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From the head though, do you start soloing on the next P5? Or take the head changes again and that is now Sequence 1 (in 4/4)?

Or the head counts as Seq 1 and the first solo is P5 and 3/4?

Well, you could go listen and figure it out. That's what I did... good for the ears. But I'll tell you...

The head counts as the first sequence. When Bill plays it he actually continues improvising past all 12 keys and finishes with the head in a different key than where he started. I guess you could just start in any key you want and go from there.

LOL - I did but you don't go into 3/4 till very far in So I lost count already.

BTW - your time was so solid the whole way. The pulse was strong and clear.

It's pretty simple.
16 bars head 4/4 in Ab, starts on the II
16 bars head in 3/4 in Eb, starts on the II

Solo 16 bars 4/4 in Bb
Solo 16 bars 3/4 in F

Solo 16 bars 4/4 in C
Solo 16 bars 3/4 in G

And so on.

playing Donna Lee today ...

http://www.divshare.com/download/16890058-88e

I've been working on Comrade Conrad, but all in 4/4. Until the chord progression is second nature, it's too much to remember what key you're in, improvise, and change time signature. It's a great exercise for II-V-Is. So far, it's exposed several keys where I'm weak in the minor II-V-I. Since you have so little prep time before you arrive in each new key, it exposes right away any key you're not fully comfortable in.

2 handed melody == impressive !!

I was trying that today. Pretty hard to do.

You had great sounding lines there Beeboss. Not sure I can handle the drums though. It was very distracting to me, maybe because of the type of tune. Also maybe because it's a bebop tune, not walking the bass was unexpected. Maybe I'd react to differently without the drums.

I am surprised you don't like the drums, I would just love to have a real drummer who sounded like that. I guess we all have different ideas of how jazz should sound and that is a good thing.
Who are your fave drummers JW, what kind of drumming really floats your boat?

I don't know what you mean about the bass not walking though, as it walks all through except for a 2 feel in the 1st sequence.

That was hot playing, Dave B. I also liked the bass.

Hey Comrade ! You're so brave to even attempt it Scott. Amazing how you kept it going for nearly 5 min. It is such a beautiful tune.

Beeboss, there was some two feel in the middle too.

I just reacted to the drums because of the specific tune. Maybe because the tune itself is so fast that I'm looking for some rhythmic anchor that's stable (like if I'm playing on it). So with the free feel and the bass not always walking, my ear was losing the position in the form.

I'm amazed at how solid your rhythm is such that complex patterns don't faze you and you stay solidly in the form. My brain just couldn't keep up.

There are plenty of fast tunes where I don't lose my place when I listen. But something holds the pulse though I'm at a loss to explain why. Maybe I'll pay more attention next time. Maybe there's downbeat markers that I hear strongly. In your drummer, I was focused on listening to the ride.

I don't recall reacting to this before BTW. Is this one of Paul Carman drum tracks?

Actually Dave, is the backup track something you could share? Just saying because I've been working on indiana lately.

I am not that great at it truthfully. Listen to how the masters do it ….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4rfe5xHCIg






Yes. There is of course a difficulty in that the drum track doesn't know what tune I am playing or how long it is or when the new section starts, so maybe it is a little harder to follow that a real drummer who is actually playing the song, but the other side is that he is a great drummer and doesn't drop any beats (or slow down speed up etc), which makes it easy to play with.

Sure, I'll try to upload a pianoless version later on

and because I'm picky like that, if there's a count off, that would be kind of cool.

>>Yes. There is of course a difficulty in that the drum track doesn't know what tune I am playing or how long it is or when the new section starts, so maybe it is a little harder to follow that a real drummer who is actually playing the song, but the other side is that he is a great drummer and doesn't drop any beats (or slow down speed up etc), which makes it easy to play with.

So I don't know how it is for you, but for me, the main person dropping time is usually the bass player. That is, as long as the bass player is a metronome, things stay under control.
I had an occasion to play with a really lousy drummer, and a lousy bass player, and it was amazing how I tried to push the time but nothing would hold.

Generally speaking, when the bass is good, the time is good, on drum solos however, there is often time issues. Obviously, with back up tracks, it's different. Presumably, this was recorded against a click anyway.

...which is why a walking bass is easier to follow than two feel (bass sets time).

I'm experimenting with more two feel in the next few gigs. I told my bass player and drummer to feel free to switch to two feel. I expect it will change the way I solo. Maybe open it up a little bit.

Same with 3/4 tune and the rhythm section changes to 6/8. It changes my mindset.

Anyway, two-feel is scary because now part of the burden of the time goes to the pianist since there's all that space in there.

Donna Lee rhythm track for anyone who wants to give it a go

http://www.divshare.com/download/16915851-8c3