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19 April 2013

Post 50: IMPROVISE A THRILLING FINAL NUMBER

It has been a great gig. But now it's time to play the last number.  Your energetic young dancers are excited and still want one more good tune to finish what has been a terrific evening.

So: MAKE UP AN INSTANT JAZZ THRILLER.

Here's how.

Agree on your key as Bb. Beat it in at a cracking tempo. Crotchet = 220 will do nicely.

Start by playing three or four choruses with the full band improvising on the chord sequence:
 IV   IV   I   I   V7   V7   I   I
(Think The Girls Go Crazy or The Bucket's Got a Hole In It).

Make sure the tempo never drops.

On a signal from the leader, switch to improvisations on the standard 12-bar pattern. Play twenty or more choruses of this, with plenty of variety (as directed by the leader): you can have ensemble choruses, backed solo choruses, 4-bar trades and choruses against stop chords. Keep the tempo pounding.

Now (on the leader's signal) go back to the first theme (Bucket's Got a Hole) and do the same again -  a variety of chorus treatments, always maintaining the excitement and the tempo. Plenty of ensemble work is required.

The leader decides whether to go back again to the 12-bar and also when to give the signal for a thrilling out-chorus.

Want to see how it can all work?

Very well indeed, in the hands of great musicians: