Jazz Combo [Archive] - Sax on the Web Forum

sax_appeal

05-27-2004, 10:57 AM

The good thing about jazz is that almost any instrument can play it. I suggest posting a note on the bulletin board and see who responds, from the respondants you can form a jazz ensemble. It really does depend on what instruments you have covered at school, and which of them are willing to be in your ensemble

Minatar12

05-30-2004, 05:36 AM

The traditional combo, of course, consists of drums, piano and bass in the rhythm section, and a trumpet and sax in the horns. Many combos may have a guitar, or a trombone, or perhaps even the vibes. Of course, your combo can be less than this, and can be any combination of any of those instruments as long as its more than one person.

As to what music, it really depends on what kind of jazz you listen to, and how technically adept and experienced you guys are. I recommend starting out with simple standards like All of Me, or the 12 bar blues. But above all, play what you like to listen to.

DanY

05-30-2004, 05:46 AM

Jazz isn't in the instruments, its in the players.

As far as a 'traditional' jazz band line-up, doesn't that depend on your definition of 'traditional'?

eg- clarinet, banjo, tuba, snare-drum.

JoeV

05-31-2004, 02:02 AM

Well....what i have found to be a great line up is....
1-solo alto
1-other alto
1-tenor
1-trombone
1 or 2-trumpets
1-trombone
+
R.S.(Piano, Drums, bass, guitar opt.)

Minatar12

05-31-2004, 06:36 AM

Jazz isn't in the instruments, its in the players.

As far as a 'traditional' jazz band line-up, doesn't that depend on your definition of 'traditional'?

eg- clarinet, banjo, tuba, snare-drum.

Okay fine, the "usual" jazz combo. Is that better?

DanY

05-31-2004, 09:25 AM

'The Usual Jazz Combo'. -Good name for a band!

I don't mean to be snarky Minatar, but, (there's always a but :wink: ), the point I was trying to make is that there's no such thing as a 'normal' combo.

For instance, I play in an organ trio (tenor sax, organ, drums). As far as organ combos go the 'norm' might be: tenor sax, guitar, organ, drums.

BUT hang on! what about the group on John Pattons "Let 'em Roll" LP (one of my favourite all-time records): Vibraphone, Guitar, Organ, Drums.

Or how about the recordings Jimmy Giuffre (clarinet) made with Steve Swallow (bass) and Paul Bley (I think, piano). Pure jazz.

Or how about Zoot Sims (tenor sax) with Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar). Man! that was a swingin' combo!

I've heard of Kenny Garrett (alto sax) busking with Jeff Watts (drums). I'd bet money that those guys swung so hard it could made you sick.

Or check out Duke Ellington (piano), with Jimmy Blanton (double bass). Yeah!

Thats 5 different swingin' heavy-duty combos that are all different, and I haven't even mentioned saxophone quartets!

The music is in the players, Not the instruments, Not the grouping.

Minatar12

05-31-2004, 06:58 PM

I've heard most of those groups, and I agree that the combo is the musicians, not the instruments, but it sounded to me like he wanted to know what the typical jazz combo is, and frankly, despite the number of exceptional groups out there who are not in the regular format, the typical group that everyone expects is trumpet, sax, bass, piano and drums. He asked a general question, so I gave him a general answer.

But anyway Biff, both mine and DanY's posts are legitimate answers to your question. So, yeah.

Heh, I agree, "The Usual Jazz Combo" would be a great name for a band.

gary

05-31-2004, 09:20 PM

I think it's great that you're starting a band. One of the first questions I would have is what is your level of playing and experience and what do you think will be the average level and age of players? Can you play without music or with just lead sheets or will you be needing music with most things written out?

If you need written music, unless you can find someone who can write special arrangements for you will need to find a band director, a community band, maybe some retired musician in your area who will be willing to share some music with you. Be glad to give you more specifics as soon as you let us know what your level of experience is.

