Originally from www.allaboutjazz.com Jazz Nicknames
Slang is definitely cool, but other non-musical aspects, like nicknames, have created a certain allure or attraction to Jazz, too. Nicknames, especially the stories behind them, are fun, sometimes funny, and other times fascinating.The immortal Louis Armstrong had at least three of them. Even before jazz was officially a musical form, forerunners of it, such as Charles "Buddy" Bolden, had nicknames. In fact, it seems that the bigger the artist, the quicker he or she gained a nickname.
This list contains a few of those nicknames; if you know of any others or can expand upon the reasons for a given nickname, please send them to us .
Adderley, Julian Edwin --- Cannonball
Actually, Adderley's original nickname was "Cannibal" because of his eating habits. "Cannonball" is merely a bastardization of "Cannibal" and is still a good fit.
Ammons, Gene --- Jug
Not sure why the tenor saxophonist was called "Jug." If you know the source of this nickname, please let us know. A reader says that Gene was called "Jug" because he could drink anyone under the table.
Armstrong, Louis --- Dipper Mouth, Satchel Mouth, Satchmo, Gate
King Oliver and other early jazz musicians called Louis "Dipper Mouth" or "Satchel Mouth", presumably because of his large mouth. Early in the thirties, Louis visited England and was given his trademark handle "Satchmo" when British fans heard the "Satchel Mouth" tag incorrectly. Billie Holiday called him "Pops." Gate was also used to designate Armstrong at some point.
According to Louis' own book "Satchmo, My Life In New Orleans" reprinted by Ace Books in 1957 (originally published 1955), "Dipper...(that was my nickname - short for Dippermouth, from the piece called Dippermouth Blues)". It would appear that the name was given to him after the tune which he evidently liked when he was very young. -Bruce Barnett
Baker, Chesney H. --- Chet
Chet was probably just a derivation of the Cool trumpeter's first name. If his parents didn't bestow this nickname on Chet, he probably did himself at an early age.
Basie, William --- Count
In his autobiography, "Good Morning Blues," he writes that he wanted to become part of the "jazz royalty of the time" - among them Duke Ellington, King Oliver, Earl Hines and Baron Lee - so he took the name 'Count.' This was in the late 1920s.
Beiderbecke, Leon --- Bix
As an astute reader puts it, "Bix's real name was Leon Bismarck Beiderbecke. That is well documented in the Bix Beiderbecke "bible" by Sudhalter et al: "Bix - man and legend". In that book there is a discussion of several pages and a photo of his death attest, where his real name is written.
The name Bismarck came from his father, who somethimes was named Bix, perhaps that's the reason why Bix was christianed Bix."
Berry, Leon --- Chu
Chu Berry resembled a character from a musical called "Chu Chin Chow."
Bertholoff, William Henry Joseph Berthol Bonaparte --- Willie "the Lion" Smith
Willie Smith was probably used to shorten the extremely long name. "The Lion" was bestowed because of Willie's forceful manner.
Or, as another reader puts it: he was called "The Lion" because of his devotion to Israel.
Blakey, Art --- Bu
Art Blakey was sometimes called "Bu," which was short for his Muslim name, Abdullah Ibn Buhaina.
Bolden, Charles --- Buddy
"Buddy" Bolden was reputed to be the first Jazz cornetist. If you know where this nickname came from, let us know.
Breitenfeld, Paul --- Paul Desmond
Desmond reportedly picked his name out of a phone book.
Brown, Clarence --- Gatemouth
Gatemouth was obviously derived from "Gator" mouth. "Alligator" was what jazz musicians called each other prior to adopting to "cat". "Hey Gate!" was a common salutation.
Brown, Clifford --- Brownie .
It is no great mystery why Clifford Brown was called "Brownie."
Byrd, Henry Roeland --- Professor Longhair, Fess, Roy
Not sure why this colorful New Orleans pre-rock pianist was called "Professor Longhair." "Fess" was a shortened form of "Professor Longhair" and "Roy" probably came from Roeland.
Clayton, Wilbur --- Buck
Clayton's nickname was given to him by his mother in reference to his African American ancestors according to a reader.
Coltrane, John --- Trane
Coltrane's nickname, "Trane", was a shortening of his last name.
Davis, Eddie --- Lockjaw
It is rumoured that Eddie was heavily "endowed." Possibly he caused a few cases of "Lockjaw" amongst his admirers?
Davis recorded a few titles named after more or less incommodating diseases in the late 1940's. "Lockjaw" was later shortened to "Jaws." -Dirk Ludigkeit
Davis, Miles --- The Prince of Darkness
In reference to Davis' aloof brooding play on stage; it's often cited how he would turn his back to the audience.
Dodds, Warren --- Baby
New Orleans drummer Warren Dodds may have been called "Baby" because he was six years younger than his brother clarinetist Johnny Dodds.
Dorham, McKinley --- Kinny / Kenny
McKinley Dorham was originally nicknamed "Kinny" but this usually got misheard as Kenny. This is how it started to appear in record labels when he started recording. If you check lps he's on you can see the struggle over Kinny vs. Kenny. -Jonathan Fox
Edison, Harry --- Sweets
Trumpeter Edison was reputedly given the nickname "Sweets" by fellow Basie band member Lester Young. We're not sure why Lester called Harry "Sweets", but "The Pres" was notorious for bestowing nicknames.
I've recently read that Lester called Harry "Sweets" because Harry had a way with words and with music.
Eldridge, Roy --- Little Jazz
Trumpeter Eldridge received this nickname as a result of his diminutive size.
Ellington, Edward Kennedy --- Duke
The young Edward Ellington was called "Duke" by his friends and family because of his ducal manner and his natty dressing.
Evans, William --- Lateef, Yusef
Another Bill Evans. Sounds like a great trivia question!
Filipelli, Joseph Edward --- Flip Phillips
I suspect that Flip's nickname derived from his name.
Fitzgerald, Ella --- First Lady of Song
This was her nickname because she truly was the "First Lady of Song."
Gaillard, Bulee --- Slim
Not sure why this guitarist (a member of the popular "Slim and Slam" duo of the late thirties and the forties) was called "Slim." Was he thin? Let us know.
Gillespie, John Birks --- Dizzy
Gillespie acquired the nickname "Dizzy" early in his career because of his "off-the-wall" antics both onstage and off. During the bop period, while others were acting "cool", Gillespie was still acting "Dizzy" and very showman-like.
Gonsalves, Paul --- Mex
Ellington tenor saxophonist Gonsalves was mistakenly called "Mex" by some people who believed that this descendant of Cape Verdeans was Mexican.
Goodman, Benny --- King of Swing
Benny was called the "King of Swing" because of his tremendous success and fan following in much the same way that Elvis was dubbed the "King."
Green, Freddie --- Father Time
For the rock-solid beat he gave to the Count Basie band.
Green, Ian Ernest Gilmore --- Gil Evans
Gil once did an album named "Svengali." It had a credit line that said "Anagram by Gerry Mulligan." Svengali, of course, is GIl Evans, rearranged. It's the most original album credit in jazz, with the possible exception of Phil Woods's credit line that said "embouchure by" and then gave the name of his dentist.
Hampton, Locksley Wellington --- Slide
This trombone player, tuba player and composer from Indianapolis was probably called "Slide" because he played trombone at an early age.
Hanna, Roland — Sir Roland Hanna
It's not a nickname; he came by his aristocraic title legitimately. After leading a benefit tour in Africa for young African students, he was knighted in 1970 by the late president of Liberia, William Tubman.
Hawkins, Coleman --- Bean, Hawk
The "Hawk" nickname is obviously a shortening of Hawkins. "Hawk" was also known as "Bean" but we don't know why. Do you? A reader says that the "Bean" tag was bestowed because of Hawkins intellect.
One of the Classics CD liner notes tells of one time in the late 30s, when Hawkins was playing in England as a featured player for the Jack Hilton (Hylton?) orchestra, and had been quoted, I guess in Melody Maker, claiming that a good player should be able to improvise in any key. The band members surrepticiously played a tune ONE HALF TONE lower, moving it from an easy sax key to a very tough one. Hawkins, coming in for his solo, realized what was going on almost instantly, delivered a respectable solo, and NEVER MENTIONED IT afterwards.
Here's another take on "Bean." The story is that some cats looked at hs eyes and said that they look like some beans after they had soaked in some water prior to cooking. Beans swell in standing water. Hence, his eyes look like swollen beans. I've heard this story on more than one occasion.
And how about this one?
Hawkins was called "Bean" because he came from Boston or "Beantown", as it was known. apparently, people in Boston use dto eat a lot of beans with brown bread.
Lester Young once called Hawkins "The First President." Although this is not technically a nickname, it is interesting and worth a mention.
