"Do To Me" - Trombone Shorty

"Do To Me" (PDF) from the Trombone Shorty album, For True.

Here is one of the hottest tunes from the new album.  Shorty has been performing it on T.V. and at other media appearances.  I am not sure if "Do To Me" officially was the first single released from the album, but it was the first one with a featured trombone solo. 

The melody really highlights how simple this music can be.  Yet, because of the melody's syncopation, this tune is also a lesson in rhythm.  Here is an instance where the notes are not what is important, and the pulse and rhythmic feeling are what make up the melody.

However, the trombone solo focuses more on the harmonic content than its rhythmic qualities.  This solo uses the A mixolydian scale, but with a b3 (C) most of the time for a bluesy sound (in addition to the b5 [Eb]), while the F# retains the major sounding melodic passages.  Also, note that the solo ends on a high B, the 9th of the chord.  I'm guessing that this was not the original end of the solo, and they had to make room for Jeff Beck's guitar playing after the fact. 

Another element that Shorty uses in this solo is the use of dynamics.  Not only does it display a level of control over the instrument, but it also forces the human ear to respond differently.  Instead of being blasted by the sound of brass the entire time, the listener will want to listen deeper to dynamic shifts in the music.  Also, try using those swells on each pitch when you are practicing your scales and long tones.  It will help you develop your control of your air support.

SPECIAL THANKS to Jackson for the comments!

Here's a YouTube video of Trombone Shorty performing “Do To Me” for SiriusXM radio:

Recommended Reading:  Back to School for Grown-Ups: Everything You Should Have Learned in Class by Stephen Evans and Ian Whitelaw.  Published by Barron's Educational Series, Inc.