12 bar blues recordings

Bardolph · #1 02-26-2006, 07:48 PM

I'm just looking for a bunch of different recordings of tunes with a blues chord progression. Forgive me for not knowing the technically correct way to describe this, but I particularly like when the form of the last 5 bars is |3 6| 2 | 5 |1 (turnaround)| |, like Billy's Bounce. I know that's just one of the many embellishments of the blues, but it's so common, is there an easy way to refer to it?

ii7-V7 · #2 02-26-2006, 08:44 PM

I'm not sure what the question is. Are you looking for listening advice? Or are you looking for a name of the progression? Or are you looking for other chord substitutions?

If you are looking for recordings....there are just too many to count. The blues is one of the most common jazz forms. Its like Rhythm Changes, or Coltrane Changes, only more popular.

If you are looking for a way to name that progression I simply call it a turnaround. But the one you listed I would describe as the ii-V of the ii-V.

If you are looking for other substitutions I would recomend that you pick up a real/fake book and a few CD's.

Chad

Bardolph · #3 02-26-2006, 08:49 PM

Mainly I'm just looking for recordings. What to call the chord progression was just something I thought maybe somebody could clear up for me. I know 3 6 2 5 is a turnaround, but I was under the impression that turnarounds are just something that happen in the last measure or two. What I'm thinking of is when instead of going 5 4 1 for the last 4 measures it goes to a (3 6) 2 5 1 and then maybe a turnaround at the end.

ii7-V7 · #4 02-27-2006, 12:34 PM

The last four measures are the turnaround. In the key of F the basic blues format would be:

F /Bb /F /F /
Bb /Bb /F /F /
C7 /Bb /F /C7 /:

The last line is the turnaround. A common substitution for the last four measures might look like this:

Am D7 /Gm C7 /F /C7 /:

Or...

Gm /C7#11 /F7 D7 /G7 C7/: From the Tune Swedish Pastry by Barney Kessel

Gm7b5 /C7 /Fm7 Dm7b5 /Dbmaj7 GbMaj7/: From Interplay by Bill Evans

Or,
Gm /C7 Bb7 /Am D7 /Gm C7 /: Or,
Gm C7 /Dbm Gb7 /F7 D7 /Gm C7/: Or,
Gm /C7 /Am D7 /Gm C7 /: Etc.......

I'm trying to think of some tunes that I know are 12 bar Blues.
All Blues - Miles
Freddie Freeloader - Miles
Bessie's Blues - Coltrane
Blue Train - Coltrane
D Natural Blues - Wes Montgomery
Blue Monk - Thelonious Monk
Is Mr. PC a Blues? I haven't heard it in years?

Coltrane did an album of all blues. I think that Grant Green did as well.

Thats all I can think of now.

Chad

Bardolph · #5 02-27-2006, 05:27 PM

Thanks Chad. I was confused as to what is considered a turnaround. So if I'm calling out a blues form and say to have a 2 5 1 turnaround, would that mean that the 2 5 1 starts on the last four measures, or could it also mean just having a 2 5 in the last measure?

ii7-V7 · #6 02-27-2006, 06:13 PM

Well, you'd be better off to have a chart. But I would think that you meant this:

Gm /C7 /F /F /:

But notice that most of the turn arounds listed had a V chord right at the very end. So..
Gm /C7 /F /C7 /: But you would want to end the song on F like the first example.

As for the turnaround being the last four measures....that's what I think of as the turnaround. Someone else might think differently. I think of the first four as being the statement in F, the second as the statement in Bb, and the last as the way to get back to F...and thats what a turnaround is. So, if you said that to me I would assume you meant the last four measures. But you can also have a ii-V in the last measure.

Chad