Henderson, Fletcher --- Smack
Someone out there please tell us why this mild mannered bandleader was called "Smack." A reader suggests that "Smack" is slang for heroin and that Henderson's laid back manner earned him the nickname.
Another reader states he smacked his lips when he ate.
Herman, Woodrow Charles --- Woody
Bandleader Herman's nickname was obviously a derivation of his first name.
Hines, Earl --- Fatha
Earl acquired this nickname because of his kind temperament. Many musicians felt that they could confide in him and tell him their problems and personal feelings.
Quite aside from his undoubted value as a mentor, Hines was an old guy (in his forties in the forties) who wore a toupe. — Steve Danby
Hinton, Milt --- Judge
Because it fits his longevity, professional stature and the personal respect in which he is universally held.
Hodges, Johnny --- Jeep, Rabbit
Johnny Hodges was known as Jeep and Rabbit. Don't know the source of either. Another reader observes that Jeep came from the "Popeye" cartoon strip.
According to Harry Carney, Hodges was called Rabbit because he loved lettuce and tomato sandwiches. -Dirk Ludigkeit. Another reader suggests that "Rabbit" resulted from Hodges quick trips up to a room and back at brothels.
This is somewhat scatological, but I have it on the authority of a guy who used to house some of the Ellington band members when they came through Baltimore Way Back When that Johnny Hodges got the nickname Rabbit because when the boys would visit a house of ill-repute, Hodges would (to put it as nicely as I can) go upstairs and only minutes later would come back down.
Jackson, Milt --- Bags
Milt admitted that he got his nickname, Bags, from the temporary furrows under his eyes incurred by a drinking binge after his release from the Army.
Johnson, James Louis --- J.J.
J.J. used to sign his compositions with only his first and last initials (i.e., [J]ames [J]ohnson). This eventually stuck as a nickname. However, it is no longer a nickname, as he had his name officially changed in 1970.
Jones, Joseph --- Philly Joe
Philadelphia drummer Philly Joe Jones was given this nickname to distinguish him from Basie drummer Jo Jones.
Kirnon, Conrad --- Connie Kay
At Birdland one night, em cee Pee Wee Marquette had trouble pronouncing Kirnon and simply introduced Connie Kay.
La Menthe, Ferdinand Joseph --- Jelly Roll Morton
Jelly Roll's father, F. P. La Menthe, left home early in Jelly's youth and his mother remarried to a man named Morton. Hence, the name Morton. The "Jelly Roll" portion of the nickname has sexual connotations, and comes from early in his career when he was a pimp and a hustler as well as a musician.
Lewis, Meade --- Lux
As a child, Meade "Lux" Lewis was called "The Duke of Luxembourg" from the comic strip "Alphonse and Gaston."
Professor Longhair & other "professors"
"Professor" or "Fess" was generally given to teachers / mentors. "Longhair" is what jazz musicians used to call classical music, because of the long hair of Paderewski & other male artists. But it also refers to someone who knows his stuff - a theorist or a great inventor. — Steve Danby
Massaro, Salvatore --- Eddie Lang, Blind Willie Dunn
Eddie Lang was probably just an attempt to Americanize. Blind Willie Dunn was an attempt to Bluesify (to coin a word).
McKay, Eleanor Gough --- Billie Holiday, Lady Day
Eleanor McKay was her legal name after her father left, but Eleanor took her father's last name and the nickname "Billie." We are not sure where the "Billie" handle came from. Her good friend, saxophonist Lester Young called her "Lady Day" because of his tremendous respect for her and because he thought her every inch a lady.
Miley, James --- Bubber
We're not sure why the Ellington trumpeter was called Bubber. If you know, let us.
Mulligan, Gerry --- Jeru
Gerry Mulligan's Jeru came from his name.
Nanton, Joseph --- Tricky Sam
Ellington trombonist Joe Nanton was nicknamed "Tricky Sam" by Otto Hardwicke. This nickname probably reflects Nanton's prowess as a trombonist and his ability to apply Bubber Miley's trumpet wa- wa effects to trombone. (Original entry.)
I can't remember who gave Nanton that nickname, but it was NOT because of his skill with the plunger mute. Nanton had perfected a technique of drinking on-stage without anyone noticing. - Dirk Ludigkeit
Navarro, Theodore --- Fats or Fat Girl
Bop trumpeter Navarro received the nickname "Fat Girl" because he was somewhat overweight and effeminate. "Fats" was derived from "Fat Girl."
As I understand it, Fats Navarro was called Fat Girl because he had a high-pitched voice, not because he was effeminate.
Newman, David --- Fathead
No, it wasn't because his head was fat. Saxophonist Newman was given this nickname by his music teacher after he fumbled an arpeggio.
Norvo, Red and Bailey, Mildred --- Mr. and Mrs. Swing
Even though "Red" is obviously a nickname, that is not what this entry is about. The nickname "Mr. and Mrs. Swing" is unique because it refers to more than one person. It was bestowed on Red and Mildred because there was no more swinging (in the music sense) couple than they were during their marriage.
Oliver, Joseph --- King
Oliver was dubbed "King" because he was literally the "King" of early New Orleans jazz cornet players.
Page, Oran --- Hot Lips
Trumpeter Oran Page was called the "Hot Lips" because of his hot Armstrong-like trumpet playing.
Parker, Charlie --- Bird, Yardbird
Early in his career, Charlie was dubbed "Yardbird" because of his love for chicken. The nickname stuck and was eventually shortened to "Bird." (Original entry.)
According to one version, he and his band (including employer Jay McShann) were driving to town when a chicken ran out into the road. Upon hitting the bird, Charlie got out, picked it up and took it all the way to their destination to get it cooked up. Hence, the musicians called him Yardbird, which was later shortened to "Yard" or "Bird".
Peterson, Oscar --- Josh
Powell, Earl --- Bud
Not sure why the Bop pianist was called "Bud." Let us know if you know why.
Prestopnk, Irving --- Irving Fazola
Irving Fazola took the name Fazola from the the notes Fa, So and La of the tonic scale. Thus, Fa- So-La or Fa-Zo-La.
Pridgett, Gertrude Melissa Nix --- Ma Rainey
In 1902 she married the song and dance man William "Pa" Rainey on stage she was billed as Ma Rainey. They had a minstrel act called Ma & Pa Rainey.
Reinhardt, Jean Baptiste --- Django
Not sure why the virtuoso guitarist was called "Django." If you know, let us know. A reader points out that "Django" is the Gypsy name for Jean.
Rogers, Milton M. --- Shorty (real name Milton Rajonsky)
I'm guessing that the trumpeter was called "Shorty" because of his stature.
Rollins, Theodore Walter --- Sonny, Newk
Not sure why Rollins was called "Sonny." He got the nickname "Newk" because of his resemblance to Dodgers' pitcher Don Newcombe.
Rushing, Jimmy --- Mister Five-by-Five
It was Jimmy's body build that caused people to call him "Mister Five-by-Five."
Sims, Jack --- Zoot
Sims became known as "Zoot" after he stood behind a music stand with the word zoot painted on it.
Sinatra, Frank --- Old Blue Eyes
Pop Jazz singer Sinatra was called "Old Blue Eyes" for obvious reasons.
Smith, Buster --- Professor
We're not sure why this alto saxophonist was called "professor", but we do know that he was one of Charlie Parker's mentor's. Maybe that's why.
Smith, Jimmy --- Cat
Smith, Leroy Gordon --- Stuff
The Jazz fiddle genius earned the nickname "Stuff" because he was bad with names and addressed people as "Hey, Stuff!"
Smith, Willie --- The Lion
The story usually attached to "the Lion" handle was that during World War One, when Smith was in the artillery, he stood by his gun through shot and shell and thus earned his nickname for his bravery. Whether any of this is true I cannot verify. -Jonathan Fox
Stewart, Leroy --- Slam
Not sure why this bassist (a member of the popular "Slim and Slam" duo of the late thirties and the forties) was called "Slam." If you know, let us know.
Strayhorn, Billy --- Sweetpea
Billy got this nickname from the famous "Popeye" cartoon strip. Otto Hardwicke may be responsible for bestowing it.
Or the appellation may have come from the fact that he was pretty openly gay, which was somewhat rare in those days (and circles).
Teagarden, Jack --- Big Gate
At one point in the history of Jazz, "gate" was synonymous with a Jazz musician. Thus, "Big Gate" was a good nickname for the trombonist.
Teagarden, Charlie --- Little Gate
Since Jack was "Big Gate," it was natural that Charlie should be called "Little Gate."
Torme, Mel --- The Velvet Fog
Singer Torme was given this nickname because of his velvety singing voice.
