In Jazz Workshop, a New Jersey jazz summer camp for teens and adults, we explore the music from many points of view. Let’s take a look at the jazz standard, All the Things You Are.

How would one approach soloing on this piece? First off, I think it’s important to understand what’s happening with the harmony. In the first 5 bars of the melody we are in the key of A flat major, and then we are in the key of C major for bars 6-7-8. Let’s just take the first 8 bars. There is a macro way of approaching our solo and more of a micro way. For the macro approach you can play ideas in the key of A flat major for bars 1-5, and then shift your focus to playing ideas C major in bars 6-7-8. By thinking in these big harmonic sweeps, you can let your ideas breathe and use space more easily. I find you are a bit less in your head and you can just let your ear guide the way in the key you are in.

A micro approach would be knowing your scales for each chord you are playing. So for F minor 7th chord one could think F natural minor (also called F aeolian mode), and for B flat minor one could think B flat minor dominant 7th scale or B flat dorian mode. It’s important to know your scales not just in the abstract but be able to play them in time in the song you are working on.

At some point what’s start to happen is these 2 approaches merge and you are able to do both at the same time. It’s similar to when you drive you see the car in front of you but you are aware that there is a curve in the road 10 cars ahead of you as well. he ironic thing also is that once you develop then your ideas and vocabulary with these two approaches, you basically “forget” what you learned (using quotes here, you never really forget, it’s just not your focus anymore) and you use your ear to guide you as you tell a story through your solo with your fellow musicians.

In Jazz Workshop in Lebanon, New Jersey in Hunterdon County, we dive into the music and have a while lot of fun along the way. See you this summer!