II-V-I licks in the style of Parker, Coltrane, Adderley
With
Ollie WestonOllie Weston teaches three ii-V-I licks in the styles of Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley, played over a backing track in C.
What's in the course
47 lessons (1h 48m) · 1 free
01. The V-I 'Perfect' cadence
3:28
02. Dominant 7 - Cycle of 5ths exercise
1:24
03. Dominant 7 - Cycle of 5ths using 3rs and 7ths
2:16
04. Rhythmic variations using 3rds and 7ths
2:02
05. "Rhythm Changes" using Dominant 7ths and Cycle of 5ths
1:08
06. The II-V-I progression
1:20
07. II-V-I licks in the style of Parker, Coltrane, Adderley
You are here4:15
08. Dancing With Duke (II-V-I exercise) - Introduction
1:15
09. Dancing With Duke (II-V-I exercise) - Performance
4:38
10. II-V-I progression conclusion
0:42
01. Finding the relative minor
1:41
02. Using the Harmonic Minor over the V chord
1:15
03. V-I in A Minor with a b9
4:38
04. Minor V-I in all 12 keys exercise
1:43
05. Phrase for practising minor cadences
1:17
06. Minor II-V-I in a chord sequence
5:04
07. Adding the II chord
1:20
08. Autumn Sun - Introduction and Harmony
3:03
09. Autumn Sun Performance
4:44
01. Introduction to Standards
0:52
02. Among the Stars Introduction
3:54
03. Among the Stars Performance
4:23
04. Undying Love - Expanding a chord sequence
4:42
05. Undying Love - Performance
1:12
06. Undying love - Checkpoint
0:47
07. Take the Express Train - The Turnaround
3:21
08. Melodic line examples for turnarounds
1:22
09. Take the Express Train - Introduction
1:28
10. Take the Express Train - Performance
1:12
11. Take The Express Train - Summary
0:39
01. Introduction to Bebop
1:04
02. 52nd Street Blues - Introduction and Head
0:29
03. 52nd Street Blues - Head using I-IV-V progression
0:45
04. 52nd Street Blues - Adding Chromaticism
2:53
05. Adding Jazz Harmony to the Blues
2:39
06. 52nd Street Blues - Head with II-V-I changes
1:05
07. 52nd Street Blues - Performance
3:01
Lesson transcript
Building Vocabulary with Two-Five-One (251) Progressions
So, when you're happy with these chord tones, you'll want to start building some vocabulary and phrases based on these two-five-ones (251). I've written out three licks that I came up with to demonstrate a 251.
Styles of Famous Saxophone Players
I've tried to write in the style of famous saxophone players:
- One idea that I think sounds a little bit like how John Coltrane might play a 251.
- One that sounds a little bit like how Charlie Parker might do it.
- And one that would sound like the great Cannonball Adderley, another alto saxophonist.
I will play each of those over a 251 in C with the track.
Charlie Parker Line
1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4.
I've basically arpeggiated the chords. Rather than starting on the root of the G7 chord, I've chosen to start my line on the third, then follow up the chord tones. By going up above the root to the A, I've captured a little bit of a Parker staple trick by seeking higher notes from the Mixolydian mode. So, that's a kind of Parker sounding line.
John Coltrane Line
2, 1, 2, 3, 4.
Again, Coltrane would have stuck quite closely to the chord tones. If you look at each section, the D minor, the G7, and the C, he is focusing quite clearly on the chord tones of the line. Here it is again, with notes a little bit closer together on the G7. Whereas Parker played straight up the chord tones, Coltrane keeps the notes a bit closer together.
Cannonball Adderley Line
Our third 251 idea is inspired by the great Cannonball Adderley, and this is a little bit more rhythmic. It focuses with a bit more detail on the C major chord at the end of the phrase.
1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4.
The rhythmic offbeats on the D chord are quite demonstrative of Adderley's style. Again, I think he follows the chord tones closely through the 251.
Practicing in 12 Keys
You've got three sample ideas there to get you started, along with a backing track that plays a 251 in all 12 keys.
Like the major seventh chord, the minor seventh chord, and the seventh chord workouts, it's really up to you to figure out how to approach practicing in 12 keys. Ideally, we all want to be fluent in all 12, but take your time.
It's much better to play a lick comfortably and confidently in a few keys rather than sketching and bluffing your way through all 12. Hopefully, these phrases will become starting points for you to hear how the great players approached these chord progressions. You'll be able to take bits you like, twist things, and fit them to your own conception and ideas to create your own 251 ideas.
47 lessons
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Meet your guru
Meet your guru
Since graduating from the Leeds College of Music (BA Hons) and the Guildhall School of Music (Post Graduate Diploma in Performance), Ollie has built a busy and varied career in music. As a saxophonist he has performed in live and studio settings with artists as diverse as Amy Winehouse, Tim Minchin, Bonobo, Frank Turner, the London Jazz Orchestra, the Hackney Colliery Band, the Ambient Jazz Ensemble and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. He is also the co-leader of the jazz quartet 'Time Is Of The Essence', and composes and arranges material for this and other ensembles.
Ollie is active in music education, currently as course leader for the jazz department at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (junior school), where he runs jazz ensembles, big band and theory classes. He has written a series of 'Exploring Jazz' books for Schott Music that are published worldwide and feature on exam syllabuses in the UK. Ollie has also run workshops for Oxford University, Pro Corda Strings and BABSWE, as well as the Guildhall School of Music summer schools.
In his Exploring Jazz Saxophone courses, Ollie takes you from getting started right through to soloing confidently over songs and chord sequences, building the improvising skills that put a real jazz player's vocabulary at your fingertips.
