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If you have no interest in acoustic jazz, you won't like this one. If you have interest in only hot jazz, you won't like this one. This is cool jazz, yes maybe even smooth jazz. Brace yourselves people!

I am primarily a rock/blues guitarist but a long time ago I got some jazz training in college. Sometimes when working on technique I revert to jazz style and phrasing to sharpen my tools. I suppose you could say jazz is my second language on guitar. I was working with backing tracks and decided to record a few so I could gauge my progress.

This was an exercise in solo technique, exploring pickup note entrances, behind-the-beat entrances, downbeat entrances, a touch of flair with counter rhythms and creating space and allowing the music to breathe a bit. It is definitely not a guitar shredfest. I thought it was interesting so I posted it here for your entertainment. It is an exercise and not really a finished work but I am curious what others think of this sort of thing. Feel free to give your input but be please gentle as I am a sensitive guy.

The track is "Solo Acoustic Jazz " on my player.

good thing you didn't let any jazzy thinking influence your jazz solo.

who knows where you might have ended up...

Johnny I really like the sound of this piece. My wife and I when we are just hanging around on the porch listen mostly to a smooth jazz channel on my direct tv, and this would fit right in there.

Good Job, Im impressed since you come from rock and blues!

Thanks for sharing

Rock On, er er Jazz On! LOL!

Very cool J7! I love smooth jazz and all jazz for that matter. I saw your set list and I play about 2/3 of those songs. You play songs folks want to hear.

Very Nice Johnny, Very clean.. As i was listening, a bunch of questions unfolded for one that I am working on... You referred to this as smooth Jazz, ... What is true R & B as opposed to Jazz..?

Thanks for the listen and the props guys. It was an interesting stretch for me but I think elevators around the world are probably safe from my acoustic jazz stylings. The next one I am working on is a Blues tune that is more right up my alley. This will be on electric guitar so I can put a lot more stank on it and I am tossed between the Tele and the LP. We shall see who wins.

Dog, you thought this jazz piece might be R&B? I don't think so. Aretha, Otis Redding, and Etta James define R&B for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FOUqQt3Kg0

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcwylnmACZ8

nice job.

i'm not a big fan of smoove jazz, or what i refer to as "hot tub jazz". it's usually a little too watered down (read: dumbed down) for my tastes. much of it just strikes me as instrumental pop music.

your playing sounds good...doesn't sound like you're stretching much but everything is in the pocket, some good ideas, and the phrasing is happenin'. if i had to offer up one suggestion (besides losing the backing trks) it'd be to throw in some longer phrases that extend over a few measures.

Thejohnny7band wrote:Thanks for the listen and the props guys. It was an interesting stretch for me but I think elevators around the world are probably safe from my acoustic jazz stylings. The next one I am working on is a Blues tune that is more right up my alley. This will be on electric guitar so I can put a lot more stank on it and I am tossed between the Tele and the LP. We shall see who wins.

Dog, you thought this jazz piece might be R&B? I don't think so. Aretha, Otis Redding, and Etta James define R&B for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FOUqQt3Kg0

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcwylnmACZ8

Therein lies my challenge... I had this discussion with a bass player the other day. I have always thought that R&B essentially teetered on having a flavor of Jazz, supporting a Blues schema. A lot of Otis Redding is grounded in blues (maybe some Mississippi style at the root) with a good beat, but then he sweetens it up with mild , cursive accents, and such would qualifies as jazz flavoring , jes? Add to that, jazz, aint really jazz without some provacative timing and rythym ... So when we say 'R & B' arent we really kind of saying Jazz & Blues, where Jazz side lends to special rhythms not found in standard blues?

OKay, now fast forward to your song: T: 00:30 thru 00:45. That's Jazzy & Bluzy thus there is this R & B quality to it , jes? No? Vat U tink?

Thanks for the listen and observations Planet. This was my first dip in jazz improv waters in a good long while. The track was about 80 bars of the same looped changes with no chorus and no bridge. I figure I might be able to pull out about 24 bars that don't stink up the room too bad. After that I simply run out of ideas so we get "recurring themes" with lots of air. It was fun to play though.

The recording was mostly "as played" with 1 short overdub and a couple of edits to remove fat-fingered notes that were so far outside the key that only JCP could appreciate them.

Dog,
Heck I don't know... Maybe! I think R&B is derived from a lot of different stuff including jazz, gospel, blues, early rock, and sort of evolved over time into funk and soul.

Good job Johnny!

I don't know where you get the idea that I would enjoy listening to your mistakes.

JCP61 wrote:I don't know where you get the idea that I would enjoy listening to your mistakes.

you know, just because you're a putz....doesn't mean you need to behave like one.

Planetguy wrote:

JCP61 wrote:I don't know where you get the idea that I would enjoy listening to your mistakes.

you know, just because you're a putz....doesn't mean you need to behave like one.

just following your example

I think JCP knows exactly what I meant. He appreciates playing outside.

When Coltrane played WAY outside he often did it to create tension. I guess I could leave in the clams and say "Ya I meant to do that... creates tension" but I'm not that smooth. While playing acoustic hot tub jazz over backing track loops there isn't much room for tension.

Wait... gotta go now, Kenny G is calling.

you lie, and I'll swear to it.