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

The Fix is In - Broken Maj 9 Chords in 5ths, Major 3rds Cycle

8/29/2024

The Fix is In:
Broken Maj 9 Chords in 5ths, Major 3rds Cycle

You've probably heard the saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

If a "working musician" is not working, he or she might be "going broke", but if we're talking about one who's dedicated - working or not - the decision may be to "go for broke" in reaching musical and professional goals.

In music terminology - which applies to the subject of this post - it ain't "broke" but "broken" in the sense of being disconnected or detached - as in a broken chord.

So if your chords are broken and you're in a fix, but you're fixin' to fix it, then fixate on the next few paragraphs, so that it might become a fixture of your daily practice routine.

"Stablemates" - The Last 4-Bars of the "B-Section"

5/23/2024

Running Into Ideas
"Stablemates" - The Last 4-Bars of the "B-Section"

Recently, while working through the changes of Benny Golson's classic "Stablemates", I realized the need to zero-in on one particular part of the tune - namely, the last four bars of the B-section.

That part of the form (which is A-B-A) is a succession of descending chromatic ii-Vs, which in order to be navigated through smoothly, needed some specific focus on my part.

As I was trying out different approaches, I stumbled upon a sequence based primarily on the interval of a Perfect 4th, which seemed to work well - actually covering two bars at a time.

Flip 4 Real! - Using Mordents in a ii-V7-I Melodic Line

3/23/2023

Flip for Real! - Using Mordents in a ii-V7-I Melodic Line

Interjecting well placed embellishments into a static musical phrase is an oft used and effective way to "spice it up" - so as to make it more varied and interesting.

One of these common ornamentation techniques involves the use of what is known as a mordent - a single, rapid alternation from a primary note in the melodic line to a neighboring tone a half or whole tone above or below it.

Mordents first came into vogue during the Baroque period of Western classical music (early 1600´'s to mid 1700's). As their interpretations have evolved over time, their usage continues across a broad spectrum of musical styles and cultures.

Straight Ahead - Elements of an 027 Line

2/24/2023

Straight Ahead - Elements of an 027 Line

Here's a nice, neat little 4-bar melodic line made up of overlapping two, three, four and five-note cells (depending on how you look at them).

Perfect 4ths, 027 Trichords, sus2 & sus4 combinations and Pentatonic structures, are all in evidence here.

Aside from the fact that the line itself sounds and works well as an "in-out-in" option over a ii-V7-I cadence, it's worth checking out how the aforementioned elements combine and overlap.

On the Menu...Tasty Lines Over a Neo-Soul Vamp

10/28/2022

On the Menu...
Tasty Lines Over a Neo-Soul Vamp

As a general description, the term "Neo-Soul" is a broad designation given to a popular musical genre which combines elements of traditional R & B, Soul, Hip-Hop and Pop, as well as Jazz and Gospel harmony.

Coming to the forefront of popular culture in the mid-1990's, it was overwhelmingly a vocalist's music, represented by a younger, "urban" group of artists and their audience.

At the same time and with some of the same roots, its instrumental cousin - labeled "Smooth Jazz", for lack of a better term - was being dressed up, watered down and marketed to an older demographic, with its own radio format, etc.

What could be argued as being a rough cross-pollination of these two genres has, over time, yielded something definable as "instrumental Neo-Soul", or "Neo-Soul Jazz", with its own unique harmonic vibe.

Some Fresh Air for Your Practice Routine!

1/19/2022

Some Fresh Air for Your Practice Routine!
Rhythmically Displaced Intervallic Pentatonics (say wha...?!)

Practicing exercises can sometimes be a tedious task. Most often, the end goal is to reach a degree of technical fluency in the areas covered by the particular exercise. However, there's more to it than that.

The real reason we practice in the first place, as improvising musicians especially, is to ultimately obtain the split-second facility to make musical choices - and to make them musically. This requires not only the ability to hear and execute the "right" notes at the right time (melody), but also the innate feel for creating balanced and coherent rhythmic statements (phrasing).

Let's take a look at a few simple ways we can turn a potentially monotonous exercise into something more listenable.

Joe Henderson's Tenor Solo on "You Know I Care" - A Transcription

11/25/2021

Joe Henderson's Tenor Solo
"You Know I Care" - A Jazz Ballad Transcription

"You Know I Care", is a masterpiece of a composition by the prolific composer / pianist / arranger, Columbus Calvin "Duke" Pearson, jr and is possibly the most representative original ballad of the 1960s Blue Note period.

As the ballad feature on Joe Henderson's classic "Inner Urge" album, it was recorded on November 30, 1964 - nine days before John Coltrane recorded "A Love Supreme" - with pianist McCoy Tyner and drummer Elvin Jones (each a member of Coltrane's classic quartet and icons themselves) on both sessions.

