Variations On Blues

by Jamey Aebersold
My last arlicle dealt with the Blues (12 bar Blues), so, I
would like to lollow up wilh variations on the blues progres-
sions thsl have be€n in common use in lhe jazz idiom. The
lelm "thrce câord songs" are usually relening lo lhe sim-
plest ot blues progressions. ll you are in lhe key ot F the
lhree chords which lorm the basis of the blues in thai key
arc F7 , BbT and C7. F7 is calle€l a roman numeral I chord.
The Bb7 is called lhe lV because it is buill on lhe tourth
scal€ slep of lhe F7 scale and lhe C7 is called the V chord
(usually called a V7 chord) because il is tound on lhe fitth
scale slep ol the F7 scale. A three chord tune could slso
be called a song lhal uses only I, lV, and V chords.
As blues evolved in lhe hands of lhe iazz musicians
across the counlry by way ol lhe radio and record player,
more end more musicians played blues and naturally some
would lake liberlies wilh the cho,d slruclure and aller lhê
chords lo malch whal they were hearing in their mind's ear.
As the various alleralions were passed lrom musician to
musician lhey became part ol the blues slruciure.
I have lisled l7 dillerent blues progressions lound in
Dan Haerle's book JazzlRock Voicings tor the Conlem-
porary Keyboard Player, publishecl by Siudio P/R, lnc.,
The ptogressions read liom lett to righl!
The ones al lhe lop are the easier, simpler progressions. As
you move down the page they become more altered and
present more ot a challenge lo the up and coming jazz
player. Jt is besl to practice wilh one complete progres-
sion until you teel comforlable wilh it, then, move on lo
the nexl one. You may also want to subslilule a measure
in one blues wilh lhe same measure in anolher blues below
or above. Number 14 is one lhat Charlie Parker usod on a
blues called Blues lot Alice and anolher called Laird Bird.
Number 16 uses a steady stream of minor chords (ll)
moving to dominant 7lh chords (V7) usually called lllV7-s
or, a series of lllV's. Experiment wilh lhe various progres-
sions using lhe exercises I showed you in lhe Nov. 1-Doc.
15 issue.
Begin slowly so you can hear the rool progrossion clear-
ly. ln time your mind will remember il and you can mov6
more rapiJly. Try to memorize each progression as you
are working on il. Memory is a key process in improvising!
Lislen lo jazz players on records and see il you can hear
rvhen lhey are substituling chords or scales or licks or pat-
lerns over lhe basic lhree chord progression. The MaslerS
do it all lhe time and with such ease lhat oflen our ears don'l
even realize they have deviated trom the basic progression
being played by lhe rhylhm section. You may wanl to ch€ck
out Volume 2 "Nothin'Bul Blues" in my play along book and
record series. ll contains eleven dilterent blues progres-
sions played by lhe rhythm section and you can play ând
praclice along wilh lhem. Bass players and piano players
can even turn otl one channel ol their stereo and subsli-
lule lhemselves for lhe player on lhe record. lt is a g.eat
way lo practice wilh a prolessional .hylhm seclion.
ln order to play blues you have to listen lo people $,ho
play blues. Listen lo lhe linest players, ahvaysl

ErAmtEs 0F ltuEs tnocREssrots

by DAN HAERLE
Read hom left to tighl lh rlr l(rv cl Fl
.T"" , 2' ,t

,. ,, ç, J' ,, ), Jr ç, F' c1 ct ., ç,
z 3' t ,, ç, ), )t ?, F' G' alt G' c,
t ,, Ér ç, j, *, dr ç, t, o, ct ?, G'
a j, É, j, j, !lt Ér C' ot G' c, çt ct
I t dr F a, )t e|r EI o, odt c, t, Gnt c,
I ,, dr ?, ç, )t :fr FI ot ol' c, Ét olt et
,. ,t Ôt ç, Cnat ç, -t rlt ç, Aù, ()7 G6r, c, O, Gat C'
I .7 )t ., C.l.t ç, al, elr D' Gnt Art Ot O-.t
ct ct
I .t Jt ,, C.lt Î, r|t &it 3' .' a, ù, ot odt tlt trt ot c.i.t
ct ct
,o at LtAt O.it Or O*r rr Jr act adt D7 ùû, ob c-ir cr ol*r er, t, o, crl C'
tr. çr' a.a? *;r oar ollir odr ô, h, dni? Arit 6i, O.ii, c, Pat Cat Ol
^f ^r,
,2. çt, Jrr e*r o*rdru clr rlrr .ld, Ail' tl *l Ora, clt t rt trt o.$? ql
rl ;r, Jrr err C.'rrC\*r dr Jrr d,*r ôt rry' r|.ir olr drr Oô.t Ct Aût or OLr o|
ta. ,t klt At Onlt Ot C*r rr Jrr *"ir :h rar olr oar c, Aa, Ot O-t ct
^lht
tt. ,tt Lat at onit ot a\*r ch anr tr*t It Arit tlmt olr o-ir ct -t o, OGt C'
^il.t
,a tlarr at a-t ar ù*t Gt o*r ll $ul dat :lr eful elnil olr crrr Oâit Ct A*t Ot C-., G'
tr. ,J' ûan a, arr elrrrln rr Jrr h, tt lI, O' GI' dft ttt rlrt cLt ol

Loll: Foarit ol rhan progndc cæld ba cmtinad rith .æh othT to c.t.ta hurd,tô ot rlight vxi.ti6r
olû. &ova. Nork| lh.l 9tæticdly .ll Uu.| p.oi.nrior tollow . timilÏ b$ic ldm, which it 6 lollffi: Fint
a naaw - I Cn at sGo.rd a drxG - lV ôqd l'|ùrâa.r| tô. I ôo.d c tr' Ébdûal; f iod 4 ms.6
- V -.d Ir ll-V rùdr,f| nù.nlnf to. I .rrsd.

Copyright @ 2000 Jamey Aebersold Jazz, !nc. . http://www.jazzbooks.com