C Jam Blues

Duke Ellington

A challenge!

If you can play a high C, you should be able to work this bit out. Practice it really slowly to start with.

Play it with a 'swing' feel

Trombones can do the slurs too - they sound good with a glissando

Try improvising using just these 4 notes to start with:

Next add an A and a C. This is a 'minor pentatonic' (5 -note) scale. You can play low A and C as well.

Then try adding some A flats. This is a 'Blues scale':

Record yourself

When you've learnt the tune it would be great if you could record yourself playing it with the accompaniment.

You could also record your improvisations and listen back to them.

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Then you could send the recording to your teacher and friends.

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There's an app called BandLab that lets you do that. More information here :

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