Almost six months later, Pearson recorded his own version of "You Know I Care" as a 6-horn arrangement, but Henderson's quartet recording is the definitive version, as his tenor solo as well as the rhythm section, breathes additional life, dimension and drama into an already singular ballad composition.

Playin' the Numbers - A Pentatonic Shape in 12/8

9/24/2021

Playin' the Numbers - A Pentatonic Shape in 12/8

As the oft quoted Thelonious Sphere Monk once remarked, "All musicians are subconsciously mathematicians!"

It's no secret that in the known universe, the relationship between music and numbers is intrinsically woven.

In order to make sense of it all - pitches, intervals, chords, scales (modes) and cadences - have all been organized by number into groups, sets, etc. For example, Major Scale steps 1-3-5 might represent a Major triad in traditional harmony, whereas in Set Class Theory, 037 might be designated as a Major or minor triad; while 013, 026 & 027 all represent non-triadic 3-note "pitch collections".

Rhythms are grouped into repeating cycles - 4/4, 6/8, 7/4, etc. in various ways, across many different cultures.

"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".

Go Ye 4th: Fourtitude + Lines in 4ths

9/25/2020

Go Ye 4th: Fourtitude + Lines in 4ths

As the title suggests, "Fourtitude + Lines in 4ths: iii-VI-ii-V7" is a happy fusing of the two named, previously individual Shortbooks™ from 2018 and 2017, respectively.

For reasons pertaining to "virtual inventory management", as well as the compatibility of each volume's subject matter - what was two, now is one.

For a full description of what have become individual chapters of the same volume, see the original blog posts for "Fourtitude" and "Lines in 4ths: iii-VI-ii-V7", which are still in tact, and will remain so.

Now as before, the "Fourtitude" section of the book focuses on exploring the uses of Perfect 4th pairs in creating melodic lines.. This concept occasionally overlaps with that of the recent Shortbooks™, "Trichord 027", "The Cycle - 101" and "Pentalogy", which all link the interval of a P4th and the Pentatonic Scale inherently.

Along with P4ths, the section on "Lines in 4ths" allows for Augmented 4ths (tritones), as well as diminished 4ths (sounds a Maj 3rd) in the creation of lines over the familiar iii-VI-ii-V7-I chord progression.

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.

Trichord 027 - A Fresh, New Old Piece of Musical Language

7/31/2020

Trichord 027 - A Fresh, New Old Piece of Musical Language

As I hinted in last month's post, a new book on the subject of the 027 Trichord, conceived with the improvising musician in mind, might soon be forthcoming.

Well, you can now stop holding your breath (you've got your mask on, right?!), 'cause here it is!

With the straightforward, no nonsense title "Trichord 027", this new volume features all of 111 pages of introductory to advanced exercises, sequences and melodic lines, based on combinations and permutations of this familiar, contemporary sound.

The close relationship of the 027 Trichord with both the interval of a Perfect 4th and the Pentatonic Scale is highlighted in this volume, as is its symmetry within a 12-Tone Row.

Fourtitude - "Fourtification" for Improvisation

11/22/2018

F o u r t i t u d e
"Fourtification" for Improvisation

This month's Shortbook™, "Fourtitude" (I know, fortitude) explores various methods of utilizing the interval of a Perfect 4th (C & F) in pairs to create captivating and original melodic lines and sequences.

Becoming an important part of the improviser's toolbox in the early 1960's - most notably through innovations by pianist McCoy Tyner and others - mastery of the Perfect 4th (P4th) remains an essential and challenging skill set for the present day improviser.
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In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, harmony based on fourths, known as Quartal Harmony, had been introduced via the symphonic works of several renowned European classical composers; namely Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel and Bella Bartok, being a few of the most prominent.

As mentioned, the focus of "Fourtitude" is the combining of Perfect 4th pairs to create lines that weave seamlessly in, out and through the underlying harmonic structure; but before we get to the good stuff, let's take a look at what makes a Perfect 4th so "perfect" in the first place.

Shall we?

UPDATE: "Fourtitude" has been combined with "Lines in 4ths: The iii-VI-ii-V-I Progression" as a single 98 page pdf volume "Fourtitude + Lines in 4ths: iii-VI-ii-V7"

There Ain't No Cure for the "FUNKADOSIS!"

3/16/2018

There Ain't No Cure for the "FUNKADOSIS!"

El yambu no se vacuna

Recently, while paying a visit to the office of Dr. Fredonious P. Funkenbutta, my family doctor, for my bi-centennial checkup, I was greeted with some rather alarming news.