1stchair

06-14-2004, 11:15 PM

Well a old style jazz combo lets say Big band era There are 2 tenors 2 altos 1 bari sax 1 drummer 3 trumpets and 2 trombones and a piano ..The seating was of the most importance in jazz..Like some jazz chords..Seating is important because some insturments with "Crazy Chords" may need to be spread apart from each other and with another insturment between them to even out the chords...Old Style jazz seating arrangements go by like 1st chair is 1st alto 2nd chair is 1st tenor 3rd chair is 2nd alto 4th chair is 2nd tenor Then the bari sax..Trombones in the middle of all and the trumpets going in order from 3rd to 1st...It would be like a big U but more spread out and the bass sound would be centered in the middle and the sax sound all mixed together like it should be to create a good sounding band...
Hope this helps you..

equinox

06-15-2004, 03:30 AM

I would say piano or guitar, bass, drums, sax, trumpet, and bone is always nice, for three parts harmonies

Frank D

06-15-2004, 01:35 PM

I once asked the leader of one of the best bands I had the good fortune to play with, "how did you decide on the instrumentation and style of your band". His reply was that he looked around at the musicians he had to work with, and figured out what he could do with them.

Not exactly your situation, but my point is rather than deciding on a lineup and trying to fill it, look at the players around you that you want to play with, and make a band out of them.

Biff

06-23-2004, 02:31 AM

Thanks for the advice guys. I think i'll probably go with tenor trumpet trombone and rythm section (piano, bass, guitar, possible Aux. Percussion). oh, and for reference, I'm a high school student, and it would probably be an ensemble of students from my school.

I chose my instruments because they are all in Bb or C (or drums, which are technically C if they are tuned), and also because of the ease to solo on them (i play most of them), ans finally because they are of a common enough combination i could probably find music or easily make music for the combo.

Thank you guys for your advice, and I am still open to more opinions.

Biff

Russty1

06-24-2004, 12:41 AM

My Combo consists of an Alto, Tenor, Bari Sax, Trumpet, Trombone, piano/keyboard, bass and Drums. This works really well For us.

sax_appeal

06-24-2004, 08:34 AM

I'm writing for a combo I've started at school- alto, tenor, bari, bass guitar and piano at the moment.

Russty1

06-24-2004, 09:23 PM

I'm writing for a combo I've started at school- alto, tenor, bari, bass guitar and piano at the moment. No drums? *shutter* That wont go over that well....I started mine at school too.

sax_appeal

06-25-2004, 08:14 AM

I forgot to mention percussion. There is no actual kit or 'drums'. All the drummers at school try to dominate whatever band they're in. So, in looking at the available musicians I thought it would be best to omit them.

Russty1

06-25-2004, 08:43 AM

oh ok gotcha

Bari _Sax_Guy

05-27-2005, 01:43 AM

My little group consists of (mostly because of that's who is willing to play)
Bari Sax, Clarinet, Bass, Drums

Several other small groups I know of in my area are:

Clarinet, Bass, Trumpet, Drums

Piano, Drums, Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, and Violin.

Admittedly, these are not the most common groupings, but I find that trumpet and clarinet (as long as the trumpeter doesn't drown out the clarinet on the head) is a really cool combo.

BlueNote

06-06-2005, 02:04 AM

My quartet is sax (me), guitar, bass, drums. I love the sound. Sometimes I sit down at the piano and it becomes piano, guitar, bass, drums.

There's also sax and bass; sax, bass, and drums. Or if you want to be like Trane, just sax and drums. Of course the most basic combo is piano, bass, and drums. If you're playing hard bop, sax, trumpet, piano, bass, and drums is the best line up.

Grey

06-06-2005, 03:20 AM

Our jazz combo consists of

- a tenor player
- an alto player
- an alto/tenor player, but mainly tenor (that's me!)
- a trombone player
- a piano player
- a trumpet player
- a base player
- a drums player

I guess it's a pretty standard combo. A few saxes and a few brass instruments gives some good harmonies, and a drummer and basist is essential.

But you can pretty much have a combo band with any instruments, as long as they're good. You do need a drummer and basist, these are essentials. Good luck!

electricninja

06-14-2005, 09:55 PM

The good thing about jazz is that almost any instrument can play it.

Here's a question for ya: what instruments can't play jazz?

Chris S

06-15-2005, 04:12 AM

But you can pretty much have a combo band with any instruments, as long as they're good. You do need a drummer and basist, these are essentials. Good luck!

Not entirely true. I suggest you get a copy of 'Angel Song' with Kenny Wheeler, Bill Frisell, Lee Konitz, and Dave Holland. No drummer, but some of the tightest rhythmic playing I've ever heard.

