How to Play. Blues & Boogie Piano Styles

200 Pages·2016·5.84 MB·English

by  Blumenfeld Aaron.

HOW TO PLAY
BLUES AND BOOGIE
PIANO STYLES
BY
Aaron Blumenfeld
O 1995 Ekay Music, Inc.
223 Katonah Ave., Katonah, NY 10536

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO MY WIFE
BARBARA
A cassette tape of the twelve blues piano improvisations
in this book is available.
Send $5.95 to:
Aaron Blumenfeld, 2887 Tulare Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804

TABLE OF a-S
.....................................
Introduction vi
...............................
About The Author viii
.
I . ST LOUIS BLUES
....................................
.Lesson 2
.....................................
Music 6
.
11 SQUARE MNCE BLWS
...................................
Lesson 15
....................................
Music 18
.
I11 BACKWATER BOOGIE
...................................
Lesson 24
....................................
Music 29
.
IV SEE SEE RIDER
....................................
Lesson 41
...................................
Music ..48
.
V TROWLED IN MIND BOOQIE
...................................
Lesson 59
....................................
Music 63
.
VI SHAKINn LOOSE
...................................
Lesson 72
....................................
Music 76
.
VII BACKWATER BLWS
...................................
Lesson 81
....................................
Music 86
.
VIII RIFF BOOaIE
...................................
Lesson 98
...................................
Music 103
.
.
IX ST LOUIS BLUES STOMP
..................................
Lesson 114
...................................
Music 119
.
X TRomLgD IN MIND BLUES
..................................
Lesson 127
...................................
Music 130
.
XI FOUR O'CLOCK BLWS
..................................
Lesson 139
...................................
Music 147
XI1 . CALIFORNIA
..................................
Lesson 159
...................................
Music 163
......................................
Conclusion 170
...........................................
Index 171
INTRODUCTION
This collection of blues piano improvisations came about gradually
during a thirteen year period of teaching the art of piano
improvisation at the University of California, Berkeley Extension.
Occasionally, either at private lessons or in the classroomr
improvisations such as these were performed for the purpose of
demonstrating how to put together a complete blues piano solo. They
were played in as clear and uncomplicated a manner as possible,
following a predetermined, well prepared outline. Every blues piano
technique that had been studied in class was represented in this
outline and was demonstrated in a basic, almost elementary way so
that it would be immediately recognizable and easily understood in
this new context. Except for SQUARE DANCE BLUES and CALIFORNIA
BREAKDOWN (which were taped for a recording produced in 1980) these
improvisations were taped during these lessons and after a period of
years enough suitable examples had accumulated to create this
pedagogical work.
The outline used as the basis of most of these improvisations
follows a specific musical form known as "theme and variations."
This is appropriate for a vocal art such as the blues wherein the
vocalist repeats a basic chantlike melody many times, using a new
set of words for each repetition. In instrumental music such as
solo blues piano, lacking a text to provide new impetus from chorus
to chorus, it is up to the pianist to create something captivating
enough to maintain interest. To this end the blues pianist generally
develops a collection of techniques which are featured one by one
during each song. The secret of blues and jazz piano improvisation
is that a performer acquires a body of right hand techniques which
are available to be employed for each and every piece performed,
with the left hand providing changes in bass patterns, tempos and
keys from song to song. Since the rule is, a change of bass pattern
equals a change in style, it is fascinating to observe how completely
fresh a particular tune will sound when the left hand introduces
new bass patterns from piece to piece while the right hand retains
the same music. This impression of freshness is especially enhanced
when each piece is,played in a new key at a different tempo.
To summarize, because the right hand techniques remain constant
