Good Jazz Songs To Start With for an old newbie?

[ctcruiser]

About 6 months ago I purchased my first double bass (I had played electric bass some 30 years ago). I always wanted to learn to play the acoustic bass after years of listening to straight ahead and swing Jazz.

I am finally getting comfortable around the fingerboard where I can find the notes. (I can go from low E and up two octaves.) I haven’t tried the thumb position as of yet. I have been working with the Simandl book to get started.

I am finishing up my last MBA class next month, so I hoping to use my spare time after that to develop my bass playing.

My hope is to be able to play some songs by summer and try to meet up with other newbies to play some music. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a list of about 10 songs that would be good to learn? This would be both to develop my bass playing and to be able to have a foundation of songs that other musicians would most likely know a few of as a common starting point. The first song I have been working on is “Satin Doll”.

Any advice or information would be appreciated.

[anonymous0726]

Stella by Starlight
My Romance
There is no Greater Love
Blues, all keys
Rhythm Changes (Bb)
The Night Has a Thousand Eyes
If I Were a Bell
I'm Old Fashioned
All the Things You Are
Doxy
Green Dolphin St. (C and Eb)
The Autumn Leaves (Bb and G)
Confirmation

Those are pretty common tunes for newbies, although this can vary regionally with different teachers and all.

[TroyK]

Originally Posted by Ray Parker

Those are pretty common tunes for newbies, although this can vary regionally with different teachers and all.

This is good advice from Ray. His last point is an especially interesting one. I've lived on both coasts and the midwest and have noticed that there are tried, true and tired jam session songs, but they seem to be somewhat different in every town for some reason. For example, when I lived in Dallas, I don't think I ever went to a session where "Take the A Train" wasn't played. It never gets called in Seattle. Conversely, "Little Sunflower" is almost obligatory here and I don't remember ever hearing it until I moved to Seattle.

If there are some recurring jam sessions near where you live, even if you're not ready to play in them yet, it would be smart to hang out and bit and see which tunes always get called. Then look for the referrence recordings of those songs and make sure to learn them. That first chance you get to play with other people, things will change for you forever.

Just my $ .02

[hdiddy]

I would also add Blue Bossa to that list. For some reason, it seems that it's the quintessential newbie jam session tune to me.

[jfv]

Originally Posted by hdiddy

I would also add Blue Bossa to that list. For some reason, it seems that it's the quintessential newbie jam session tune to me.

LOL, ya, when I lived down in the Bay and was playing
in some beginner type jams I think we played that one
almost every week. Its the kind of song that is hard
to get lost in, and its harmony is easy.

On the Blues, while its important to know the changes
in the abstract, its also good to know the famous heads
to wrap them in, lotta Bird numbers come to mind ...
I think I've played Now's the Time more than Blue Bossa.

Have fun,

[jlilley]

I would get Jamie Abersold's Maiden Voyage play-a-long. It has the following tunes:
Impressions
Bb Blues
Blue Bossa
Summertime
Watermelon Man
Song for my Father
Satin Doll
Maiden Voyage
F Blues
Cantalope Island
Footprints
Doxy
Autumn Leaves
It is a great way to learns some popular tunes and start playing some jazz.
Good Luck,
John

[jmceachern36]

+1 on Maiden Voyage. In the 1st newbie jazz group I was in, we did most of those songs.

[Howard K]

Aebersold also does a blues in all keys CD which is really worth the money. I'm new to DB also and I found that playing blues in all keys helps me find my way round the instrument without having to worry about the form.