Pat Metheny recorded this tune with Gary Burton on a CD titled Reunion. It is also available on my recent CD titled Cerulean Blue.
I’ve included a downloadable leadsheet and an mp3 piano accompaniment for you to use to practice with. Listen to the tune:
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Nacada is a lesser known tune written by Pat Metheny many years ago. I don’t think it has been recorded very much. It has a very short form, a mere 8 bars long. Yet it provides lots to work with when arranged as a solo piece or played with a band.
The mp3 below demonstrates how much fun you can have playing this tune. I added some synthesized string parts in the background as an experiment. They really blend well with the vibes and help to fill out the sound. Continue reading 'Nacada a Ballad by Pat Metheny'»
Lee Morgan, a great jazz trumpeter from the post-bebop period in the 1960s wrote this classic tune. It has a relaxed bossa-nova rhythm, a beautiful (and somewhat intricate melody), and has become a popular jazz standard.
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Armando’s Rhumba is one of Chick Corea’s best loved tunes. I believe it was first recorded by Chick for the album “My Spanish Heart” which was released in the 1970s. It has been recorded since by many others, and seems to be a frequent selection at Chick Corea/Gary Burton concerts.
Below you’ll find a printable lead sheet and downloadable mp3 of piano accompaniment. The arrangement includes an intro, 2 choruses of melody, 3 choruses for improvising, and out chorus including an interlude and ending.
This tune was written by a fine pianist from the Boston area named Dick Odgren. It has a nice bright tempo and a somewhat challenging melody. As with all the play alongs in this category, I’ve included a download of the lead sheet with the melody and changes, and an mp3 of piano accompaniment with 4 choruses of the tune. Study the melody – the lines are excellent lessons in how to use approach notes and how to outline the harmony. Incorporating lines like this in your improvisation will really take your playing to a higher level.
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I love to practice with play along accompaniments. This is a piano track I made for Dizzy’s tune “Con Alma”, which is one of my favorites. It takes you through some less common keys like E and Db. This play along includes 4 complete choruses to practice on and a little tag ending. I’ve attached a lead-sheet with melody and changes.
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