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
Improvisation Lessons
Lesson 1: Form
Form = 8 bars, which can be played as two 4-bar phrases, which can be further broken into two 2-bar phrases…

Lesson 2: Meter & Feel
4/4 Time, count out loud “1 2 3 4” or “1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &”, feel the funk in the 1/16th notes!
Lesson 3: Tonality & Useful Scales
Tonality = Bb Dorian
Useful Scales = Bb Dorian, Bb Minor Pentatonic, Bb Minor Blues
Lesson 4: The Harmony
Bbm7 = i7 (harmonic home base), Eb7=IV7 (harmonically away from home)
Lesson 5: Comping Ideas
Chameleon Chord Voicings #1
Rootless, Left Hand only, definitive tones (3 & 7)…

Chameleon Chord Voicings #2
Rootless, Left Hand only, color tones (9 & 13) added…

Chameleon Chord Voicings #3
Two fisted, color tones (9 & 13) added, some notes doubled for emphasis and melodic motion…

Lesson 6: Riffing
Don’t underestimate the musical value of short, simple ideas that repeat over the form…
Lesson 7: Mindset
Lesson 8: Play the Idea…
Listen to Frank’s synth solo recorded live with the band Chameleon
Your Turn to Improvise
Download the following bass and drum practice track recorded by Frank…
Improvisation Tips
- 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!
Lesson X?
Please let Frank know if there is something else you’d like to see or understand.