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).

Looking for Inspiration? Try Adding Triads!

1/30/2025

Looking for Inspiration? Try Adding Triads!

In this post we'll revisit a fundamental musical compound which never gets old, regardless of one's level or experience.

Talkin' 'bout the triad.

It's no secret that the triad - a 3-note structure comprised of a pair of Major and/ or minor 3rd intervals - forms the cornerstone of functional Western harmony.

Even though this might seem like an elementary concept for some, a full understanding and command of the use of triads - along with their inversions and permutations - are a must for any competent improviser, and as mentioned previously, it's one of the basics deserving of a periodic refresher.

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.

Directions & Connections - Alternating Triads in a Pair

1/26/2024

Directions & Connections - Alternating Triads in a Pair

An oft discussed technique, in these pages and elsewhere, is the practice of employing triad pairs as a device for creating improvised lines.

A triad pair can consist of any two triads of the same or different qualities, as long as there are no duplicate tones among them. This is most easily accomplished by taking adjacent triads from the same scale system.

In most cases, the first pair an improviser might come across contains two Major triads a whole step apart, which is derived from the 4th & 5th degrees of the Major Scale (F & G Maj triads in C Major). Alternating these 2 triads through their inversions creates, on its own, a decidedly Mixolydian flavor.

The subject of this post, which takes it a step further - adding harmonic and melodic tension - is the triad pair based on the 3rd & 4th scale steps of the Melodic Minor scale (Eb+ & F Maj in C Melodic Minor ).

Get an Angle on "The Eternal Triangle" Bridge

2/24/2022

Take it to the Bridge...
Getting an Angle on "The Eternal Triangle"

Ok, folks! Are you ready to take it to the bridge? Brooklyn? GW? Golden Gate? London Bridge?

Nope. I'm talking about the "The Eternal Triangle" bridge - from the classic Dizzy Gillespie album "Sonny Side Up" - featuring both Theodore "Sonny" Rollins and Edward "Sonny" Stitt (the tune's composer). Two Samurai swordsmen battling it out on the bridge (the whole tune actually) with tenor saxophones as their musical swords of choice. And then, of course - there's Dizzy! Not to be forsaken!

Despite the high winds created by the tune's rapid tempo, crossing this bridge might not be as treacherous as it might initially seem.

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.

'Tranein' with Triads - Alternating Major & Minor

5/19/2021

'Tranein' with Triads - "Coltrane Changes"
Alternating Major & Minor Triads

Cycle drawing by John Coltrane gifted to Yusef Lateef.

Here's a trio of groovy "Trane Changes" sequence exercises, featuring alternating Major & minor triads, descending in whole steps.

This can be a useful device in simplifying what is thought to be a challenging set of chord changes.

As you may know, one of John Coltrane's legacies is his exploration of the Descending Major 3rds Cycle, which resulted in his iconic classic "Giant Steps", as well as a number of reharmonizations of then contemporary Pop and Jazz Standards - such as "How High the Moon" ("Satellite") and Charlie Parker's "Confirmation" ("26-2"), among others.

Since the Major 3rds Cycle divides the octave into three equal tonal areas (C-Ab-E), Coltrane interposed a diatonc dominant before each (C Eb7-Ab B7-E G7), resulting in a strong dominant to tonic (V7 - I) harmonic resolution to each subsequent tonal center.

Monk's Time Again - "Bye-Ya": A Self Transcription

2/25/2021

Toot My Own Horn Dept.
VAYA! Monk's Time Again - "Bye-Ya": A Self-Transcription

Since I really enjoyed doing last month's post - recording a tenor solo on Thelonious Monk's “Bemsha Swing” then transcribing it and posting them both here - I thought I'd try an encore with another Monk classic - “Bye-Ya”

“Bye-Ya” was originally recorded on October 15th, 1952 and, as with the aforementioned "Bemsha Swing", was initially released as part of the album “Thelonious Monk Trio”. The title given was actually “Vaya”, which remains an expression of positive affirmation in many Spanish speaking cultures – and was anglicized into “Bye-Ya”.

Subsequent versions were recorded featuring tenor greats Johnny Griffin and long time quartet member Charlie Rouse, as well as Steve Lacey's recording on soprano saxophone, but the definitive version - for me - is the 1957 Carnegie Hall concert featuring the immortal John Coltrane. 'Trane knew this tune so well that he was able to deliver his then patented “sheets of sound” - cascades of sixteenth-notes – for almost the entirety of his solo.

Monk's Bemsha Swing - A Self-Transcription

1/28/2021

Toot My Own Horn Dept.
Thelonious Monk's "Bemsha Swing": A Self-Transcription

This post features a self-recorded and transcribed tenor saxophone solo on Thelonious Monk's well known classic. “Bemsha Swing”.

As I hadn't recorded myself in quite a while, I was anxious to turn this into a project. Fortunately, the results passed quality control and I can happily share them here.

The backing track used here is from “Thelonious Monk Favorites – 10 Classic Tunes” (Hal Leonard Jazz Play-Along, Vol. 91). It features the great Ronnie Mathews on piano, Kiyoshi Kitagawa on bass, and Monk's former drummer - Ben Riley. It was recorded, mixed and mastered by the legendary RVG – Rudy Van Gelder – at his studio, where so many iconic recordings where made. Don Sickler, a name associated with many such projects, produced the session. What more could one ask for in a backing track?

