Jazz Riffs For Piano
Jazz Riffs For Piano
Jazz Riffs For Piano
gréat
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ut lhe Author
Frank Feldman graduated magna cum laude, with honors in music, from
Brown University, and went on to study classical piano at the graduate level
at the New England Conservatory of Music. He is the composer of over 200
songs and instrumental compositions in a variety of genres, and the author
of Creating Coherent Jazz Melody-A Sourcebook For lmprovisers.
Frank has been a freelance pianist and private classical and jazz piano instructor
since 1979, and has performed at hundreds of venues throughout the country,
including Carnegie Hall. He is the president and founding member of The New
York Jazz Piano lnstitute, based in Lynbrook, New York.
Ackn
li<e t o thank Arthur o e d, a -..,e .to ks a Cherry Lane Music for their
ida ce, a d s p e ce of his piano teach ing; !lona Ross
d like to express my profoundest
:s:: :::- :::eepest usical tradition. Their inspira 'o
e countless hours of pleasure.
CONT
7 .... Riffs ln The Style Of 15 .... 0rnamented ii-V-1 Riff
The Late Swing Era 15 ....Melodie Analogy
7 .... Tenths & Arabesques 16 .... Trademark Block Chords
7 ....Teddy Wilson-Style Arpeggios 16 .... Rising Arpeggios
17 .... Faux Block Chords
17.... Anticipated Arpegg ios
s.... Riffs ln The Style Of 18 .... Dorian Riffs
The Bebop Era
8 .... Passing Harmonies #1
8 .... Passing Harmonies #2
19.•.• Riffs ln The Styles
9 ....Tritone Substitution The '60s And BeYí
9 .... Chromatic Weaving 19 .... Herbie Hancock-Style i·-,-
1O.... ii-V-i ln Minor 19 .... Herbie's Melodie Mi o.. Z QZᄋ]セ@
l O.... Bebop Double-Time Riff 20 .... Herbie's Hallmarks
11 .... Unresolved ii-V 21 .... Chick Corea-Style Lya· .... - - -
11 .... ii-V Tritone Substitution 21 .... Side-Slipping Riff
12 ....Thelonious Monk-Style Riff #1 22 .... Chick-Style Dorian Riff •
12 ....Thelonious Monk-Style Riff #2 22 .... Chick-Style Dorian Ri
23 .... Chick-Style ii-V-1
23 .... Diminished Scale Pa e
13•••• Riffsln The Styles Of Descending ln 3rds
The Post-Bop Era 24 .... Pentatonic Constr e イZセ@ セ@
• 06 E9 A9 D9
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assing Harmonies #2
- serve how the right hand continues to outline the chord of Bb6 even though the left hand introduces
assing harmonies (Cm7 & C#º7).
Chromatic Weaving
Observe the chromatic line that weaves through the ii chord in this example: C (bar 1 bea _
3), to Bb (bar 2, beatl ). The Bb then resolves to the A of the F7 chord. Also note the b9th and -;;n -
in the F7 chord- common in the bebop vocabulary.
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ii-V-i ln Minor
Notice the right hand's superimposition of an Ab minar chord o 'er the G7 chord (shown with arro\\'S
The notes-Ab, B(Cb), and E!?- are, respectively, the b9, 3 and 13 of the underlying harmony.
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Unresolved ii-V
The second bar of this example contains an unresolved ii- V in the Neapolitan (bll)-a device
used by Miles Davis ("Half ・ャウッョNセ@ Four;' etc.). The arrows show a hidden step-wise line filling
interval between the F in bar 1 and the Bb in bar 5.
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Thelonious Monk-Style Riff #1
The dissonant semitones beneath the melody note F, the dramatic use of register, the voicing in 4
of the F6/9 chord, and the humorous use of the whole-tone scale in bar 3, establish a Thelonio
Monk- like sound in this example.
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RIFFS IN THE STY E E POST-BOP ERA
Cm6 F7b9
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Shifting Triplets
One of the hallmarks of Bill Evans' swinging style is his varied placement of eighth-note triplets. ln
this example, eighth-note triplets occur on beat 2(bar1), beat 3 (bar 2), and beat 1 (bar 3). (Riffs 16
through 23 are all based on the style of Bill Evans.)
