May 18, 2013: Sam Bullard

Many thanks to Sam Bullard for a testing session in which we covered:

“Rhythm-a-ning” by Thelonious Monk
“Evidence” by Thelonious Monk

Sam started by teaching us “Rhythm-a-ning” by ear before handing out the rhythm changes on which this tune is based.

“Evidence” was played after the break, though mercifully we were given the lead sheets for this.

Throughout the session the emphasis was on rhythm and several exercises involving note placement were performed. To start with, single note stabs were played over the A section of Rhythm-a-ning with the first note being on the first beat of the bar, the second note on the second beat of the bar and so on until the fourth. We then took a simple phrase through the same thing. Finally, we repeated the process but with the three note phrase from the end of bar 4 to start bar 5 Rhythm-a-ning but this time moving a half beat and noting how the character of the phrase.

Thanks again to Sam for an interesting session.

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