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.

0 1 3 Calling...Super Augmented!

11/29/2019

0 1 3 Calling...Super Augmented!
An Introduction to the 013 Trichord & Super Augmented Scale

The scale in the title of this latest Shortbook™ was originally referred to as "Super Augmented" in a previous blog post from several years ago.

Among other names, it's been identified primarily as the inverse of Messaen's 3rd mode of limited transposition, as well as "Tcherepnin Nonatonic Mode 1", "Genus Chromaticum", and "Augmented Nine".

I'll still go with "Super Augmented", however, since among other aspects of its scalar construction, it contains two overlapping 6-note Augmented Scales, linked by a common Augmented triad.

"Pretty super!", I'd say. It also contains a trio of 013 Trichords, a Major 3rd apart - forming a 9-note (nonetonic) scale.

"But..what", you ask "is an 013 Trichord?" Or - better yet - what is a trichord, period?

Your Daily Bread - 100% Whole Tone

5/29/2019

Your Daily Bread - "100% Whole Tone"

OK, let's put a bit o' butter on the subject, shall we?

This month's Shortbook™ "100% Whole Tone" explores some of the improvisational possibilities and applications of the somewhat ignored and under appreciated Whole Tone Scale.

The Whole Tone Scale, as you may know, is a symmetrical, hexatonic (6 note) scale in which the intervallic distance between each of its inherent tones is that of a Major 2nd, or whole tone. Its layout is palindromic, meaning that its interval makeup is the same ascending as it is descending, regardless of its starting note, or "root".

Because of it's lack of certain basic intervals derived from the natural overtone series, such as the perfect 4th & 5th, the Whole Tone Scale has a somewhat ethereal quality, but could be seen as being melodically and harmonically limited or even boring to some degree.

However, it might also be compared to the two Knights on a chessboard - unique, quirky and extremely effective when used properly - especially in tandem with each other.

Hexatonic Triad Pairs II - Mixed Pairs

4/23/2019

Hexatonic Triad Pairs II – Mixed Pairs

“Hexatonic Triad Pairs II – Mixed Pairs” is the second volume of exercises and sequences aimed at the improvising musician, exploring the subject and usage of triad pairs. It logically follows the concepts introduced in Vol. I, which focused exclusively on pairs of Maj & min triads derived from the Major Scale system.

Because of the strong tonal gravity of the triad itself, the use of triad pairs creates an alternate, intervallic option to the more linear method of line creation.

The formatting and layout of "Hexatonic Triad Pairs II - Mixed Pairs" is identical to Vol. I. However, the characters and scenery have changed, which alters the story line here considerably, meaning that the exercises, sequences and shapes from the previous volume have been altered to fit the construction of those in this volume.

The 4 triad pair / hexatonic configurations examined here in Vol. II - each derived from a different scale system - are:

Hexatonic Triad Pairs: Vol. 1 - Major Scale Pairs

3/21/2019

Hexatonic Triad Pairs: Vol. 1 - Major Scale Pairs

The concept and technique of Triad Pairs has been a tasty topic, the seeds of which have borne fruit for many an inquisitive improviser since they were first sown into the music's fertile vernacular in the late 1950's and early '60s, with more widespread usage coming somewhat later.

The term "Hexatonic Triad Pairs" is actually a redundant phrase, or something known as a "pleonasm". It is, however, accurately self-descriptive and rolls off the tongue quite easily.

A true triad pair - which is formed from 2 adjacent triads and therefore comprised of 6 non repeating notes - always results in a hexatonic (6 note) scale. On the other hand, a hexatonic scale, being any scale of 6 notes, doesn't always yield a triad pair.

Triadicisms II - Minor, Augmented & Diminished Triad Workout

1/23/2019

Triadicisms II - Minor, Augmented & Diminished Triad Workout

As the first not-so-Shortbook™ (139 pages) of 2019, “Triadicisms II”, is the second volume and logical extension of “Triadicisms, Vol. 1” (which features exercises and sequences focusing exclusively on the Major Triad).

Formatted along similar lines, this new volume presents individual chapters featuring the “other” three – namely, Minor, Augmented & Diminished Triads.

As mentioned in the previous post, the triad is the building block of Western harmony, as it characteristically exerts a strong harmonic “pull”, regardless of its function.

Triads can also be part of a larger, more complex (7th, 9th, 11th, or 13th) chord as an extension or upper structure.

Triadicisms - Vol. 1: Major Triad Workout

12/23/2018

Triadicisms - Volume One: Major Triad Workout

A Triad is defined as the combination of 3 notes, usually expressed in 3rds, either simultaneously as a chord, or as a single note arpeggio.

If the interval - the resulting combination of 2 notes - is considered the foundation of the melodic line, then the triad is certainly the backbone of Western harmonic function.

Because triads have such strong tonal gravity, they are a powerful means of creating colorful melodic lines – both “inside” or “outside” of a given key center.

It's therefore of primary importance for the improviser to be comfortable and proficient with all aspects of triads, including their inversions and permutations. This should lead to the eventual understanding of how they function, not only as the bottom part (root, 3rd & 5th) of an extended chord (7th, 9th, 11th & 13th), but as the extensions themselves.

Although this might sound like a pretty basic topic to an advanced improviser, it's always a good idea to review the subject from time to time, as well as to include triad sequences as part of a daily practice or warm-up routine.

It's amazing what one might (re)discover.