The Modal Gig
The Inspiration
In this gig, we use Miles Davis’ So What as a way into modal jazz through listening, playing, arranging, improvising, rehearsing, and reflecting together. This piece is important because it opened up a different kind of jazz thinking. Built from a simple modal framework, So What gives us room to focus on groove, phrasing, texture, interaction, and melodic development. That makes it a strong piece for learning how modal jazz works.
You will learn key ideas from the piece, build a playable class arrangement, and experiment with improvisation using limited pitch material.
So What’s the Gig?
In this gig, your class will learn, rehearse, and perform a classroom version of So What.
Build the groove, outline the famous opening idea, the bass movement, chordal support, and improvised solos. Rather than trying to copy every detail of the original recording, you will make a playable version that keeps the spirit of the piece alive while fitting your ensemble.
Through doing, you will learn how modal jazz works in practice: how groove and feel hold the music together, how small ideas can be developed, how improvisation can be built from limited pitch material, and how ensemble players support one another.
By the end of the gig, you will share your arrangement of So What, including:
The opening call-and-response material
The groove and form
A playable ensemble arrangement
One or more improvised choruses
Evidence of rehearsal decisions shaped by the class
Practise your part with our resources
Rehearse your part with our backing tracks
Share your part using our band chart
Use these to get started, then try to rely on it less each time. Some gigs need more reading than others, but when you can, practise playing with your eyes up so you can respond to your bandmates and what’s happening in the room.
Live performance by Miles Davis
The Backstory
So What” came out of a session where Miles Davis kept things intentionally simple. He only brought rough sketches into the studio and gave the band minimal direction, letting them figure things out as they played. The group hadn’t rehearsed the piece much beforehand, so the recording captures something close to a first full performance. That loose, almost spontaneous approach is what gives the track its cool, effortless feel.
Influence and Impact
Released in 1959, Kind of Blue is widely regarded as one of the greatest jazz albums of all time. With its smooth, modal improvisation style, this masterpiece has influenced countless musicians and continues to inspire listeners around the world.
Kind of Blue marked a shift toward a more open, modal style of jazz. Instead of relying on complex chord changes, the album gave musicians more space to explore and express themselves. This approach helped shape a new direction for modern jazz.
Covers
Documentaries
Tutorials
Podcasts
“So What” by Miles Davis
Program: Strong Songs with Kirk Hamilton
Runtime: 1 Hr | Released: 2 Apr 2020
On this episode, Kirk dives in to one of the most influential jazz recordings of all time.
As the lead track on Miles Davis’s landmark album Kind of Blue, “So What” signaled a new era in jazz harmony, composition, and improvisation. This episode will get into what that actually means, how the tune works, and why the seven musicians who played on Kind of Blue were each such a crucial part of the album’s magic.
Sketches of Miles
Program: The Music Show
Runtime: 1 Hr | Released: 26 Sep 2021
We hear how Miles not only changed music but also the lives of those he played with. We’ve pulled interviews from The Music Show’s archives with former bandmates including pianists Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, saxophonists Wayne Shorter and Gary Bartz, guitarist John McLaughlin, bassist Dave Holland as well as big fans of his music like Paul Grabowsky. We move from the Birth of the Cool to Kind of Blue, Nefertiti, Bitches Brew and, finally, to Aura.
Deconstructing Modal Jazz
Created with: NotebookLM
Runtime: 1 Hr