Trumbauer, Frank --- Tram
This clarinet playing straight man sidekick of Bix Beiderbecke was called "Tram" because of his last name. "Tram" was surprisingly named by Lester Young as one of his strongest influences in a 1950's interview.
Turner, Joe --- Big Joe
Kansas City blues shouter "Big Joe" Turner received this nickname because of his large size.
Vinson, Eddie --- Cleanhead or Mr. Cleanhead
Saxophonist Eddie Vinson was called "Cleanhead" for his bald pate (Original entry.)
Vinson was the victim of a substance called "conk" used by African Americans to straighten their hair in those days. The solution tended to get extremely hot and "Cleanhead" couldn't leave it on his head long enough to do what it was supposed to do, so he started trying to get it out and patches of his hair came with it. Since he had to go to work that evening and had no desire to wear a bandana or handkerchief on his head, he shaved off what was left. The band members had a ball with the epithets and the sobriquet "Cleanhead" stuck.
Another version courtesy of Axel Melhardt: While Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson worked at my club JAZZLAND in Vienna, Austria in the 70-ies I found him one morning at the hotel in front of the mirror shaving his head. He told me that after his big hit "Folks call me Mr.Cleanhead" he had to upkeep his bald head for the rest of his life in order to get gigs. Up until his early death he had full hair (with little white patches) which grew only on his days off stage.
Waller, Thomas --- Fats
There is no mystery to the nickname "Fats" which was given to the rotund stride pianist Thomas Waller.
Webster, Ben --- Frog, The Brute
Ben Webster was known as Frog, I think because of his somewhat bulging eyes.
Williams, Charles Melvin --- Cootie
We don't know why Ellington trumpeter Charles Melvin Williams was called "Cootie". If you do, let us know.
Young, Lester Willis --- Pres, The President
Lester's nickname "Pres" or "The President" comes from his good friend Billie Holiday who thought that he was, indeed, the "president" of saxophone players.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Coleman Hawkins - tritone substitutions
Addition to the previous entry about how Coleman Hawkins came to learn the tritone substitutions.
While reading Hawkins' book The Song Of The Hawk I have come over nice story, which tells us probably how Coleman Hawkins learned about the possibility of tritone substitutions, in words of Albert Bettonville, recalling a night out in Ostend in 1937:
"We went to an Hungarian nightclub to hear a tzigane violinist playing and also improvising with maestria. Hawk was extremely interested and talked a lot with him about harmony. When I met Hawk again after the war I congratulated him for his superb 'Body and Soul'. He only said - Do you remember that Hungarian violinist?"
Hawk is also talking about its acceptance, in one interview:
"You know when the record first came out, everybody including Chu Berry said I was playing wrong notes on it. They just weren't making these changes. But the changes I made on 'Body and Soul' are the only changes to make. They thought I was wrong. But at that time you make some type of a D change going into D flat and that was wrong. At that time you had to make an A flat 7th (they didn't know, that was relative chord to D anyway) to go into D flat. They heard that D and it had to be: 'Oh, that's terrible.' It became common after that, but it certainly wasn't common before I made 'Body and Soul', I can tell you that."
What a brave, fearless, adventurous man it was, the great Coleman Hawkins.
While reading Hawkins' book The Song Of The Hawk I have come over nice story, which tells us probably how Coleman Hawkins learned about the possibility of tritone substitutions, in words of Albert Bettonville, recalling a night out in Ostend in 1937:
"We went to an Hungarian nightclub to hear a tzigane violinist playing and also improvising with maestria. Hawk was extremely interested and talked a lot with him about harmony. When I met Hawk again after the war I congratulated him for his superb 'Body and Soul'. He only said - Do you remember that Hungarian violinist?"
Hawk is also talking about its acceptance, in one interview:
"You know when the record first came out, everybody including Chu Berry said I was playing wrong notes on it. They just weren't making these changes. But the changes I made on 'Body and Soul' are the only changes to make. They thought I was wrong. But at that time you make some type of a D change going into D flat and that was wrong. At that time you had to make an A flat 7th (they didn't know, that was relative chord to D anyway) to go into D flat. They heard that D and it had to be: 'Oh, that's terrible.' It became common after that, but it certainly wasn't common before I made 'Body and Soul', I can tell you that."
What a brave, fearless, adventurous man it was, the great Coleman Hawkins.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Coleman Hawkins solo - She's Funny That Way
This recording was made on October 11, 1939. This date should be well known to every jazz fan, as this is the same date, on which Hawk recorded the famous Body And Soul, which laid the fundamentals of bebop harmonic playing.
Having in mind my last transcription of Coleman Hawkins, from 1944, this solo from 1939 is to me clearly showing the way, how Hawk came to utilizing the tritone substitutions in his playing. We can see his use of diminished chord (anticipating dominant F7b9 chord to the tonic Bb major), freely floating from Bb major scale through the diminished chord (mostly descending -> f# eb c a) back to the home Bb major.
Changing one tone in the diminished (c to b natural) shows us exactly the way I think Hawk discovered the possible use of tritone substitutive chords for playing out of key (Imaj, I#7, Imaj) or playing through ii-V-I changes by using ii-I#7-I. In this so to say "early" solo he mostly doesn't yet use the full tritone substitution (he still holds on to the "c" tone in the diminished chord), but we can see some patterns, where only changing one tone would lead exactly to the harmonic progressions present in later Rainbow Mist solo (for example the 1st measure of the solo on the last bar Hawk plays f# eb c a, changing c to h would give us the substitution progression).
I am very glad to be able to examine recordings by the great jazz artists and finding out on my own, how they came to their style of playing. These moments of finding such clear (at least to me) evidence of Hawk's continual development make me feel that even my journey of jazz has a purpose.
I can't explain it, I just feel it.
Here is the solo, enjoy. But going through the notes, don't forget to still focus on the most important - swing!
Coleman Hawkins - She's Funny That Way
This recording was made on October 11, 1939. This date should be well known to every jazz fan, as this is the same date, on which Hawk recorded the famous Body And Soul, which laid the fundamentals of bebop harmonic playing.Having in mind my last transcription of Coleman Hawkins, from 1944, this solo from 1939 is to me clearly showing the way, how Hawk came to utilizing the tritone substitutions in his playing. We can see his use of diminished chord (anticipating dominant F7b9 chord to the tonic Bb major), freely floating from Bb major scale through the diminished chord (mostly descending -> f# eb c a) back to the home Bb major.
Changing one tone in the diminished (c to b natural) shows us exactly the way I think Hawk discovered the possible use of tritone substitutive chords for playing out of key (Imaj, I#7, Imaj) or playing through ii-V-I changes by using ii-I#7-I. In this so to say "early" solo he mostly doesn't yet use the full tritone substitution (he still holds on to the "c" tone in the diminished chord), but we can see some patterns, where only changing one tone would lead exactly to the harmonic progressions present in later Rainbow Mist solo (for example the 1st measure of the solo on the last bar Hawk plays f# eb c a, changing c to h would give us the substitution progression).
I am very glad to be able to examine recordings by the great jazz artists and finding out on my own, how they came to their style of playing. These moments of finding such clear (at least to me) evidence of Hawk's continual development make me feel that even my journey of jazz has a purpose.
I can't explain it, I just feel it.
Here is the solo, enjoy. But going through the notes, don't forget to still focus on the most important - swing!
Coleman Hawkins - She's Funny That Way
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Happy Birthday, John Coltrane
One of the greatest musicians that jazz has ever been blessed by, John William Coltrane, born on September 23, 1926, in a small town called Hamlet, in North Carolina.
Happy birthday, and may your music live long, Trane!
John Coltrane
(23.9.1926 - 17.7.1967)
Friday, September 17, 2010
Coleman Hawkins - Rainbow Mist - complete solo analysis
I have never done any musical analysis before, well, any written analysis. I hope to explain the harmonic and melodic devices used in this solo.
At the beginning, a short introduction is appropriate, so who is Coleman Hawkins?
Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, generally recognized as the father of the tenor saxophone, as he was the first person to use this horn as a jazz solo instrument, not just a part of vaudeville performances. Hawkins himself is quoted to say the following: "Some people say there was no jazz tenor before me. All I know is I just had a way of playing and I didn't think in terms of any other instrument but the tenor."
This master of improvisation in the early years already showed very advanced harmonic thinking and harmonic approach. It must have partially been derived and inspired by Art Tatum, whom Hawkins admired, but much of it was probably made up by Hawk himself.
One of the biggest breakthrough points in jazz improvisation in terms of using of different approaches (this one leading to bebop) is dated October 11, 1939. On this day Hawkins recorded two choruses of standard pop song Body & Soul. His interpretation ignores most of the melody, thus leaving him enough space to explore harmonic structures of the song, not relying so much on the melody - which is what the bebop musicians later would start to do (partially inspired by Hawk as well).
