Baby steps to "Giant Steps."

You're probably wondering what this "Giant Steps" tune is that you keep hearing and reading about. Here is what you need to know...It's one of John Coltrane's most famous recordings, and one you should own a copy of. If a tune were a mountain, this one is a peak improvisers often attempt to climb.

In it, John Coltrane introduced a new way of improvising (and playing over a ii-v) using tonal centers a Major 3rd apart from one another. Let me explain...
If you start on G and go down a Major 3rd, it brings you to Eb. Then go down a Major 3rd and it will bring you to B, right? From there, another Major 3rd down takes you back to G. So it's G-Eb-B-G. Big steps, eh? One might say "Giant Steps." It's a tritonic way of splitting up an octave. (It's also an Augmented triad, but who cares? Not me.) So in his composition he substitutes this tritonic stuff for good old fashioned ii-v's and voila, a whole new thing.

Here is the subtitution for the first move from G to Eb. The regular ii-v would be Fmin7 to Bb7 to Eb. He does this...In the key of G, start with BM7 to D7 to GM7 to Bb7 and end on Eb. Up a minor third, down a fifth, over and over to the target. These are called "Trane changes." Sound complicated? They are and they aren't. Go HERE, this link will play it for you and visually show you what's up.

Listen up!

Where do you hear music? As a deaf percussionist, Evelyn Glennie has a truly unique perspective on how we perceive music. In her presentation she asks the audience to "experience the journey of the life of the sound." Not a bad idea.

Now vs. Now

Music is always changing. As Chris Rock said to the audience at the MTV music awards a few years back..."Don't make no plans for next year 'cause a lot of y'all ain't going to be here.... You know how it is in music: fickle. Here today, gone today!'' I feel like the drummer in this clip is on to something new. He has a garage band-ish sound like Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers or The White Stripes, yet with his unbelievable chops and feel he's taken that sound in a different direction (and a different time signature - this little vamp is in 7). Let this clip heat up, it gets crazy. Notice how he keeps the hits together, despite going loco on his kit. The guys name is Mark Guiliana and he began playing music at 15. I think you might enjoy this little interview of him HERE. So this is jazz now.

Freddie Hubbard!

If you've never checked out Freddie Hubbard before, or if you're looking to buy your first jazz album (and the store is out of Miles Davis's "Kind of Blue,") you should go pick up Oliver Nelson's "Blues and the Abstract Truth." On it you'll hear Freddie Hubbard, the 24 year old trumpeter in this clip, tearing up some blues based modal tunes. It's a classic album, but so are all of Freddie's albums. What I (your favorite blog) love about Freddie is the element of surprise that he brings to every solo. He is constantly challenging the listener- playing fiery, tight and intense one moment, laid back and free the next. He always keeps you wondering...what is he going to do next? Hey, what are you going to do next? Let's have a sandwich.

Duke Ellington and the band

The one and only Duke Ellington. This clip features Cat Anderson on trumpet playing some ridiculously high notes, Paul Gonsalves (more on him later) on tenor sax, and Buster Cooper burning on the baritone. Yes, I said baritone! This tune is called "The Opener."

A super clip for Trumpeters with writers block...

The Pencil Exercise
You're in AP English, staring down at the blank sheet of paper in front of you. Time is slipping through your hands, your mind drifts...Wait! Quick! Stick your pencil in your mouth Jack Kerouac! If your trumpet playing doesn't improve, your kissing might, and just in time for Valentine's Day. Special thanks to trumpeter, teacher and composer Mr. Torrente for this, and the previous two clips.