Learning `Ukulele with Curt
The home for Learning Ukulele and All Things Ukulele with Curt Sheller
Ukulele Player, Musicians, Author, Publisher, Educator, Graphic Artist,...
Blue Bossa
Blue Bossa is one of the easier songs that beginning jazz players tackle. It is an often called songs at jam sessions and has been played a million times. It is a some what easy song to memorize. However with its easy beginner status is can be challenging to put a different spin on it. And, that is exactly what we did on my How About More Uke? CD.
This lessons/song includes: Play-along Lead Sheet, Ukulele TAB of Melody, Melody and Chord Ukulele arrangement, example chords and scales for accompaniment and improv.
History
Blue Bossa is an instrumental jazz composition by Kenny Dorham (August 30, 1924 - December 5, 1972). It was introduced on Joe Henderson's 1963 album Page One. A blend of hard bop and bossa nova, the tune was possibly influenced by Dorham's visit to the Rio de Janeiro Jazz Festival in 1961. The tune has since been recorded numerous times by different artists, making it a jazz standard.
How About More Uke?
Here is my new CD: How About More Uke? It is being officially released December 2, 2015. A collection of jazz standards, original compositions by myself (Curt Sheller), Chuck Anderson and Jim Beloff / Herb Otha. Featuring Curt Sheller: `ukulele, Eric Schreiber: bass and Ed Rick: drums.
Release Date: December 2, 2015
10 Minute Demo of How About More Uke? CD
Main Song Download(s)
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Blue Bossa - Lead Sheet for Play-along Track
This is the lead sheet for the Blue Bossa premium play-along track. Key of Cm.
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Blue Bossa - Solo Ukulele Arrangement
Standard music notation and TAB arrangement of Blue Bossa for low G, C tuner ukulele.
Blue Bossa - Premium Play-along Track
This is one of the jazz standards that all beginning and even seasoned players tackle. Key of Cm.
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Song Road Map
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A Road Map Through Song
Remembering songs is all about the form and harmonic content and movement with taking in the similarities between songs. And, just like a road map they're landmarks that will trigger memories of how to get through various sections, changes or parts of a song.
This section of a song's page presents some tips on how I try and remember a particular song.
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A Guide to Advanced Chords Series - Chord Building Chart
A handle dandy reference chart for building fifteen (15) basic triads and 4-part chords.
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Blue Bossa - Lead Sheet for Play-along Track
This is the lead sheet for the Blue Bossa premium play-along track. Key of Cm.
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Blue Bossa - Premium Play-along Track
This is one of the jazz standards that all beginning and even seasoned players tackle. Key of Cm.
Members Only
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Blue Bossa - Solo Ukulele Arrangement
Standard music notation and TAB arrangement of Blue Bossa for low G, C tuner ukulele.
Blue Bossa - Road Map
Blue Bossa modulates to one additional key from the home key of Cm. In the common key of Cm that Blue Bossa is typically performed in it modulates between the keys of C minor and Db major. The key is remembering the triggers to get from one key center to the next.
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Blue Bossa - How About More Uke? CD - Curt Sheller Trio
From the How About More Uke? CD by the Curt Sheller Trio. Recorded at MorningStar Studios in East Norriton, PA Summer and Fall of 2015. Released December 2, 2015
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Related Books
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A Guide to Advanced Ukulele Chords - Volume I
Beyond learning basic Ukulele chords most players struggle with advanced chords. Commonly called 'jazz' chords, these more sophisticated voicings find a wide use in all forms of music.
A Guide to Advanced Chords for Ukulele - presents a highly organized and efficient approach to the mysterious subject of advanced chords. Chord dictionaries are not the answer. Even chord theory does not offer any insight into unraveling the complexity of Ukulele chord voicings.
Exploring Jazz Chords on Ukulele
Exploring jazz chords using a variety of common chord progressions based on songs from the standard jazz repertoire.
Core Chords are the basic set of chords needed to play a wide range of music, in a variety of styles. This set of chords includes basic open position chords, basic movable form chords and the core 4-part "jazz" chords.
This books focuses on the 4-part core "jazz" chords. These jazz'€ chords are advanced chords that find their way into a wide range of music.
Harmonic Analysis for Scale Selection and Chord Substitution
Harmonic Analysis is the understanding of the functional sequence of chords. It is the process used to analyze the harmonic structure of a progression, song or composition. This analysis is then used to make scale selections for improvisation and chord substitution.
Applying harmonic analysis principles with harmonized scale charts for scale selection and chord substitution.
Harmonic Analysis is the understanding of the functional sequence of chords. It is the process used to analyze the harmonic structure of a progression, song or composition. This analysis is then used to make scale selections for improvisation and chord substitution.
