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First edition copyright ©2006 John DePaola www.JohnnyDMusic.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Library of Congress Catalog Number: ISBN 10: 0-9822044-1-8 ISBN 13: 978-0-9822044-1-2 Published by Ideas Designed Publishing, Washington DC In cooperation with Johnny D Music, Orlando, FL Design and layout by Ideas Designed Publishing www.ideas-designed.com Printed in the United States of America

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About the Book

I highly recommend this book "How to Learn Jazz Solos" by John DePaola. It is a masterwork which not only helps the beginner with the art of transcribing jazz but also gives the seasoned professional a way to further develop their skills. It is well written in a concise and systematic manner, and is packed full of insights that can only come from a gifted player and educator like John.

Keith Oshiro Lead/Jazz Trombone with Maynard Ferguson, Jazz Clinician and Educator

This book is an excellent way to assist you in learning the language of jazz. The techniques taught in the book are a fantastic way to begin this journey. I recommend this book highly to anyone wanting to improve their improvisational skills.

Daniel Jordan Jazz Tenor Sax with Maynard Ferguson & Arturo Sandoval Lead Alto Natalie Cole & Sam Rivers

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About the Author ohn DePaola has been a full time freelance trumpeter for over 25 years. He lives in Orlando, FL, where he was been a member of the Rosie O’Grady’s Good Time Jazz Band for ten years and toured the US and Europe, playing Jazz Festivals and concerts. He is currently a musician at Walt Disney World and has been for twenty years. John’s trumpet was featured in a national TV ad for Disney’s Cruise line. John has performed with Ray Charles, Sammy Davis Jr., Bob Hope, Kenny Rogers, George Burns, Frank Sinatra Jr., The Moody Blues, Marvin Hamlisch, Tony Bennett, The Temptations, Peabo Bryson, Jack Jones, and many more. He has also played with the National Touring Broadway Companies of West Side Story, Hello Dolly, A Chorus Line, 42nd Street, The Producers, Chicago, and Legally Blonde. As a jazz musician, John has performed at The Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Fest, Medford Jazz Jubilee, The Copenhagen Jazz Festival, The Sacramento Jazz Jubilee, Mount Shasta Jazz Festival, and The San Juan Island Jazz Festival. Also included are performances with Alan Vache and the New Delta Steamer Jazz band at the Clearwater Jazz Fest and with the Bill Allred Classic Jazz Band at the Sarasota Jazz Festival.John is a member of the Lenny Wilson Quartet. As a symphony musician, John has played with The Wichita Symphony Orchestra, The Florida Orchestra, the Villages Orchestra, and the Florida Lakes Symphony Orchestra. John is married to Mary Jo, a music educator in Orange County Public Schools, where he volunteers his time as a clinician and guest musician. He also likes to share the stage with his singing Maltese Poochi. John’s Discography: Rosie O’Grady’s Good Time Jazz Band “Let the Good Times Roll” and “Upstairs to the Left”; The Magic City Jazz Band “Our Kind of Music”; Dick Maley’s Jazz Band “What’s in a Name”; Maria Farinha “Endless Samba” and The Dan McMillion Big Band “High Octane.”

J

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Contents

ABOUT THE BOOK ......................................................................................................................................................... 4

ABOUT THE AUTHOR ................................................................................................................................................... 5

INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................................. 8

CHAPTER 1 .................................................................................................................................................................... 11 CHOOSING A SOLO ................................................................................................................................................................................ 11 Table 1 Great Recordings ............................................................................................................................................................ 15

CHAPTER 2 .................................................................................................................................................................... 17 CHOOSING THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT .................................................................................................................................................. 17 TRANSCRIPTION SOFTWARE .............................................................................................................................................................. 18 TRANSCRIPTION HARDWARE ............................................................................................................................................................. 19

CHAPTER 3 .................................................................................................................................................................... 21 THE “TOTAL BODY” LEARNING PROCESS ........................................................................................................................................ 21 TOTAL BODY LEARNING ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Step 1: Listen! Then sing what you hear. ........................................................................................................................... 24 Step 2. Listen again—Then add your instrument without playing it. ..................................................................... 26 Step 3.Listen again—Now, Play what you hear! .............................................................................................................. 28 Step 4. Listen and play again—add inflection, articulation, timing, and dynamics. ........................................ 30 Step 5. Now! Write down that first phrase. ......................................................................................................................... 32 TOTAL BODY LEARNING INTEGRATION ........................................................................................................................................... 34