The song I am using in my analysis was recorded 4&1/2 years later, on February 22, 1944, and is based on the same harmonic structure as standard Body & Soul. And while in Body & Soul from 1939, Hawk still used more space and melody fragments, characteristic for swing improvisation, in Rainbow Mist from the very beginning he is bursting out ideas in double time, leaving spaces only to breathe. Though this masterpiece can be by some regarded as a harmonic exercise of the great tenorman, it for sure does not lack anything musically - it is sophisticated, but also full of soul, heart, it offers great atmosphere and certainly verifies, that Hawk was all worthy to be called the father of the tenor saxophone...
Here is the result.
Following is analysis of tonal/harmonic progressions used by Coleman Hawkins is this solo, 8 measure segments. My goal is to recognize and emphasize Hawk's main techniques he uses throughout this solo.
The song structure is AABA, with chord progressions same as the pop standard Body & Soul. Hawkins' improvisation covers the complete song length (excluding intro and last chord) and consists of 2 choruses and a cadenza at the end.
1st chorus
A1 (measures 1-8):
- already in the 1st measure Hawk utilizes what was very characteristic for his playing of this "Body&Soul" period, that is using phrases that contain the interval of major 13th and major 9th of the chord, especially in minor chords. By using this he accomplishes a specific color, which sounds very open and vague, but still tonal.
- in measures 2 & 8 he uses another frequent device of his - substituting the V7 for I#7 in a ii-V7-I progression. Going from F-7 through Bb7 he substitutes this chord for E7, clearly using 3rd,5th and 8th to emphasize the chord. This could be perceived as upper structures of Bb7 (b7, b9, #11), but the way Hawk plays it, it is certain, that he is indicating E7, smoothly going into Ebmaj7.
- in measure 8 he uses diminished C#o7th chord in place of C7, leading to F minor.
A2 (measures 9-16):
- in measure 9 he uses maj7 in a minor chord when ascending, while using min7 when descending. This way he is utilizing the leading tones, achieving very natural way to play upward arpeggios.
- in measures 10 & 15 he again uses his trademark - V7 for I#7 substitution, very much in the same manner as previously.
- measure 11 presents a smooth way to achieve transition from the substitution E7 to Ebmaj7 - Hawkins uses the f# (which he used in E7) on the first 2 beats, and then changes the f# to g, thus finally entering the Eb chord.
- first 3 notes in measure 13 present an indirect resolution, leading to f natural.
- measure 13 also contains a natural, even though the chord is f minor - this might be a mistake, but as it is partially a ghost note and an offbeat, it is barely audible. And as Hawk himself said: "If you don't make mistakes, you aren't really trying." :o)
B (measures 17-24):
- measure 17 shows usage of major 13th in a major chord.
- measure 21 presents another smooth and interesting transition, this time form Emaj7 to E-7, Hawk uses g# on an offbeat in the first beat of E-7 chord, inducing a E major 5321 phrase downward, but on the 2nd beat emphasizing g natural, thus arriving to the E minor chord. These types of transitions, which still use tonal material of the previous chord into the new chord, or anticipate the material of next chord in the current chord, add to Hawk's playing the feeling of flowing/flying over changes, as if he was not bound to any bar lines, chords of strict rules. It very much adds feeling of naturalness into his playing.
- measure 23 substitutes A7 for Eb7, again using Eb7 (which is the tritone substitution) as if it was the normal dominant, using natural intervals of Eb, namely major 9th.
- measure 24 is mainly following chord tones, using some passing chromatic notes - interesting fact is, that even though the C7 leads to Fminor, it contains natural 9th (d natural), which as an anticipation can be considered maj13th of the Fminor chord, which Hawk liked to use.
A3 (measures 25-32):
- again there is usage of maj13th in minor chords, namely in measures 25 & 31.
- measure 27 contains an indirect resolution (ab f f# to g, which is the 3rd of the chord).
- measure 29 consists purely (with 1 exception, g natural) of F-7 chord notes, played in arpeggios, but still manages to sound very musical, certainly not like an exercise on chords, which many musicians practice. Here fits Hawk's quote: "I honestly can't characterize my style in words. It seems that whatever comes to me naturally, I play."
- measure 31 presents also previously used suggestion of tritone substitution by using e natural in octaves.
2nd chorus
A1 (measures 33-40):
- measure 33 begins with a little ornament (around f natural), measure 36 repeats this ornament using almost the same notes. Little things like these bring a sense of unity into Hawkins' solos.
- measure 34 uses some chromatic passing tones (b natural, but also the d natural on the beat can be considered a passing tone to note eb) and finishes with already well-known tritone substitution (F- E7 Ebmaj7).
- in measure 36 on the F#o7 diminished Hawk uses the diminished scale WtHt (but with bb instead of b natural), which was later used by modern players such as John Coltrane - very similar to using the diminished axis F#o7 and choosing any of the 4 related chords (Ab7, B7, D7, and in this case F7) to substitute for the diminished.
- measure 39 presents another tritone substitution.
A2 (measures 41-48):
- measure 41 is similar to measure 9 in using the maj7 in minor chord.
- measure 42 presents another tritone substitution, this time very skillfully connected - on 3rd beat there is descending arpeggio consisting of notes of Bb7(b9) - f d b ab, and on 4th beat is another descending arpeggio, beginning half tone higher than the previous - on f#, continuing with the same notes as the previous arpeggio - d b ab. The first one belongs to Bb7(b9), but by just moving one tone a half step higher, the second arpeggio feels as if it belongs to E79 (which is tritone substitution to Bb7).
- measure 44 during F#o7 diminished again utilizes the diminished axis and substitutes for tones of F7 dominant.
- measure 46 contains both a passing note a# and usage of notes from diminished chord (b,g#,d,f).
- measure 47 is another suggestion of tritione substitution.
- measure 48 shows another smooth transition between chords - though the band is already playing F#-7, Hawk still flies through F-79 descending arpeggio and joins the new progression on the 3rd beat with emphasizing B7 chord notes. For Hawk it is vital to really emphasize the new chord after flying through the previous chord through the new progression - to make the transition smooth, he never ends on the first note, but rather emphasizes the chord notes several times before finishing the phrase. This way always sound as if he was really flying, very smoothly.
B (measures 49-56):
- just as in measure 48, in measure 51 Hawk continues playing the old chord (A-7) when already on E/G#, but to smooth out the transition he continues and emphasizes Emajor9 before moving to F#-7 and B7. For all these techniques that Hawkins uses, it really helps that he plays double time (16ths), so he has enough time and space to execute such progressions.
- at the end of measure 52 he anticipates the following E minor chord by using g natural, even though he is still in Emaj7. The same principle as in other places applies.
- on A7 in measure 53 he uses leading tones to get to Dmaj7 (getting through b nautral, b flat, to a natural).
- in measure 54 there is another anticipation, this time Hawk anticipates Fo7 diminished on beat 2, though the band still plays Dmaj7.
- in measure 55 during A7 he substitutes this for Eb79 (again, by the natural 9th he achieves the feeling of clean substitution, not playing out of the changes)
- during measure 56, which features chords D,Db7,C7, is masterfully filled mostly through a diminished chord on Db7 (with Do7 diminished), and through an indirect resolution on the last beat, which cleanly suggests C7 and leads to F minor 7. Amazing is that even though Hawk uses mostly chord tones here, it doesn't sound empty or mechanical at all.
incomplete A3 (measures 57-62):
- measure 58 is one of the most interesting points in this solo - though the band clearly still plays F-7, Hawkins masterfully anticipates Bb7+5(that's why the f#). Analyzed only by itself it would sound very much out of tune, as f# would be the b9 in the Fminor chord, but looking at this from the point of higher conception/structure, it is one beautiful leading note from f, through f# to g natural, which is the 3rd of following Eb chord.
- measures 57 to 61 should be considered as a 1 big phrase consisting of 3 alike motives, each raising up by a half step (1st one has top on f, 2nd has top on f#, 3rd one has top on g), with the last one resolving to measure 61 - beautiful Fminor 69. One should also notice the bottom held notes, which in measure 58 is f#, in measure 59 is g and in measure 61 is ab, even though held only shortly, compared to the previous bottom notes.
- measure 62 introduces another passing note (from g through f# to f natural), which is exceptional in the fact, that it is 8th,maj7,min7 in the chord G7, as this was later heavily used by the be-boppers, known as the dominant bebop scale. However, Hawkins doesn't choose to continue down the scale but rather uses a descending diminished arpeggio.
cadenza (measures 63-69):
- measures 63 & 64 are a simple progression F-7 Bb7 Eb, spiced up only by another tritone progression, after Bb7 before coming to Eb tonic.
