Twelve bars a-bluesin'!
Eleven drummers drumming,
Ten months of band fun,
Nine flutes a-dancing,
Eight Brame analogies,
Seven saxes swinging,
Six cool band trips,
Five golden means,
Four pep band games,
Three French horns,
A two-headed turtle,
And a piccolo in the key of C.
As we come to the close of this fun little parody of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," we finish, appropriately enough, with the 12-bar blues. This was one of the units Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble studied in the fall, as we listened to the great performers from B.B. King to Muddy Waters. We also became a giant blues band and had many students taking their own improvised blues solos.
And speaking of improvisation, we just finished our annual blues unit in Jazz Band. The students learned the progression and its many variations, played a transcribed solo by Dexter Gordon, wrote their own blues heads, and took a blues solo playing test. I can confidently say that all 14 players can now play stylistically appropriate jazz solos over blues changes.
Before I close this blog series, I have to leave you with one track to enjoy. Here is that rare cross between holiday music and the 12-bar blues. Lightnin' Hopkins, take us home!
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