Jazz School: "Chameleon"

This two-chord funky jazz rock fusion classic by Herbie Hancock is all about the groove…

This extended form is really just a bunch of 8-bar sections stitched together. The really trickly part is being able to play the bass line!

Listen to Original Recording

Form = 8 bars, which can be played as two 4-bar phrases, which can be further broken into two 2-bar phrases…

4/4 Time, count out loud “1 2 3 4” or “1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &”, feel the funk in the 1/16th notes!

Tonality = Bb Dorian

Useful Scales = Bb Dorian, Bb Minor Pentatonic, Bb Minor Blues

Bbm7 = i7 (harmonic home base), Eb7=IV7 (harmonically away from home)

[anybody want to see notation of chord voicings?]

Don’t underestimate the musical value of short, simple ideas that repeat over the form…

Download the following bass and drum practice track recorded by Frank…

Yes, Frank is neither a bass player nor a drummer!

Think, hear, feel, and play in 8-bar choruses and 4-bar phrases.
The “feel” is a funky Rock Beat 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Tonality: Bb Dorian
Useful Scales: Dorian, Minor Blues, Minor Pentatonic
Don’t get scale happy.
Commit to playing coherent IDEAS.
Vocabulary Sources: Rock, Jazz, Blues
Borrow ideas from the head (the original melody).
Cop ideas from other players.
It’s not all about playing leads. It’s often about creative and tasteful comping, too!
Don’t just think… FEEL & LISTEN!
Experiment like a child playing with building blocks.
Take your shoes off!