Another very common way to create cool blues lines is using the musical phrase builder commonly known as "call and response." This interactive format is as old as the hills and comes down to us modernists today in the form of vocal chants from spiritual and religious ceremonies. The "caller" called out their message of "praise and thanks", the congregation then might respond "aaaamennn." Thinking in terms of a four bar musical phrase in theoretical verbiage, the first two bars are known as the antecedent phrase, the "call" of the idea, the last two bars are known as the consequent phrase, the "response" to the call. This first idea is more in the folk tradition. Example 1.
Moving into the blues frame of mind, perhaps the most popular of the call and response environments. Example 2.
Here is a perhaps more blues / rock call and response idea in G. Example 3.
Thinking jazz / swing or jump blues, a common call and response idea in Bb.
Notice how the rhythms of the "call" are usually altered a bit in the response? Is it all about creating a natural, vocal like balance between the two parts of the line, which provides a bit of closure onto itself, a natural balance or cycle based on your sense of form and balance? To sing the line, play the line. Once this ability is acquired, sky’s the limit for the creative artist, for if we can balance our ideas, that means we can also potentially generate unbalanced rhythmic ideas right, advancing our abilities to create some tension and release? Jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk was a master of this rhythmic juxtaposition between balance and notso balanced. Check out his 12 bar blues compositions "Blue Monk" and "Straight No Chaser" to hear the coolness of his rhythms and lines. Pour moi, there is no better way to get the players in the group involved in the conversation of the music than with creating my lines in the call and response fashion.
| Where to next? | ||||
|
"Basically, I no longer work for anything but the sensation I have while working."
Albert Giacometti (sculptor)
