How to make your jazz solos make sense using only your major scales!

With little or no music theory training you will in this book learn how to build you solos from scratch. Starting off with simple guide tone lines of 3rds and 7ths, you will then step by step expand your solo using rhythmic embellishment and major scales as melodic embellishment.

How to make your jazz solos make sense using only your major scales!

With little or no music theory training you will in this book learn how to build you solos from scratch. Starting off with simple guide tone lines of 3rds and 7ths, you will then step by step expand your solo using rhythmic embellishment and major scales as melodic embellishment. The end product will be a melodic solo that makes sense and an improved ability to quickly recognize how to solo over unfamiliar songs.

66 pages including text and 10 songs as examples.

How to make your jazz solos make sense using only your major scales!

With little or no music theory training you will in this book learn how to build you solos from scratch. Starting off with simple guide tone lines of 3rds and 7ths, you will then step by step expand your solo using rhythmic embellishment and major scales as melodic embellishment.

How to make your jazz solos make sense using only your major scales!

With little or no music theory training you will in this book learn how to build you solos from scratch. Starting off with simple guide tone lines of 3rds and 7ths, you will then step by step expand your solo using rhythmic embellishment and major scales as melodic embellishment. The end product will be a melodic solo that makes sense and an improved ability to quickly recognize how to solo over unfamiliar songs.

66 pages including text and 10 songs as examples.

How to make your jazz solos make sense using only your major scales!

With little or no music theory training you will in this book learn how to build you solos from scratch. Starting off with simple guide tone lines of 3rds and 7ths, you will then step by step expand your solo using rhythmic embellishment and major scales as melodic embellishment.

How to make your jazz solos make sense using only your major scales!

With little or no music theory training you will in this book learn how to build you solos from scratch. Starting off with simple guide tone lines of 3rds and 7ths, you will then step by step expand your solo using rhythmic embellishment and major scales as melodic embellishment. The end product will be a melodic solo that makes sense and an improved ability to quickly recognize how to solo over unfamiliar songs.

66 pages including text and 10 songs as examples.

How to make your jazz solos make sense using only your major scales!

With little or no music theory training you will in this book learn how to build you solos from scratch. Starting off with simple guide tone lines of 3rds and 7ths, you will then step by step expand your solo using rhythmic embellishment and major scales as melodic embellishment.

How to make your jazz solos make sense using only your major scales!

With little or no music theory training you will in this book learn how to build you solos from scratch. Starting off with simple guide tone lines of 3rds and 7ths, you will then step by step expand your solo using rhythmic embellishment and major scales as melodic embellishment. The end product will be a melodic solo that makes sense and an improved ability to quickly recognize how to solo over unfamiliar songs.

66 pages including text and 10 songs as examples.

Two of the most important aspects of playing music are to have a solid time-feel and good pitch. These exercises provide an alternative to the usual warm-up/daily routine using a metronome. Each track is prefaced with:

Goals: What's the purpose of this exercise? What can be gained?

Listen for: Are you playing chord tones, bass notes, modes?

Two of the most important aspects of playing music are to have a solid time-feel and good pitch. These exercises provide an alternative to the usual warm-up/daily routine using a metronome. Each track is prefaced with:

Goals: ✔ What's the purpose of this exercise? ✔ What can be gained?

Listen for: ✔ Are you playing chord tones, bass notes, modes?

Variations: ✔ Can the exercise be modified or altered?

Two of the most important aspects of playing music are to have a solid time-feel and good pitch. These exercises provide an alternative to the usual warm-up/daily routine using a metronome. Each track is prefaced with:

Goals: What's the purpose of this exercise? What can be gained?

Listen for: Are you playing chord tones, bass notes, modes?

Two of the most important aspects of playing music are to have a solid time-feel and good pitch. These exercises provide an alternative to the usual warm-up/daily routine using a metronome. Each track is prefaced with:

Goals: ✔ What's the purpose of this exercise? ✔ What can be gained?

Listen for: ✔ Are you playing chord tones, bass notes, modes?

Variations: ✔ Can the exercise be modified or altered?

Two of the most important aspects of playing music are to have a solid time-feel and good pitch. These exercises provide an alternative to the usual warm-up/daily routine using a metronome. Each track is prefaced with:

Goals: What's the purpose of this exercise? What can be gained?

Listen for: Are you playing chord tones, bass notes, modes?

