finding jazz charts to play

[Bill Brasky]

I play in a jazz combo at the university here and almost everything we play is from "the real book" which is just kind of a limited selection. I guess I'm looking for alternatives to buying another book that's going to have just a few songs I want and a bunch I don't want and probably won't have all I'm looking for... or to put it another way: where can I find music for just a few particular songs without having to buy another book? I'd especially like to find music for some Mingus tunes. Are there any websites that have a lot of jazz standards (kind of like all those tab sites but with chord changes instead of lots of dashes and numbers)? I've only been able to find a few and it seems like there should be more somewhere. or maybe I should just go to the music store and start flipping through books until I find something I like... any suggestions?

[David Kaczorowski]

Originally posted by Bill Brasky
I'd especially like to find music for some Mingus tunes.

Get the Charles Mingus More Than a Fakebook.

[Sam Sherry]

School is the best time & place for you to be writing your own charts, too. Lay the groundwork for future compositional & arranging activity. Transcribe heads & chords (even though transcribing has been a controversial topic of late around here) and build your own book.

[Bill Brasky]

Originally posted by Samuel
Transcribe heads & chords (even though transcribing has been a controversial topic of late around here) and build your own book.

Yeah I thought about transcribing some too, but I can only really do that for the melody. I don't think I could pick out all the chord changes for most jazz tunes by ear. Of course if I were to work on that it would probably help me out in other ways besides having new music to play so maybe it would be worth it.

Why is transcribing a controversial topic lately? I haven't been looking around here very much recently but I'd be interested to read about what other people's thoughts are about it.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally posted by David Kaczorowski


Get the Charles Mingus More Than a Fakebook.

I've got "More than a Play-Along" - which is sort of an update of that with 2 CDs. (1999 Hal Leonard)

Speaking of Play-Alongs - the Aebersold series is a good way to avoid the problems mentioned - they have fewer songs and parts for all instruments. As there are about 100 of them you can choose one that has songs you want and use them for jams etc. (As well as a practice tool) - I've done this and photocopied the parts for the other players - very easy!!

I tend to do what Bill mentions - flip through the Aebersold's at the music book stores in London, until I find the one that has the most tunes I want to play - my favourite so far was the Freddie Hubbard one - I heard a Quintet at my local Jazz club play "SkyDive" and have always loved that tune since - quite a different form to try.

[Sam Sherry]

Originally posted by Bill Brasky
Why is transcribing a controversial topic lately? I haven't been looking around here very much recently but I'd be interested to read about what other people's thoughts are about it.

In "Miscellaneous" there's a recent thread about transcribing bass lines.

I can only really do that for the melody. I don't think I could pick out all the chord changes for most jazz tunes by ear.

Then, my friend, IMO the work you put in on it would be at least as valuable as the work you put in learning standards from charts. One thing all the "Miscellaneous" posters agree on is that developing your ear is critical to improving musicianship in jazz.

Start with a modal tune without tons of changes. Listen to root-motion -- easy for bassist, eh? Then try to hear major/minor/diminished. Then maybe upper partials. THEN, if you can find a chart, you can see how you did!

Hope this helps.