From: Mike Curtis Date: Sun, 9 Jun 1996 18:14:17 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: 1-note jams
> See Mike's post on some of the songs on the list having more than one > chord. Personally, I'm not such a fan of one chord jams.
Nor am I. Most jazz-based players LOVE a LOT of changes. A typical phrase heard by jazz players at jams is "Gimme some CHANGES!", referring to more variations in chords and chord structure. When I play, I frequently use different chord inversions and substitutes, i.e. on ice cream changes like G, Em, C, D7 progression, I may use Bm7, Bb13, Am7, Ab13, or G7#9, E7#9#13, A (B6B9), D9b13, or maybe G9, Bb9, A9, Ab9, etc. These give more of a "foundation" to impprovise against.
In certain cases and limited dosages, a single chord (or single phrase) vamp can be a lot of fun. But if I had to choose just one for the night, or for an audition or showcase tune, it would probably be something with more changes. Harmonica can be limiting, especially compared to other instruments such as sax, etc. Being able to work against a more varied foundation allows us to be more creative. Even the same lick played against a different chord sounds different.
