Mike Outram

Here’s a little 8th note flow etude on rhythm changes that I made.

I made it for you, so you better practise it good and show me you nailed it, then I will send you some orange peel and dried up Ribena.

Here’s an Mp3 too

One of the first jazz records I heard was this one featuring Sonny Rollins’ jazz classic ‘Oleo’

Miles’s solo on this one is a classic, and the arrangement and playing from all the guys is brilliant.

Most of it is simple to play, and there’s Miles’s directness and simplicity in the playing but there’s also some Miles-isms of weirdness too. For example, have a listen to the first bridge (0:53) where he plays a simple line of the first 5 notes of the Ab minor scale over the D7, then plays the same line over the G7, then shifts it down a semitone for the C7 and caps it off with a similar but tweaked version over the F7. Simple, but strange!

Anyhow, if you’d like to learn Miles’s solo on Oleo, come and join Electric Campfire where I’ve recorded a series of 8 videos that will walk you through exactly how to play the entire thing on the guitar, plus an extended video on how and what to practise to support your playing, and a whole ‘Rhythm Changes Foundation Workbook’ to make you sound exzellent!

Speak soon!

Mike

Been working on this Tommy Flanagan solo on Mr. P.C. Haven’t had much time of late to really sit down and do some deep practice, so I’ve been taking it bit by bit, grabbing time whenever I can to get to the end of this solo. As I’m working it out, I’ll record a little video to remind me of the fingering choices I’ve made. And I put them all on my Instagram. You can see them all below.

Anyhow, it’s full of great stuff and I am commanding you to check it out!

I’ll start you off…

This piano solo from Mr. P.C. is taken from John Coltrane’s album Giant Steps, released in 1960. The track features John Coltrane (tenor saxophone), Tommy Flanagan (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), Art Taylor (drums).

It’s a minor blues. Quite a simple melody to play. I really love the feel of Tommy’s 8th notes, and the great lines he plays. Each chorus is like a complete statement too. If you’re an ElectricCampfire member check out the Foundations course where I talk about this piece as well as a little analysis of one soloing idea I call the ‘first 5 notes’ technique.

Tommy was a brilliant pianist. He’s also on Wes Montgomery’s ‘Incredible Jazz Guitar’ record, and he’s on many albums as a sideman. There’s a great trio record you should hear too called ‘Jazz Poet’. Check out the track ‘Raincheck’.

Here’s some more info about Tommy Flanagan

Here’s the first chorus of the solo.

1. https://www.instagram.com/p/BjpdMdwHudg/
2. https://www.instagram.com/p/BjrbSvPHhIN/
3. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bjts1TiHc-6/
4. https://www.instagram.com/p/BjvAc0AHgFv/
5. https://www.instagram.com/p/BjvVYOYnlyZ/
6. https://www.instagram.com/p/BuTxDtAANAv/
7. https://www.instagram.com/p/BuXJOGcARep/
8. https://www.instagram.com/p/BuYY8gJAm-h/
9. https://www.instagram.com/p/BuY3P5gnkzj/

If you’re into this kind of thing then come and join my site ElectricCampfire.com – I’ll show you exactly how to take simple elements of this and get it into your own playing.

Mike

Hey, it’s a new school year and you’re getting the itch for some guitar lessons…

Maybe you need some help with improvisation, or you’re preparing to audition for university..

Well, I’m opening up my lesson times for the rest of the year. You can book a lesson with me any day of the week!

You can contact me here

PLUS – if you join my online lessons site ElectricCampfire.com then you get a 1/3rd off the lesson price.

AND – to join the site is normally $35 USD/Month, but there’s a great annual deal at the moment of $20 USD/Month (paid annually)

Please share to reach your guitar friends far and wide :)

Cheers,

Mike

This week I’ve been revisiting a Charlie Parker solo on My Little Suede Shoes. It’s beautiful playing featuring his wonderfully rhythmic, flowing lines, and great fun to try to translate his phrasing, nuances & timing to the guitar.

Help me out here – every time I’ve played this tune it goes to Ab on the bridge, but the bass player on this recording sticks to F. The Db note & lines that parker plays on the bar before the bridge hint at Eb7 which could imply that move to the IV chord, and he’s playing over the form of the tune, but really, I’m not sure why there’s that obvious difference between how it is on this record and every time I’ve heard it/played it (and seen it written down) there’s no mention of that F in the bass on the bridge. Ho hum, interesting nerdy details… Don’t freak out about it or anything :)

Anyhow, opening that up to you.

If you’ve got something to say about that, lemme know about it :)

PS: Let me know if you’ve got any favourite Parker recordings too!

Hello, have been practising quite a bit recently (hooray!), working on some new stuff, so thought I’d share what I’ve been up to.

I’m trying to figure out how to play this blinding Michael Brecker solo on ‘The Four Sleepers’ from Don Grolnick’s album ‘Hearts & Numbers’. The stuff at the end is super tricky :) I LOVE this track. It’s got some fabulous harmony and the melody and bass line work brilliantly. Plus this awesome solo by Brecker.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhMYfSCli_b/

This month I have a gig with Laurence Cottle’s big band at Ronnie Scott’s doing Tower of Power music. I used to be in an amazing band in Manchester called Pocket Central which was the brainchild of Mr. Neil Fairclough (who’s now the bass player with Queen!) where we played that music, so it’s great to revisit it all. Here’s the guitar part to Get Yo’ Feet Back On The Ground. There’s tons of things going on in this part, but one thing I really like is the hybrid picked harmonics – blink and you’ll miss ’em, but they totally add to the character of this part.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgyjefnFWsY/

I’ve got a nice little drop 2 voicings workout that’s been fun to do, basically you play the lowest drop 2 voicing on the EADG strings and then play 3 inversions on each string set so it covers most of the range of the instrument. Then go round the cycle of 4ths, and then do a bunch of voicing types: ∆, 7, m7, m7b5, dim7, ∆#5, ∆b5, 7#5, 7b5, 7sus4, maj6, min6, dim∆, m∆. Takes about 40 minutes to do it all. Nice left hand workout :)

Trying to crack Ben Monder’s epic piece Windowpane – Doing this VERY SLOW.

I’m listening to this Schumann Piano Quartet Op.47, 3rd movement. This is one beautiful melody, and the ending is marvellous. Might learn it on the guitar somehow.

I’ve redesigned my lessons site: ElectricCampfire.com and we’re using a nice new layout for all the courses, and I’ve been updating some of the lessons there. There’s a practice routine that’s got some super challenging exercises, and deconstructions of Giant Steps, Pat Metheny, Jerry Donahue, Charlie Parker, and loads more – tons and tons of guitar goodness :)

One thing I’m trying to focus on there at the moment is on making some really short lessons where you can get a creative challenge that you can do in 10 minutes or something. Most people in the site want to develop their playing but have around 30/60 minutes a couple of times a week so I really want to make some fun material for all levels to engage with.

Ok, well that’s what I’m up to at the moment :)

Back to the shed…

What are you working on?

M