Re: [Harp-L] one chord instrumental jams

["Planet Harmonica" <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I used to hate'em, now I love 'em. I used to never know what to do. now I find it's a lot easier to build something up and use dynamics when you're free to go more or less wherever you want. Making a blues song sound arabic over chord changes it tough. Doing the same thing on a one chord boogie works a breeze !

Ben FELTEN
http://harmonica.typepad.com
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: icemanle@xxxxxxx 
  To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Thursday, November 23, 2006 6:29 PM
  Subject: [Harp-L] one chord instrumental jams


  One chord songs - how do you solo over them? Interesting challenge. 
   
  This is similar to what Miles Davis introduced to the jazz world with his exploration of modal music - "Kind of Blue" project.
   
  It is both limiting and freeing at the same time. Limiting in a sense if you rely on chord changes to propel your ideas. Freeing in that, once you are comfortable with the mode/scale/tone center, there are no "avoid" notes.
   
  To sustain interest, it almost forces one to think outside of one's own box and leave the "licks" behind.
   
  The Iceman 
   
   
  -----Original Message-----
  From: harplicks@xxxxxxxxx


  Your story reminded me of the time I attended one
  of Magic Dave Therault's shows one night down in
  Denver a few years ago, and he called up to join
  him for an encore song... it was a one-chord
  instrumental jam! Caught me off-guard at first, but
  once I got ahold of the thing it was an utter blast
  and a true crowd-pleaser as we traded licks into
  the night. 

   They played an 
  > African blues song (not
  > African-American...AFRICAN) with only one chord,
  > G. 
  > I'm thinking, "What have I gotten myself into?  I
  > can't solo over one 
  > chord!"  Actually, it took me a couple of minutes
  > to even figure out how to 
  > accompany over one chord.  
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