Jazz changes on a blues - other possibilities

WillEdmunds · February 2018

Hi all.

I've been playing through some of the more obvious changes on a jazz blues for years now. Just wondered if people had some interesting alternatives to the more standard jazz changes. Substitutions, fresh turnaround ideas etc. I know quite a few others but just interested to get a fresh perspective.

I've been working though West Coast Blues as this is a great example of that. Recommendations for other similar standards would be appreciated.

I watched a Josh Smith interview the other day and he described how he had written down all the possible chords you can play on a blues and spend ten years shedding over them whilst watching basketball! It's obviously worked for him - I thought I'd try and open my practice to cover more of the other possible chords.

Assuming this is a basic starting point, please post some alternatives below! I'm not much of a theory head, so bear with me. Let's keep it in the key of Bb for now. Thanks!

| Bb7 | Eb7 | Bb7 | Fm7 Bb7alt |
| Eb7 | Edim | Bb7 | G7alt |
| Cm7 | F7 | Bb7 G7 | Cm7 F7 |

sm55onl · February 2018

Are the following Matt Warnock (old ?) website pages any good to ya’ ?
[It looks like the 1st linked page is covered by the noted progression in your comment]

https://mattwarnockguitar.com/how-to-play-a-jazz-blues-chord-progression/

https://mattwarnockguitar.com/jazz-guitar-chords/
(refer ‘Sunny’ and ‘Giant Steps’)

WillEdmunds · February 2018

sm55onl said:

Are the following Matt Warnock (old ?) website pages any good to ya’ ?
[It looks like the 1st linked page is covered by the noted progression in your comment]

https://mattwarnockguitar.com/how-to-play-a-jazz-blues-chord-progression/

https://mattwarnockguitar.com/jazz-guitar-chords/
(refer ‘Sunny’ and ‘Giant Steps’)

Thanks. He covers essentially the same changes but in G. I was looking for some alternative ideas, but it looks like a handy website all the same.

missmisstreater · February 2018

To be honest, you've got it nailed. When you focus on what you have, and step by step where it came from - you've thrown almost all the logical changes in.

There are a couple of other things

You can throw a Dm7 before the G7 in bar 8.

Other than that - you could look into Bird blues - I wrote an article on that a while back.

https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/25842-beyond-blues-how-to-play-bird-blues

Jalapeno · February 2018

You can do anything in the last 2 bars (as long as it resolves).

As written, it is (loosely) a 1 6 2 5, try a 3 6 2 5 instead, i.e. - | Dm7 G7 | Cm7 F7 |

WillEdmunds · February 2018

@missmisstreater Great article, thanks. Bird Blues is exactly the sort of thing I was after.

@jalapeno Thanks I will have a look at some other turnarounds.

missmisstreater · February 2018

Another thing I'll do is make the last 4 bars chromatic

So Bb7 - G7 - Cm7 - F7

first make them all dominant

Bb7 - G7 - C7 - F7

Now tritone sub the G7 and F7

Bb7 - Db7 - C7 - B7

But then apply the standard rules of extensions and play richer chords

One pattern I like is this

Bb7 - 6 x 6 7 6 x
Db9 - 9 x 9 8 6 x
C7sus - 8 x 8 7 6 x
B9#11 - 7 x 7 6 6 x

Keeping that F on the top ties it together nicely.

Branshen · February 2018

Check this out. Take note that he's on a 7-string guitar so you should be reading the charts instead of watching his hands if you're using a 6-string.

viz · February 2018

Probably doesn’t add much but I did this basic jazz blues explanation for someone a while back.

https://youtu.be/cklYR21TcNE

viz · February 2018

This is great:

http://www.jazzguitar.be/jazz_blues_chord_progressions.html

Jedi42 · March 2018

I Bb9 / E9b5/ I Eb9 / Edim7/ I Bb9/F /// I /Fm11 / E7#5#9 I Eb13 / Eb9 I Ebm9 / Ab13 / I Bb9 / D7#5b9 / I G7#5b9 / Db9b5 / I
I C9 / Gb13 / I F13 / B9 / I D7b5b9 / G13b9 / I C13 / F13b9 / I is one idea...

Ged

sm55onl · March 2018

Here was another jazz booklet that i forgot to post previously...Jazz Handbook by Jamey Aebersold

https://www.jazzbooks.com/mm5/download/FQBK-handbook.pdf

Refer to [Printed number] page 35....(however pdf page 36 of 56)

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Jazz changes on a blues - other possibilities

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