Likewise, I don't think that a bass player is *essential*. It's helpful, but I've done gigs with just me and a piano player, or me and a guitar player. Worked fine. I do think it's hard if you don't have some kind of instrument that's giving you the changes (if you're planning on improvising at least.)

Best,
Chris S

BariSkaJazz

06-19-2005, 06:19 AM

i think lenny pickett made an album with just horns, no rhythm section at all.

i've heard clips of the stuff, and its very cool, and very rhythmic

Grey

06-19-2005, 03:16 PM

Not entirely true. I suggest you get a copy of 'Angel Song' with Kenny Wheeler, Bill Frisell, Lee Konitz, and Dave Holland. No drummer, but some of the tightest rhythmic playing I've ever heard.

Likewise, I don't think that a bass player is *essential*. It's helpful, but I've done gigs with just me and a piano player, or me and a guitar player. Worked fine. I do think it's hard if you don't have some kind of instrument that's giving you the changes (if you're planning on improvising at least.)

Best,
Chris S

Yeah, now that I think about it, one of my favorite albums, Stan Getz & the Oscar Peterson Trio, doesn't have a drummer at all... Thanks for pointing this out.

BlueNote

06-19-2005, 07:14 PM

A drummer isn't always essential. Look at Diana Krall's group from time to time (Just her on piano/vocals, guitar, and bass). However it's very difficult to go without a drummer until you learn how to keep time in your head. It's a great way to force yourself to keep time, though!

There are these 2 guys from my school that I used to jam with over the summer -- one of them played bass, the other, guitar. And with me on sax, we were a nice little group. Drums almost seemed like too much at times.

And yes, like one of the above posters said, bass is essential. And so is a chordal instrument (piano, guitar, synths, organ, etc). Where you get creative is with the horns.

njmyers

06-21-2005, 05:58 AM

If you want to make some money with your group, a quartet is the way. Bass, drums, and chordal instrument. That way you're in the spotlight most of the time but there are some other players to give you breaks. Playing with less instruments=more musical resposibility and harder work. Also, less people=less problems scheduling rehearsals and gigs. I like the logistic beneifts of a smaller group, but you should go where your ear takes you. Look at your most favorite CD or record and see what setup they have. There is a reason it's your favorite.

tsaxchick

10-30-2005, 08:38 PM

hi

we formed our jazz combo about a year ago (we are all high school students). originally, when we went to contest, it consisted of one trumpet, one bone, 3 saxes (alto, tenor, bari), percussion, bass, piano, and sometimes I doubled on flute (my primary is t. sax). it went ok

then we reformed it (got rid of the "bad eggs"), and it consisted of piano, percussion, bass, 3 saxes, 2 bones. now that was a tight band! we had so much fun. you may be wondering why we didn't have a trumpet player...well, at my school, the trumpet players tend to have BIG egos, and we can't stand them at all. so, since several wanted in, i guess we did a rebellion sort-of-thing and said no. :)

now, after a year, the combo is beginning to fall apart, mostly because all my buddies have lives now, and they don't care so much about the combo. our bari player graduated, and the bone players play sports, etc.

so now, the combo will consist of bari, alto, and tenor sax (our alto player switched to bari, and my sister joined and is playing alto), bass, piano, and percussion. we'll still sound great.

i guess my point is, the combo will sound great if you are having fun, enjoy what you're doing, are getting along with the people in the combo, and have confidence in yourself and your combo. grow close to the people in your combo; that helps too! :)

gary

10-30-2005, 08:51 PM

...well, at my school, the trumpet players tend to have BIG egos, and we can't stand them at all.Hey tsaxchick, LOL, you're learning.

Q: How does one trumpet player introduce himself to another?
A: "Hey man. My name's Buddy. I'm better than you!"

CMelodyMan

10-30-2005, 10:25 PM

Hey Everyone.

I'm planning on strating up a jazz combo at my school for next year, and I need suggestions as to what instruments to include, and what suggestions for music types you have.

Thanks A lot.

Biff

Well since a combo obviously has limited number of people in it I'd say have this:

2 trumpets
2 bones
percussionist
pianist
as many saxes as possible:D
bass guitar