There are a fair number of common tunes where people usually expect a specific bass part, at least on the head. If you don’t play the written bass part, you’re not playing the song. For example:

• All Blues
• Cantaloupe Island
• Chameleon
• Equinox
• Footprints
• Giant Steps (bass follows the head through the first half)
• Killer Joe
• Eighty-One
• Four (gotta nail those hits in the head)
• Jordu (those hits again)
• Milestones
• Mr. PC
• Nardis
• A Night in Tunisia
• Pent-Up House
• Red Clay
• So What
• Song For My Father
• Watermelon Man

Additionally, learn to nail the transition on tunes that switch from straight 8ths to swing 8ths. Especially if it’s a jam session or something, I usually telegraph the upcoming swing part a measure ahead with a swing fill. When the straight 8ths part is coming back, I might play a whole note for the last measure. I also find switching back and forth a little tiresome, and switch to swinging all the way through the form after we express the head. A lot of classic recordings do this too. Tunes like:

• A Night In Tunisia
• Caravan
• Green Dolphin Street
• Invitation
• Love For Sale
• Nica’s Dream
• Old Devil Moon

And work on some of the super up-tempo tunes that you won’t be able to read on the bandstand. Memorize a coupla lines through ’em at least:

• Giant Steps
• Cherokee
• Moment’s Notice
• Seven Steps to Heaven