by Dr. Matthew Warnock.

The latest book and CD package from the Jamey Aebersold Play-A-Long series, Volume 123: Now's The Time, gives musicians a chance to play alongside one of the finest rhythm sections in the world, the Joey DeFrancesco Trio. One of the reasons that the Aebersold Play-A-Long series has become so popular is the ability of its owner, Jamey Aebersold, to attract some of the best names in jazz to perform on each CD, and Volume 123 is no exception. The rhythm section of Joey DeFrancesco on organ, Byron Landham on drums and Paul Bollenback on guitar is one of the hardest swinging and energetic trios on the scene today.

While some of the titles in the Aebersold series feature rhythm sections that were put together specifically for that recording, this trio has been playing together, in one form or another, for years and even a beginning player can feel the tightness of the ensemble when jamming alongside them. Practicing along with a trio of this caliber will not only help players learn the songs on the recording, but will teach them about time, feel, rhythm and phrasing in a way that can only be learned by playing with experienced, world-class jazzers, like those in the DeFrancesco trio.

Apprenticing with older, more experienced, players is something that has been a part of the jazz tradition since the genre's earliest days. In a time before "real" books, video lessons, YouTube or even instructional books, the only way for a young musician to improve their playing was to do two things: learn directly from recordings and gain as much experience as they could on the bandstand. Guitarists such as Wes Montgomery, Pat Metheny and Pat Martino all cut their teeth playing in small clubs and local bars before they were ready to step out onto the world stage. With the scene changing over the past few years, and regular gigs becoming harder to find, players have to look to other venues in order to gain valuable playing experience. While play-along recordings will never replace the knowledge gained from a live gig, they can be used as an effective and productive practice tool by guitarists of all backgrounds and levels of experience.

Volume 123 features 15 tracks that are made up of 11 jazz/funk standards and four new original compositions that were penned by Aebersold himself. For the standards, Aebersold chose to include a mixture of traditional jazz tunes such as "Bye-Bye Blackbird," "I Fall in Love Too Easily" and "Summertime," alongside tunes that have become synonymous with the organ-trio genre such as the Wes Montgomery classic "Four on Six," Joe Zawinul's funky powerhouse "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" and a bluesy rendition of "Gee, Baby Ain't I Good to You." While Aebersold could have easily filled the CD with tunes that were written by organists, or for organ trios, by giving players the chance to play both jazz and organ based songs in an organ-trio setting, Aebersold ensures that everyone will be able to enjoy playing along with this recording, whether they come from a strictly jazz or organ trio background.

One of the biggest complaints that is often expressed about any play-along series, Aebersold's included, is that while these recordings provide a harmonic backing track for people to work with, the lack of interaction within the rhythm section can be stale and almost robotic. While this, or any, play-along will never fully replace the experience one gains by playing with a live rhythm section, Aebersold has made a concerted effort to include arrangements for each tune that at least simulate a gigging situation. The title track, "Now's the Time," is a good example of how Aebersold attempts to breathe more life into his play-along recordings. The melody section of the tune, which is a 12-bar blues in the key of F, contains punches and dynamic contrasts within the rhythm section, which provides at least some level of creativity and interaction between the practicing player and the recording. As well, during the solo section of this tune, and others on the recording, the band alternates between straight comping, bluesy fills/riffs, drum fills and call-and-response style trading back and forth among the organ, drums, guitar and hopefully the live player. By adding these elements into each track on the recording, Aebersold provides a level of interaction and creativity that is not quite the same as playing a live gig, but is much better than simply jamming along to a metronome or to a computerized rhythm section.

Sonny Rollins once said that "an hour on the bandstand is worth a month in the practice room," and most musicians, jazz or otherwise, would probably agree with this statement. With the rise of the Internet, digital TV and the increasing popularity of video games, bars and clubs are facing stiffer competition from home entertainment systems than ever before. Because of this, many establishments are cutting back on live music or not offering it at all, which means that it is harder for young players to gain live experience by playing in local clubs or even restaurants. While the days may be long gone where players could cut their teeth by playing seven nights a week in local bars or by touring regularly, products such as the Aebersold series strive to provide that valuable experience in the comfort of one's practice room. Though play-along recordings, including this volume, can never replace the experience gained from playing a live gig, they can help younger players develop their sense of swing, increase their ability to hear chord changes and give them experience soloing alongside world-class jazz musicians. All of these experiences are essential in propelling jazz musicians to the next level in their development.

Jamey Aebersold Play-A-Long series, Volume 123: Now's The Time Track Listing
1. Now's the Time
2. Four on Six
3. The More I See You
4. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
5. Lunch Portion
6. I Fall in Love Too Easily
7. Bye, Bye Blackbird
8. Gee, Baby Ain't I Good to You
9. Indiana
10. February 14th
11. Anthropology
12. Summertime
13. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
14. Slow Blues
15. Obama-Nation
16. Tuning Notes

Related Link:
Jamey Aebersold Play-A-Long series, Volume 123: Now's The Time on Amazon.com