Jan. Song Of The Month

JasonS · January 7

I think you're on to something there Wim! Personally I don't really like it when a band overcomplicates the changes on a tune like All Of Me. If substitutions are applied during a solo to build tension that can be a great effect but I would be disappointed if the whole band played the Em7 (for example) every time through.

I like your example of Django's Tiger. I've always enjoyed it when Django would kind of do his own thing like that. There are a number of cuts where you'll hear him play rhythm towards the end of a tune and sort of double time the pattern (hard to describe in words) when everyone else is comping normally. It really drives the tune in an aggressive way that is very cool.

voutoreenie · January 7

If you've ever played a gig with me you've probably heard me gripe about a similar thing on Django's tiger - the band doesn't play the F7 chord. Django plays the F7, and he's playing "outside". If the band played the F7 he would be inside, and the effect would be lost.

@wim you know, I've always thought similarly but pretty much everyone just plays the F7, a lot of the pros included! And actually, is any part of Django's Tiger really NOT just an improv over the chord progression?? Maybe I'm insane but to some degree even the head has always felt like it's improvised...but because Django's so lyrical in what he was saying, it's become "the head" by default...because the end really isn't much of a refrain in any typical sense, right? Mainly just Django and Stephane trading until the tag and Django's famous outro during the rhythm pauses.

Buco · January 10

I used All Of Me to compose an etude using various licks and phrases I've been practicing lately with a goal of getting them into my playing. It's actually a great song for this because it has every chord quality and variety; static major, minor and dominant chords as well as 251, IV chord major to minor turnaround etc... it really covers a lot of situations;

https://youtube.com/shorts/GDfqy-m0hXo?si=RmveZmU4obR-QP0k

Excuse the kitchen noise and Troll Hunter episode in the background.

tbleen · January 13

@Buco I just found your video on the your YT channel breaking down some of these licks. Nicely composed stuff! Thanks

Buco · January 13

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/119533#Comment_119533

Hey thanks, Travis! Yeah I decided to put a video together after this, breaking down what I used there. The lesson for me here was how you can actually connect seemingly random licks together and have them sound cohesive if you spend time looking at how to get them to transition well from one to the next. I guess that's voice leading as well.

Especially taking a phrase from I'll see you in my dreams was challenging. Because that solo flows so well together, I couldn't hear any phrase on its own without its neighbors as well.