Master Jazz Blues Like a Pro: Essential Improv Techniques for Guitarists

Jazz Blues Improvisation: Expanding Your Blues Vocabulary Beyond Pentatonics

Many guitarists feel stuck playing the same pentatonic licks or rock-ish blues ideas. This guide is for those of you ready to break out of that rut, targeting chord tones, integrating arpeggios, and adding some rich jazz flavor to your blues solos.

Step 1: Understanding the Jazz Blues Form

To start, let’s talk about the foundation: the 12-bar blues in B♭. This is the classic 12-bar form we all know—B♭ (the I chord) to E♭ (the IV chord), back to B♭, and then over to the F chord (V chord) at the turnaround. Jazz blues usually adds some chords for extra depth, but today we’re focusing on ways to approach a simple form with jazz ideas.

Step 2: Moving Beyond the Basic Blues Scale

If you’re only playing blues scale licks, you may run out of ideas quickly. So, our goal here is to explore ways to build your vocabulary beyond the basics. Here are some methods:

1. Use Chord Targets: Rather than sticking solely to the blues scale, try to target chord tones on each chord change, especially the thirds.
2. Introduce Arpeggios: Arpeggios can highlight the harmony beautifully, giving you a more “inside” sound.
3. Experiment with Variations: Jazz blues offers plenty of variations to add interest. I’ll be walking you through some specific progressions to help you get started.

Step 3: Variations from the Aebersold Jazz Handbook

One of my go-to resources is the Aebersold Jazz Handbook, which offers 17 different blues variations. This booklet provides everything from a basic 12-bar form to advanced progressions, and it’s a great way to expand your options. I highly recommend grabbing it.

Step 4: Superimposing New Chords

Here’s where the magic happens—superimposing new chords. Let’s take bar 4 of a B♭ blues, where you’re often just hanging out on B♭. To spice things up, try adding an Fm7 to B♭7 (a ii-V in E♭). This simple two-bar superimposition instantly adds movement and depth.

How to Practice It

1. Try Comping with the New Chords: First, practice comping with this Fm7 to B♭7 progression in bar 4.
2. Add Arpeggios to Your Solo: Once you’re comfortable with the chords, try soloing using arpeggios or licks based on Fm and B♭ dominant.
3. Repeat in Other Spots: Experiment with this ii-V substitution in other parts of the form.

Step 5: Experiment with Backdoor Progressions and Passing Diminished Chords

Other variations introduce backdoor chords and diminished passing chords to keep things fresh:

• Backdoor Progression: Add an A♭7 in bar 6 to transition smoothly back to B♭. This is a common technique in jazz, creating a unique sound by temporarily setting up E♭ as the “home.”
• Diminished Passing Chords: Try an E diminished chord between B-flat and F to add tension.

Demo: Putting It All Together

Let’s say you’re playing a six-chorus solo on a jazz blues. Here’s a strategy to keep things engaging without exhausting your ideas:

1. Blues Licks: Start with two choruses of familiar blues licks to establish the groove.
2. Arpeggio Exploration: In the next two choruses, emphasize arpeggios over each chord, making sure to throw in the Fm-B♭ ii-V in bar 4.
3. Scales and Altered Lines: For the last two choruses, experiment with altered scales or target notes over the V chord. Throw in the backdoor A♭7 in bar 6 and maybe even the E diminished passing chord in bar 8.

Each layer adds something new without overcomplicating things.

Tips for Making It Work in Real Time

Jazz blues is all about experimentation, so here are some tips for integrating these ideas live:

• Plan One Chorus at a Time: Don’t feel pressured to use every variation in every solo. Focus on one or two ideas per chorus and build from there.
• Use the Simplified Form as a Baseline: Most bands won’t play complex blues forms unless it’s arranged, so feel free to superimpose these ideas over a basic blues.
• Listen for Opportunities: Once you know these variations, they’ll become a part of your musical vocabulary, so you can pull them out spontaneously.

Wrap-Up: Experiment and Make It Your Own

Jazz blues improvisation is about finding freedom within the form. These variations and substitutions are tools to help you break free from repetitive licks and bring fresh ideas into your playing.

Want more? Grab the Aebersold Jazz Handbook, download iReal Pro for backing tracks, and start experimenting with these ideas.