Latin Jazz introduction
With
Ollie WestonAn introduction to Latin jazz and the bossa nova feel - straight quavers and the clave rhythm that came out of 1960s Brazil.
What's in the course
47 lessons (1h 47m) · 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
Free lesson4:15
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
Latin Jazz: Bossa Nova
Next, I'd like to show you a Latin jazz tune. The term "Latin" refers to music that comes from South America. In this case, we're going to look at bossa nova, a style that evolved in Brazil in the 1960s.
Historical Context
You may have heard "Girl From Ipanema" by Astrud Gilberto and Stan Getz, which was a huge hit in the 1960s. Jazz musicians began to fuse bossa nova into their styles.
Rhythm Differences
Rhythmically, bossa nova is slightly different from swing. Like the rock tunes we explored before, the quavers are now straight. Quite often in bossa nova, you might have what's called a clave backbeat.
- If we have a beat, we're going:
- bat, bat, bat, bat, bat
- G, G, G.
Listen to the intro of my tune Supernova; you might hear some of these rhythms that Richard, the drummer, is playing on the rim shot of his snare. Just listen for those clicks!
These clave rhythms are really evocative of bossa nova music. Throughout the track, you'll notice those rim clicks outlining our clave rhythms, which are characteristic of Brazilian music.
You might also hear Dave the Bass playing those sorts of bass rhythms rather than a more standard swing walking bass line. It's a fascinating fusion of styles: the harmony and style of jazz mixed with the rhythms of bossa nova.
Song Structure
In my song Supernova, I've been inspired by Blue Bossa, a tune by Kenny Dorham, a legendary trumpet player in the 1950s and 60s.
- The structure is a very simple 16-bar format, just A and B, loosely based around A minor.
- Look out for your 2, 5, 1 progression:
- B minor 7, Bb5, E7 to A.
Then, in the bridge, I modulate to the A major key, B flat major. Watch for a change of texture, a bit of a change of gear there.
- The bridge consists of:
- C minor 7, F7, B flat major.
Performance Notes
Here's the tune:
- Twice through the head,
- Four choruses of solo,
- Twice through the head to finish.
47 lessons
1h 47m of structured video 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.
