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How to Use Modes in Jazz Improvisation

Posted by admin2 on August 16th, 2010 Comments Off



To form the modes, first we must have an understanding of the the major scale. If we number the notes 1 to 8, we can change the order we play them in by starting on a different note instead of 1. I can play the following combinations:

- 12345678
- 23456782
- 34567823
- 45678234
- 56782345
- 67823456
- 78234567

Basically I started the scale on 1 and returned to 1, then I started it on 2 and returned to 2, then on 3 and returned to 3 etc. In this way, all of the pitches had a chance to be the first note in the scale. If you look closely at the notes, you will see 7 different places we can start the scale, because there are 7 different pitches in the scale.

These different starting points are called MODES. There are 7 different modes, because there are 7 different notes in the major scale. Each of these modes has a name:

Mode 1= Ionian
Mode 2 = Dorian
Mode 3 = Phrygian
Mode 4 = Lydian
Mode 5 = Mixolydian
Mode 6 = Aeolian
Mode 7 = Locrian

If I compare this to a C major scale and play from C to C, I would call this MODE 1, or Ionian. Most people know this mode as major. If I start the scale on D, the second note, and play from D to D using the same notes as C major I will be playing MODE 2, or the Dorian mode. Start on the 3rd note (E) and go from E to E still using the same notes as C major, I’m playing Phrygian mode. You can repeat the process through all of the seven modes.

Since there are 12 major scales and each major scale has seven different modes we now have 84 different scales to worry about! The good news is that there are really only 12 major scales, and 84 different places to start them. By now you are probably thinking “why do I even need to know 7 different modes if the notes are all the same”? It is true that the notes are the same, but the difference is the chord.

By: Pete Swiderski

Posted in Jazz Festivals

New Orleans Jazz – News and Views – Jim Robinson

Posted by admin2 on August 15th, 2010 Comments Off



Nathan “Jim” Robinson – born December 25th 1892 at Deer Range Louisiana: died May 4th 1976 in New Orleans. Just a little bit of history to get this show on the road!

Jim studied guitar as a kid but took up trombone in the army in the First World War. He returned to New Orleans in 1919 and was good enough to join the Sam Morgan Band in which he was a fixture for a dozen years. He studied with Sunny Henry and worked with Lee Collins in the Gold Leaf Band.

He stayed active during the Depression, mainly with Avery “Kid” Howard and was a regular with the George Lewis Band.. Jim recorded with the Sam Morgan Band in the 1920’s, legendary recordings that have been re-issued many times. He was on the Kid Rena Decca sessions and is of course on most of Bill Russell’s Bunk Johnson recordings. One of the greatest Jazz Band recordings occurred at this time, with Bunk missing, Jim Robinson and George Lewis together with Baby Dodds, Slow Drag and Lawrence Marrero created the great anthem of New Orleans collective jazz improvisation. It’s yours to listen today on American Music AMCD 4. The tune is called “San Jacinto Stomp” – it’s my desert island disc – but more of that later. Now listen to “Ice Cream” with Jim giving it his all and again there are no solos, just jazz. It is on AMCD 2 and by the way, listen carefully to Baby Dodds on the drums.

Jim toured and recorded countless times with George Lewis and Kid Howard, and made some wonderful recordings under his own name on the Riverside label..This is a small part of Jim Robinson’s very busy music-filled life. I am not attempting a biography here, my main purpose is to get you to listen to”Big Jim” yourselves! Scathing critics in the mainstream and modern jazz fields have carped at the apparent simplicity of his style, “the agricultural trombone of Jim Robinson” said one critic in the Jazz Journal.

Having spent my life studying, playing, living and loving New Orleans Jazz, I can tell you that more trombone players have tried and given up in frustration trying to emulate the Jim Robinson style. I’m not talking about copying Jim note for note. No one would want to copy George Lewis, Jim Robinson, Bunk Johnson or Kid Howard. What we are looking for is the style -the purpose of the instrument in a jazz band playing in the New Orleans ensemble The above musicians actually created a style – yes – an original creation for us to listen to, enjoy and even emulate.

I can tell you that the thrill of playing and listening to a band in this style is for me “The meaning of life” The quest for the orgasmic wall of rhythmic sound that is not arranged and spontaneous ensemble improvisation is nirvana.

I suppose my desert island disc would be American Music AMCD 2 “When You and I were Young Maggie”

But I send you a warning – this music is addictive – beware! Wait a minute I have got another must-have! In 1963 Tom Bethel recorded Kid Howard at San Jacinto Hall in New Orleans with Kid Howard, Jim Robinson, George Lewis, George Guesnon, Slow Drag and Cie Frazier. It’s on GHB 23 – I’ve got to have that one with me! Look out – here comes another one Jim Robinson stars here on “Moonlight and Roses on GHB

By: Geoff Gilbert

Posted in Jazz Festivals

How to Use the Diminished Scale in Jazz Improvisation

Posted by admin2 on August 6th, 2010 Comments Off



The diminished sound has long been a favorite of jazz players. A diminished scale has a very predictable and repeatable pattern. It is spelled half step/whole step/half/whole/half/whole etc. There are 12 dim scales that start with a 1/2 step, but you can imagine that with a pattern that is so repetitious, eventually you will start repeating yourself.

In reality there are only three. The following are the same: G Bb Db E. If I start anyone of these diminished scales I will notice that they are the same notes, just starting in different places (much like playing in modes). The next scales that are the same are: A C Eb F#. The last set that is the same is: B D F Ab. If a player learns G, A and B diminished scales, in reality they have learned all 12 scales. The trick is to play the correct one.

If a composer wants the diminished scale to be played, the symbol is G7b9. In a case like this, I would use the G dim. Scale. Note that I could also use the Bb, Db or E diminished scale since they are all identical.

The symbol G7b9 does not fully describe all of the notes that are in the chord symbol. In addition to having a b9, it also contains a #9 and a #4. You will also notice that it does not contain the natural 9. Keep in mind that the chord symbol is not necessarily the name of the scale I will use e.g. G7b9 doesn’t mean I play a G7b9 scale, but I use a diminished scale. So, if I see D7b9 I can play a D diminished scale starting with a 1/2 step.

The normal way to form a chord for any given scale is to take the 1 3 5 7 9 of the scale. With diminished scales it is slightly different. The basic chord for any diminished scale is formed in the following way: base the chord on the regular dominant 7th scale and spell it as 1 3 5 b7 b9.

Remember that the chord has a b7 because it is a dominant 7th. At this time we need to discover the other 12 diminished scales. ALL of our dim scales so far start with a 1/2 step. The other 12 start with a Whole step. As you may have figured out this brings our total number of them to 24; there are 12 that start with a whole step, and 12 that start with a half step. You may also have figured that there are still only three diminished scales. The chord symbol for a diminished scale starting with a whole step is G followed by a small circle. This is called fully diminished. The basic chord is 1 b3 b5 6 8. Notice that it is a stack of minor third intervals. This chord is NOT a dominant.

Now if I know a G diminished that starts with a 1/2 step, I really have learned the following scales: G, Bb, Db and E (all of these starting with a 1/2 step) and Ab, B, D and F (all of these starting with a whole step). I learn one and I know eight; eight for the price of 1! Now for the application of the diminished.. Any time I have a dominant 7th resolving up a 4th (down a 5th) to the one chord, I can replace the dominant with the diminished. For example: D-7 G7 Cmaj, becomes D-7 G7b9 Cmaj.

By: Pete Swiderski

Posted in Jazz Festivals
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