Music Lesson: "Down to It"

Today, I'd like to play a tune that I call "Down to It," which has a slightly different rhythmic feel compared to our jazz swing tunes that we've played so far.

Historical Context

In the 1960s, jazz musicians were influenced by rock and roll bands like:

• The Beatles
• Rolling Stones
• Jimi Hendrix

These influences transformed jazz composers, leading to a more rock-funk feel in some music.

Key Influencer

One of the key protagonists of this evolution was the legendary keyboard player Herbie Hancock. I've based this tune on his song "Cantaloupe Island."

Structure

The song is based on four chords and four clear sections, which I've marked as:

• A
• B
• C
• D

Chord Progressions

Our central tonality is a D minor 7 chord. You might want to revise your chord to:

• D minor 7 → B flat 7

Then, the C section moves up just a semitone to a B minor 7 chord. This section is quite atmospheric; you'll notice that the groove loosens a little bit there. It's a bit freer and more washy compared to the tight groove of the other sections.

Finally, the D section returns to our home chord:

• D minor 7

Summary of Chords

We have a mix of chords, including:

• Minors
• Seventh type chords

These clear sections enhance the song's structure.

Solo Performance

I've written a four-chorus solo as a starting point for you. Eventually, I encourage you to replace it with your own solo and play ideas that you've developed over the course of the lessons on minor seventh chords and seventh chords.

Performance Sequence

The performance will run as follows:

• Twice through the head
• Four choruses of solo
• Twice through the head

Enjoy playing "Down to It"!