Slow Minor Blues?

[Ron Ofir]

I'm writing some sort of Jazz Blues in a minor key and slow tempo, and I found out that I've never really heard such a piece. I wonder if anyone can point me to one?

[fundrazor]

The first one that always springs to mind is the St James' Infirmary Blues but there are literally thousands. Of course, there is not really any such thing as a traditional minor blues any more than there is a major blues - the blues is essentially pentatonic and is most easily understood as a major key with flattened 3rds and 7ths, especially in the melody.

You can see a performance (albeit not a great one but free of copyright) at

MySpaceTV Videos: St James Infirmary Blues by...

[Ron Ofir]

Thanks, though I should've said I'm looking for an instrumental one...

Of course, there is not really any such thing as a traditional minor blues any more than there is a major blues

Well, the melody is pentatonic, but I was thinking about the harmony.

[fundrazor]

Okay - how's about Round Midnight (Thelonius Monk) - lovely minor blues with lots of instrumental versions. As regards harmony in general for minor blues, rule of thumb is minor seventh tonic and sub-dominant, major dominant, and then enjoy augmenting/diminishing them to suit.

There's this (original artist)

YouTube - Thelonious Monk - Round About Midnight

and then there's this wonderful vocal instrumental from Bobby McFerrin

YouTube - Bobby McFerrin - 'Round Midnight (1987)

[stevel]

Originally Posted by Ron Ofir

Thanks, though I should've said I'm looking for an instrumental one...


Well, the melody is pentatonic, but I was thinking about the harmony.

Skeletal Blues Form:

I - I - I - I
IV - IV - I - I
V - V - I - I

Simply change to minor:

i - i - i - i
iv - iv - i - i
v - v - i - i

Sometimes however, the V is kept major (Dominant 7), and sometimes, for a Dorian feel, the IV is kept major (Dominant 7).

A lot of times, to add to the minor feel, a bVI7 is included somewhere, usually in place of the 1st v chord above.

HTH,
Steve

[fundrazor]

Have to disagree with Steve - skeletal 12-bar blues is:

I-I-I-I
IV-IV-I-I
V-IV-I-I

[Ron Ofir]

Yes, I know all about that already, I've played Equinox and the like and I'm using a somewhat different harmony, more like:
3/4
i i v - ii(sus)* - i i v - i
i i v - ii(sus) - V+** V+ ii(sus) - ii(sus) v iv - i

* - 7b5 sounds too minor, so I either drop the 5 (how is that notated? -5?) or change it to 4.
** - An augemented chord sounds way cooler than a major one here for some reason (maybe because it contains the 3rd of the scale, which pulls so strongly back to the root in blues).

fundrazor: Great! Thanks.

[stevel]

Originally Posted by fundrazor

Have to disagree with Steve - skeletal 12-bar blues is:

I-I-I-I
IV-IV-I-I
V-IV-I-I

I have to re-disagree, as would Chuck Berry et al - by skeletal, I mean the "simplest".

Other common additions are:

V-IV-I-I in the last line as you put, and

I - IV - I - I in the first line. So a "non-skeletal" version might be:

I - IV - I - I
IV - IV - I - I
V - IV - I - I

many people like this one because all lines end 4-1-1 and you only have to remember the beginning chord is diffrent - and in order - 1 4 5!!!

Obviously we should also include a V turnaround at the end.

Other than that, the most common alteration when not using Dom 7th chords or, when in minor is:

I - I - I - V7/IV (I7)

or

i - i - i - V7/iv (I7)

In the first line.

After that, we start getting too complex to call it a "basic form" anymore.

Best,
Steve