Two of the most important aspects of playing music are to have a solid time-feel and good pitch. These exercises provide an alternative to the usual warm-up/daily routine using a metronome. Each track is prefaced with:

Goals: ✔ What's the purpose of this exercise? ✔ What can be gained?

Listen for: ✔ Are you playing chord tones, bass notes, modes?

Variations: ✔ Can the exercise be modified or altered?

4th Avenue entails the positive energy you can get in a big city mixed with a sensation of being overwhelmed. Starting off as a heavy funk with street noise and car horns the arrangement moves into the melody, a mix of 4/4 and 7/8 time, which sets the impatient mood. The B section continues with a straight ahead swing before coming back to the

4th Avenue entails the positive energy you can get in a big city mixed with a sensation of being overwhelmed. Starting off as a heavy funk with street noise and car horns the arrangement moves into the melody, a mix of 4/4 and 7/8 time, which sets the impatient mood. The B section continues with a straight ahead swing before coming back to the mixed meter theme. The alto sax takes the first solo over the A and B sections. A chaotic interplay between the different sections of the band sets up a joint solo between the trombone and tenor sax. Starting from nothing the solo builds to a double time swing feel before switching over to the initial funk groove. The band takes over and ends with the B A sections.

Instrumentation: Alto 1, Alto 2, Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Bari sax Tpt 1-4 Trombone 1-3, Bass trombone Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums

Solos: Alto 2, Tenor 1, Trombone 1

Length: ca. 5:14

Music by Oscar Utterstrom (ASCAP)

Cover photo by Harald Opheim

Amparo, meaning shelter or sanctuary in Poruguese, is a song written by Antonio Carlos Jobim for the movie "The Adventurers". It was also recorded on his 1977 album "Stone Flower". This arrangement was written for the Nashville Jazz Orchestra. It features wordless vocals that blend in with various instruments in the band. Dramatic beginning and

Amparo, meaning shelter or sanctuary in Poruguese, is a song written by Antonio Carlos Jobim for the movie "The Adventurers". It was also recorded on his 1977 album "Stone Flower". This arrangement was written for the Nashville Jazz Orchestra. It features wordless vocals that blend in with various instruments in the band. Dramatic beginning and ending with soft, flowing parts in the middle. Also features a piano solo in 3/4 swing time and a short trombone solo to pay tribute to the great Urbie Green who participated on the 1977 recording.

Instrumentation: Vocals , Soprano, Alto 2, Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Bari sax Tpt 1, Tpt 2/Flugel, Tpt 3/Flugel, Tpt4 /Flugel Trombone 1-3, Bass trombone Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums

Solos: Piano, Trombone

Length: ca. 6:15

Music by Antonio Carlos Jobim Arrangement by Oscar Utterstrom

Cover photo by Harald Opheim

During the pandemic the slogan "Alt blir bra" echoed through Norway along with rainbow painted rocks. All to keep spirits up while focusing on that "everything will be ok", or "andrà tutto bene" in Italian. This arrangement, based off of the Solo Due recording, starts off with a slow chorale, picking up in pace for the B section, then handing it

During the pandemic the slogan "Alt blir bra" echoed through Norway along with rainbow painted rocks. All to keep spirits up while focusing on that "everything will be ok", or "andrà tutto bene" in Italian. This arrangement, based off of the Solo Due recording, starts off with a slow chorale, picking up in pace for the B section, then handing it off to a tenor solo. A new section presents itself building into a frenzy of uncertainty, drive and motivation. Victoriously coming back to the chorale, ending on a hopeful major chord.

Length: ca. 5:30

Instrumentation: Alto 1, Alto 2, Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Bass clarinet Tpt 1 ,Tpt 2, Tpt/Flugel 3, Tpt 4 Trombone 1-3, Bass trombone Piano, Electric guitar, Bass, Drums

Solos: Tenor 2

Cover photo by Harald Opheim

Eternal Being is a meditation on the circle of life. Starting out emulating an old Swedish pump organ playing a hymnal, the vocals take over leading to a short gospel-inspired climactic shout chorus. The arrangement settles down, ending in a low key fashion, leaving the listener with a sense of completion.

Length: ca. 5:50

Instrumentation: Vocals

Eternal Being is a meditation on the circle of life. Starting out emulating an old Swedish pump organ playing a hymnal, the vocals take over leading to a short gospel-inspired climactic shout chorus. The arrangement settles down, ending in a low key fashion, leaving the listener with a sense of completion.