- measure 65 can be explained as a short progression from G-minor (only represented by the first chromatic 4 notes), through F#-713, leading to measure 66, which is (with the exception of the f# passing note) an ordinary F-7.
- measure 67 can be perceived as a Bb7b9 chord, with the ending appearing as a Db7 chord, but in fact it could simply be a Bb7b9#9 chord, so Hawk could also think this as an alteration.
- measure 68 does not represent anything extraordinary, it is a simple F-7 Bb7b9 Eb ending with few passing notes, landing majestically on the tonic of the whole song, Eb. At this time the orchestra joins and finishes with a powerful Eb major chord.
This brings me to the end of my analysis. The main trademarks of Hawk's style that one could notice in this performance are:
1. the tritone substitutions, which Hawkins usually applies by playing the chord triad with the natural 9 of the substitution chord.
2. the anticipation (which means playing the following chord, when still the former one is being played by the band), or its opposite (that means staying on the previous chord even though the band already plays the new chord). Importantly, Hawkins always emphasizes the final chord before finishing the phrase, so that the transition has the feeling of smoothness and naturalness.
3. usage of diminished seventh chords a halfstep higher in place of dominant chords (simply the maj3,pefect5,min7,min9 of the dominant chord).
However, even though Coleman Hawkins is greatly ahead of his time with usage of these harmonic and melodic devices, the main importance stays on his ability to create the atmosphere of carefree swinging even when it sounds that he is playing simple straight notes, and his facility of his technique and his huge full sound on the tenor saxophone, which enforces a feeling of great authority, almost a noble-like appearance.
Hawk himself once said "I made the tenor sax - there's nobody plays like me and I don't play like anybody else."
These words are very true even now, 66 years after this recording, even now, 41 years after his death.
Nobody can play like Hawk, only Hawk himself.
At the beginning, a short introduction is appropriate, so who is Coleman Hawkins?
Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, generally recognized as the father of the tenor saxophone, as he was the first person to use this horn as a jazz solo instrument, not just a part of vaudeville performances. Hawkins himself is quoted to say the following: "Some people say there was no jazz tenor before me. All I know is I just had a way of playing and I didn't think in terms of any other instrument but the tenor."
This master of improvisation in the early years already showed very advanced harmonic thinking and harmonic approach. It must have partially been derived and inspired by Art Tatum, whom Hawkins admired, but much of it was probably made up by Hawk himself.
One of the biggest breakthrough points in jazz improvisation in terms of using of different approaches (this one leading to bebop) is dated October 11, 1939. On this day Hawkins recorded two choruses of standard pop song Body & Soul. His interpretation ignores most of the melody, thus leaving him enough space to explore harmonic structures of the song, not relying so much on the melody - which is what the bebop musicians later would start to do (partially inspired by Hawk as well).
The song I am using in my analysis was recorded 4&1/2 years later, on February 22, 1944, and is based on the same harmonic structure as standard Body & Soul. And while in Body & Soul from 1939, Hawk still used more space and melody fragments, characteristic for swing improvisation, in Rainbow Mist from the very beginning he is bursting out ideas in double time, leaving spaces only to breathe. Though this masterpiece can be by some regarded as a harmonic exercise of the great tenorman, it for sure does not lack anything musically - it is sophisticated, but also full of soul, heart, it offers great atmosphere and certainly verifies, that Hawk was all worthy to be called the father of the tenor saxophone...
Here is the result.
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The song structure is AABA, with chord progressions same as the pop standard Body & Soul. Hawkins' improvisation covers the complete song length (excluding intro and last chord) and consists of 2 choruses and a cadenza at the end.
1st chorus
A1 (measures 1-8):
- already in the 1st measure Hawk utilizes what was very characteristic for his playing of this "Body&Soul" period, that is using phrases that contain the interval of major 13th and major 9th of the chord, especially in minor chords. By using this he accomplishes a specific color, which sounds very open and vague, but still tonal.
- in measures 2 & 8 he uses another frequent device of his - substituting the V7 for I#7 in a ii-V7-I progression. Going from F-7 through Bb7 he substitutes this chord for E7, clearly using 3rd,5th and 8th to emphasize the chord. This could be perceived as upper structures of Bb7 (b7, b9, #11), but the way Hawk plays it, it is certain, that he is indicating E7, smoothly going into Ebmaj7.
- in measure 8 he uses diminished C#o7th chord in place of C7, leading to F minor.
A2 (measures 9-16):
- in measure 9 he uses maj7 in a minor chord when ascending, while using min7 when descending. This way he is utilizing the leading tones, achieving very natural way to play upward arpeggios.
- in measures 10 & 15 he again uses his trademark - V7 for I#7 substitution, very much in the same manner as previously.
- measure 11 presents a smooth way to achieve transition from the substitution E7 to Ebmaj7 - Hawkins uses the f# (which he used in E7) on the first 2 beats, and then changes the f# to g, thus finally entering the Eb chord.
- first 3 notes in measure 13 present an indirect resolution, leading to f natural.
- measure 13 also contains a natural, even though the chord is f minor - this might be a mistake, but as it is partially a ghost note and an offbeat, it is barely audible. And as Hawk himself said: "If you don't make mistakes, you aren't really trying." :o)
B (measures 17-24):
- measure 17 shows usage of major 13th in a major chord.
- measure 21 presents another smooth and interesting transition, this time form Emaj7 to E-7, Hawk uses g# on an offbeat in the first beat of E-7 chord, inducing a E major 5321 phrase downward, but on the 2nd beat emphasizing g natural, thus arriving to the E minor chord. These types of transitions, which still use tonal material of the previous chord into the new chord, or anticipate the material of next chord in the current chord, add to Hawk's playing the feeling of flowing/flying over changes, as if he was not bound to any bar lines, chords of strict rules. It very much adds feeling of naturalness into his playing.
- measure 23 substitutes A7 for Eb7, again using Eb7 (which is the tritone substitution) as if it was the normal dominant, using natural intervals of Eb, namely major 9th.
- measure 24 is mainly following chord tones, using some passing chromatic notes - interesting fact is, that even though the C7 leads to Fminor, it contains natural 9th (d natural), which as an anticipation can be considered maj13th of the Fminor chord, which Hawk liked to use.
A3 (measures 25-32):
- again there is usage of maj13th in minor chords, namely in measures 25 & 31.
- measure 27 contains an indirect resolution (ab f f# to g, which is the 3rd of the chord).
- measure 29 consists purely (with 1 exception, g natural) of F-7 chord notes, played in arpeggios, but still manages to sound very musical, certainly not like an exercise on chords, which many musicians practice. Here fits Hawk's quote: "I honestly can't characterize my style in words. It seems that whatever comes to me naturally, I play."
- measure 31 presents also previously used suggestion of tritone substitution by using e natural in octaves.
2nd chorus
A1 (measures 33-40):
- measure 33 begins with a little ornament (around f natural), measure 36 repeats this ornament using almost the same notes. Little things like these bring a sense of unity into Hawkins' solos.
- measure 34 uses some chromatic passing tones (b natural, but also the d natural on the beat can be considered a passing tone to note eb) and finishes with already well-known tritone substitution (F- E7 Ebmaj7).
- in measure 36 on the F#o7 diminished Hawk uses the diminished scale WtHt (but with bb instead of b natural), which was later used by modern players such as John Coltrane - very similar to using the diminished axis F#o7 and choosing any of the 4 related chords (Ab7, B7, D7, and in this case F7) to substitute for the diminished.
- measure 39 presents another tritone substitution.
A2 (measures 41-48):
- measure 41 is similar to measure 9 in using the maj7 in minor chord.
- measure 42 presents another tritone substitution, this time very skillfully connected - on 3rd beat there is descending arpeggio consisting of notes of Bb7(b9) - f d b ab, and on 4th beat is another descending arpeggio, beginning half tone higher than the previous - on f#, continuing with the same notes as the previous arpeggio - d b ab. The first one belongs to Bb7(b9), but by just moving one tone a half step higher, the second arpeggio feels as if it belongs to E79 (which is tritone substitution to Bb7).
- measure 44 during F#o7 diminished again utilizes the diminished axis and substitutes for tones of F7 dominant.
- measure 46 contains both a passing note a# and usage of notes from diminished chord (b,g#,d,f).
- measure 47 is another suggestion of tritione substitution.
