Fun with triads.(Woodwinds)(www.alexdean.ca)

In the last couple of years I've been trying to incorporate a technique called "triad coupling" in my soloing. This is largely due to a few conversations with the great saxophonist and teacher, Pat Labarbera. In explaining the technique he pointed out that he would look for triad relationships within the scales and then use these triads as thematic material in a solo.

A good example of this technique can been found in Sonny Rollins' great solo on his own composition "Blue Seven" from the record Saxophone Colossus released in 1956.

There is also a recording of a tune with Miles Davis made a couple of months earlier called "Veird Blues" where you can hear Sonny trying out this technique using the same material.

Sonny creates a B[??] major triad from B[??], D and F then creates an …