Funky Jazz Standards

[dubblebubble]

Hi all,
Have you ever been asked to play a swing jazz standard in a funk style? On the last gig we played, the guitarist called autumn leaves funk style. I really had no idea . All the funk tunes I've played before have usually been on extended vamps, or alternately motown type stuff. What would you play? Any examples would be nice as well, or suggested listening.

[geoffkhan]

Haven't had requests like that, but just for fun I've played with standards that way. A common example is playing Stella By Starlight with a hiphop/funk swung 16ths. As long as you know the chord progression, just hear the drums and it should be easy to catch on.

[Bass.]

i agree. Use the feel of the drums and fall into the pocket with a funk mindset. Just play the same notes (not necessarily the same number of notes) with a different feel.

imo

[geoffkhan]

Okay, here's a quick example I made of one of many ways of playing Autumn Leaves as a funk tune:

http://www.gregjazz.com/upload/autumnfunk.mp3

[Jazzin']

We play Impressions with swing on the D and funk on the Eb.

[P=Mc2]

"Stella by Starlight" in swung 16ths? Cool

[dubblebubble]

Geoffkhan,
Nice work, sound like you are sticking mostly around root and fifths. Is there any way to incorporate 3rds and 7ths to flavour the chords or is this not compatible with the funk style? I have been trying to get these notes in as well, but can't seem to make the line fit.

[geoffkhan]

Originally Posted by dubblebubble

Geoffkhan,
Nice work, sound like you are sticking mostly around root and fifths. Is there any way to incorporate 3rds and 7ths to flavour the chords or is this not compatible with the funk style? I have been trying to get these notes in as well, but can't seem to make the line fit.

3rds and 7ths are perfectly compatible. Let me come up with another example for you.

EDIT:

http://www.gregjazz.com/upload/autumnfunk2.mp3

Still a lot of roots, apart from an F# pedal over the D7, but I used a lot more 3rds and 7ths, as you can hear.

[steveb98]

Well if I remeber right it was Sonny Rollin's who did a Disco version of Giant Steps, Jennifer Batten does a two-handed tapping version. I've heard standard on pedal steel guitar, and all sorts of ways. When I was in music school the guys I played with all the time everytime we worked on a tune the last time through we had to make it Reggae. Autumn Leaves with a Bob Marley twist.

It's no big deal just listen to where the drummer wants to take it and go with it. Easy on bass, its when you are having to play the melody you have some decicions to make on how to interpret in a different style. As the bass player you can play a few bars of roots till you pickup where they are going.

[dubblebubble]

Awesome, thanks Geoff. I think the problem I had was breaking the walking habit. Essentially I was trying to walk the line, but broken into a funk pattern if that makes any sense? Your example is grooving around the root, and throwing in chord tones occasionally to give the line some more harmonic meaning. I'll dig into this example some more and see if I can expand on it

[SBassman]

Originally Posted by geoffkhan

Okay, here's a quick example I made of one of many ways of playing Autumn Leaves as a funk tune:

http://www.gregjazz.com/upload/autumnfunk.mp3

Nice.

[geoffkhan]

Originally Posted by dubblebubble

Awesome, thanks Geoff. I think the problem I had was breaking the walking habit. Essentially I was trying to walk the line, but broken into a funk pattern if that makes any sense? Your example is grooving around the root, and throwing in chord tones occasionally to give the line some more harmonic meaning. I'll dig into this example some more and see if I can expand on it

Sometimes when playing funk, during a solo change, I'll start walking. It actually sounds good playing walking lines over the funk drumbeat. Also try to mix in some melodic ideas in your bassline--just have fun with it.

And listen to lots of Meters tunes for ideas.

[ras1983]

Originally Posted by geoffkhan

Okay, here's a quick example I made of one of many ways of playing Autumn Leaves as a funk tune:

http://www.gregjazz.com/upload/autumnfunk.mp3

Wow, thats pretty good.

Very nice.

[iplaybassguitar]

Originally Posted by geoffkhan

Okay, here's a quick example I made of one of many ways of playing Autumn Leaves as a funk tune:

http://www.gregjazz.com/upload/autumnfunk.mp3

that was pretty sick...could you by anychance hook me up with what progression that is...or the chord changes, or something...thats what i want our band to sound like.

[alotabass]

I would really love to know if anyone on here knows of any releases that I can purchase with renditions of standards performed with a jazzy, funky, soulful or R&B flavor?

Thoughts?

[geoffkhan]

Originally Posted by iplaybassguitar

that was pretty sick...could you by anychance hook me up with what progression that is...or the chord changes, or something...thats what i want our band to sound like.

The song is Autumn Leaves (the song the original poster was referring to), which can be found in the New Real Book vol. 1, and most likely any other jazz fakebook since it is such a common tune. The chord progression is (off the top of my head, so that last chromatic cadence might not be exact):

[A]

C-7 | F7 | Bbmaj7 | Ebmaj7 | A-7(b5) | D7 | Gm7 | G7
C-7 | F7 | Bbmaj7 | Ebmaj7 | A-7(b5) | D7 | Gm7 | G7

[b]

A-7(b5) | D7 | Gmin7 | G7 | C-7 | F7 | Bbmaj7 | Ebmaj7
A-7(b5) | D7 | Gmin7 Gb13 | Fmin7 E13 | Ebmaj7 | A-7(b5) D7 | Gmin7 | G7 ||

[flatwoundfender]

All Blues is a cool one to do funky, Lee Morgan tunes are already funky lots of times (I'm not sure if they're considered standards).

[WillBuckingham]

Originally Posted by geoffkhan

And listen to lots of Meters tunes for ideas.

+1. A lot of New Orleans funk uses complex R&B harmonies. Not so different from funked up jazz standards.

[SBassman]

Originally Posted by geoffkhan

The song is Autumn Leaves...

Have any more up your sleeve?

[geoffkhan]

Originally Posted by SBassman

Have any more up your sleeve?

Yeah, but like I said, just buy a jazz fake book. Then I can give you a list of good standards, or there are also many lists online of the top 100 requested standards, etc.