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jhatpro
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 09, 2021 12:54 pm    Post subject: Real Book Ideas Reply with quote

I’m looking for ways a small jazz group can best use Real Books and Aebersoldsl

Our instrumentation is 2 trumpets/flugels, alto, bone, grr, bass, drums.

What do you think of trumpet/alto on the head 1X with gtr or bone 2X followed by two or three solos and bone/alto out?

What are some other ways to create faux arrangements?

I’d really like to hear what works for your group.
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Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle
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Mike Sailors
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 3:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've found that the best use of the Realbook is in my backyard. I can get my firepit going very quickly with it.



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Mike Sailors
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

But seriously - hire an arranger. You'll create some work for someone, and your band will sound one MILLION times better reading a chart over faking incorrect leadsheets out of the real book, or god forbid, the wretched abomination that is the iRealB.

Young arrangers work pretty cheap these days. I can connect you with one if you send me a PM.
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jhatpro
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 3:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I take your point, but for mere mortals there must be ways to use it to use it more creatively than ju#t playing the head and changes.
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Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle
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Mike Sailors
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 3:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I suppose you all could just fake it and real the melodies in unison. Doesn't sound that entertaining to me, personally. Why have that instrumentation if you're not playing music that is written for it?

Hire an arranger. It's so cheap these days to do so. Your band will sound much better than reading these realbooks with their incorrect melodies and chord changes.
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jhatpro
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 3:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mike, I’ve put out the word several times on TH for someone who could write nice charts for our instrumentation but no takers.

We’ve tried to cut down some of the big band charts that are floating around the Web. Doesn’t work.

We’ve tried the Hal Leonard Combo Pak series. Not bad but not great.

We’ve tried Hal Leonard and Aebersold Play-Alongs. They work better for some of our players than others. They’re a challenge for people who don’t improvise well.

The bottom line: there is a huge opportunity for someone to write nice, melodic charts for small groups made up of people who love music, are not pros, just want to sound good.
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Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle
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Mike Sailors
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Joined: 30 Oct 2012
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Location: Austin/New York City

PostPosted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 3:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Send me a PM. I’ve got exactly what you’re looking for.
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TrumpetMD
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Location: Maryland

PostPosted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 4:23 pm    Post subject: Re: Real Book Ideas Reply with quote

jhatpro wrote:
What are some other ways to create faux arrangements?

To answer your question about creating faux arrangements. You could assign the head to 1 or 2 horns, while the other improvise simple counter melodies or play half/whole notes over the chords. This is commonly done. But you're at the mercy of the horn players to improvise something that works. I suppose, you could also takes turns, for example, and have one horn play the A section of the head, while a different horn plays the B section.

But going back to Mike Sailor's input, maybe consider doing the arrangements yourself. Keep it simple, stick with the RealBook lead sheets, and have 1 horn play the head. Write out a simple arrangement for the other horns to play over the head, where they harmonize the melody, play a counter melody (unison or harmonized), or play some half notes or other rhythmic pattern that outlines the changes.

Mike
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Bach Stradivarius 43* Trumpet (1974), Bach 6C Mouthpiece.
Bach Stradivarius 184 Cornet (1988), Yamaha 13E4 Mouthpiece
Olds L-12 Flugelhorn (1969), Yamaha 13F4 Mouthpiece.
Plus a few other Bach, Getzen, Olds, Carol, HN White, and Besson horns.
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