Help me out in my Jazz Audition (Blues content)

[-Sam-]

Hi everyone.
Im going to be auditioning soon for a university jazz degree and this is the requirements for the audition

The 12 Bar Blues. A specific jazz blues melody is not required. You should solo in a jazz style for 3 choruses on the 12 bar blues with chord changes in three consecutive chromatic keys. For example, first chorus in C, modulating up a semitone to Db for the second chorus, modulating up a semitone to D for the third chorus. The keys chosen may not be C, Db, and D. You are strongly advised to know the blues in all 12 keys.
Suggested 12 Bar Blues Chord Progression:
| C7 | F7 | C7 | C7 |
F7 | F7 | C7 F7 | E-7 A7 |
D-7 | G7 | C7 | D-7 G7 |
The above example is in C and needs to be transposed to other keys and the last bar needs to be raised by a semitone to transpose into a key centre a semi tone higher- as per the blues audition requirement. In the above example, the last bar should be Eb-7/Ab7 to arrive at Db7.

http://www.music.usyd.edu.au/FS/unde...ons/jazz.shtml

Ive been told i need to do one time through walking, the other in Two feel, and solo on the other one.

Now my questions are
1. can someone describe Two Feel? is it like ballad style? or blues style i dont really know.

2. Do you have ANY hints for walking and soloing through these chords? Remembering its a jazz audition not a blues.

3. Any help at all or comments are welcome.

Thanks alot in advanced

(Come on Bruce Linfield...you know you want to help )

[Freddels]

I'd suggest getting Ed Friedland's book on walking, Bob Magnusson's book and Ray Brown's book and learn/memorize the examples in those books.

[Rimshot]

here: http://www.blanksheetmusic.net/music...p?TOPIC_ID=793

is a really good example of a 'two feel'

also:

http://www.cliffengel.com/bass_lesso...tion/two_feel/

...has a great explanation and example


And of course, delving into the fine TB forums we find:
Bass Line Construction: Target Approach

[markjazzbassist]

yowzer. good luck.

[-Sam-]

Freddels. Yeah I'll check out some of those. I'm working my way through The Evolving Bassist by Oh crap i forgot his name. any way ill check out those ones.

Thanks Rimshot Those are real helpful, that Cliff engels one especially

Mark. yeah its a pretty tough requirement. Just imagine how god i'm going to be when i come out the other side of three years of this!!! I'm hoping everyone has as much difficulty with this as i do!

thanks for the replies every one and keep 'em coming!

[bass349]

The best way to cop a two feel is to LISTEN to a two feel first and foremost. Transcribe a two feel as well as walking lines.

Listen to Ray Brown, Ron Carter, Paul Chambers, should be able to find plenty of material with these guys playing a two feel over the head and walking over the solos. One off the top of my head, how about "pfrancing" off someday my prince will come (miles). From memory he walks the first head and then goes to a two feel, and back to walking for the solos. check that out, and listen to as much stuff as you can get your hands on.

As for soloing over the blues, i would reccommend getting a few ii/v bebop lines in your vocabulary. Either transcribe some or get some from a book, "The Jazz Bass Book" by John Goldsby is a great reference for all jazz bassists. And he's got some ii/v lines in there that you could rip. Again, listening and transcribing is the way to go here, as with everything really.

And remember, they don't expect you to be blowing over the changes like 'trane.. just take it easy and play confidently

if you wanna have a chat about anything send me an email or PM.. i study at WAAPA over here in WA and i'm sure a lot of the audition requirements are similar.

all the best,
Andy

[-Sam-]

sweet thanks mate. Um isnt someday my prince in 3/4? So is playing a two feel similar to a three four ballad? I'm gonna ask my teacher but want others views as well.

While I'm asking whats everyones views of blue bossa and making a nice bossa bass line?
I have been keeping it real simple but i dunno if it shows my abillity enough? When playing bossa i really find that it grooves better when you leave out the quaver after the dotted crotchet any one else notice this?

any way im rambling so thanks for the advice every one

[weeding]

I have done Blue Bossa once before. At that stage I didn't know about Bossa bass lines, but it depends how traditionalist the examiners are. If it sounds good, and relates to the boosa form, then I think you could do it (bear in mind I'm 17, so I may know bugger all)

[Freddels]

Originally Posted by Bass_Mule

Freddels. Yeah I'll check out some of those. I'm working my way through The Evolving Bassist by Oh crap i forgot his name. any way ill check out those ones.

Rufus Reid!!!!!

[64jazzbass]

Originally Posted by Bass_Mule

sweet thanks mate. Um isnt someday my prince in 3/4? So is playing a two feel similar to a three four ballad? I'm gonna ask my teacher but want others views as well.

While I'm asking whats everyones views of blue bossa and making a nice bossa bass line?
I have been keeping it real simple but i dunno if it shows my abillity enough? When playing bossa i really find that it grooves better when you leave out the quaver after the dotted crotchet any one else notice this?

any way im rambling so thanks for the advice every one

A Two feel and a 3/4 ballad are two different animals. In a two feel you want to emphasize your half notes on beats one and three. In a 3/4, you preferably want strong chord tones on beats one and two, and a nice leading tone on beat three. This is all theory so it is subject to discussion, but it's put into practice quite a bit with your jazz "greats".

[bass349]

Originally Posted by bass_mule

..sweet thanks mate. Um isnt someday my prince in 3/4? So is playing a two feel similar to a three four ballad? I'm gonna ask my teacher but want others views as well.

Originally Posted by bass349

...how about "pfrancing" off someday my prince will come (miles)...

i think you may have missed that bit

[Mark Wilson]

I think you could do "take the "A" train"- Duke Ellington

killer easy. I have the transcription if you want it.

[drumsnbass]

Originally Posted by Mark Wilson

I think you could do "take the "A" train"- Duke Ellington

killer easy. I have the transcription if you want it.

You can also find the chord changes in "Walking Jazz Lines for Bass by Jay Hungerford". It's a Mel Bay "best seller", and as I am presently working my way thru it, I can tell you it is very well put together. Lots of walking bass lines put together around "standards" in there, as well as rhythym changes and a CD of pretty much everything.