Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Volume 103: David Sanborn Songs: Book & Online Audio

Most Aebersold volumes focus on bebop heads and standards; this one centers the sound world your students actually hear in contemporary music. George Whitte's arrangements honor the original recordings without oversimplifying them, and the rhythm section feels genuinely interactive rather than automated. Programming these tunes signals to your ensemble that fusion and contemporary jazz are legitimate parts of the canon.

Smooth but grounded. These pieces flow with the effortlessness of great studio recordings, yet underneath sits serious harmonic sophistication and rhythmic precision. The grooves breathe; nothing feels rushed or mechanical. There's a warmth here that comes from musicians who know each other's sound.

Intermediate and advanced players who understand jazz syntax and are ready to apply it in a contemporary idiom. This works equally well for jazz combos, fusion ensembles, or solo preparation for musicians who want repertoire beyond the standard volume canon.

• Study the original recordings before rehearsal. Sanborn's phrasing and tone color carry as much information as the written notes; your students need to hear what they're aiming for.
• Balance the solo with the rhythm section intentionally. These tracks are mixed to showcase interplay, not overpower the soloist. Encourage restrain in the first chorus while establishing the groove.
• Treat the accompaniment as a conversation partner, not a metronome. Listen for George Whitte's keyboard responses and answer them rather than simply playing over the track.
• Adjust your harmonic interpretation based on the tune's color. Sanborn moves fluidly between blues language and modern jazz harmony; let your soloists explore both vocabularies.

Reserve this for a second-semester jazz unit or as enrichment material after your ensemble has solid command of bebop changes and blues form. The tunes pair well with a concert exploring fusion's roots in jazz, or as part of a contemporary composers showcase. Solo players can pull individual tracks for audition preparation or portfolio building.

• Improvising over non-diatonic and extended harmonic progressions
• Phrasing across the bar line and anticipating harmonic changes
• Listening and responding to accompaniment voicings in real time
• Translating studio production textures into ensemble playing
• Balancing technical precision with expressive intention in a contemporary context