(MED. SWING ♩=80)
35

Jazz Piano · Blues Comp Styles

Charleston Blues

Dotted-quarter + eighth syncopation, both hands, twelve keys

The Charleston rhythm is one of the great rhythmic shapes in jazz: a dotted-quarter note followed by an eighth note, occupying beats 1 and 2 of a bar, then a half-rest for beats 3-4. The accent hits beat 1 and the "and of 2" — the same pattern as in the 1920s Charleston dance, and used by every comping pianist since.

Applied to the blues, this puts two chord stabs per bar with two beats of space, on every chord, every bar. The space is as important as the hit. Practice it slowly to feel where the "and of 2" sits in the beat.

Rhythm

Dotted-quarter + eighth on beat 1; half rest beats 3-4

Form

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

01

F blues

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

B♭ blues

1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 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

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

A♭ blues

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

D♭ blues

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

G♭ blues

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

B blues

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

E blues

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

A blues

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

D blues

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

G blues

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

3 2 1 O O O G 7 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

Dotted-quarter, eighth, two beats of silence. The Charleston pattern.

80 bpm
Sound