Ukulele Chords
This mini (1/2 size) chord book is the perfect size for every ukulele gig bag or case and a great addition to you music book library.
Ukulele Chords covers basic open position and basic movable form chords. From these two chord categories a variety of songs and styles can be played.
Seventh chords, Major Sevenths, Minor Sevenths, Diminished, Augmented chords sus and add chords.
Tunings: C with low or high G - (GCEA or gCEA).
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Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection
Harmonic Analysis is the process used to determine the harmonic function of chords within a chord progression or song. A chord progression is defined as a sequence of chords, each chord has a root and is a particular chord type. The relationship of a chord's to a scale determines its function within that scale's tonality.
Jazz Standard Chord Progressions
These are the chord progressions, extracted from my book Exploring Jazz Chords on Ukulele for use with on-line and private students.
- All of Me
- All of Me, variation
- Autumn Leaves
- All the Things You Are
- Days of Wine and Roses
- There Will Never be Another You
- Back Home In Indiana
- Someday My Prince Will Come
- Have You Met Miss Jones
- Summer Samba
- Sweet Georgia Brown
- Sweet Georgia Brown, variation
- Yesterday
- It’s Only a Paper Moon
- Satin Doll
- Satin Doll, variation
- Take the ‘A’ Train
Core Ukulele Chords - The Big Six
Core Chords for Ukulele, The Big Six - From four F7 chord voicings or shapes, your can build your massive 4-part, a.k.a., “jazz” chord vocabulary. Beyond basic open position chords, basic movable form chords and a core set of 4-part chords. There are just too many chords shapes too memorize. Learning the principles of how chords are constructed and the ukulele fingerboard are the way to go. Then you can create more advanced chords like 9#11, 7#5-9, 13b5, 7+9 on the fly as needed.
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Black Orpheus
Black Orpheus (Portuguese: Orfeu Negro) is a 1959 film made in Brazil by French director Marcel Camus and starring Marpessa Dawn and Breno Mello. It is based on the play Orfeu da Conceição by Vinicius de Moraes, which is an adaptation of the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, set in the modern context of a favela in Rio de Janeiro during Carnaval. The film was an international co-production between production companies in Brazil, France and Italy.
Girl From Ipanema
The Girl from Ipanema (Garota de Ipanema) is an essential jazz standard that every jazz musician should know. The A sections chord progression, basically a I II7 II V is functionally the same as Take the A Train, Jersey Bounce, Desafinado and a few others.
Wave
Wave (also known as "Vou Te Contar" in Portuguese) is a song written by Antonio Carlos Jobim. Recorded as an instrumental on Jobim's 1967 album of the same name, English lyrics were added by Jobim for a November 11, 1969 recording by Frank Sinatra, released on his 1970 album Sinatra & Company.
Summer Samba
Summer Samba (also known as So Nice or its original Portuguese title, "Samba de Verão") is a 1964 bossa nova song by Brazilian composer Marcos Valle, with English-language lyrics by Norman Gimbel; the original Portuguese lyrics came from Paulo Sérgio Valle, brother to the composer.
How Insensitive
Insensatez **(usually translated to **How Insensitive in English, although the Portuguese word really means 'absurdity' or 'folly') is a bossa nova jazz standard composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim, loosely based on Frédéric Chopin's Prelude No.4 with lyrics by Vinícius de Moraes. The English lyrics were written by Norman Gimbel.
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Blue Bossa - Curt Sheller and Pat Lentz
Pat Lentz and Curt Sheller have an impromptu jam on the standard Blue Bossa. Both guitars where built by Dale Unger of American Archtop.
Blue Bossa - How About More Uke"? CD
Blue Bossa - The Curt Sheller Jazz Trio from the How About More Uke? CD.
Just browsing over both books, they look fantastic! I'm a guitarist and uke player for over 25 years and was thinking about writing a ukulele book but you've already written what I think are the best, most comprehensive and thorough books I've ever seen for the instrument. I just might end up buying every book you've written and I'll be giving my highest recommendation for your books to my friends and students. Thank you so much for taking the time to write such great books! — Peter Rhee
Aloha, Curt, All I can say is WOW! What you have accomplished is simply incredible! All the best — Glen Hirabayashi, The Aloha Boys
Folks, if you haven't stopped by Curt's site, do so right now! ..And get his books, they are fantastic. This guy knows his stuff and is able to pass it along too. — Alan Johnson Proprietor, The 4th Peg
I can highly recommend Curt's Uke books — I have four of them and they are excellent. — fatveg — Portland
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