Just Ask

This contrasting pair of solo jazz vibraphone pieces from the inimitable Jon Metzger cleverly includes a lead sheet before each begins. This will allow the soloist to embellish the tune further as he or she becomes more comfortable. It will also allow the soloist to invite a rhythm section and any other instruments to the tune. Just ask!

Program Notes

A lead-sheet version of each piece, just like what a jazz musician would use, is before each piece. In comparing it to the written-out version, you can place yourself in the shoes – and mind’s ear – of an improvising jazz musician and determine what decisions were made for harmonizing and accompanying the written melody. After studying the lead-sheet, you may enjoy further embellishing the written-out version or creating completely different variations of your own. There are countless possibilities. The experience gained thereby will also help you in the future on passages of compositions that do not indicate chord symbols.

The written-out treatment of the lead sheets includes a variety of solid and broken chord textures and ascending and occasionally descending outlines of chords. Chords are stacked in thirds, fourths, and fifths, again for variety. Color tones (i.e. 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths) are frequently added; and some voicings are rootless, particularly on dominant seventh chords. Which Way Loose From Here? and Did You Say We’re Done? answer many questions about treatments of particular melody notes against specific chord types, including temporary re-harmonizations.

Grade Level: 4
Copyright: 2012
Number of Players: 1
Duration: 5:30

Sample PDF

Instrumentation

Vibraphone