Swing it Ella!

The One Note Samba featuring Ella Fitzgerald scatting away. In class we have you sing your parts, in hopes that you'll internalize and solidify musical passages and then put them on your instrument the way you sang them. It also doesn't hurt your future sight reading. Perhaps (and by "perhaps" we mean do this) you might try scatting a few choruses over the 12 bar blues track on your jazz band disk (in the safety of your own room). Next if you want to take it to a higher level (also a strong suggestion), record yourself and transcribe what you sang. (Note to self: destroy tape before sister finds it and makes copies for her friends). One other option, put the CD in your car stereo, and trade vocal fours with your friends on the way to Jazz band practice. If you're into the female jazz vocal thing, there are three you should check out first...Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. All three are legendary.

I'm standin' at the crossroads...

You got the blues? Hit this link! Be sure you turn the on site radio on first. I'm not sure why this is so entertaining, but it is. If you play long enough, you'll crave gumbo, so be careful.

Click here to express your sorrow through music.

Thelonious Monk!

During Bill Clinton's campaign, he was asked by a reporter from MTV who his favorite musician is. He replied "Thelonious Monk." The reporter followed up with an amazing question... "Who is the loneliest monk?" Check out Monk's technique on piano, you have never seen anything like it. This is a blues head called "Blue Monk." It's a good tune to know, and you might want to learn it by ear. After you check out this clip, follow up with the clip above featuring the not so hip Hans Groiner.

Bones!

Looking to add some low brass to your life? Tired of the treble clef are you? This is a good starting point for checking out trombonists. J.J. Johnson set the standard for bebop bone. This clip features him alongside Howard McGhee and Sonny Stitt playing the blues head "Now's the Time." This head is played at almost every jazz jam session, and is a good one to have down if you are looking to play out.