Jazz Patterns

I took a brief hiatus from blogging, over the long weekend.  With everything else on my calendar there simply were not enough hours to practice and blog, so I prioritized practicing.

I have been trying to plug the patterns into the tunes, at tempo.  It has been challenging to say the least.  In thinking about how to get over my current hurdle, I remembered how Charlie Banacos required me to record myself for each of our correspondence lessons.  It worked back then, so I decided to "give it a go" using Coltrane's "26-2".  Here are 10 patterns inserted into the form, played to the accompaniment of a Jamey Abersold play-a-long CD:

I forgot to record pattern #6, but recorded an additional pattern at the end.  :)

Over time, I hope to be able to play these back-to-back, and mix and match patterns freely.  I feel that I am still a fair ways away from being able to do this.

This week I plan to:

• continue playing along with Jamey Abersold recordings.
• dispense with the Giant Steps Workout Worksheet and playing the progression in 12 keys (for now).
• emphasize transcribing --- notating and learning both Coltrane solos, and solos by more contemporary artists playing John Coltrane pieces from this "Giant Steps" period.

Through transcribing I hope to get a better grasp of how to balance the patterns with simplistic melodic material, to create a cohesive solo.