Attack of the Contrafact, Vol. 1, for C Instruments: Jazz Lines for the Adept and Incautious

by Chris Kelsey, Lisa Kelsey (Cover_design)

Attack of the Jazz Tunes for the Adept and Incautious, Vol. 1 is a collection of unusual and challenging compositions by the critically acclaimed jazz saxophonist, composer, critic, and author, Chris Kelsey . Based on the harmonic foundations of songs from the classic jazz canon like I Got Rhythm , What is This Thing Called Love , and Ladybird , the tunes provide the intermediate and advanced instrumentalist with 15 unusual and frequently daunting tunes/etudes designed to stretch his or her concept of jazz performance. The compositions comprise angular intervallic relationships, asymmetrical rhythms, unpredictable melodic contours and oblique harmonic relationships in a manner that upholds the essential elements of jazz performance practice even as they subvert tradition. The tunes in this volume will open new horizons to the intrepid jazz musician. A "contrafact" is an original jazz composition written on the harmonic foundation of an existing one. Among the hundreds of well-known contrafacts are Charlie Parker's Moose the Mooche (from I Got Rhythm ), Thelonious Monk's Bright Mississippi ( Sweet Georgia Brown ), Dexter Gordon's Fried Bananas ( It Could Happen to You ), and Jimmy Giuffre's Four Brothers ( Jeepers Creepers ). Content includes Parachute Guy ( Hi-Fly ); Obfuscation ( Confirmation ); Bunny's Uncle Hose ( Honeysuckle Rose ); Little Lord Jazzleroy ( The Surrey With the Fringe On Top ); and 11 others. Attack of the Jazz Lines for the Adept and Incautious, Vol. 1 is available in versions for C, Bb, Eb, and bass clef instruments.

32 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2012

About the author

Chris Kelsey's first novel, Where the Hurt Is, won the 2018 Pencraft Award for Fiction Book of the Year. He's currently Director of Instrumental Music at Trinity-Pawling School in Pawling, NY.