Son,” he informed me, “according to our diagnosis, you've got an acute case of ...the Funkadosis!”

As this came totally unexpected, I was naturally in somewhat of a state of shock; especially since he had called me “son” - he was young enough to be my son.

"You can relax!" he ordered. "It won't kill ya! You should be aware, however, that unlike neurosis, psychosis, halitosis or B.Osis, ...there ain't no cure for the Funkadosis!”

Shortbook of the Month: The Cycle -101

10/28/2017

Shortbook™ of the Month: "The Cycle - 101"
A hundred & one thrilling trips around the Cycle of 5ths

Finally completed, this month's Shortbook™ is entitled "The Cycle - 101", both the subject and contents of which is "one hundred and one creative exercises & sequences, designed to transport you around the Cycle of Fifths" (Just like the well-bred gentledudes on the left).

The so called "Cycle (or Circle) of Fifths (or Fourths)" is one of the primary building blocks, melodically and harmonically, of what's become the basis of Western Music.

Derived from the natural harmonic series, the interval of a Fifth is the first overtone, or partial, that occurs after the octave, (i.e. C - C - G......). The Fifth has been "instrumental", with the advent of equally tempered tuning, in forming the Western sense of pitch, and ultimately - harmony.

Lines in 4ths - The iii-VI-ii-V-I Progression

4/23/2017

Shortbook™ of the Month: Lines in 4ths
The iii-VI-ii-V-I Progression

The interval of a perfect 4th has been an important melodic and harmonic component of the improvising musician's language since the early 1960s, being introduced to the idiom and popularized by pianist McCoy Tyner, and featured in the compositions and solos of pianists Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea (among others); B3 organist Larry Young; saxophonists John Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter and Joe Farrell; as well as trumpeter Woody Shaw and guitarist Karl Ratzer, to name just a few.

A good bit of info on the subject has already been posted on this site, and in order to avoid a trip to the Office of Redundancy Office, the dozen or so posts are all linked under the "Fourths" category. Check 'em out!

The exercises contained in this post are from a new Shortbook™, which is in the form of 12 individual melodic lines in 4ths, over the basic premise of the familiar iii-VI-ii-V-I chord progression and transposed into all twelve keys.

UPDATE: "Lines in 4ths: The iii-VI-ii-V-I Progression" has been combined with "Fourtitude" as a single 98 page pdf volume "Fourtitude + Lines in 4ths: iii-VI-ii-V7"

Yagapriya and the Tonnetz

3/18/2017

The Tale of Yagapriya and the Tonnetz

Yagapriya and the Tonnetz

This is the tale of Yagapriya and the Tonnetz. Yagapriya was a fair maiden who, while bathing her lovely body in the sun sparkled waters of the stream back in the woods, didn't fail to catch the eye of the dashing young Prince Tonnetz, and....(CUT!) ...OK, let's go! Take #2...

Yagapriya is the 31st raga, out of a total of 72, in the Carnatic (South Indian) Melakarta system of seven-note parent ragas, from which other smaller ragas are derived.

Besides its Carnatic origin, this post was inspired as much by my belated introduction to the Neo-Riemannian “Tonnetz” (German for “tone network” and pronounced "tone netz"), which clearly illustrates Yagapriya's internal intervallic and chordal relationships.

I had never heard of the Tonnetz before receiving an email recently from Uruguayan mathematics researcher and amateur guitarist Alfonso Artigue, who's interest in both disciplines lead him to the discovery of the relationship between the Tonnetz and the Yagapriya raga. He had found an earlier post I had done on the scale and contacted me about his discovery. I Thank you, Alfonso!. Yagapriya thanks you, too.

Playin' the Angles! - An Angular, Intervallic ii-V7-I Line

4/12/2016

Playin' the Angles!
An Angular, Intervallic ii-V7-I Line

"Angular" by Stephen Younts

This nifty little 4 bar ii-V7 line is based on a somewhat angular shape, which is almost identical for both the ii and the V chords.

The line's angularity is due to the absence of any consecutive 2nds (Maj. or min.), with the bulk of its interval content being comprised of different qualities of 3rds and 4ths.

This, however, is not a line built on a four or five note scale. Rather, the ii chord contains 6 out of the 7 diatonic note choices from the dorian mode, while the V7 contains all 7 from Melodic Minor (altered scale).

One of the beauties of this line lies in observing how, while moving from the ii to the V7, the scale tones become altered on the dominant side, while the integrity of its shape remains intact.

A Cool Tonic for Your PentaUp b6

1/14/2016

A Cool Tonic for Your PentaUp b6

Here's another in a series of Pentatonic lines aimed at stomping out the flames "Vitamin" b6 deficiency.