- measure 48 shows another smooth transition between chords - though the band is already playing F#-7, Hawk still flies through F-79 descending arpeggio and joins the new progression on the 3rd beat with emphasizing B7 chord notes. For Hawk it is vital to really emphasize the new chord after flying through the previous chord through the new progression - to make the transition smooth, he never ends on the first note, but rather emphasizes the chord notes several times before finishing the phrase. This way always sound as if he was really flying, very smoothly.
B (measures 49-56):
- just as in measure 48, in measure 51 Hawk continues playing the old chord (A-7) when already on E/G#, but to smooth out the transition he continues and emphasizes Emajor9 before moving to F#-7 and B7. For all these techniques that Hawkins uses, it really helps that he plays double time (16ths), so he has enough time and space to execute such progressions.
- at the end of measure 52 he anticipates the following E minor chord by using g natural, even though he is still in Emaj7. The same principle as in other places applies.
- on A7 in measure 53 he uses leading tones to get to Dmaj7 (getting through b nautral, b flat, to a natural).
- in measure 54 there is another anticipation, this time Hawk anticipates Fo7 diminished on beat 2, though the band still plays Dmaj7.
- in measure 55 during A7 he substitutes this for Eb79 (again, by the natural 9th he achieves the feeling of clean substitution, not playing out of the changes)
- during measure 56, which features chords D,Db7,C7, is masterfully filled mostly through a diminished chord on Db7 (with Do7 diminished), and through an indirect resolution on the last beat, which cleanly suggests C7 and leads to F minor 7. Amazing is that even though Hawk uses mostly chord tones here, it doesn't sound empty or mechanical at all.
incomplete A3 (measures 57-62):
- measure 58 is one of the most interesting points in this solo - though the band clearly still plays F-7, Hawkins masterfully anticipates Bb7+5(that's why the f#). Analyzed only by itself it would sound very much out of tune, as f# would be the b9 in the Fminor chord, but looking at this from the point of higher conception/structure, it is one beautiful leading note from f, through f# to g natural, which is the 3rd of following Eb chord.
- measures 57 to 61 should be considered as a 1 big phrase consisting of 3 alike motives, each raising up by a half step (1st one has top on f, 2nd has top on f#, 3rd one has top on g), with the last one resolving to measure 61 - beautiful Fminor 69. One should also notice the bottom held notes, which in measure 58 is f#, in measure 59 is g and in measure 61 is ab, even though held only shortly, compared to the previous bottom notes.
- measure 62 introduces another passing note (from g through f# to f natural), which is exceptional in the fact, that it is 8th,maj7,min7 in the chord G7, as this was later heavily used by the be-boppers, known as the dominant bebop scale. However, Hawkins doesn't choose to continue down the scale but rather uses a descending diminished arpeggio.
cadenza (measures 63-69):
- measures 63 & 64 are a simple progression F-7 Bb7 Eb, spiced up only by another tritone progression, after Bb7 before coming to Eb tonic.
- measure 65 can be explained as a short progression from G-minor (only represented by the first chromatic 4 notes), through F#-713, leading to measure 66, which is (with the exception of the f# passing note) an ordinary F-7.
- measure 67 can be perceived as a Bb7b9 chord, with the ending appearing as a Db7 chord, but in fact it could simply be a Bb7b9#9 chord, so Hawk could also think this as an alteration.
- measure 68 does not represent anything extraordinary, it is a simple F-7 Bb7b9 Eb ending with few passing notes, landing majestically on the tonic of the whole song, Eb. At this time the orchestra joins and finishes with a powerful Eb major chord.
This brings me to the end of my analysis. The main trademarks of Hawk's style that one could notice in this performance are:
1. the tritone substitutions, which Hawkins usually applies by playing the chord triad with the natural 9 of the substitution chord.
2. the anticipation (which means playing the following chord, when still the former one is being played by the band), or its opposite (that means staying on the previous chord even though the band already plays the new chord). Importantly, Hawkins always emphasizes the final chord before finishing the phrase, so that the transition has the feeling of smoothness and naturalness.
3. usage of diminished seventh chords a halfstep higher in place of dominant chords (simply the maj3,pefect5,min7,min9 of the dominant chord).
However, even though Coleman Hawkins is greatly ahead of his time with usage of these harmonic and melodic devices, the main importance stays on his ability to create the atmosphere of carefree swinging even when it sounds that he is playing simple straight notes, and his facility of his technique and his huge full sound on the tenor saxophone, which enforces a feeling of great authority, almost a noble-like appearance.
Hawk himself once said "I made the tenor sax - there's nobody plays like me and I don't play like anybody else."
These words are very true even now, 66 years after this recording, even now, 41 years after his death.
Nobody can play like Hawk, only Hawk himself.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Happy Birthday, Sonny Rollins
Happy Birthday, Sonny Rollins. I owe you so much.
7.9.1930 - he is still alive!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Jimmy Heath about storytelling and Ben Webster
Jimmy Heath talks about storytelling in jazz, and in ballads especially. What a great storyteller himself...
"Storytelling is gathered information from life, the way you live and what's going on with your life - you try to tell that story. So, say if for example, if I tell a student, say, ok now you're playing Ram Ramirez' song called Lover man. And I say, ok, the lyric says 'I don't know why, but I'm feelilng so sad', so if you play that (sings just the notes), you're not saying anyting! But if you say 'I don't know why, but I'm feeling sooo sad...' (sings as if spoken), you're putting in the emotional part of the lyric - you're interpreting the lyric... for what it says.
Yeah, Ben Webster, the great saxophonist, said he never played a song if he didn't know the words - as far as ballad is concerned. So, he was one of the greatest ballad players of all times - he sang the song to the people..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9LmNNnwMJo
"Storytelling is gathered information from life, the way you live and what's going on with your life - you try to tell that story. So, say if for example, if I tell a student, say, ok now you're playing Ram Ramirez' song called Lover man. And I say, ok, the lyric says 'I don't know why, but I'm feelilng so sad', so if you play that (sings just the notes), you're not saying anyting! But if you say 'I don't know why, but I'm feeling sooo sad...' (sings as if spoken), you're putting in the emotional part of the lyric - you're interpreting the lyric... for what it says.
Yeah, Ben Webster, the great saxophonist, said he never played a song if he didn't know the words - as far as ballad is concerned. So, he was one of the greatest ballad players of all times - he sang the song to the people..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9LmNNnwMJo
Happy Birthday, Charlie Parker.
Happy Birthday, Bird...
You would be 90 years old today...you flew high.
Thank you for everything. Please stay with us forever, through your music...
Charlie "Yardbird" Parker
(29.8.1920 - 12.3.1955)
(29.8.1920 - 12.3.1955)
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Advice for young musicians
Interview with Sonny Rollins:
What advice do you have for young musicians?
"I would say that they have to love what they are doing. Never mind the material. A lot of people come to me — a lot of kids — "Gee, Sonny. What should I practice? How can I get to be a successful musician?"
You have to love what you are doing, and if you are not hurting anybody or harming anybody else, that's it. Just stay on that path. If you are looking for money for material success, I have no advice, because I don't want to think like that, I don't believe that's the meaning of life. I am not a materialist, I don't believe in consumerism."
The great Sonny Rollins! God bless him!
What advice do you have for young musicians?
"I would say that they have to love what they are doing. Never mind the material. A lot of people come to me — a lot of kids — "Gee, Sonny. What should I practice? How can I get to be a successful musician?"
You have to love what you are doing, and if you are not hurting anybody or harming anybody else, that's it. Just stay on that path. If you are looking for money for material success, I have no advice, because I don't want to think like that, I don't believe that's the meaning of life. I am not a materialist, I don't believe in consumerism."
The great Sonny Rollins! God bless him!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Sonny Rollins' solo on The Eternal Triangle
This is a first part of my marathon transcription of The Eternal Triangle from album Sonny Side Up (1957). For now, this document contains the head and Rollins' solo.
More is to come... I'm planning to transcribe the complete Stitt's solo and then the trading between the two giants of tenor saxophone...
Enjoy!
Sonny Rollins - The Eternal Triangle for Bb tenor
More is to come... I'm planning to transcribe the complete Stitt's solo and then the trading between the two giants of tenor saxophone...
Enjoy!
Sonny Rollins - The Eternal Triangle for Bb tenor
Friday, August 13, 2010
Sonny Rollins + Sonny Stitt Transcription
Transcribing (and then of course practicing the solos) is just one of the greatest learning material available. Fortunately, there are many softwares which slow down the track, so everyone is able to get even the smallest nuances in every solo. Even though it is a slow and sometimes painful process, I love how much it helps!
Today, I decided to transcribe the legendary recording, called The Eternal Triangle, from Dizzy Gillespie's album Sonny Side Up (1957), namely the battle of the tenors there - Sonny Rollins and Sonny Stitt. Each of the players plays his solo, and then they trade fours and then eights. Altogether their playing takes almost 9 minutes, it ends at 8:54. That's going to be a lot of pages...
