Which pieces of music are you working on?

[Luluna]

Wondering what everyone is working on ?

Currently, Gordon Goodwin's arrangements of "There's the Rub" and "Hodiz Songo?" are giving me fits.

 

[Andante cantabile]

Stanislao Parisi, etudes nos 1 to 3

Gustavo Rossari, book 1 (about two-thirds of them)

Guy Lacour, book 2, nos 26 to 36

I probably should concentrate my efforts more, but I get more pleasure out of it this way.

 

[old git]

More blues.

 

[Tobes]

Thought I'd give grade 8 sax a go (just for a laugh!?) - currently working though James Rae's book: 'modern etudes' (sorry Old Git I can't be bothered to find the french accent button on my laptop over the 'e' in etude) from back to front, for some reason last exercise looked easiest as not much rhythm to think about. Also I'm trying to memorise 'Donna Lee' on the tenor, which is taking a surprising amount of time!!

 

[kevgermany]

Solvejg's Lied, Grieg. Really difficult to get this as light and smooth as it needs to be. (Well for me it is).

 

[ArtyLady]

I'm working on my Grade 8 too - doing Bob Mintzer's Rhthym Check, James Rae's If Only and Autumn Leaves (great stuff as have played that a squillion times!!) ......

Also my usual practice regime of jazz standards and blues in all keys; and for the jazz/blues/fusion band I'm in - originals and covers.

Oh dear! I'm way too busy to be a Grandmother!.....someone turn back the clock please ))

 

[Pyrografix]

Lennie Niehaus Jazz Conception Sax Duets and Crazy Jazz Studies by Chris Gumbley - trying to eliminate the satellite delay between brain and fingers!! ))

 

[Luluna]

More blues.

The blues that make you happy, or the blue blues?

 

[old git]

Lori,
Just blues.

Tobes,
It is old git, all lower case as I am not worth the shift key. Was not the missing accent but the question about gravitas that was the main point but you know Moderators.

Arty Lady,
Just because I'm getting on, you bring up Autumn Leaves. Why not go the whole hog, September Song, My Way or that Trad Jazz favourite, I'll be glad when you're dead, you rascal, you.
Anyone know what Jack Dee's signature tune is. Have a strong urge to learn it.

 

[Tobes]

I'm working on my Grade 8 too - doing Bob Mintzer's Rhthym Check, James Rae's If Only and Autumn Leaves (great stuff as have played that a squillion times!!) ......

Is Autumn Leaves on the grade 8 syllabus? If you could scan in a copy, (purely for my own private practice!) I'd give you a million thankyou's!

 

[Nick Wyver]

No laughing at the back but I really must do something with "Sweet Home Chicago". Hate the song with a passion but I have to play it far too frequently. All the standard horn fills obviously not a problem but when it comes to soloing the song seems to suck out all imagination. It's only a 12 bar in E fergawdsake - how difficult can that be? It's not as though anyone's complaining - it's just that anything I play sounds so tedious to me. Anyone know of a version with a decent sax solo on it? In all the ones that I've heard it seems as though the sax player's having the same problem as me.

 

[Sunray]

No laughing at the back but I really must do something with "Sweet Home Chicago". Hate the song with a passion but I have to play it far too frequently. All the standard horn fills obviously not a problem but when it comes to soloing the song seems to suck out all imagination. It's only a 12 bar in E fergawdsake - how difficult can that be? It's not as though anyone's complaining - it's just that anything I play sounds so tedious to me. Anyone know of a version with a decent sax solo on it? In all the ones that I've heard it seems as though the sax player's having the same problem as me.

These links may be of some use Nick ...

Sweet Home Chicago [Soul Machine] - Bari and then Tenor ... [Starts at about 2:40]

Big Walter Smith - Sweet Home Chicago [Steve ?] Tenor Sax Solo [Starts at about 2:33]

Child's Play [on Tenor Sax] - [Max Treutner] - Sweet Home Chicago ;}

 

[dooce]

It's only a 12 bar in E fergawdsake

I think that's the problem - everybody has been there and done it, and there's nothing much left to say. Last time we played it, I was for some reason inspired to inject 4 bars of Cock O' the North, better known as Auntie Mary Had a Canary Up the Leg of her Drawers, which my wife sings, annoyingly, when she is cheerful (which is, I'm afraid, a distressingly large proportion of the time).

It sounded ridiculous of course, but at least it was a change from the usual 3-chord noodling.

 

[dooce]

Stanislao Parisi, etudes nos 1 to 3

Gustavo Rossari, book 1 (about two-thirds of them)

Guy Lacour, book 2, nos 26 to 36

I probably should concentrate my efforts more, but I get more pleasure out of it this way.

Never heard of the Parisi pieces before but found some precocious brat (just jealous!) playing them on Youtube and they sound a good challenge - ideal for some stuff to work on while I am travelling for the next 6 months, so have ordered the book. Hope it fits in the back pack......

So thanks Beckmesser - by the time I get to Aus, I might have cracked the first couple of bars

 

[Nick Wyver]

These links may be of some use Nick ...

Sweet Home Chicago [Soul Machine] - Bari and then Tenor ... [Starts at about 2:40]

They've got my problem...

Big Walter Smith - Sweet Home Chicago [Steve ?] Tenor Sax Solo [Starts at about 2:33]

I'm beginning to see a pattern here. Very animated, though.

Child's Play [on Tenor Sax] - [Max Treutner] - Sweet Home Chicago ;}

))

Thanks for that.

I guess if I was going to be serious about it (unlikely) I'd record all my takes on it and pick out the best bits - if there are any.

 

[littleplum]

Loved the Walter Smith one, but the Max Treutner was also good, I will show that one to some of my students who dont practice!

 

[ArtyLady]

Is Autumn Leaves on the grade 8 syllabus? If you could scan in a copy, (purely for my own private practice!) I'd give you a million thankyou's!

It's just the Aebersold Book (Vol 44)

No laughing at the back but I really must do something with "Sweet Home Chicago". Hate the song with a passion but I have to play it far too frequently. All the standard horn fills obviously not a problem but when it comes to soloing the song seems to suck out all imagination. It's only a 12 bar in E fergawdsake - how difficult can that be? It's not as though anyone's complaining - it's just that anything I play sounds so tedious to me. Anyone know of a version with a decent sax solo on it? In all the ones that I've heard it seems as though the sax player's having the same problem as me.

I've come to the conclusion that it's not possible with a lot of these R & B numbers to do anything other something pretty simple but with lots of effects - I thought Steve's solo in the Big Walter clip was pretty effective!

 

[Tobes]

Sorry, ArtyLady - are you doing Jazz Grade 8? I'm doing the other non-jazz one I guess?? I've got Abesold volume 44 though...

 

[crocodilian]

Hmm, currently "Dick's Licks" from the grade 6 syllabus (just started), "Saxsequential" and "Crazy Hepcats", grade 5 (getting better at these two just want to build up the speed a bit!). Also, getting to grips with learning 7th chords (Thanks Pete and your marvellous book!)

 

[MandyH]

I have been trying to play "That's Amore" (also missing one of those acute accents on the final e). Not because I like it, although it's OK, but because the version I have starts in 3 sharps (IIRC) then goes to 5 flats, then back to one sharp.

Since most of the Alto pieces I play in the band are written in G or D major, very, very rarely in any flats, I figured this piece would force me to read and (critically) think in flats rather than the enharmonic sharp equivalents.

I'm not sure I'm making much progress. I certainly can't keep up with the backing track!