Soloing

Ok guys im workin on a couple songs for jazz band the first has a chord progression Gm9, F9, Eb9, D9, it has a latin feel to it, and i need some ideas for solo work on top of these chords. The other song is a medium, slow swing the key signature in both has an Eb and a Bb.

Originally Posted by: gogogo... chord progression Gm9, F9, Eb9, D9...[/QUOTE]
First consider - does the song have a distinct melody or theme that is played over these chords? If so, then, learn it. Be able to play it. Be able to use it and expand upon it as what to play for a solo.

Next - consider all of the notes in all of those chords as a system.

Gmin9 - G, B flat, D, A
F9 - F, A, C, E flat, G
E flat 9 - E flat, G, B flat, D flat, F
D9 - D, F sharp, A, C, E

Make a linear scale out of them:

G, A, B flat, C, D, E flat, E, F, F sharp

This is essentially G minor with added notes - the D flat is the flat five, the E is a major 6th, and the F sharp is a major 7th. So you could use the G minor scale as solo material, and alter it to include or replace the "outside" notes when the chords occur that contain those notes. For example, when the E flat9 happens use the G minor scale but play D flat instead of D.

Finally, since this is jazz you should think about approaching the chords in a jazzy manner. This means to think ahead about what chord is coming up next. Suppose you are playing G minor scale over the G min9 chord. But you know the F9 is coming up. Before the F9 arrives approach it by playing a ii-V-I of F (two-five-one chord progression of F).

So the chords are: Gmin9 ---> F9
But with your soloing you suggest
Gmin9 --> Gmin (ii of F) --> C7 (V of F) --> F9

Example:

|--------------3-5-|-6-3--------------|-----------1-----|
|--------3-4-6-----|-----5-3----------|---------3---4---|
|---2-3------------|---------5-3------|-----2-5---------|
|-5----------------|--------------5-2-|-3-5-------------|
|------------------|------------------|-----------------|
|------------------|------------------|-----------------|
Gmin9 C7 F9

You can do this 2-5-1 approach thing for any chord. Just think of any chord as a temporary goal in the song regardless of what the overall key is. And more, you can use the overall key as a basis, but just add the altered notes that help outline or suggest the temporary goal.
[QUOTE=gogogo]...medium, slow swing the key signature in both has an Eb and a Bb.

This could indicate the key of B flat major or it's relative minor G minor. Other than that - not enough info. You need to consider chord progressions & melodies/themes in the tune.

You can solo in Gm or arpeggiate the chords separately, just be sure to target the closest notes on the changes or keep some sort of common pattern, and resolve on the tonic when the progression resets. A cool idea might be to ascend through the G- arpeggio, descend through the F, ascend through the Eb and then play a diminshed tension builder over the B so that you can resolve into G- again on the 1.