How to Play The Minor Blues

Based on the harmonic vocabulary we've acquired thus-so-far, it is easy to begin to take cracks at the minor blues, the second most important form in Jazz next to the Blues.

I-7 | II-7b5 V7b9 | I-7 | (II V ) |

IV-7 | II-7b5 V7b9 | I-7 | (II V ) |

bVI7 | V7 | I-7 | II-7 V7b9 |

note… the II V progressions in parenthesis with arrows stands for “II V leading to…”  For example (II V ) IV-7 whereas IV-7 = F-7 would be G-7 C7.

Based on this information, can you write out a minor blues in C?

_____ | ____ | ____ | ____ |

_____ | ____ | ____ | ____ |

_____ | ____ | ____ | ____ |

Notice how the tune cycles around a very simple forms, using II V chords to get to where it wants to go…

I    I    I    I 

IV IV  I    I

VI V   I    I 

o.k.  Ready to check your work…?

C-7 | D-7b5 G7b9 | C-7 | G-7 C7 |

F-7 | D-7b5 G7b9 | C-7 | Bb-7 Eb7 |

Ab7 | G7 | C-7 | D7#9* G7b9 |

*Gb C F

You can play more simplified forms of this… or more complex forms.  

John Coltrane’s Mr. PC is a relatively simplified version of the minor blues.

Here is my tune “Eddie’s Delight”, a tune which I developed as part of my studied with Big John Patton and which Ben Dixon named…

G-7 | A-7b5 D7b9 | G-7 | D-7b5 G7b9 |

C-7 | A-7b5 D7b9 | G-7 | C-7 F7b9 |

Bb-7 Eb7 | A-7b9 D7#9 | G-7 | A-7b5 D7#9 |

*D7#9 = (D) Gb C F

Theme From Spiderman

Theme from SPIDERMAN is a minor blues with a bridge.   I play the bridge as... 

F-7 Bb7 | Ebmaj | D-7b5  G7#9 | C-7 |

F-7 Bb7 | Ebmaj | D-7b5 | G7#9