Wish me luck, it is going to be the longest and I guess also the hardest most difficult transcription that I have ever done.
And when it is done... it is time to practice.
Today, I decided to transcribe the legendary recording, called The Eternal Triangle, from Dizzy Gillespie's album Sonny Side Up (1957), namely the battle of the tenors there - Sonny Rollins and Sonny Stitt. Each of the players plays his solo, and then they trade fours and then eights. Altogether their playing takes almost 9 minutes, it ends at 8:54. That's going to be a lot of pages...
Wish me luck, it is going to be the longest and I guess also the hardest most difficult transcription that I have ever done.
And when it is done... it is time to practice.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Conn New Wonder
Today, at 4:45 pm, I became the proud owner of old tenor saxophone Conn "New Wonder" - this old guy was born in 1918.
I named him Benjamin.
And there is nothing more to say...
I named him Benjamin.
And there is nothing more to say...
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Warsztaty Jazzowe v Polskim Lesznie - Jazz workshops in Leszno, Poland
Letter hand written in Banska Bystrica, dated the 25th of July 2010:
On the night of July 17, 2010, the bebop tank arrived to Leszno, Poland. Ben, Bud, Truth&Way, Mici, Caligula, Otsar, Clark and Mrs. Singer - They were ready to face whatever there was waiting for them, willing to proclaim the Truth with all their strength, until the last moment. They were only 8 and were in a foreign land. But they knew their destiny...
Thus started the 6 day long jazz workshop in Leszno. It was full of battles, vodka, beer, both good and bad music, laughter, screaming, only few hours of sleep, but most of all - JAZZ...
And this is how it went.
Saturday, Day 1 (July 17):
Not photographically documented, the bebop tank arrived at 9pm and after unpacking headed out for a dinner and beer. It ended with 100€ bill at the club, and with the machine-gunner W. falling asleep on the toilet at 4am. The workshop has not even started yet.
Sunday, Day 2 (July 18):
The first day of workshops has come and after the classes, in the evening at 9:30pm a jam session started. The lecturers played, and after their set, the bebop tank went on stage and thus our jamming began... it ended at about 6am, with the great tenor player Piotr Baron playing with us for several last hours the jazziest tradition - we went through Ben Webster, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, Sonny Stitt - even singing the famous one-note vocals of Dizzy Gillespie in "On The Sunny Side Of The Street" from 1957. Also, another 100€ bill was paid at the club. Unfortunately, there are no photographs of the tank from this day either, only 1 news report from the front written on the next day, signed by machine-gunner W.: "Yesterday in the late night/early morning hours, the bebop tank inflicted a big blow to the Polish jazz voluntary squad, which without a chance surrendered and left the battle ground. The battle was terminated with a swing-bebop negotiation with general Baron. The number of deaths is not yet officially known."
Monday, Day 3 (July 19):
The bebop tank, though tired after the long night jamming, still had enough strength to seize the jam session and play until the morning, this time until 4am. Notable moments were Body & Soul, where Ben imitated Hawk's solo (which served admiration from fellow saxophonists), Isn't She Lovely, sang by Bud (showing that the bebop tank was equally skilled in commercial music), Just a Gigolo, sang and played by Truth&Way, very truthfully emulating the style of Louis Armstrong.
One "not musical" moment, that is up to this day remembered was when Mici found something on the ground in the club - something which he was looking for for a long, long time... what it was, remains a secret, but we know...
This is the first documented day with photographs - it shows the tank jamming.
At this day, also another 100€ bill was paid in the club.
Tuesday, Day 4 (July 20):
After 2 days of tireless jamming, the bebop tank decided to take a break - after staying for one set of the jam session, they decided to leave for their barracks and get some sleep for the next day. However, the jazz mood prevailed and the members of the tank did not get to their beds until 3am. Still, it was earlier than the other days and helped them regenerate. In this day, only documentation of Mici with the lecturers exists.
Wednesday, Day 5 (July 21):
This was the last day of the bebop tank as a whole - after this night, Otsar, Caligula and Mici were leaving, thus leaving the control of the tank to its 5 remaining members.
The bebop tank is documented by a photo, showing 6 members of the tank and one Polish trumpetist.
During this night, Otsar managed to blow the fuses, leaving the whole club without electricity - this however did not stop the acoustic trio (Ben, Mici, Caligula) from playing continuously until the power was back on.
Also, Mrs Singer is documented to be singing at this jam session, thus leaving only 1 person from the tank undocumented - Bud the pianist. At this day, also another 100€ bill was paid in the club.
At this night, another news report from the front was submitted, again by machine-gunner W.: "All quiet on the western front - in the past days there has been a lot of negotiations and cooperation and common rivalry are on the daily order. For tonight, there is another planned attack of bebop tank, this time even led by general Baron, who after the first battle changed sides and is now considered an ally. However, as we stated, the first battle was against the Polish volunteers, we certainly cannot rise against the Polish Republican Guard. Even though, this small victory has a meaning and gives us hope in the right way and the strength to carry on. Please, think of us tonight..."
Thursday, Day 6 (July 22):
This day was marked by leaving of 3 of our troops early in the morning. The rest of us attended the classes and in the evening a Jazz Mass, led by Piotr Baron. At 10pm, the last jam session started. This day, however, we were so surprised by the chain of events, that we almost left the battle ground without a fight.
The Polish seized the jam ground and started playing all kinds of non-jazz music, rock, with signs of bad groove, even metal... (?). We endured all this, but when it seemed to be ending, suddenly a lethal blow came - one Polish fellow started rapping into the groove! All in the same time, we decided to leave. And we would, if it were not for general Baron, who ran on stage and stopped this with his scatting into the microphone. In a few minutes, the lecturers came on stage and seized the battle ground, at least bringing back the feeling of jazz.
Thus we jammed for a while with this new constellation (Hans Peter Salentin-tpt, Piotr Baron-ss, Ben-ts, Bud and Truth&Way-piano, Jaromir Honzak-doublebass, Marcin Jahr-drums), until the general decided that it was enough and we can proudly finish the set.
Thus ended the last jam session...
Friday, Day 7 (July 23):
The day of the big concert, finishing the 1-week long workshop. Every group showed off their music, still only a few stayed true to jazz - there was a lot of pop music and alternative, non-jazz music present. At last, Truth&Way came on stage with Mrs Singer who sang Cry Me A River - she really cried the river. Then Ben and Bud paid their tribute to Ben Webster and Oscar Peterson. And after accompanying some vocalists, the concert ended.
In the end, Bud was awarded the best piano student of the workshops, winning new headphones, useful in the bebop tank. Congratulations!
After the concert, the only notable thing was the last march of the bebop tank - at 2am, the members of the tank marched into the common dining room, where all the Polish people were sitting, with Ben carrying his laptop on his shoulder, listening to jazz. He walked in, accompanied by his fellows, named all the musicians on the recording (it was Harry Sweets Edison, Ben Webster, Jimmy Rowles, Barney Kessel, Ray Brown, Alvin Stoller), then turned back on the heel, as no one understood, and marched back to room #7, where he fell asleep listening, still dressed and with his shoes on.
Saturday, Day 8 (July 24):
This was the day of going home - leaving early in the morning, and traveling the whole day, we listened to Fats Navarro, Trane, McCoy, and others in the tank, staying true to our tradition.
After arrival to Banska Bystrica, each of us went their separate ways, quietly contemplating about what happened.
Have we shown the truth? Have we stayed true to our way? Have we played JAZZ?
I think we have.
And I have a lot to thank to all members of the bebop tank - ďakujem vám, všetkým členom bebopového tanku, za úžasný týždeň. Zostali sme verní!
------------------------------------------------------------
Signed, machine-gunner W.
On the night of July 17, 2010, the bebop tank arrived to Leszno, Poland. Ben, Bud, Truth&Way, Mici, Caligula, Otsar, Clark and Mrs. Singer - They were ready to face whatever there was waiting for them, willing to proclaim the Truth with all their strength, until the last moment. They were only 8 and were in a foreign land. But they knew their destiny...
Thus started the 6 day long jazz workshop in Leszno. It was full of battles, vodka, beer, both good and bad music, laughter, screaming, only few hours of sleep, but most of all - JAZZ...
And this is how it went.
Saturday, Day 1 (July 17):
Not photographically documented, the bebop tank arrived at 9pm and after unpacking headed out for a dinner and beer. It ended with 100€ bill at the club, and with the machine-gunner W. falling asleep on the toilet at 4am. The workshop has not even started yet.
