NYに戻ってきて真っ先に感じたのは「曲を知らなさすぎる」と言うことだった。他の都市と違ってNYでは事前にセットリストを決めておくことはしないし、ジャムセッションで譜面を見たりもしない。ジャムセッションでコールされた曲を「あれも知らない、これも知らない」と謝り続けるのも格好悪いし、コード進行だけ知っていればスマホアプリでカンニングしても目立たないリズムセクションと違い、サックスというフロント楽器はまずメロディーを知らないと話にならない。レパートリーを増やすのが急務ということになった。

まずはレパートリーを管理するデータベースを作った。私が使ったのはファイルメーカープロだが、Googleシートでも似たようなものは作れると思う。

欲張って色んな情報を入れる仕様にしてしまったが、最低限必要な情報は
曲名
原曲のキー
最後に練習した日
ぐらいだと思う。

私の場合はテナー(Bb)、アルト(Eb)、フルート(C)の3本全てで覚える必要があったので最後に練習した日も3箇所入力するようになっている(Ebの欄は今はバスクラリネット用になっている)。

次にジャムセッションに行き、コールされて知らない曲をメモしておく。その場ではどうにもならないので別の曲をコールし直してもらうか、自分の知っている曲をやらせてもらう。曲名を忘れてしまった場合は、その曲をコールした人にもう一度教えてもらう。

YouTubeで曲を探す。少なくともテーマは譜面を見ずに耳でトランスクライブ(耳コピ)する。コード進行は初めのうちはスマホアプリかリアルブックを見て覚えるが、慣れてきたらテーマをピアノで取る際に自分であれこれ試してみる。そうすることで耳がパターン認識できるようになる。テーマとコード進行が分かったら楽器で練習し、データベースに記録する。これでレパートリーが一つ増えたことになる。

ちなみに新曲をデータベースに追加するときはその曲をコールした人も私は記録している。そして、その人と再び共演する機会が訪れたときにはその曲をコールして自分が覚えてきたこともアピールしつつ、実践でどれぐらい演奏できるかも試すことにしている。練習しただけだとちゃんと身につかないことが多いのでこれは重要。

曲が増えてくると間が空いて記憶が定かでない曲が出てくる。それを防ぐ為に普段の練習では「もっとも昔に練習した曲」からおさらいする。最後に練習した日を記録しておくのはこの為だ。

どれぐらい昔の曲だと記憶があやふやになるのか検討したところ、私の場合は6週間を超えると間違える確率が高くなることが分かったので、「6週間以内にレパートリー全曲をおさらいする」のを目標にした。

1日におさらいすべき曲数は全曲数÷42ということになる。勿論これは平均値。

ギグのない日は一日中練習できるが、そうでない日は練習できない場合もある。すると、平均の曲数だけ練習していると次第に6週間の間に全曲が収まらなくなるので、一回の練習でいかに多くの曲をさらえるか工夫する。

そこで考えたのが、曲によって練習の仕方を変え、マンネリを防いで集中力を持続させることでより多くの曲をさらえるようにする方法。

曲によって、またそれを演奏する楽器によって課題が異なるので、それに応じた練習をする。おおまかに分けると4パターン。

1. 難しいテーマをまず覚えるパターン

2. コード進行に従ってインプロまで練習するパターン

3. 大体覚えているが一応さらっておくパターン。歌物の場合は原曲と違うキーにトランスポーズし、どのキーで練習したか記録しておく。一度に12キー全てでやるべき曲と、やったことのないキーを一つだけ選んで挑戦する曲とを分けて考える。

4. 簡単な曲だが一応テーマだけさらっておくパターン

さらに現在は全ての曲について、サックス、バスクラリネット、フルートの運指で練習する(曲調的に合わないのでギグで演奏することがない曲も訓練のために全て持ち替え練習する)ということをやっている。

