Jazz Changes
Explore the blues, minor jazz, chains, substitutions, and advanced harmonic concepts.
Changes
In This Section
Introspection Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk - 1947 Thelonious Monk’s ‘Introspection’ foreshadows a type of chord progression that would become popular in the 1960’s…
Relaxin at Camarillo
Charlie Parker - 1947 Relaxin’ at Camarillo is another 12 bar blues by Charlie Parker. Look at the ways he…
Donna Lee Harmony
The Changes for Donna Lee Ultimately, this is all about chord groups and the setup to chord groups. Think of…
Ornithology Tete Montoliu
Tete Montoliu - 1974 Tete Montoliu’s solo over the changes of Charle Parker’s ‘Ornithology’ is, for me, a distillation of…
Daddy Plays the Horn
Kenny Drew - 1955 ‘Daddy plays the Horn’ is a Dexter Gordon composition from a 1955 album with the same…
Doodlin Horace Silver
Horace Silver - 1954 ‘Doodlin’ first appeared on the 1954 album ’Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers’. The A section…
Senor Blues Horace Silver
Horace Silver - 1956 In Horace Silver’s own words ‘Senor Blues’ is a "low down, bluesy composition. A minor blues…
Gospel Music
The Gospel Influence in Jazz In this analysis we will touch briefly on Gospel music and how it influences Jazz…
Gospel Truth Mal Waldron
Mal Waldron - 1957 Mal Waldron had an incredible 50 year career, playing piano on more than 170 albums. He…
Blues in the Closet
Oscar Pettiford - 1958 Oscar Pettiford was instrumental in developing the bass technique of the 1940s and 50s. ‘Blues in…
Freight Trane Tommy Flanagan
Tommy Flanagan - 1958 Tommy Flanagan’s ‘Freight Trane" was featured on the 1958 album ‘Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane’. Difficulty =…
Sister Sadie Horace Silver
Horace Silver - 1959 ‘Sister Sadie’ is from the essential 1959 Horace Silver album ‘Blowin the Blues Away’. Difficulty = Straightforward …
St. Vitus Dance
Horace Silver - 1959 ‘St. Vitus Dance’ is played by just the trio on ‘Blowin the Blues Away’ giving us…
Naima John Coltrane
John Coltrane 1959 ‘Naima’ was introduced on the 1959 album ‘Giant Steps’. It is an example of Coltrane’s brilliant solution…
Dig Dis Hank Mobley
Hank Mobley - 1960 Saxophonist Hank Mobley recorded over 100 of his own compositions during his tragically short career. Straightforward,…
Grand Valse Booker Little
Booker Little - 1960 Trumpeter Booker Little had a five year career. He died at 23 years of age. In…
Ramblin Ornette Coleman
Ornette Coleman - 1960 Ornette Coleman rode to prominence branded as the "avant-garde". His album titles tell the story: ‘Something…
Impressions John Coltrane
John Coltrane - 1961 The first recording of John Coltrane’s ‘Impressions’ was made live at the Village Vanguard in 1961…
Introduction to Modal Jazz
Introduction to Modal Jazz In the late 1950s and early 60s a diverse group of forward thinking musicians including Miles…
Flat 9 Chord Extensions
Flat 9 Chord Extensions Flat 9 chord extensions are fairly common. We have examples here from a diverse group of…
Sharp 9 Chord Extensions
Sharp 9 Chord Extensions Sharp 9 Chord Extensions are interesting because a sharp 9 is the same (enharmonic) as flat…
Sharp 11 Chord Extensions
Sharp 11 Chord Extensions The sharp 11 chord extension was used quite a bit in the 1960s. As well as…
Foundational Blues for Jazz Players
Foundational Blues Back to Getting Started (Link)Here are a few examples of what we call "Foundational Blues", that is, relatively…
How Long Blues Count Basie
Jazz for Piano - Count Basie 1938 Count Basie recorded ‘How Long Blues’ shortly after forming his own band in…
Back Home Again In Indiana
Americana 1 ‘Back Home Again In Indiana’ is a great example of rustic Americana. If your looking to add a…
245 Eric Dolphy
Eric Dolphy - 1960 ‘245’ by Eric Dolphy was released on the album ‘Outward Bound’. It was recorded the same…
Empty Pockets Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock - 1962 Herbie Hancock’s ‘Empty Pockets’ is from the album "Takin’ Off", his first album as leader. It…
Bootin It Sonny Clark
Sonny Clark - 1957 ‘Bootin’ It’ is on Sonny Clark’s first studio album, ‘Dial "S" for Sonny’. It’s a straightforward…
Coltrane Changes
Coltrane Changes Coltrane Changes are essentially a series of V-I or II-V-I chains. The ‘I’ chords are symmetrically related by…
A New Approach to Jazz Progressions
Chapter 6, Part 1 - Changes We have talked a bit about Rhythm, Intervals, Scales and Chords. Now we will…
Advanced Jazz Progressions
Chapter 6, Part 2 - Changes Two In the quest to "get to a different type of improvisational area" Jazz…
De Dah by Elmo Hope
Elmo Hope - 1961 Elmo Hope’s ‘De-Dah’ is from his 1962 album "Here’s Hope". He recorded with Clifford Brown, John…
Passion Dance by McCoy Tyner
McCoy Tyner - 1967 ‘Passion Dance’ is from McCoy Tyner’s essential 1967 album "The Real McCoy". It has all the…
Miss Ann by Eric Dolphy
Eric Dolphy 1962 ‘Miss Ann’ is from Eric Dolphy’s 1962 album "Far Cry". The piece is constructed linearly and is…
Duke Ellington Sound of Love
Charles Mingus - 1974 ‘Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love’ is on the essential Mingus album "Changes One" with Don Pullen…
The Gig by Herbie Nichols
Herbie Nichols - 1956 ‘The Gig’ by Herbie Nichols was released on the album "Herbie Nichols Trio" in 1956. It’s…
Pannonica
Thelonious Monk - 1956 Thelonious Monk’s ‘Pannonica’ is an example of how motifs, familiar changes and "blue notes" can create…
This is for Albert
Wayne Shorter - 1962 ‘This is for Albert’ is from Art Blakey’s 1963 album "Caravan". Wayne Shorter is a brilliant…
Prince Albert
Kenny Dorham - 1955 Kenny Dorham’s ‘Prince Albert’ premiered on the first Jazz Messengers album. It’s modelled after the chord…
Coming on the Hudson
Thelonious Monk - 1958 ‘Coming on the Hudson’ first appeared on the live album "Thelonious in Action". It is a…
Lisbon Stomp by Keith Jarrett
Keith Jarrett - 1967 ‘Lisbon Stomp’ is from Keith Jarrett’s debut album, “Life Between the Exit Signs”. It’s a fresh…
Ida Lupino
Carla Bley - 1964 Paul Bley recorded ‘Ida Lupino’ for his classic 1966 album "Closer". It’s a good example of…
Four by Five
McCoy Tyner - 1967 ‘Four by Five’ is from McCoy Tyner’s essential 1967 album "The Real McCoy". Tyner was always…
Squawkin
Duke Jordan - 1960 ‘Squawkin’ is an up tempo blues from Duke Jordan’s 1960 album "Flight to Jordan". Difficulty =…
Charles Mingus
Charles Mingus - 1974 ‘Sue’s Changes’ was released on the 1975 album "Changes One" by Charles Mingus. The composition brilliantly…