(MED. SWING ♩=80)
31

Jazz Piano · Blues Comp Styles

Bebop Blues Comp

Sparse syncopated hits — and-of-2 + 4, twelve keys

Bebop comping is sparse. Where stride and Freddie Green play on every beat, bebop comping leaves space — the soloist needs the room. The pianist drops chord stabs on unpredictable spots, typically the "and of 2" and beat 4 — off-beat syncopation that pushes against the soloist's lines.

Monk and Powell supply the rhythmic language — sparse, jabbed, off the beat. The voicings themselves are the later rootless 3-♭7-9 language of Red Garland and Wynton Kelly (Powell's own stabs were root-based shells). The chord stabs use rootless voicings (3-♭7-9) so the soloist's notes don't collide with a doubled root. The result is a comping style that punctuates rather than supports — adding accents, not filling space.

Rhythm

Bass on 1; chord on "and of 2" + beat 4

Form

I⁷ IV⁷ I⁷ I⁷ | IV⁷ IV⁷ I⁷ I⁷ | V⁷ IV⁷ I⁷ V⁷

01

F blues

3 2 4 1 O O C 7 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7
02

B♭ blues

F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 1 2 1 3 1 X 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 1 3 2 4 X X E 7
03

E♭ blues

A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr E 7 1 3 2 4 X X A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr E 7 1 3 2 4 X X 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 E 7 1 3 2 4 X X A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X E 7 1 3 2 4 X X 1 3 2 4 X X 7 E 7 B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X
04

A♭ blues

D 7 2 3 1 4 X X A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr D 7 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 2 3 1 4 X X A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr D 7 2 3 1 4 X X E 7 1 3 2 4 X X A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr 7 A 7 1 3 2 4 X X E 7
05

D♭ blues

G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 D 7 2 3 1 4 X X G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 D 7 2 3 1 4 X X 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 D 7 2 3 1 4 X X G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr D 7 2 3 1 4 X X 2 3 1 4 X X 7 D 7 A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr
06

G♭ blues

C 7 X X 5fr G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 C 7 X X 5fr C 7 X X 5fr G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 C 7 X X 5fr D 7 2 3 1 4 X X G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 1 7 G 7 D 7 2 3 1 4 X X
07

B blues

E 7 2 1 O O O O B 7 2 1 3 4 X O E 7 2 1 O O O O E 7 2 1 O O O O B 7 2 1 3 4 X O 2 1 3 4 X O B 7 B 7 2 1 3 4 X O E 7 2 1 O O O O F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 B 7 2 1 3 4 X O 7 2 1 3 4 X O B 7 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1
08

E blues

B 7 2 1 3 4 X O 2 1 O O O O E 7 2 1 O O O O E 7 B 7 2 1 3 4 X O 1 3 X O O O A 7 2 1 O O O O E 7 2 1 O O O O E 7 2 1 O O O O E 7 2 1 O O O O E 7 1 3 X O O O A 7 1 3 X O O O A 7 1 3 X O O O A 7
09

A blues

E 7 2 1 O O O O 1 3 X O O O A 7 1 3 X O O O A 7 E 7 2 1 O O O O 2 1 3 X X O D 7 1 3 X O O O A 7 1 3 X O O O A 7 1 3 X O O O A 7 1 3 X O O O A 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7 D 7 2 1 3 X X O
10

D blues

1 3 X O O O A 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7 A 7 1 3 X O O O 3 2 1 O O O G 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7 G 7 3 2 1 O O O
11

G blues

2 1 3 X X O D 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7 D 7 2 1 3 X X O 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7 G 7 3 2 1 O O O 3 2 1 O O O G 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7
12

C blues

G 7 3 2 1 O O O C 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 3 2 4 1 O O 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7

Less is more, every chord. The bebop pianist as percussionist.

80 bpm
Sound