このアプローチでこの3年間にレパートリーを300曲ほど増やすことに成功し、ジャムセッションで「ごめん、知りません」ということも殆ど無くなってきた。

次の目標はどの楽器を持っていても全曲対応できるようにすることだが、まだこれについては色々試行錯誤している。

最後に一応参考までに現在記憶している「はず」のレパートリーは以下の通り。

"26-2"
"317 E 32nd Street"
"500 Miles High"
"52nd Street Theme"
"A Beautiful Friendship"
"A Child Is Born"
"A Felicidade"
"A Foggy Day"
"A Girl From Ipanema"
"A Night In Tunisia "
"Afro Blue"
"After You’ve Gone"
"Afternoon in Paris"
"Agua De Beber"
"Ain't Misbehavin’"
"Air Conditioning"
"Airegin"
"Alice in Wonderland "
"All Blues"
"All Of Me"
"All Of You"
"All Or Nothing At All"
"All The Things You Are"
"Almost Like Being In Love"
"Alone Together"
"Along Came Betty"
"Amsterdam After Dark"
"Ana Maria"
"Angel Eyes"
"Angola"
"Anthropology"
"April in Paris"
"Armando's Rhumba"
"As Time Goes By"
"Ask Me Now"
"At Last"
"Au Privave "
"Autumn In New York"
"Autumn Leaves"
"Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are"
"Bag’s Groove"
"Barbados"
"Barbara"
"Be Bop"
"Be My Love"
"Beatrice"
"Beautiful Love"
"Bemsha Swing"
"Bernie’s Tune"
"Besame Mucho"
"Bessie’s Blues"
"Better Git It In Your Soul"
"Bewitched"
"Big Nick"
"Billie's Bounce"
"Birdlike"
"Birk’s Works"
"Bittersweet"
"Black Narcissus"
"Black Nile"
"Black Orpheus"
"Blue 7"
"Blue Bossa"
"Blue in Green"
"Blue Monk"
"Blue Moon"
"Blue Skies"
"Blues For Alice"
"Blues in the closet"
"Blues on the corner"
"Bluesette"
"Body And Soul"
"Bohemia After Dark"
"Bolivia"
"Boo Boo's Birthday"
"Bouncin' With Bud"
"Breakthrough "
"Bright Size Life"
"Broadway "
"Bud Powell"
"But Beautiful"
"But Not For Me"
"Butch And Butch"
"Butterfly"
"Bye Bye Blackbird"
"Bye-ya"
"C. T. A. "
"Cantaloupe Island"
"Caravan"
"Careful"
"Celia"
"Centerpiece"
"Central Park West"
"Ceora"
"Chameleon"
"Charcoal Blues"
"Cheek to Cheek"
"Cheese Cake"
"Chelsea Bridge"
"Cherokee"
"Cheryl"
"Chi Chi"
"Children of the Night"
"Christmas Time Is Here"
"Cissy Strut"
"Come Rain Or Come Shine"
"Con Alma"
"Conception"
"Confirmation"
"Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)"
"Cottontail"
"Countdown"
"Cousin Mary"
"Criss Cross"
"Cute"
"Cyclic Episode "
"Daahoud"
"Dance Cadaverous "
"Dance of the Infidels"
"Darn That Dream"
"Dat Dere"
"Day By Day"
"Days Of Wine And Roses"
"Dear Old Stockholm"
"Del Sasser"
"Delilah"
"Deluge"
"Desafinado"
"Dewey Square"
"Dig"
"Do Nothin’ Til You Hear From Me"
"Dolphin Dance"
"Don't Blame Me"
"Don't Get Around Much Anymore "
"Donna Lee"
"Doxy"
"Dream A Little Dream Of Me"
"Dream Dancing"
"Dreamsville"
"Driftin'"
"E. S. P. (ESP)"
"East of the Sun"
"Easy Living"
"Easy Street"
"El Gaucho"
"Embraceable You"
"Emily"
"Epistrophy"
"Equinox"
"Eronel "
"Eternal Triangle"
"Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye"
"Everything Happens To Me"
"Everything I Have Is Yours"
"Evidence"
"Fall"
"Falling Grace"
"Fantasy in D - Ugetsu"
"Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum"
"Feel Like Makin' Love"
"Festive Minor"
"Fire Waltz"
"Firm Roots"
"Five Spot After Dark"
"Flintstones"
"Fly Me To The Moon"
"Footprints"
"For All We Know"
"For Heaven’s Sake"
"Four"
"Four Brothers"
"Four In One"
"Four On Six"
"Freddie Freeloader"
"Freedom Jazz Dance"
"Freight Trane"
"Friday the 13th"
"Fried Bananas"
"From this moment on"
"Full House"
"Fungii Mama"
"Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You"
"Gentle Rain"
"Georgia On My Mind"
"Get Happy"
"Giant Steps"
"God Bless The Child"
"Gone with the Wind"
"Good Bait"
"Goodbye Porkpie Hat"
"Got A Match?"
"Groovin’ High"
"Hackensack"
