Bb Blues Turnaround 1

Blues turnarounds can be complex, but they don't have to be. The lick for November 2000 shows a common turnaround device, the "minor-third turn," which can be highly effective but is also one of the simplest. Before we get started, keep in mind that last two measures of a 12-bar blues constitutes the turnaround area, fertile ground for a device that leads back to the next chorus.

Here's how the "minor third turn" works: Play a voicing of the I7 chord (many voicings are possible, including 7th, 9th, 13th, combinations thereof, and select altered chords), move it up three frets (a minor third interval; three half-steps), and then chromatically descend until I7 is reached, which marks the beginning of the next 12-bar chorus. Finally, its good to know that when you use the "minor-third turn," that Db7 and B7 can be considered "flat 5" substitutes for G7 and F7, respectively, the chords you'd encounter if you were to instead use the common I7-VI7-II7-V7 turnaround. For lots more blues turnarounds, see All Blues For Jazz Guitar--Comping Styles, Chords & Grooves. More next month.