and since a great number of blues songs have their origins in just
a handful of prototypical blues songs (1) it could almost be said
that the blues artist knows only one blues piece (so to speak)
which is playe'd at fast, medium and slow tempos, in various keys
over many kinds of bass patterns.
(1) Book I:."Prototypical Blues Songs," P. 220-223
The general outline used as the basis of most of the improvisations
in this collection is presented here, while a more specific outline,
usually varying somewhat from this general outline accompanies'
each piece.
FORM OUTLINE FOR SOLO BLUES PIANO IMPROVISATION
I. THEME
1. Variation #1: Tremolos
2. Variation #2: Glissandos
3. Variation #3: Melodic Variation
4. Variation #4: Repeated ~otes/ Chords
11. BREAK; theme resumed on line 2 of harmony chart
5. Variation #5: Grace Notes
6. Variation #6: Melodic Variation (Thumb-Pinky ~echnique)
7. Variation #7: Rocking Motion
111. THEME: FINAL STATEMENT, CADENCE & "TAG"
Since the "theme and variations" form in the blues consists of
repeating a blues song over and over following a particular harmonic
progression as outlined by a "harmony chart," (1) an appropriate
harmony chart is presented before each piece.
In most of these pieces the featured variation technique takes place
during the first two lines of each turn around the chart, followed by
a return to the theme on the third line.
Most of the "introductions" (2) follow a commonly used formula
consisting of a simple statement of the final four measures of the
theme leading directly to the beginning of the song.
Note: In the footnotes throughout this book repeated reference is made
to "Book I", i.e. the previous book in this series, THE ART OF BLUES
AND BARRELHOUSE PIANO IMPROVISATION ( first published in 1980 and
republished as THE BLUES, BOOGIE AND BARRELHOUSE PIANO WORKSHOP
in 1992 by Ekay Publishers (3) ).
(1) Book I; Harmony Chart, p. 24-25
(2) Book I: Introductions, p. 204-208
(3) Available from Songbooks Unlimited, P.O. Box 1950, Ridgely MD 21681
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mr. Blumenfeld is a composer who received his M.A. degree from
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J. in music theory and composition.
His undergraduate work includes two and one-half years at the N.Y.U.
School of Music Education and two years at the Juilliard School
of Music. His graduate work at Rutgers included intensive research
into blues, barrelhouse and ragtime piano music, resulting in his
first book, THE ART OF BLUES & BARRELHOUSE PIANO IMPROVISATION
( renamed THE BLUES, BOOGIE-WOOGIE & BARRELHOUSE PIANO WORKBOOK
when republished by Ekay Publishers in 1992.) Mr. Blumenfeld has
composed eight piano concertos, almost all containing extensive
passages and/or complete movements of blues and barrelhouse
music. Among those concertos already performed is his monumental
BARRELHOUSE PIANO CONCERTO (Piano Con'certo #1), composed on a grant
from the New Jersey Council on the Arts, completed in 1980 and
performed with great success in the California bay area the same
year. He has taught and given lecture-concerts on the subject
of blues piano extensively in the U.S. and abroad at the Rubin
Academy of Music in Jerusalem, Israel.
Mr. Blumenfeld is presently conducting a blues, boogie-woogie and
barrelhouse piano workshop as part of a very popular, accredited
course called FREE IMPROVISATION AT THE PIANO (recently renamed
BLUES, JAZZ & MODERN PIANO IMPROVISATION) which he has been teaching
at the Extension Division of the University of California, Berkeley
since 1980. His significant contribution to the school was acknowledged
in a concert of his compositions presented at the U.C.B. ~xtension's
Centennial Celebration in 1991.
The author is also the originator of a new and unique perspective
on twelve tone harmony. His research into blues music grew out of his
desire to use jazz-influenced material authoritatively in his original
music. In combining the techniques of blues piano music with the most
original of twelve tone musical systems, he has succeeded in creating
a style of avant garde piano improvisation of unique, colorful and
highly intrig~ing~qualitiesT.h is perspective, constituting a new
approach to modern jazz improvisation is presented in his book,
AVANT GARDE PIANO IMPROVISATION: A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON TWELVE TONE
HARMONY which he uses as a classroom manual at U.C.B. Extension.