"Half Nelson"
"Have You Met Miss Jones"
"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"
"Here's That Rainy Day"
"Hey It’s Me You’re Talking To"
"Hindsight"
"Honeysuckle Rose"
"Hot House"
"How About You"
"How Deep Is The Ocean"
"How Deep Is Your Love"
"How High The Moon"
"How Insensitive"
"How My Heart Sings"
"Humpty Dumpty"
"I Can’t Get Started"
"I Can't Give You Anything But Love"
"I Can’t Help It"
"I Could Write A Book"
"I didn’t know what time it was"
"I Fall In Love Too Easily"
"I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)"
"I Hear A Rhapsody "
"I Love You"
"I Mean You"
"I Remember You"
"I Should Care"
"I Thought About You"
"I Want To Talk About You"
"I Won't Dance"
"I'll be Seeing You"
"I'll Close My Eyes"
"I'll Remember April"
"I'm beginning to see the light"
"I'm Glad There Is You"
"I’m Old Fashioned "
"I've Got Rhythm"
"I’ve never been in love before "
"If I Should Lose You"
"If I Were A Bell"
"If You Could See Me Now"
"Impressions"
"In A Mellow Tone"
"In A Sentimental Mood"
"In The Mood"
"In Walked Bud"
"In Your Own Sweet Way"
"Indiana "
"Infant Eyes"
"Inner Urge"
"Invitation"
"Is That So"
"Isfahan"
"Isn’t She Lovely "
"Isotope "
"It Could Happen To You"
"It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing"
"It had to be you"
"It Might As Well Be Spring "
"It’s All Right With Me"
"It’s only a paper moon"
"It’s You Or No One"
"Jeannine"
"Jingle Bell Rock"
"Jingle Bells"
"Jinrikisha"
"Jitterbug Waltz"
"Jody Grind"
"Jordu"
"Joshua"
"Joy Spring"
"Juicy Lucy"
"Juju"
"Just Friends"
"Just In Time"
"Just One Of Those Things"
"Just Squeeze Me"
"Killer Joe"
"L-O-V-E (love)"
"La Fiesta"
"La Vie en Rose"
"Lady Bird"
"Laura"
"Lazy Bird"
"Left Alone"
"Lester Leaps In"
"Let’s Cool One"
"Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)"
"Like Someone In Love"
"Like Sonny"
"Limbo"
"Limbo (2)"
"Line For Lyons"
"Litha "
"Little B's Poem"
"Little Sunflower"
"Little Willie Leaps"
"Loose Walk"
"Lotus Blossom"
"Love For Sale"
"Lover"
"Lover Man"
"Lover, Come Back To Me"
"Lucky Southern"
"Lullaby Of A Birdland"
"Lullaby of the Leaves"
"Lush Life"
"Mac The Knife"
"Mahjong"
"Maiden Voyage"
"Making Whoopee"
"Manteca"
"Marmaduke"
"Martha's Prize"
"Mean to me"
"Meditation"
"Mercy Mercy Mercy"
"Mexican Hip Dance"
"Miles"
"Milestones"
"Minority"
"Misterioso"
"Misty"
"Miyako"
"Moanin’"
"Moment's Notice"
"Monk's Dream"
"Monk's Mood"
"Mood Indigo"
"Moon River"
"Moonglow"
"Moonlight In Vermont"
"Moonlight Serenade"
"Moose The Mooche"
"Move"
"Mr. Day"
"Mr. PC"
"My Bebop Tune"
"My Cherie Amour"
"My Favorite Things"
"My Foolish Heart"
"My Funny Valentine"
"My Ideal"
"My Little Suede Shoes"
"My One And Only Love"
"My Romance"
"My Shining Hour"
"Naima"
"Nardis "
"Nature Boy"
"Nearness of You"
"Nefertiti"
"Never Will I Marry"
"New York State Of Mind"
"Nica’s Dream"
"Nice 'n' Easy"
"Night And Day"
"Night Dreamer"
"No More Blues (Chega de saudade)"
"Nobody else but me"
"Nostalgia"
"Nostalgia in Times Square"
"Nothing Like You"
"Nothing Personal"
"Now’s The Time"
"Old Devil Moon"
"Old Folks"
"Oleo"
"On A Clear Day"
"On A Misty Night"
"On A Slow Boat To China"
"On Green Dolphin Street"
"On the Sunny Side of the Street"
"On The Trail"
"Once I Loved"
"One By One"
"One Finger Snap"
"One For Daddy-O"
"One Note Samba"
"Orange Colored Sky"
"Ornithology"
"Our Delight"
"Our Love Is Here To Stay"
"Out of Nowhere"
"Over The Rainbow"
"Overjoyed"
"Ow!"
"Pannonica"
"Parisian Thoroughfare"
"Paul's Pal"
"Peace"
