“Black Nile” is a Wayne Shorter composition from his 1964 Blue Note album Night Dreamer, featuring Lee Morgan, McCoy Tyner, Reggie Workman and Elvin Jones. It’s a fast, flowing tune with a long, winding melody and challenging harmony.
The tune moves through a long sequence of chords, often descending through ii-V progressions and shifting key centers. The melody rides over the changes in long, smooth phrases.
Section by section: in the opening section, follow the descending ii-Vs with guide tones and practice one lick moved through the sequence. In the middle section, mark new key centers and practice ii-V-Is in each. In the final section, quote the melody to bring your solo back to the composition. Lee Morgan and Shorter offer contrasting approaches on the original.
Practice slowly, learning the changes in sections, then increase tempo.
Transposing tip: horn players should get a lead sheet in their key.
Arrangement idea: have trumpet and tenor play the long melody in unison or octaves, as on the original. After the solos, let the drummer take an extended break before the final head, in the spirit of Elvin Jones.
How to use this Black Nile Lead Sheet PDF: print it or keep it on a tablet, mark the form sections and key centers in pencil, and write the guide tones you want to target above the tricky bars. Revisit those notes after each practice session so the tune gets easier every week.
Getting the most from the Black Nile Lead Sheet PDF: start by reading the chord symbols without your instrument and humming the roots. Then circle any chord you can’t yet voice or arpeggiate, and make those your warm-up for the week before you play the whole form.
Is it hard to play? It’s advanced. Recordings to study: Night Dreamer (1964). Learn more about the composer on Wayne Shorter’s Wikipedia page, and find more post-bop lead sheets on Minedit.