IMPROVISING ON AUTUMN LEAVES Jazz Tactics #25

Autumn Leaves is a great tune for improvising because it is a study in the relationship between major and relative minor key centers and the II Vs that establish them. In this video I analyze the harmonic structure, which contains elements that are common to many other tunes, and the relationship of the melody to the chords. I then demonstrate how to improvise melodic lines over this chord progression, starting with a fully diatonic solo, then adding a few of the notes that are outside of the key signature and which define the ‘sharp corners’ in the harmonic outline, and finally incorporating chromaticism which provides nearly an infinite number of melodic pathways.
ABOUT THIS SERIES
This is the 25th video in the Jazz Tactics series, exploring elements of jazz improvisation, based on my book of the same name and a university course that I taught for over thirty years. The sequential videos in this series will provide a solid foundation of understanding of the principles and practices of jazz improvisation, on both aural and intellectual levels. Below are some suggestions to get you started:
Do You Speak Jazz? • YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW T...
What Makes Jazz Jazz? • TRADING FOURS WITH FRE...
Why I Can't Teach You Jazz • WHY I CAN'T TEACH YOU ...
What's So Great About Chet Baker? • TRADING FOURS WITH FRE...
Trading Fours With Freddie Hubbard • TRADING FOURS WITH FRE...
Improvising on Autumn Leaves • IMPROVISING ON AUTUMN ...
Improvising on Sweet Georgia Brown • SWEET GEORGIA BROWN Ja...
Improvising on Rhythm Changes • IMPROVISING ON RHYTHM ...
Improvising on There Will Never Be Another You • IMPROVISING ON ANOTHER...
Improvising on All The Things You Are • IMPROVISING ON ALL THE...
ABOUT THIS CHANNEL
On this channel, jazz trumpeter, educator and author Chase Sanborn offers advice and tips for musicians and music students, based on more than forty years of experience as a professional musician.
PLAYLISTS
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/ @chasesanborn
LEAVE A TIP
You can leave a tip to support the work that goes into this channel by clicking the THANKS button. Thanks to YOU for watching!
MORE INFORMATION
For more in-depth and personal information and instruction, check out Chase's books and online lesson options on his website:
www.chasesanborn.com

[@cryn]

I am a beginner jazz guitar improviser. I learned so much from this video. Thank you!

[@chasesanborn]

Glad to hear that! You (and others) will likely find many of the videos in the Jazz Tactics playlist similarly instructive. kzbin.info/aero/PLdkYbUyqvkhSJJ4IJFoNYBtNaxiMZgNlg

[@chasesanborn]

This is the 25th episode in the Jazz Tactics series, offering information and advice for those learning to improvise. You can find the entire series in a playlist and it will be of the greatest benefit if you watch them in sequence. Please remember to leave a LIKE (and if you REALLY like it, a tip!), post a comment or question here and consider subscribing for weekly content from the mind of a jazz trumpet player!

[@GDM223SR]

Happy 25th, Chase!

[@chasesanborn]

:)

[@louramoreira]

I’m a huge fan ! Thank you and congratulations for the objective, simple and efficiency attitude of REALLY explaining all this. Because I’m in, I need to say, that folks don’t care and appreciate the awesome honesty & knowledge of all this unique Masterclass. Years have passed, if I have had a Teacher like You, probably nowadays I’ll be a old cat 🤪 Thanks for all your huge effort in making and bringing all of this to the community. Love it ! Cheers and keep this 👏

[@chasesanborn]

Thanks Nuno. I'm happy to know that you are getting value from the videos.

[@alanhirayama4592]

Excellent! I'm 60 yo and been playing for a while. Still a beginner in jazz improvisation, but trying to improve every time I touch my horn! I am slowly incorporating chromatic approach notes to my playing. Subbed! Thank you!

[@chasesanborn]

We are all trying to do the same thing. Glad the videos are helpful!

[@JeannieSargent]

Great video - and really nice playing there! Sounds like butter on that flugelhorn :)

[@chasesanborn]

That's a lovely compliment, thank you Jeannie!

[@FemisMusic]

this is unbelievably helpful. gotta practice slowing down and getting from chord tone to chord tone...

[@chasesanborn]

That is great to hear, thanks!

[@NadavHbr]

Beautiful tone !

[@chasesanborn]

Thank you!

[@whugheswhughes98144]

Great video. The theory was hard enough to make me sweat a little but that's perfect. One thing that would help is to transcribe the improv you play and go over what you did, using the theory you just explained (because ... alas, I couldn't tell from hearing it). Really enjoyed it!

[@chasesanborn]

You'll learn even more from doing that yourself!

[@jazzpedals]

With that tone and swing feel, you could play the chromatic scale and everything would be fine

[@chasesanborn]

With good rhythm there are no bad notes. Thanks for that!

[@doctoraardvark190]

I'm trying to learn to improvise and this is a good tune to start with. But I'm confused. Here, and in the Miles Davis transcription, and in the Chet Baker transcription, you're all playing it in the key of Bb major/G minor. But the original key - and the one in my fake book (now called the 'Real' book) - is F# minor/A major=3 sharps. I suppose I could try to learn it in every key, but why the change? Just because it's easier for us trumpeters to play in a flat key? I'm not going to convince the rhythm section to change keys just for me!

[@chasesanborn]

While most tunes have commonly used keys, there is no 'correct' key for any tune. Learning a tune in more than one key (twelve is great but two is significantly better than one) helps you recognize the intervallic relationship of the melody notes and chords. If you work with singers--females especially--you'll rarely play in the keys you typically find in fake books, and a professional level rhythm section can play a tune in any key.

[@hazmatite]

the Cliffordizing video, referenced here, seems to be gone.

[@chasesanborn]

It's scheduled for a redo.

[@johnfortune1876]

Thanks for your adds😩

[@chasesanborn]

If you are referring to advertisements, I have nothing to do with them--KZbin inserts them regardless. You can pay a monthly fee to eliminate all advertisements on every channel--it's money well spent, IMO.