"Pennie's From Heaven"
"Pensativa"
"Pent Up House"
"Perdido"
"Petite Fleur"
"Pfrancing"
"Pink Panther"
"Pinocchio"
"Polkadots and Moonbeams "
"Poor Butterfly"
"Prelude To A Kiss"
"Punjab"
"Pure Imagination"
"Question And Answer"
"Quizas Quizas Quizas "
"Raincheck"
"Recordame"
"Red Clay"
"Reflections"
"Reincarnation Of A Lovebird"
"Relaxin’ at Camarillo"
"Remember"
"Rhythm-A-Ning"
"Rio"
"Road Song"
"Robbin's Nest"
"Round Midnight"
"Route 66"
"Ruby, My Dear"
"S' Wonderful"
"Sail Away"
"Salt Peanuts"
"Samba de Orfeu"
"Sandu"
"Satin Doll"
"Saucer Eyes"
"Scrapple From The Apple "
"Second Balcony Jump"
"Secret Love"
"Segment"
"September In The Rain"
"Serene"
"Serenity"
"Seven Steps To Heaven"
"Shade of jade"
"Shiny Stockings"
"Short Story"
"Sidewinder"
"Simone"
"Sir Duke"
"Sister Sadie"
"Skippy"
"Skylark"
"Smile"
"Smoke Gets In Your Eyes"
"Snakes"
"Só Danço Samba"
"So Nice (Summer Samba)"
"So What"
"Social Call"
"Softly, as in Morning Sunrise"
"Solar"
"Someday My Prince Will Come"
"Someone To Watch Over Me"
"Sometime Ago"
"Song For My Father"
"Sonnymoon For Two"
"Sophisticated Lady"
"Soul Eyes"
"Spain"
"Speak Low"
"Speak No Evil"
"Split Kick"
"St. Thomas"
"Stablemates"
"Star Dust"
"Star Eyes"
"Stars Fell On Alabama"
"Steeplechase "
"Stella By Starlight "
"Stolen Moments"
"Stompin’ At The Savoy"
"Straight No Chaser"
"Straight Street"
"Strasbourg Saint Denis"
"Strollin’"
"Sugar"
"Summertime "
"Sweet And Lovely"
"Sweet Georgia Brown"
"Sweet Lorraine"
"Sweet Pumpkin"
"Swingin' At The Haven"
"Tadd’s Delight"
"Take Five"
"Take the A Train"
"Take The Coltrane"
"Tangerine"
"Tea For Two"
"Tell Me A Bedtime Story"
"Tenderly"
"Tenor Madness"
"Tequila"
"That Old Feeling"
"That’s All"
"The Best Thing For You Is Me"
"The Boy Next Door"
"The Chicken"
"The Kicker"
"The Lady Is A Tramp"
"The Man I Love"
"The More I See You"
"The Night Has A Thousand Eyes"
"The Preacher"
"The Shadow Of Your Smile"
"The Song Is You"
"The Way You Look Tonight"
"Theme For Ernie"
"Theme From New York New York"
"There is No Greater Love"
"There Will Never Be Another You"
"These Foolish Things"
"They Can't Take That Away From Me"
"Things Ain't What They Used To Be"
"Think of One"
"This I Dig Of You"
"This is for Albert"
"Thou Swell"
"Three Little Words"
"Three Views Of A Secret"
"Time After Time"
"Time Remembered"
"Tin Tin Deo"
"Tom Thumb"
"Tones For Joan's Bones"
"Too Marvelous For Words"
"Too Young To Go Steady"
"Tour De Force"
"Toy Tune"
"Tricotism"
"Triste"
"Tune Up"
"Turnaround "
"Ugly Beauty"
"Unforgettable"
"Unit Seven"
"United"
"Up Jumped Spring"
"Upper Manhattan Medical Group"
"Valse Hot"
"Very Early"
"Voyage"
"Wail"
"Waltz For Debby"
"Waltz New"
"Watch What Happens"
"Wave"
"We See"
"Wee"
"Well You Needn’t (Miles version)"
"Well You Needn’t (Monk version)"
"West Coast Blues"
"What a wonderful world "
"What Is This Thing Called Love"
"What’s New"
"When Lights Are Low (Miles Version)"
"When Lights Are Low (original)"
"When Sunny Gets Blue"
"When the saints go marching in"
"When will the blues leave"
"Whisper Not"
"Wild Flower"
"Willow Weep For Me"
"Windows"
"Witch Hunt"
"Witchcraft"
"Without A Song"
"Woody‘N You"
"Work"
"Work Song"
"Yardbird Suite"
"Yes Or No"
"Yesterday"
"Yesterdays"
"You And The Night And The Music"
"You Don't Know What Love Is"
"You Go To My Head"
"You Must Believe In Spring"
"You Stepped Out of a Dream"
"You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To"
"You’re My Everything"
"You've Changed"
576曲