic Minor lover's dream!

See Myna Fuddah Boids! - C Minor Blues - The Last Four

10/22/2014

Tweet 'Dis! See Myna Fuddah Boids!
C Minor Blues - The Last Four

"See Myna Blues" Bird

Hello "Bird" Lovers!

Actually, the subject of this post is neither the bird, the man, nor his "Ornithology".

Rather, based on the positive reaction to recent posts (here & here), which take 8 bar sections of tunes for study and analysis, this one focuses on the last 4 measures of a typical "Mr. PC" type C Minor Blues (bVI7-V7-i), for which I've scribbled out a dozen (12, count 'em) 4 bar mini-etudes.

A good precursor to this post, and where you'll find the basic premise for this exercise, would be this post from 2013, which deals with the same bVI7-V7-i movement, with the accompanying exercises focusing on the Melodic Minor derived Pentatonic b6 mode.

It's probably a good idea to check that one out, as there isn't much to add here in the way of a basic harmonic breakdown.

The dozen lines presented here are a bit looser in their scale choices, although Melodic Minor still predominates.

After all, it is supposed to be a Minor Blues, right? ...or a piece of one, anyway.

Joe Henderson's "Black Narcissus" - The Last Eight

10/15/2014

Joe Henderson's
"Black Narcissus" - The Last Eight

Joe Henderson's "Black Narcissus" is a delicate jazz waltz and one of the legendary tenor saxophonist / composer's better known compositions.

Originally recorded on May 29, 1969 and released as part of Henderson's album "Power to the People" (which included Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Jack De Johnette) on the Milestone label, Joe recorded it several times subsequently. That includes the 1974 version, recorded in Paris and featured on the album of the same name.

It has since been covered by many by other artists.

Although completely different in emotional intent, scope and style, "Black Narcissus" has striking similarities in compositional structure, as well as harmonic usage, to another one of Henderson's classics, and the subject of an earlier post; namely, "Inner Urge".

I had heard different versions of "Black Narcissus" for years before actually trying to learn it myself. At that point, I realized that this simple sounding tune necessitated some closer scrutiny; especially after hearing many improvisers trying to "ramrod" their way through the last eight measure, "B" section of the tune.

Unstable, Mates! - An Etude Based on Benny Golson's Quirky Classic "Stablemates"

4/3/2014

"Stablemates", Benny Golson's classic, written in 1954, is the subject of this etude.

I'd been 'shedding this tune as of late, so I thought I'd slow the process down a bit and write out an etude, which similar to a solo transcription, can be helpful in focusing in on individual elements of a tune.

"Stablemates" is not your "standard" jazz standard, in that its form (36 bars, ABA 14 - 8 - 14) as well as its flow of chord changes, is somewhat unorthodox.

I think that for these reasons, mainly, the tune has remained a challenge to improvisers and has stood the test of time since its inception 60 years ago!

Practice Room Instigation - Etude "Invitation"

12/28/2013

Happy New Year, everybody!

I've been absent from these pages for over a month now, mainly due to the time it's taken me to complete and release my new eBook, "Slick Licks That Stick! Vol. 2" available for download right here.

Anyway, I couldn't let December go by and 2013 go out by posting "0" for the month, soooo..............

Here's is an etude, re-titled "Instigation" based on the changes of yet another popular standard "Invitation", by Bronislaw Kaper, from the 1952 film of the same name.

Kaper, who emigrated from Poland in the mid 1930's, was a prolific composer for Hollywood films and Broadway theater, and is also best known as the composer of another standard and improvisational vehicle which we all know and love (don't we?), "On Green Dolphin Street".

The tune "Invitation" makes an excellent study in Melodic Minor usage. Some form of MM can be organically utilized on virtually every chord of the tune.

MM elements Pentatonic b3 & b6, altered scale, triad pairs, etc. abound throughout the etude.

Hopefully, this etude will "instigate" your curiosity to isolate and identify them.

So here's your "invitation to instigation". Enjoy!

Download PDF
Bb Concert
Eb Bass Clef

B. Stern

Ubop Chabang! - "The Steppes of Tiang" - Giant Steps Etude

11/22/2013

Ubop Chabang & the Klukumops

Here's a hot bowl of fresh noodles in the form of a recipe I discovered on a recent "trip" to Tiang, a remote and peaceful place, somewhere over the rainbow, where "g's" become "t's" and vice versa.

Tiang has a musically rich and ancient cultural tradition, which is in evidence everywhere.

This particular composition was inspired by an archaic scale based on a six note row, which divides the octave into three equal parts, representing the sun, the moon and the stars., something which the people of Tiang have been given the opportunity to ponder endlessly throughout the ages.

The scale's inception is credited by historians to the legendary Tiangian musician and sage, Chun Culutran, who is considered a deity almost, and dates back to antiquity, approximately to the year 1959 BC (Before Computers).

Etude - "The Real Bella (by Bar Light)"

11/13/2013

Bella, mein Bella!!

Welcome to another bowl of my noodlings. This time it's an etude over the changes of the ever popular standard, "Stella by Starlight", composed for the 1944 scary movie "The Uninvited", by Victor Young.

Young also composed such classics as "My Foolish Heart", "When I Fall in Love", "Street of Dreams", and "Love Letters", to name a but few, all of which have also become popular vehicles for improvisers.

I remember seeing the film years ago on TV, with the leading man (Ray Milland), sitting at the piano in an attic, composing a song to this young, fine chick named Stella. "Ahhh", me thinked, "so that's where the song comes from."

I also don't remember the film as being that scary. I''ll probably check it out again, now that we're on the subject.

As for the etude, I can honestly say that I came up with the title, "Bella by Bar Light", on my own (really!), but after a few chuckles at the images it evoked, I realized that it might be a bit too obvious a moniker to be original, so I Google searched it and sure enough, I was beat to the spot by at least twenty years by saxophonist John Lurie (and probably others), who gave the title to his short piece of minimalistic film music, which bore no resemblance whatsoever to the original "Stella", save for being cute with the title.

So therefore, herewith and thereby, I present you with "The Real Bella (by Bar Light)" in all her naked, neon glory!

It Never Gets Old! - Etude: "Body and Soul"

9/30/2013

Here's a short etude I scribbibled out recently over the changes to the ever popular standard American song from the 1930's, "Body and Soul", the music having been written by Hollywood composer / orchestrator Johnny Green, who also composed other well known standards, such as "Out of Nowhere" and "I Cover the Waterfront". All three of these tunes have been popular vehicles for improvising musicians for many years.

"Body and Soul" has since been played and / or recorded by just about everybody......., and I mean everybody. Of course, the definitive version is Coleman Hawkins 1939 classic recording, where he completely abandons the melody after the first 2 bars.

Then, there's John Coltrane's awesome, reharmonized version from 1960, which included his famed 'Trane or Giant Steps Changes (Cycle of Descending Major Thirds) on the bridge. (Both YouTube vids embedded below).