need a song for an audition! halp!

[mr mastodon]

hey guys. so, i would say i'm an intermediate bassist. i need to audition for a jazz ensemble. no matter what, i'll get into AN ensemble; however, obviously i want to impress them.

my learning has been very "regressive" in a sense meaning that i started out with playing more modern stuff like CAKE tunes, then i went back to some XTC-esque stuff, then to motown. i know a few jamerson tunes and thought of playing one of them for the audition as i figured it was just to see where my skill level was.

the e-mail i got concerning it from the professor in charge says:

Jazz Ensemble Placement auditions will be held on next Tuesday, September, 1st at 11 am in the ensemble room. If you want to play in a jazz ensemble, please prepare a song of your choice(be able to play the melody and solo). You will also be asked to sight read a tune.

i've only recently started getting into jazz (part of that "learning backwards" thing). i was going to do "so what" ... but let's face it ... it's basically the "stairway to heaven" of jazz.

are there any other good songs i could pick out of my real book? stuff with a good, learnable melody and easy to solo over?

thanks for the help! i appreciate it!

- dave

[T. B. Player]

So - do you read bass clef? If you're going to have to sight read, you'll have to. Just checking.

If you're looking for a melody, check out Wayman Tisdale's tunes...that is, if you're looking for a tune where the bass line is the melody.

As for jazz standard tunes, since you're auditioning for a jazz ensemble, I'd suggest finding a "fake" book that has the melody lines and chord changes of tons of jazz tunes. Find a guitar or piano playing buddy to provide you with the chords and work on it this weekend...don't wing it.

If you have to solo - nail your solo...don't just play whatever comes to mind. If you're an intermediate player, practice your solo to the point that it seems improvised, but is really committed to memory.

Your solo should be your own, and should fit within the chord structure. Remember, space is just as important as notes. A good rule of thumb - if you can sing it, you can play it.

I'm passing this along because you said you are an intermediate player. This may seem difficult, but as an instructor, I've always pushed intermediate players to take the difficult road. If you were accomplished, you wouldn't need to worry about this; if you were a novice, you probably wouldn't even be trying out.

I think your stretch learning is going to be from Cake and XTC to true jazz charts. Walking patterns, classic bass lines (like Red Clay), or jazz tunes that feature bass (like the classic Miles Davis' "So What") will expand your horizons.

Of course, if you really wanted to blow someone away, dig out Stanley Clarke's line from "Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy" when he was with Chick Corea - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiN8M2ul_9w

As you move forward, here's one of my inspirations - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slAAoTaa-KE

Z

[mr mastodon]

thanks for the advice, man! much appreciated.

Originally Posted by T. B. Player

I think your stretch learning is going to be from Cake and XTC to true jazz charts. Walking patterns, classic bass lines (like Red Clay), or jazz tunes that feature bass (like Miles Davis' "So What" - now THERE'S a tune you should learn this weekend....it'll impress your instructor) will expand your horizons.

Z

Originally Posted by mr mastodon

i've only recently started getting into jazz (part of that "learning backwards" thing). i was going to do "so what" ... but let's face it ... it's basically the "stairway to heaven" of jazz.

are there any other good songs i could pick out of my real book? stuff with a good, learnable melody and easy to solo over?

so do you think "so what" isn't too generic? i've been playing it today and figuring out solo patterns i could put on it. i just don't want them to go "oh god, ANOTHER 'so what' player."

and yes, i can read bass clef but not the greatest by any means. i talked to the guy and i'm pretty sure my sight reading is just going to be putting a chord chart in front of me with me walking over it. so i need to work on that if want to avoid just doing basic triads with chromatics (which i might have to do).

i have a bass lesson tomorrow, so if you know any tunes in the real book that would be good, i'll print them out and take them to my bass lesson tomorrow afternoon and see what my instructor says.

thanks again!

[TheBasicBassist]

you could do 'embraceable you' by george gershwin..
or 'here's the rainy day' those are some fun, interesting standards..

[mr mastodon]

i think i've decided i'm going to do "lonnie's lament" by coltrane. 1) it's prettyful 2) the melody isn't too complex, but it's a great one 3) the solo is only over a Cm7.

yea? nay? speak now or forever hold your peace.

[onlyclave]

Whatever you pick for an audition piece, you need to be honest with yourself and the adjudicators in your abilities. You might work out "Parisian Thoroughfare" and play a smoking audition and be placed in a top ensemble, but if PT is the only thing you can play and don't have a clue otherwise then being the bass player in that combo isn't fair to the other members or yourself.

You said yourself that you WILL get into a combo, so rather than try to impress or dazzle those that are listening you should play something that YOU can PLAY. Not "kind of play" or "almost nail", but totally play. There is no shame in being in a combo that plays "So What" and "Maiden Voyage". Most of the time, the music is much deeper than the amount of notes or the breakneck tempo you try to play it.

Try "Night in Tunisia", "Star Eyes" or "Nostalgia in Times Square". Good, solid standards.