C Jam Blues - Lesson

Lesson Two: C Jam Blues by Duke Ellington

In this second lesson, we're going to do a tune, a famous tune called C Jam Blues by Duke Ellington.

Overview of the Tune

We'll also explore how you might use the triad shapes you've learned to improvise your own melody.

Structure of the Tune

• Notes Used: G and C
• Phrase Length: Four-bar phrase

1. Count: 1, 2, 3, 4.
2. Play it Three Times: Over the root, 3, 5, 6 bass line you just learned.

Practice Tips

• Aim: Play without any hesitations between chord changes.
• Note Consistency: Notice how the right hand doesn't change the notes of G and C, even over the F chord and the G chord.

Adding Extra Elements

I'm going to play it again now with a few extra things in the left hand.

1. Run Up from C to F:

   • In the fourth bar, just before you change to F, play this:
   • Start with tone first: C to D, then up in semitones.

2. Before the G Chord:

   • You can do something similar here, but play two tones (A major third): first from C to E.

3. Turnaround:

   • In the last two bars, I'm going to do a turnaround that starts with the same C to G run up, goes back to the beginning like that octave jump, and then up the scale.

Full Tune Playthrough

So, I'll play the whole tune with those extras now.

Improvise Your Own Melody

At this point, rather than stopping, I'd like you to carry on and improvise your own melody using those triad shapes.

Guidelines for Improvisation

• Focus: We aren't playing chords; we're playing a melody.
• Triad Notes: You can play the notes of the triad in any order and any rhythm you like.

Swing Quaver Feel

Here's an example to guide your rhythm:

It's worth mentioning that we're playing in a swing quaver feel. Although the notes are written as straight eights, they shouldn't be played like this.

• Note Pairs: The two pairs of notes are not the same. The second one is a bit later than the first.

Articulation

• Think about the articulation: the first note is long, and the second note is short.
• You can visualize this as a down-up arm movement:
  • You want to come off with an up movement on the second quaver.

Importance of Details

• This concept applies throughout:
  • Down, up.

These little details make a simple tune sound much more effective. Happy playing!