- This topic has 32 replies, 33 voices, and was last updated 3 days, 17 hours ago by .
-
Topic
-
Here’s a little nod to Charlie Christian’s “A Smooth One”, played over a backing track from Tommy Harkenrider called “A Rough One”.
In jazz parlance, the top of a tune (hook/riff) is called the head. So here I am playing around with the first A & B sections of the tune. Even though this is “jazz”, you can play a lot out of the relative I chord shape or major pentatonic for the II V I sections. Then, just have to be mindful of when it goes to the B section and the I goes dominant to set it up for the IV to iv (or iv diminished in this case). One neat little trick I worked out is outlining a I VI II V with double stops I’m one position coming out of the bridge. Hope that makes sense?
As many of you know, I get my kicks from this vintage jazz, but it’s not that far removed from rock n roll. Without Charlie, Chuck Berry sounds a lot different. =)
These guys also had quite a bit of distortion going on from having to crank the small tube amps of the day to compete with a sextet or orchestra. Really cool stuff.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.