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Jazz Fusion Standards??

I disagree about teen town.. And I think it is opposite of a standard highly calculated notes that are specific not jammable at all lol ... I purposely choose not to learn it cause of how useless it is IMO ...

It sounds like random notes to me ironically

And again key words "in my opinion"

Have any other simpler more common tunes in mind??
 
I disagree about teen town.. And I think it is opposite of a standard highly calculated notes that are specific not jammable at all lol ... I purposely choose not to learn it cause of how useless it is IMO ...

It sounds like random notes to me ironically

And again key words "in my opinion"

Have any other simpler more common tunes in mind??

Too bad you disagree on Teen Town because the head is way too cool and challenging and the harmonic structure is really fun to groove and to jam on. But for something totally different how about Phase Dance by Metheny, real easy to play.

The New Real books serie by Sher music are a great resource for tunes like that also.
Here some of the classics you can find in there:

Affirmation /Benson
Sudden Samba/Larsen
Matinee Idol/Yellowjackets
Shaker Song/Spyro Gyra
Black Ice/Jeff Lorber
Desire/Tom Scott
Bullet train/Ritenour
Brazilian love affair/Duke
Festival/Duke
Jungle Fever/Larsen
Chromazone/Stern
Actual proof/Hancock
Butterfly/Hancock
Last nite/Carlton
Too high/Wonder
 
Nope!

Why? I think for a bassist , Teen Town is THE Fusion standard to learn and play.

While I would agree with that I dont think it is an easy "jam" song. It is a technically challengeing piece. Even though I can play it I would not feel very confident trying to solo on it. You have to have some good chops and comprehension to do it. I think the original question was what are some EASY songs which is totally why I recomened the Cobham tunes.
 
Check out the song "Jaco" by The Pat Metheny Group. It has a nice melodic bass solo that isn't too hard to figure out.

I agree that "Teen Town" would be pretty difficult for a guy that's been playing for 3 years. Even 20 years. I've messed around with it through the years but the tempo is just too fast for me to overcome.
 
Awesome recommendations!!!

Mercy mercy mercy is awesome


Also wow Billy cobham is a monster ...

I've been listening to some George duke band and billy cobham with alphonso Johnson on bass some insane funk
 
Check out the song "Jaco" by The Pat Metheny Group. It has a nice melodic bass solo that isn't too hard to figure out.
Cool tune, cool album.

I agree that "Teen Town" would be pretty difficult for a guy that's been playing for 3 years. Even 20 years. I've messed around with it through the years but the tempo is just too fast for me to overcome.
Agree. How about done in a 1/2 time funky Hip-Hoppish vibe? Key words: 1/2 time.
;)

As far as "jamming" on "Teen Town"...there's a great live version on Weather Report's Live & Unreleased. They stretch it out.
 
Awesome recommendations!!!

Mercy mercy mercy is awesome

Been done a go-zillion times. The band I was in a couple years back did that...and "Freedom Jazz Dance"...and "All Blues"...and "Chameleon"...etc.

Really goin' out on a limb, huh?

That said-
Someone has done "FJD" in 7 (Don Ellis?).
If I had my way, "All Blues" woulda been done in alternating bars of 6 & 7 (or 7 & 6).
If possible, learn the tunes & then maybe make them your own. That's all.

BTW, anyone know the vocal version of "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy"?
;)
 
Teen Town is not too hard to play over-it's just descending dominant 7th or 13 chords in 3rd intervals (C7-A7-F7-D7) and then in the key of E (E7-C#7-A7-F#7). There's a good chart of it in one of the Chuck Sher Books. About the only note that's a no-no is the Major 7th-and that can be an approach tone to the Root.
That being said, it's pretty arranged so you'd have to have charts to hand out and players that could read it or a rehearsal.
As far as the theoretical reasons for Jaco's lines there's a great explanation in this book:
Amazon.com: Jaco Pastorius Bass Method with CD (9780634020315): Ray Peterson: Books
I also wrote a soundalike study called "Son of Teen Town" for my Eden Electronics columns. It's Lesson 18 in the Intermediate Bass columns:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
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Teen Town is not too hard to play over-it's just descending dominant 7th or 13 chords in 3rd intervals (C7-A7-F7-D7) and then in the key of E (E7-C#7-A7-F#7). There's a good chart of it in one of the Chuck Sher Books. About the only note that's a no-no is the Major 7th-and that can be an approach tone to the Root.
That being said, it's pretty arranged so you'd have to have charts to hand out and players that could read it or a rehearsal.
As far as the theoretical reasons for Jaco's lines there's a great explanation in this book:
Amazon.com: Jaco Pastorius Bass Method with CD (9780634020315): Ray Peterson: Books
I also wrote a soundalike study called "Son of Teen Town" for my Eden Electronics columns. It's Lesson 18 in the Intermediate Bass columns:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Just checked out your stuff, you are the man. That is all.
 
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