Duke,
I'd love you to explore this tune. The head is very interesting; I believe you do that move with the picking hand that simulates the trumpet mute moving on and off the horn. There's alot of passing chords underneath the vocals I've never been able to quite nail down.
Slim
Nope. It's "Jumpin' Blues" from the Swing record (I have it on vinyl).
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004W67IXK/ref=dm_mu_dp_trk2
Slim
Hi Slim, Yes Jumpin the Blues is a great tune and I arranged the head in a simple chord melody with Brass sections type answers. I will most likely teach this after Cookin which is up next. Thanks, Duke
Duke,
Finger picking style on Jumpin The Blues or hybrid pick and fingers? Sometimes it appears as though you use your forefinger (nail) as a pick.
The Sapphire Kings did "Jumpin' Blues". I modeled the band lineup after the original Roomful of Blues...even had 3 saxphones. This was a live show we did at SunFest in West Palm Beach, FL in 1996. I was able to record off the sound board into a DAT tape. Please excuse any mistakes in there, I muffed the words and repeated verses, I recall being surprised by something on stage and it flustered me, I played guitar and sang, and did the bookings, arrangements, everything, etc! LOL! We disolved the band shortly after this, we did this for 10 years, 1987-97. Had 3 kids and I had to make more of a living. Hoping to put the band back together late 2012 finally, my kids are now grown and great musicians. My daughter is 12 just started singing and is fabulous, our oldest is a dynamite jazz drummer, and our middle son I just convinced to take up bass. I wouldn't have changed a thing we are having a great time together and hope to show you some of their material someday.
Pic of the band below, and my kids and our boat, appropriately named the Duchess.
BTW, whoever put together Sonic Junction did a superb job, very professional site, with many features.
Hi Floridaskater, I believe I rember comunicating with you years ago. Nice version of Jumpin Blues. Thanks, Duke
Thank you Duke! I'm flattered you remember me and the band...but how many Roomful tribute bands were there I suppose!
About a year or so ago I purchased your Gibson Les Paul '56 Goldtop via your jazz guitar dealer friend. It's a wonderful guitar and I'm taking very good care of it. Love the setup, it plays itself.
The band played Jumpin' Blues (and actually all songs) as a trio as well, there were times when a trio fit the job, although strangely it became easier to sell the big band as no one had anything like it down here and it was unique even though it was more expensive. I've believe as long as you have a very solid rhythm section, adding horns after that fact is much easier than initially practicing the song with them. I'm working on a whole new repertoire of Christmas songs for 2012 with that same logic and the hopes of putting that lineup back together.
Very glad to see your lessons and forum on the internet, it makes absorbing information quick and fun.
You'll have to come visit us in Hope Town, Bahamas next Christmas season and sit in with us.
Steve Marinak
You got it Slim. Jumpin the Blues will be the next song we work on.......
Slim, the stacatto trumpet tone comes easier with an old hollow body guitar with med to heavy strings. The head on Duke's version of the song has some very nice chord melody movement, the bulk of the song is a regular blues progression but you can use alternate voicings for the I, IV, and V that are jazzier. When I initally copped it off the record I figured out the chord melody parts and we played it as a trio that way. The head chords I simply used three note voicings, which I seem to recall were all on the first 3 strings, with riffs interspersed. Then later on we wrote the same parts Duke referenced into horn arrangements. The way Duke arranged this song it holds it own either way trio or w/horns. I have listened to many others versions of this song, Charlie Parker, and some of the bebop guys, I prefer Duke's version the best, all other recordings of this I don't feel they swing quite as good. If any of the other players out here don't have Duke's "SWING" album add it to your list, it's essential. One of those "if I were stranded on a desert island" records I would have with me.
Steve
PS: Mike, add a spell check button in the text box icons above if you can...I have no idea how to spell interspersed. LOL
