Double Bass Help me pick a song!

[BBPbassman]

Hi everyone,
Ok, so here's the story. I just started playing the upright bass for a jazz class at school (not orchestra) and one of the assignments was to pick a song, learn it, and play it excellently. So I happily picked the song which I thought was cool and started to try to play it.....problem is, I slowly started realizing the song was waaaaaayy too hard for my level and now there is only two days until I have to show my work and well, I am freaking out!

SO, basically, I now need to pick an easy-to-play song (not ridiculously easy mind!) that I can learn in about two days. But I only just started listening to jazz and I really do not know enough songs to be able to pick the right one. Any suggestions?

 

[Stickk]

Well, this isn't jazz, but: "The Jolly Dutchman."

 

[BBPbassman]

Well, it kinda has to be jazz, but thanks for replying. It doesnt have to be something ridiculously basic though, I do sort of have some sort of skill.

 

[chaunceytoben]

Take Five-The Dave Brubeck Quartet

 

[Mike Goodbar]

What're saying you have to learn the melody? If that's the case, then "Now's The Time" by Charlie Parker might be do-able. I'm sure there are some other blues-riff oriented heads that are pretty simple. "Freddie Freeloader" by Miles Davis springs to mind, as does "Blue Trane" by John Coltrane.

You might also want to consider the standards "Autumn Leaves" or "All the Things You Are."

 

[RedLeg]

"Freddie Freeloader" by Miles Davis springs to mind, as does "Blue Trane" by John Coltrane.

You might also want to consider the standards "Autumn Leaves" or "All the Things You Are."

days of wine and roses
my favorite things
lady bird
green dolphin street
footprints
blue bossa
girl from ipanema

all easily workable in a short amount of time

 

[Paul Warburton]

A simple 12 bar blues would work best, IMO.
Try Google and You-Tube....."Blues in the Closet" (also known as "Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas") by the great jazz bassist Oscar Petttiford. Easy and simple, all done in the first-half position.

 

[Jason Sypher]

one note samba? No just kidding, I'm with Paul, pick a simple blues.

 

[Paul Warburton]

Cool, Jason. Don't tell him about the bridge though.

 

[John Goldsby]

A simple 12 bar blues would work best, IMO.
Try Google and You-Tube....."Blues in the Closet" (also known as "Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas") by the great jazz bassist Oscar Petttiford. Easy and simple, all done in the first-half position.

What Paul said . . .