It's not supposed to be some sort of "snake oil" remedy you can sip on or chug down (although that could be hip), or some magic potion you could pour in your ear, so you might be able to "hear the music before it comes", a la Eddie Harris (which would be even hipper).

What it is, in fact, is another way of hearing and approaching a common 4 bar minor ii-V7-i cadence, using 3 Melodic Minor derived Pentatonic b6s, employing the "ACE" method, as described in a recent post.

All things considered, it's tried and true pretty hip, too!

Korner Karnataka #6 - Melakarta #36 - Chalanata

12/11/2015

Mela Down Easy With #36
Chalanata

I recently stumbled upon this scale, not quite knowing if it belonged to the 72 scale South Indian Carnatic Melakarta family or not. I discovered that it was, in fact #36 - Chalanata, the sixth ragam of the sixth chakra, or group of six, and is from the same chakra as the subject of an earlier post, #31 - Yagapryia.

Checking it out from a Western point of view as a tool for improvisational vocabulary, which is my main intention; Chalanata is a seven note symmetrical scale; the two tetrachords being built off of the exact same interval scheme.

C - D# - E - F / G - A# - B - C
1 1/2 1/2 1/2 1 1 1/2 1/2 1/2

The sound of Chalanata should already be pretty familiar to many, as 5 of its seven scale tones form a much used minor pentatonic scale:

In C: C - D# - F - G - A# = C minor pentatonic (aka 5th mode of Eb Maj. pentatonic).

Slide, Glide & ACE a Ride on the Wild Side With This Penta Flat-6 Two Five

10/21/2015

Slide, Glide & ACE a Ride (on the Wild Side)
With This Penta Flat-6 Two Five

In automotive terms, a flat-6 is a six cylinder, horizontally opposed engine used by Porsche, among others.

Since automotives is not really my thing, the flat-6 (b6) referred to here is none other than an old "5 cylinder" friend and Melodic Minor derivative, the Pentatonic b6.

As explained in several previous posts on the topic, The Penta b6 can be thought of either as a Maj. Pentatonic with a flatted 6th degree from the root (ie. C Pentatonic b6 = C-D-E-G-Ab), or; as being built from the 5th-6th-7th-9th-b3rd scale degrees of F Melodic Minor, in this case.

It can also be built simply from scale steps 1-2-3-5-b6 of the Harmonic Major Scale, but it's the Melodic Minor derivation that we'll be dealing with here.

Polly Juanna Safecracker? - Pentatonic b6 Combination Exercise

4/12/2015

Polly Juanna Safecracker?
Pentatonic b6 Combination Exercise

Ms. Polly Juanna Safecracker

Been feeling locked out (or up!) lately?

This pretty little combination exercise, which unlocks the door and lets you get "up close and personal" with the Pentatonic b6 scale and its modes, is similar in construction to an exercise which I posted previously, based on the Pentatonic b2 scale.

While the Penta b2 could be considered as a derivative of the 8 note diminished scale system (as well as the lesser used Harmonic Major scale), the Penta b6 is derived from the Melodic Minor harmonic system (scale steps 5-6-7-9-b3), but also found as part of Harmonic Major (scale steps 1-2-3-5-b6).

As its name suggests, the Penta b6 is a 5 note pentatonic scale with the 6th (as being the interval measured from its root, not its scale step), flatted (eg. G Penta b6 = G-A-B-D-Eb, derived from C Melodic Minor or G Harmonic Major).

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.

Funkman's D-Lite - Contortion, Distortion & 7#9 (Maj / min)

8/14/2014

Funkman's D-Lite - Contortion, Distortion
& 7#9 (Maj / Min)

Dr. Funkman Whosen-Evernitiz

The dominant 7th chord is probably the most flexible harmonic device in Western music, both in it's functionality as well as its note choices.

Theoretically speaking, all you need is a tritone and 9 of the 10 remaining notes of the the chromatic scale, excluding (again, theoretically speaking) only the Maj. 7th (which works great as a passing tone, etc.), and you're good to go.

Think I'm lyin'?

Using D7 as an example for this post, let's build a chromatic scale and label each note's function (notes in italics are the altered tensions):

D=root; Eb=b9; E=9; F=#9; F#=3; G=sus4(11); Ab(G#)=b5(#11); A=5; Bb(A#)=b13(#5); B=13; C=7; C#=Maj7.

Only the last note C#, the Maj7 in this case, gets uninvited to the party, but it usually "passes" by via the backdoor, anyway.

Count 'em up. That's 11 out of 12 legit (and 12 out of 12 if we sneak that Maj7 in there).

Is that flexible or what?