Blue Bossa, Melodic Analysis
- Dr. Bob Lawrence
- Sep 14
- 4 min read
Melody, Phrases, and Treatments.
Blue Bossa by Kenny Dorham
“Blue Bossa” — Discovering the Essentials of Jazz Piano one Standard at a time!
Blue Bossa: A Melodic Journey
There’s something special about week two here at Jazz Piano Skills. Every month, we take a jazz standard and walk it through a three-part journey: harmonic analysis, melodic analysis, and finally, improvisation development. Last week, we laid the harmonic foundation for Kenny Dorham’s timeless classic Blue Bossa. This week, it’s time to turn our ears, fingers, and minds toward the melody.
Why Melodic Analysis Matters
A melody isn’t just a collection of notes—it’s the voice of the tune. It’s what sticks in our memory, what we hum in the car, and what gives the harmony its purpose. That’s why week two always focuses on dissecting the melody: learning it by ear, figuring out fingerings, identifying phrases, and experimenting with treatments (ballad, bossa, swing).
But there’s a catch: you can’t learn melody in isolation. To truly play jazz, you need a practice strategy built on a clear conceptual understanding of music. Without it, practice turns into guesswork. Too many players fall into this trap—jumping from video to video, book to book, hoping for a magic fix. And yet, the more information they gather, the more overwhelmed they become.
That’s the “catch-22” I talked about in this episode. You need understanding to create a good practice plan, but you also need a good plan to gain understanding. Which comes first? That’s where Jazz Piano Skills steps in—to provide both the conceptual clarity and the step-by-step strategies to make progress possible.
The Compass: Seven Facts of Music
To avoid getting lost, we always come back to the same compass: the Seven Facts of Music. These aren’t lofty theories or esoteric jargon. They’re simple truths about how music works:
Music is sound and silence.
Sound is harmonic or melodic (shapes).
Harmony means chords and voicings.
Melody means scales and arpeggios.
Scales/arpeggios move up or down.
We decorate with tension or chromaticism.
Rhythm brings it all to life.
If you brand these into your mind, suddenly the fog clears. Everything you hear, play, or practice falls into one of these categories. Skills and music shake hands. That’s when practice becomes purposeful—and when results start to happen.
Brianna’s Question: What Not to Do
This week, I also addressed a thoughtful question from Brianna Bradley, a new member and lifelong classical pianist now beginning her jazz journey. She asked: What should I avoid as I get started?
It’s such an important question that I decided to stretch my answer across two episodes. In this one, I shared the first five warning signs that signal trouble ahead:
No plan – If you can’t articulate a plan, you’re already drifting.
Information gathering – Endlessly searching instead of practicing.
Practice sessions too long – Marathon sessions with little return.
Playing songs all the time – Mistaking repertoire for skill-building.
Neglecting the grunt work – Skipping scales and arpeggios.
Each of these on its own is a stumbling block. Together, they create a downward spiral that leads to overwhelm and defeat. Next week, I’ll share five more signs to avoid, but even reflecting on these five can help you recalibrate your practice immediately.
Melodic Study: Blue Bossa
Now, back to our tune of the month. Blue Bossa is short (only 16 bars) but packed with elegance. Its melody is clever: phrases descend by whole steps—starting on G, then F, then E♭—creating a clear, logical flow.
Here’s how I recommend tackling it:
Listen first. Soak in as many recordings as you can—instrumentalists, vocalists, not just jazz pianists.
Learn by ear. Use “fill in the blank” lead sheets with guide tones. Don’t worry about notation perfection; this is ear training.
Check your work. Once you’ve done what you can by ear, compare with the full lead sheet.
Fingerings. Use suggested fingerings to help your hand glide naturally across the keys.
Phrasing & target notes. Notice where the melody “rests.” These targets shape your articulation.
Add harmony. Overlay the melody with block voicings and shell voicings from last week’s harmonic study.
Experiment with treatments. Ballad, bossa, swing—each brings the melody to life in a different way.
Takeaway
Blue Bossa is more than a tune—it’s a laboratory. By exploring its harmony, melody, and eventually improvisation, you not only add a great standard to your repertoire but also strengthen your grasp of the essential jazz piano skills.
Whether you’re just starting, like Brianna, or you’ve been on this journey for decades, the process remains the same: listen deeply, understand conceptually, practice strategically, and always return to the seven facts of music.
So this week, put away the magic books and endless YouTube searches. Sit down with Blue Bossa. Learn its melody by ear. Feel the phrases. Play it as a ballad, a bossa, and a swing. And remember—the key isn’t doing more, it’s doing what matters most.
Because at the end of the day, it’s time to discover, learn, and play jazz piano!
🎧 Listen Now: [Jazz Piano Skills Podcast: “Blue Bossa” – Melodic Analysis Episode] 📝 Become a Member: JazzPianoSkills.com 📺 Subscribe on YouTube: Jazz Piano Skills
Warm Regards, Dr. Bob Lawrence
Jazz Piano Skills
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