Bass

Suggestions on how to use this play along:

1. Listen to the recording with the full band and follow along with the printed music.

2. Make note of the sound, feel, note choices, and volume of the bass. Then play along with the recording, minus the Bass part. Experiment with playing your own lines as well as the written ones.

3. You will notice many instances where there are no chord changes provided. These parts are “as is” parts, written specifically to support the ensemble. All the bass lines you see with chord changes were improvised on the spot.

4. Try to create a flow with your bass lines, like a stone skipping on a pond. The notes should be consistent in attack and volume and they should provide a feeling of forward motion without rushing. The goal is to create a long, beautiful melody of quarter notes that drives the band firmly but gently. And always keep in mind, a good walking bass line is constantly providing one of two functions: spelling the current chord or leading the ear of the listener to the next chord.

5. And finally, dig in, swing hard, and have some fun playing these great charts penned by Tom Kubis. I hope you have as much fun playing these as I did recording them.

- Trey Henry