Bb 13b9 Eb619
Melodie Analogy
Notice the melodie analogy between Eb- D-Db (bar 2) and G-Gb-F (bars 3-4). It is M ᄋセ M Mᆳ
approach the b9 of V7b9 with the note a whole step above it. This note (here, the E.-
chord) is usually called the #9 of the chord, even though it is simply an upper neighb
Rising Arpeggios
Observe how the arpeggiation of Ebmaj9 in the first bar generates a succession of rising arpeggio
each a third higher than the one before it.
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Abmaj7 Db6/9 C6/9
Bva - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - · - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ,
Anticipated Arpeggios
ln bars 1-4, a progressively ascending six-note motive outlines the chords Cm9, Ebm9Cma·-
Abm9. Beginning in bar 3, the motive appears earlier and earlier in relation to ea
measure, intensifying rhythmic interest.
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Dorian Riffs
This example is in G Dorian (G A Bb C D E F), the mode based on the second degree of the f rr:
scale (hence using the sarne key signature). The modal style was seldom "pure:' and often con --
references to bebop and the blues. For example, check out the F# lower neighbor tones in bars :
the bluesy Db's in bars 4 and 8, and the chrornatic neighbor and passing tones in bar 7.
Gm9 Am7/G Gm9 Am7/G Gm9 Am7/G
µ _._
::::::=::::
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Gm9 D7#9/G
RIFFS IN THE STYLES OF THE '60S AND BEYOND
Dm l lbS G7alt.
Cº 7 Cm6
Herbie's Hallmarks
Many different harmonic devices we've studied are found in this example, including tritone
unresolved ii-V's in distant keys and melodie minor constructions. Study the subtle variations in -
bluesy inflections of bars 1 and 3, as well as the funky treatment of the 1 chord in bar 7.
013 Ab9 G9
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Side-Slipping Riff
Check out the detour to Gb pentatonic in bars 2 and 4 (side slipping, shifting yo
lick up or down a half step, can be very dramatic and effective). Again, obsen "e
as well as the left-hand voicings in the 4ths.
F6/9 ''"tlfllt
F6/9
Chick-Style Dorian Riff #1
ln high-speed virtuosic playing, Chick often plays repetitive, easy-to-play digital patterns like th __
in the first two bars of this modal example. Note the contrary motion between the hands.
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Chick-Style ii-V-
This example shows a Chie '- e ü- V-I progression; his use of carefully sel
pentatonics implies extend plied harmonies are in parentheses.) In bar セ@
right hand plays notes from . - h function as the 175, 1713, 177 and #9 over the ·
A7 chord. ln bar 5 we find E V'-1.•l.aL.v•... o.- - e irnplied 06/9, establishing a Lydian flavor.
m (A7alt.)
m Bb 0 7
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Bb6/9
Pentatonic Constructs From The Diminished Scale
Observe the contrary motion (in successive minor 3 rds) between the hands in bars 2- 3. Examine
pentatonic formulations (shown in brackets) within this ascent: Ab pentatonic, B pentatonic.
pentatonic and Ab pentatonic, one octave higher than its original appearance in bar 2.
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Summary Solo
This extended solo, based on the chords frorn Charlie Parker's "Confirmation;· uses many of the r
and techniques we've been listening to and discussing. Bars 1-8 use materiais from the be ,. .
examples; bars 9-16 are in the style of Bill Evans; bars 17-24 are derived from the discussion of Her :=
Hancock's style; and bars 25-32 allude to the exarnples in Chick Corea's style (with a final, sl ,
from Thelonious Monk in the last 2 bars). See if you can identify them all, and be sure to think
exactly how and why they are effective at that particular mornent!
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Writing this book has been a gratifying opportunity to reacquaint myself with the music of the grea::
artists represented in its pages. I hope it has been a worthwhile journey for you as well!
Cherry Lane
Music
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Featuring:
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Chord Substitution & Advanced Voicings