BLUES TO JAZZ LICKS

FRANK GAMBALE TRACKS 24-27

Can Frank Gambale play high-energy fusion and contemporary be-bop? No problem!
Iain Scott
Frank Gambales playing has been at playing has pioneered new and
the forefront of contemporary jazz and different guitar tunings (Nouveau
GEAR
Frank uses Yamaha guitars including
fusion since the 1980s, with many Tuning) and embraced acoustic guitar.
DIFFICULTY: the AES-Frank Gambale Signature,
guitarists in awe of his speed picking When he is not touring the world he can
Intermediate/Advanced AEX1500 Jazz guitar, FPX300
style known as sweep picking (one pick be found leading the guitar program at
RECOMMENDED
stroke crossing two or more strings).
Certainly, he knows how to use altered
the Los Angeles Music Academy. I have
put together six licks in a minor jazz
acoustic guitars and a Carvin Tone
Navigator Pre-Amp.
For this recording I used a Gibson
LISTENING dominant scales to please jazzers and blues context to show some of Franks
ES-335 played through a PODxt
Natural High fly around the fretboard like any of the excellent be-bop lines. Good luck
(Wombat, 2005) (Twin Amp, Low gain, compression)
shrapnel shredders! His more recent getting up to speed!

Blues To Jazz Licks Tracks 24-27

Lick 1: I have put together six licks in a minor jazz blues context to show some of Franks excellent be-bop lines. This starts off with an opening phrase featuring
the G Dorian mode (GABbCDEF) over the Gm9 chord (I know theres no E there to signify G Dorian but thats what Ive considered the harmonic ballpark is here).

Lick 2: After two notes (G and F#), this lick features an F major triad idea that is then repeated a semitone lower in E major. You may also view this as Dm7 to
Dbm7 leading to the Cm7 in Lick 3. Like many jazz blues players, superimposing arpeggios over a chord is a great way of sounding sophisticated.

Lick 3: This is a long line from an implied C Dorian (CDEbFGABb) despite no Dorian flavoured major 6th (ie the note A) being present. Its a typical George
Benson-esque sound and worthy of getting under your fingers.

Lick 1 Gm9

n n # n n
Lick 2 Lick 3

b j #
& b 44 . J . J . J
J
F maj arp E maj arp

E 8 5 7 4
B 3 3 8 7 6 6 5 5 6 5
G 2 3 2 5 3 5 7 5 4 7 7
D
A
E

Lick 4: This phrase moves up through G natural minor (GABbCDEbF) with the last three notes derived from G jazz minor (GABbCDEF#). Pat Martino uses this type of
minor-isation in his playing as well.

C m7 Gm9

b
Lick 4

& bb

E 6 3 8
B 4 4 3 8 10 8 11 10 11
G 5 3 3 10 7 8 10 11
D 5 3 5
A 6 5 6
E
5

Lick 5: This is made from two short angular ideas. The first seven notes being from Eb Lydian dominant (EbFGABbCDb). The first two notes surround the A note,
which is called targeting (semitone movement both up and below the final desired note). Bar 10 features the D Superlocrian (DEbFGbAbBbC) over the D7#5b9.

Lick 6: Finally, you have a long lick based in G minor. You can view Bar 11 as featuring a minor be-bop scale (G Dorian with a major 7th, F#, added) and as it
continues into Bar 12, G Harmonic minor (GABbCDEbF#).

b
E 9 # b
D7 5 9 Gm9

# b J
Lick 6

Lick 5

b b n # n n
&b b
#

E 10
B 11 9 10 11 13 11 13 11 10
G 10 12 10 11 13 12 11 10 9
D 11 12 10 8
A 12 10 9 12
E 11 10
9

APRIL 2006 179

GIT275.tex2 179 6/3/06 4:25:40 pm