Length: ca. 5:50

Instrumentation: Vocals Alto 1, Alto 2, Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Bari sax Tpt 1 ,Tpt/Flugel 2, Tpt/Flugel 3, Tpt/Flugel 4 Trombone 1-3, Bass trombone Piano, Electric guitar, Bass, Drums

Solos: Guitar

Cover photo by Harald Opheim

Forward is a song about moving on after the end of a relationship. This arrangement has the trombone play a partner to the vocals, setting up the mysterious opening and lingering around the lyrics of the verses. The arrangement builds and hands off to a guitar solo before vocals come back in on the bridge. The uncertainty of the opening also closes

Forward is a song about moving on after the end of a relationship. This arrangement has the trombone play a partner to the vocals, setting up the mysterious opening and lingering around the lyrics of the verses. The arrangement builds and hands off to a guitar solo before vocals come back in on the bridge. The uncertainty of the opening also closes the arrangement leaving the listener convinced that the search of how to move on will continue.

Instrumentation: Vocals Cl./Alto 1, Alto 2, Sop./Tenor 1, Flute/Tenor 2, Bass Cl./Bari sax Tpt 1-4 Trombone 1-3, Bass trombone Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums

Solos: Trombone, Guitar

Length: ca. 5:00

Lyrics: I have to find a way to keep movin' on I've got to learn to go forward I find it hard to say that now you are gone How can I keep movin' forward? Without you to care, nobody there I think I'm goin' out of my mind I would never believe that you could ever be unkind Still I'm here without you What can I do to make it though another night? I've got to keep movin' forward

Music by Oscar Utterstrom (ASCAP) Lyrics by Wayne Moore (ASCAP)

Cover photo by Harald Opheim

Home is a song about finding your safe place in life. The harmony keeps circling without landing on the 1 chord until the very end of the form. Light ECM drive combined with melodic figures sets up a piano solo. A contrasting darker sections transitions into the trumpet solo. After soloing around rhythmic figures it move into a harmonically free

Home is a song about finding your safe place in life. The harmony keeps circling without landing on the 1 chord until the very end of the form. Light ECM drive combined with melodic figures sets up a piano solo. A contrasting darker sections transitions into the trumpet solo. After soloing around rhythmic figures it move into a harmonically free section together with the drums, before settling back into the main theme.

Instrumentation: Alto 1, Alto 2, Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Bari sax Tpt 1 ,Tpt/Flugel 2, Flugel 3, Tpt/Flugel 4 Trombone 1-3, Bass trombone Piano, Electric guitar, Bass, Drums

Solos: Piano, Trumpet

Length: ca. 6:30

Music and arrangement by Oscar Utterstrom (ASCAP)

Cover photo by Harald Opheim

Home is a song about finding your safe place in life. The harmony keeps circling without landing on the 1 chord until the very end of the form. Light ECM drive combined with melodic figures sets up a piano solo. A contrasting darker sections transitions into the trumpet solo. After soloing around rhythmic figures it move into a harmonically free

Home is a song about finding your safe place in life. The harmony keeps circling without landing on the 1 chord until the very end of the form. Light ECM drive combined with melodic figures sets up a piano solo. A contrasting darker sections transitions into the trumpet solo. After soloing around rhythmic figures it move into a harmonically free section together with the drums, before settling back into the main theme.

Lyrics: There's a place where I can go It's more than a location, this place I know There I can escape the madness and I can breathe again When the last chore is done and I am home Do you have a place like mine? No place more special to me than home, I'm home

Instrumentation: Vocals Alto 1, Alto 2, Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Bari sax Tpt 1 ,Tpt/Flugel 2, Flugel 3, Tpt/Flugel 4 Trombone 1-3, Bass trombone Piano, Electric guitar, Bass, Drums

Solos: Piano, Trumpet

Length: ca. 6:30

Music by Oscar Utterstrom (ASCAP) Lyrics by Wayne Moore (ASCAP)

Cover photo by Harald Opheim

Diane Warren wrote this song after watching an interview with Barbara Streisand and her husband where he mentioned how he didn't want to fall asleep at night because he "didn't want to miss a thing". Aerosmith picked up the song and it became a part of the soundtrack to the 1998 movie "Armageddon". Country artist Mark Chesnutt also had a hit with

Diane Warren wrote this song after watching an interview with Barbara Streisand and her husband where he mentioned how he didn't want to fall asleep at night because he "didn't want to miss a thing". Aerosmith picked up the song and it became a part of the soundtrack to the 1998 movie "Armageddon". Country artist Mark Chesnutt also had a hit with it the following year. This arrangement starts off with a solo melody by a trombone before the trumpets pick up the melodic line over a melancholic wandering bass line. The vocals enter over a sparse accompaniment and builds slowly to the first chorus. After another verse and chorus the arrangement peaks at the bridge. Another chorus leads the listener back to the initial theme where the trombone gets the opportunity to solo until the final chord.

