kenny burrell comping lesson
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Great comping lesson from the jazz/blues great. Keep it funky.TRANSCRIPT
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Lazy swing
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“IF WE OVERLOADOURselves with exercises, ourplaying will sound like that,”Kenny Burrell told GP readersin the Apr. ’81 issue. “I don’twant to practice things to havelittle bits and pieces to call on.I’ve studied theory and com-position, so I’m aware of all thescales from India, Asia, Europe,Greece—whatever—but I’mnot going to put these in mymusic just because they’re dif-
ferent. Rather than consciouslyimpose scales on a progres-sion, I just try to add some-thing musical—a few notes,some nice sounds. It’s a com-bination of emotion and intel-lect, but emotion is theessence. If you don’t have that,you don’t have anything. Themost important thing is to ex-press your feeling—not whatsomeone else is feeling. I try tobe as free as possible and just
let something happen. Itwill—if you let yourself relax.”
Burrell’s funky compingand slinky lines power many ofthe best late-’50s and ’60s beat-nik-jazz records, such as Ham-mond master Jimmy Smith’sBack at the Chicken Shack andMidnight Special. Finally avail-able on CD, BluesBash—which features Burrelland Smith at their gritty, groov-ing finest—is essential listen-
ing. You can summon this late-night mood by using thecomping moves in this rhythmfigure. Notice how the top andbottom lines are an octaveapart. Played at faster temposand with a tighter feel, the low-er line is the foundation for’50s rock and much of ’60ssoul and honky tonk.—ANDY ELLIS g
Sonic Snapshot
Kenny Burrell’s Funky Comping