Jazzin' the Blues

For the intermediate pianist

by Vince Corozine

ASCAP / New York Composer/Arranger, Member of the Blues Hall of Fame

and Jeremy Lum, Singapore Producer/Composer

Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc.

• Learn to play and understand the blues form from the 46 recorded examples.

• Play along with 15 original blues songs with instrumental background on the CD

• Designed for the intermediate pianist

• An advanced piano part is included for the teacher; a student can learn how to "comp" from this second piano part

• Learn how to improvise on the second track of each song on the CD

• Presents various blues styles: Boogie-woogie, shuffle, walking bass, stride, and minor blues.

• Fingerings are included for both student and teacher piano parts for all 15 songs.

Preface

The blues is a familiar musical form that all jazz players learn early in their careers. It is probably the most used form in jazz, with countless numbers of recordings by jazz musicians.

The form of the 12-bar blues is AAB and this form cannot be copyrighted (owned) by any individual or company.  However melodies and lyrics are copyrightable, while song titles are not. For example there are many songs with the title, “I Love You.”

Realizing that most piano students should be exposed to the blues, I wrote this book in an attempt to allow the intermediate pianist the opportunity of playing-a-long with a jazz combo on the accompanying tracks (Track 1),  and improvising (Track 2).

There are 15 original blues songs in various styles; all are presented in a variety of style such as boogie-woogie, shuffle, rock, gospel , country, and jazz. Each of the 15 blues songs are recorded with an instrumental background including a rhythm section.  Of the 50 examples cited in the book, 35 are recorded enabling the pianist to learn by listening.

A unique aspect of the book is the use of two separate piano parts. Piano (1) is for the intermediate pianist, while Piano (2) is a more advanced part for the teacher. Both piano parts include fingerings for ease of playing. Both piano parts may be performed together and or with the recorded background.  The more advanced part Piano (2) contains fuller voiced chords, stylistic fills, and rhythmic” comping”. Comping means that the pianist will use rhythmic patterns for playing chords while accompanying a vocalist or soloist. The Piano (2) may be learned by the intermediate pianist as he or she progresses.

In an attempt to limit the scope of this book, I have composed 15 original blues songs and other examples in the keys of C, F, Bb and G major, and one blues song in D minor.

Jazz pianist, Charlie Freeman, has added the fingerings for both piano parts for ease of playing

Included in the book are Appendixes such as: Blues Scales; Chord Notation Used in the Book; What Makes a Good Jazz Solo?; Comping. Practice Tips; List of Jazz Pianist;, Blues,  Gospel and Country Fills’ Four Blues Choruses in F Major; and a Glossary of Jazz Terms.

This book should provide an understanding and appreciation of the blues and its various styles. It will introduce the blues to the student and will broaden the understanding of the blues by the teacher.

I wish to thank the following people for their assistance in writing this book. Jazz pianist, Charlie Freeman who edited the book and provided fingerings for both piano parts for all 15 songs.

Composer and producer from Singapore, Jeremy Lum, who wrote the drum parts for the 15 songs.

English Professor from Michigan, Charlene Tiffany who helped edit the book and provide suggestions regarding content and formatting.

My special love and thanks to my wife Norma, who provided the support, patience and the encouragement that I needed to complete the book.

My special thanks to Bill Bay, President of Mel Bay Music Publishing Company and the editor for their encouragement and for publishing my second book.

Table of Contents

Introduction

About the CD

1. HISTORY OF THE BLUES

Example 1   Blues Melody

Example 2   Major Scales and Blues Scales

2.THE SOUND OF THE BLUES

Groovy Camel Blues

1. Blue Notes and Grace Notes

Tired Elephant Blues

Example 3   Grace Notes

Example 4A    Blue Notes Resolving

Example 4B    Resolving Grace Notes

1. Drone Notes

Example 5   Drone Notes with Moving Notes

1. Tremolos and Trills

Trill Time Blues

   Example 6  Tremolos and Trills

1. Syncopation

  Playful Puppy Blues

Example 7A  Syncopation Anticipation

Example 7B  Syncopation Delay of the Beat

Strutting Horse Blues

1. BLUES MELODIES

Example 8  Blues Melody 2

Riffs

Example 9   Blues Riffs

1. BLUES FORM

Shuffle Blues

Example 10  Call and Response

1. BASIC BLUES CHORDS

Example 11  Basic Chords Used in the Blues

Example 12   Four Types of Triads

Example 13  Five Types of Seventh Chords

1. CHORD INVERSIONS

Nervous Monkey Blues

Example 14   Chord Inversions

Sneaky Cat Blues

Example 15  Slash Chords

1. LEFT HAND PATTERNS

2. Boogie-Woogie

Example 16. Boogie -Woogie Single Note Pattern

Oogie Boogie-Woogie

Example 17  Boogie-Woogie Two Note Pattern

1. Walking Bass

Example 18  Walking Bass

Running Rabbit Blues

1. Shell Voicings

Example 19   Shell Voicings

Barrel Boogie Blues

1. Stride Piano

Example 20  Stride Piano Left Hand Pattern

1. RHYTHMIC INTERPRETATION

Example 21  Straight Eighths and Swing Eighths

Petrified Parrot Blues

1. IMPROVISING THE BLUES

Example 22  Improvise: Outlining Chords

Example 23   Improvising:  Blues Scale

Example 24   Rhythmic Approach

I Can Do It Blues

1. NEW CHORD PROGRESSIONS

2. Added Chords

Example 25  Added Chords

1. Added "Filler" Chords

Example 26   Added Filler Chords

Example 27  Walk Up Connecting Pattern

Example 28  Walk Down Connecting Pattern

Bouncing Baby Blues

1. BLUES IN A MINOR KEY

Funky Frog Blues

APPENDIX A   Blues Scales in All Keys

APPENDIX B   Chord Notation Used in this Book

APPENDIX C   What Makes a Good Jazz Solo?

APPENDIX D  Comping

APPENDIX E Practice Tips

APPENDIX F List of Jazz Pianists

APPENDIX G Blues, Gospel and Country Fills