Instrumentation: Vocals Alto 1, Alto 2, Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Bari sax Tpt 1-4 Trombone 1-3, Bass trombone Piano, Electric guitar, Bass, Drums

Solos: Trombone

Length: ca. 5:20

Music & Lyrics by Diane Warren Arrangement by Oscar Utterstrom

Snow is a composition written for the album "Departure" featuring the Oscar Utterstrom Quintet. It is a driving and aggressive arrangement that signals the harsh winters of northern Scandinavia. A Parisian sax soli in 6/8 depicts the beauty of falling snow and creates a moment of reflection before diving back into the driving frenzy. The solo

Snow is a composition written for the album "Departure" featuring the Oscar Utterstrom Quintet. It is a driving and aggressive arrangement that signals the harsh winters of northern Scandinavia. A Parisian sax soli in 6/8 depicts the beauty of falling snow and creates a moment of reflection before diving back into the driving frenzy. The solo trombone takes the melody the first time and gets to build a longer solo as do the piano. Electronic effects on the trombone is welcome.

Instrumentation: Trombone Feature Soprano, Alto 1, Alto 2, Tenor 2, Bari sax Tpt 1-4 Trombone 1-3, Bass trombone Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums

Solos: Piano, Trombone

Length: ca. 7:10

Music and arrangement by Oscar Utterstrom (ASCAP)

Cover photo by Harald Opheim

Someone To Watch Over Me was written in 1926 for the musical "Oh, Kay!" by George and Ira Gershwin (with a little help from Howard Dietz). This arrangement was initially written as a vocal feature for the Nashville Jazz Orchestra for a Gershwin themed concert. It was later recorded by the NJO on their album "It Ain't Necessarily So".

Someone To Watch Over Me was written in 1926 for the musical "Oh, Kay!" by George and Ira Gershwin (with a little help from Howard Dietz). This arrangement was initially written as a vocal feature for the Nashville Jazz Orchestra for a Gershwin themed concert. It was later recorded by the NJO on their album "It Ain't Necessarily So".

Instrumentation: Trombone feature Alto 1, Alto 2, Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Bari sax Tpt 1-4 Trombone 1-3, Bass trombone Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums

Solos: Trombone

Length: ca. 6:30

Music & Lyrics by George & Ira Gershwin Arrangement by Oscar Utterstrom

Someone To Watch Over Me was written in 1926 for the musical "Oh, Kay!" by George and Ira Gershwin (with a little help from Howard Dietz). This arrangement was initially written for the Nashville Jazz Orchestra for a Gershwin themed concert. It was later recorded by the NJO on their album "It Ain't Necessarily So".

Instrumentation: Vocals Alto 1,

Someone To Watch Over Me was written in 1926 for the musical "Oh, Kay!" by George and Ira Gershwin (with a little help from Howard Dietz). This arrangement was initially written for the Nashville Jazz Orchestra for a Gershwin themed concert. It was later recorded by the NJO on their album "It Ain't Necessarily So".

Instrumentation: Vocals Alto 1, Alto 2, Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Bari sax Tpt 1-4 Trombone 1-3, Bass trombone Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums

Solos: Tenor 2

Length: ca. 6:30

Music & Lyrics by George & Ira Gershwin Arrangement by Oscar Utterstrom

Where Are You? is a song about yearning after a lost love affair. Arranged for sextet + vocals, the horns dance interchangeably around various rhythmic motifs and behind vocalist and piano soloist. Subtle and light, reality meets laissez-faire.

Length: ca. 4:45

Instrumentation: Vocals, Trumpet, Alto sax, Trombone, Piano, Bass, Drums

Cover photo by

Where Are You? is a song about yearning after a lost love affair. Arranged for sextet + vocals, the horns dance interchangeably around various rhythmic motifs and behind vocalist and piano soloist. Subtle and light, reality meets laissez-faire.

Length: ca. 4:45

Instrumentation: Vocals, Trumpet, Alto sax, Trombone, Piano, Bass, Drums

Cover photo by Harald Opheim