CHAPTER 4 .................................................................................................................................................................... 35 THE NEXT LEVEL: DISCOVERING PATTERNS, SCALES AND IDENTIFYING II-V-I’S ................................................................... 35

CHAPTER 5 .................................................................................................................................................................... 46 MY FAVORITE THINGS: LICKS, PATTERNS, SCALES AND II-V-I’S ................................................................................................ 46 Licks ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 48 Patterns ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 50 Diminished Scales ........................................................................................................................................................................... 52 II-V-I’s ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 55

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Introduction

One of the most powerful methods a jazz player can rely on to improve his/her skills is

the practice of learning, transcribing, and memorizing solos. This activity in conjunction with

consistent practice habits and a positive attitude towards all learning activities is vital to the

development of any jazz player.

I don’t think I have ever met a good jazz musician that hasn’t spent a fair amount of time

learning solos. You can clearly see how important this activity is just by reading a few

interviews of jazz “greats” in “Downbeat” magazine. You can also find some great

interviews on DVD.

After reading or watching some of these interview you will notice a common thread

among great players in their early development. You’ll find that most of these accomplished

and talented players spent most of their time following and listening to players that they

loved and admired. Listening to and memorizing their solos was the only way to learn and

get close to greatness!

Louis Armstrong left his hometown of New Orleans to work and learn from his mentor

and bandleader, Joe “King” Oliver. In his early years, Louis memorized “Papa” Joe’s solos

note for note so he could play harmony parts with them on the bandstand. After Louis

gained worldwide recognition and popularity, countless other musicians would learn HIS

solos and try to imitate his virtuoso style of playing and singing.

Lester Young would carry around the recordings of his hero, sax man Frankie Trumbauer.

He would listen to them all the time and memorize Frankie’s solos and then ultimately use

them as a springboard for his own unique and imaginative style of playing. Trumpeter Roy

Eldridge was a great fan of the legendary Coleman Hawkins. Roy could play his solos note

for note! The one and only John Coltrane studied the most influential player of his time—

Charlie Parker, who took a job washing dishes in a Harlem night club just so he could listen

to Art Tatum play piano!

All if these examples illustrate the same idea. Great players build their style on the

musical foundation laid by their predecessors. They get inspiration and ideas from listening

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to and learning solos of other musicians they admire! Learning solos is and will always be an

important activity in the development of the Jazz Musician.

This handbook is designed for the aspiring jazz student who would like to maximize

his/her ability to understand and absorb the music of any great player they admire.

The first question that a student usually asks is this:

“Why should I spend time learning and writing down jazz solos when I could easily buy

a transcription book?”

The answer is contained in a familiar saying—“hearing is believing”. If you can hear it,

you can play it. If you buy the transcription book, you’ve let someone else do all your

practicing for you! You would be giving up all the ear training you would have received if

you had done it yourself! If you actually do the transcription work on your own you will

enjoy the benefits of hours of ear training, memorization, and ‘internalization” of musical

ideas. Consider this fact, when you have listened to a musical phrase many times over, you

will reach a point where the music becomes part of you. It will take even more repetition to

learn and play the solo completely, with all the accents, inflections, and musical nuance.

After all of this listening, playing, and concentration, your fingers and your ear, and your

brain will work together at a HIGHER LEVEL. Transcribing solos on your own sharpens your

ear, your concentration, your fingers, and increases your all around knowledge of MUSIC.

I like to call this TOTAL BODY LEARNING. With this kind of activity in your daily routine,

you can’t stop yourself from improving as a jazz player!

Before you begin you must realize and accept the fact that ANYTHING WORTH DOING

TAKES TIME AND DEMANDS YOUR FULL ATTENTION. This is the price you’ll pay for your

growth and improvement. This handbook is designed to help you minimize wasted time and

maximize your practice time as you work to improve your soloing. A concentrated effort on

learning and transcribing solos will show results quickly.

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You’ll begin to play better because you’ll be able to HEAR BETTER, and also comprehend

what YOU ARE HEARING.

This is what playing jazz is all about!

All serious students must seek out recordings of their favorite musicians and then, take

the next step–learn, memorize, and transcribe your favorite solos. It will inspire, enlighten

and make you a better musician.