Designed to introduce the young intermediate-level pianist to playing the blues, Jazzin' the Blues presents fifteen original blues compositions in various keys, styles and grooves together with downloadable recordings of 40 of the 50 examples in the book. The audio tracks are presented both with and without the lead piano part, so the student can play along with a professional rhythm section which includes piano, vibraphone, alto flute, drums, and bass.

Historical and performance notes are provided with each blues composition. The author enlisted the skills of jazz pianist Charlie Freeman in editing the book and providing fingering for both the treble and bass piano parts, making these pieces more accessible to novice players.

If your knowledge of blues theory or terminology is lacking, this is the book for you! Author Vince Corozine thoroughly explores and demonstrates: blues and pentatonic scale theory, blue notes, grace notes, pedal-points, tremolos, trills, syncopation, anticipation, delayed beats, slash chords, boogie-woogie left-hand patterns, walking bass, stride piano style, straight eighths, swing eighths, passing tones, rolled chords, riffs, "filler" chords, substitutions, and comping styles.

This book also includes essential blues chord theory as well as tips on tasteful chord voicing presented in the context of accompanying a soloist (comping); in addition, the chord progressions represented by the written notation are carefully annotated in every example in the book. The Appendix includes helpful tips on comping, practice, and jazz soloing, plus a list of noteworthy jazz pianists, a key to chord symbols, and a glossary of jazz terms used in the book.

If you are not a competent blues pianist when you first pick up this book, you will be by the time you complete it! Includes access to online audio.

Jazzin the Blues

Preface

Acknowledgements

Introduction

About the Music

I. HISTORY OF THE BLUES

Example 1: Blues Melody

Example 2: Major Scales and Blues Scales

Example 3: Pentatonic and Blues Scales

II. THE SOUNDT HE OF BLUES

Example 4: Groovy Camel Blues

A. Blue Notes and Grace Notes

Example5: Tired Elephant Blues

Example 6: Grace Notes

Example 7: Resolving Blue Notes

Example 8: Resolving Grace Notes

B. Drone Notes

Example 9: Drone Notes with Moving Notes

C. Pedal-Points

Example 10: Pedal-Point

D. Tremolos and Trills

Example 11: Tremolos and Trills

Example 12: Trill Time Blues

E. Syncopation

Example 13: Playful Puppy Blues

Example 14: Syncopation: Anticipation

Example 15: Syncopation: Delay of the Beat

Example 16: Strutting Horse Blues

III. BLUES MELODIES

Example 17: A Simple Blues

Example 18: Blues Melody 2

Riffs

Example 19: Blues Riffs

Example 20: Shuffle Blues

Example 21: Call and Response

IV. BASIC BLUES CHORDS

Example 22: Basic Chords Used in the Blues

Example 23: Four Types of Triads

Example 24: Five Types of Seventh Chords

V. CHORD INVERSIONS

Example 25: Chord Inversions

Example 26: Nervous Monkey Blues

Example 27: Sneaky Cat Blues

Example 28: Slash Chords

VI. LEFT-HAND PATTERNS

A. Boogie Woogie

Example 29: Boogie Woogie Single-Note Pattern

Example 30: Oogie Boogie Woogie

Example 31: Boogie Woogie Two-Note Pattern

Example 32: Another Boogie Woogie

B. Walking Bass

Example 34: Running Rabbit Blues

C. Shell Voicings

Example 35: Shell (Guide-Tone) Voicings

Example 36: Barrel Boogie Blues

D. Stride Piano

Example 37: Stride Piano Playing

VII. RHYTHMIC INTERPRETATION

Example 38: Straight Eighths and Swing Eighths

Example 39: Petrified Parrot Blues

VIII. IMPROVISING THE BLUES

Example 40: Improvising: Outlining Chords

Example 41: Improvising: Blues Scale

Example 42: Improvising: Rhythmic Approach

Example 43: I Can Do It Blues

IX. NEW CHORD PROGRESSIONS

A. Added Chords

Example 44: Added Chords

B. Added “Filler” Chords

Example 45: Added Filler Chords

Example 46: Walk-Up Connecting Pattern

Example 47: Walk-Down Connecting Pattern

Example 48: Bouncing Baby Blues

X. BLUES IN A MINOR KEY

Example 49: Minor Blues Scale

Example 50: Funky Frog Blues

APPENDIX A - Blues and Country Fills

APPENDIX B - Four Blues Choruses

APPENDIX C - Comping

APPENDIX D - Practice Tips

APPENDIX E - Chord Symbols Used in this Book

APPENDIX F - What Makes a Good Jazz Solo?

APPENDIX G - Jazz Pianists Every Student Should Hear

APPENDIX H - Glossary of Jazz Terms Used in this Book

APPENDIX I - Blues Songs to Learn

APPENDIX J - Select Bibliography of Blues Books

APPENDIX K - Select Bibliography of Jazz Improvisation Books

About the Author