Sunday, Day 2 (July 18):
The first day of workshops has come and after the classes, in the evening at 9:30pm a jam session started. The lecturers played, and after their set, the bebop tank went on stage and thus our jamming began... it ended at about 6am, with the great tenor player Piotr Baron playing with us for several last hours the jazziest tradition - we went through Ben Webster, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, Sonny Stitt - even singing the famous one-note vocals of Dizzy Gillespie in "On The Sunny Side Of The Street" from 1957. Also, another 100€ bill was paid at the club. Unfortunately, there are no photographs of the tank from this day either, only 1 news report from the front written on the next day, signed by machine-gunner W.: "Yesterday in the late night/early morning hours, the bebop tank inflicted a big blow to the Polish jazz voluntary squad, which without a chance surrendered and left the battle ground. The battle was terminated with a swing-bebop negotiation with general Baron. The number of deaths is not yet officially known."
Monday, Day 3 (July 19):
The bebop tank, though tired after the long night jamming, still had enough strength to seize the jam session and play until the morning, this time until 4am. Notable moments were Body & Soul, where Ben imitated Hawk's solo (which served admiration from fellow saxophonists), Isn't She Lovely, sang by Bud (showing that the bebop tank was equally skilled in commercial music), Just a Gigolo, sang and played by Truth&Way, very truthfully emulating the style of Louis Armstrong.
One "not musical" moment, that is up to this day remembered was when Mici found something on the ground in the club - something which he was looking for for a long, long time... what it was, remains a secret, but we know...
This is the first documented day with photographs - it shows the tank jamming.
 |
| Ben |
 |
| Truth&Way |
 |
| Mici |
 |
| Caligula |
 |
| Ben with Otsar and Clark |
 |
| Ben and Otsar in the background |
Tuesday, Day 4 (July 20):
After 2 days of tireless jamming, the bebop tank decided to take a break - after staying for one set of the jam session, they decided to leave for their barracks and get some sleep for the next day. However, the jazz mood prevailed and the members of the tank did not get to their beds until 3am. Still, it was earlier than the other days and helped them regenerate. In this day, only documentation of Mici with the lecturers exists.
 |
| Mici with Salentin and Jahr in the back |
This was the last day of the bebop tank as a whole - after this night, Otsar, Caligula and Mici were leaving, thus leaving the control of the tank to its 5 remaining members.
The bebop tank is documented by a photo, showing 6 members of the tank and one Polish trumpetist.
 |
| left to right: Polish trumpetist, Mici (b), Clark (tp), Ben (ts), Caligula (d), Otsar (g), Truth&Way (p) |
Also, Mrs Singer is documented to be singing at this jam session, thus leaving only 1 person from the tank undocumented - Bud the pianist. At this day, also another 100€ bill was paid in the club.
 |
| Mrs Singer, singing Cry Me A River |
 |
| Ben, blowing in the background |
Thursday, Day 6 (July 22):
This day was marked by leaving of 3 of our troops early in the morning. The rest of us attended the classes and in the evening a Jazz Mass, led by Piotr Baron. At 10pm, the last jam session started. This day, however, we were so surprised by the chain of events, that we almost left the battle ground without a fight.
The Polish seized the jam ground and started playing all kinds of non-jazz music, rock, with signs of bad groove, even metal... (?). We endured all this, but when it seemed to be ending, suddenly a lethal blow came - one Polish fellow started rapping into the groove! All in the same time, we decided to leave. And we would, if it were not for general Baron, who ran on stage and stopped this with his scatting into the microphone. In a few minutes, the lecturers came on stage and seized the battle ground, at least bringing back the feeling of jazz.
Thus we jammed for a while with this new constellation (Hans Peter Salentin-tpt, Piotr Baron-ss, Ben-ts, Bud and Truth&Way-piano, Jaromir Honzak-doublebass, Marcin Jahr-drums), until the general decided that it was enough and we can proudly finish the set.
Thus ended the last jam session...
Friday, Day 7 (July 23):
The day of the big concert, finishing the 1-week long workshop. Every group showed off their music, still only a few stayed true to jazz - there was a lot of pop music and alternative, non-jazz music present. At last, Truth&Way came on stage with Mrs Singer who sang Cry Me A River - she really cried the river. Then Ben and Bud paid their tribute to Ben Webster and Oscar Peterson. And after accompanying some vocalists, the concert ended.
In the end, Bud was awarded the best piano student of the workshops, winning new headphones, useful in the bebop tank. Congratulations!
After the concert, the only notable thing was the last march of the bebop tank - at 2am, the members of the tank marched into the common dining room, where all the Polish people were sitting, with Ben carrying his laptop on his shoulder, listening to jazz. He walked in, accompanied by his fellows, named all the musicians on the recording (it was Harry Sweets Edison, Ben Webster, Jimmy Rowles, Barney Kessel, Ray Brown, Alvin Stoller), then turned back on the heel, as no one understood, and marched back to room #7, where he fell asleep listening, still dressed and with his shoes on.
Saturday, Day 8 (July 24):
This was the day of going home - leaving early in the morning, and traveling the whole day, we listened to Fats Navarro, Trane, McCoy, and others in the tank, staying true to our tradition.
After arrival to Banska Bystrica, each of us went their separate ways, quietly contemplating about what happened.
Have we shown the truth? Have we stayed true to our way? Have we played JAZZ?
I think we have.
And I have a lot to thank to all members of the bebop tank - ďakujem vám, všetkým členom bebopového tanku, za úžasný týždeň. Zostali sme verní!
------------------------------------------------------------
Signed, machine-gunner W.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Jazz tradition
It got me thinking again...
Jazz tradition - Is it music that is still 100% alive, or does it serve only as a study material now?
What is there to add to the jazz tradition (swing, bop etc), that has not yet been played or created?
The great masters have played this music and kept creating new and new melodies, chord structures, licks, rhythmic devices, all of it, but has there been a point, where this style(s) became saturated? Are the stories not true, that even the greats, in their late years, started to lack the innovativeness, started to repeat themselves?
Sure, there have been people like Miles, Trane, Sonny etc, who kept finding and changing their style to always a new branch of jazz, that has been just created, but that meant that they left the old behind;
After the 50's, Miles refused to play My Funny Valentine, sayin' he can't look back,
Trane kept coming up with completely new approaches, to a point where he asked Elvin "not to swing",
Sonny switched to funk, soul, rock, R&B, calypso latin music, where he stopped applying the bop language that he previously used and started playing new.
I don't want to say that they abandoned their roots, because that is not true - what I want to say is that when they felt that it the swing and bop approach everything has been said, that they cannot add/create anything really new within this approach, they had to abandon it in a way to create something new. Turn the page, end one phase.
I guess the music really has to go forward - everyone says:
"You study the great old masters, just like everyone in the music field (and pretty much in any field in life) has, but you still have to walk your own path. You can't just copy, you have to create, which means that you have to go forward..."
In the tradition, there is still less and less that you can create (which in new and still traditional) and after a while, if you don't want to be a copier, you start feeling restrained and you start studying modern and "new way" and you go forward and you exploit possibilities, and you keep trying something new - new rhythms, harmonies, metres, sounds, instruments...
Everything keeps going forward and forward, unfortunately (besides a few exceptions) further and further away from the tradition.
And what makes me sad is this: What am I supposed to do, I, who simply like swing and bebop, not just like a study material, but as a beautiful music that is pleasant to ear, music that I want to keep playing?
I love Ben Webster, his beautiful, simple, but yet amazing melodies, the old breathy tone, relaxed swinging time and phrasing, melancholy and peacefulness, playfulness, crying, the biggest heart...
I love the young Sonny Rollins, his strong sound, reminiscent of Coleman Hawkins, bopper from deep within his heart, young and eager to create a hole in the world, the laid-back, but still driving rhythmic aggressive phrasing, yet beautiful tonal melodies, harmonic thinking that was both modern but still very very traditional and bop-like...
I love Count Basie big band, with Lester and Herschel on tenors, Sweets Edison on trumpet, the great rhythmic section, Walter Page, Freddie Green, the great Papa Joe Jones, and the best from the best, Basie's playful piano, so in contrast with the strength of the big band...
I love Ellington's harmonies, the color of his big band, which only he alone was able to create...
And I love many, countless others, Bird, Bud, Diz, Hawk, Teddy Wilson, Nat King Cole, Lady Day...
What am I to do, to keep playing this beautiful music, but still find my own voice without copying anything that has already been played by someone..? Is there still enough space to create something new even without these boundaries of swing and bebop? Has it not been all said already?
Sometimes I wonder why I spent the lonely nights, dreaming of a song...
A melody that is both old and new, a voice of a nightingale that has never been heard before...
Sometime I wonder...
Jazz tradition - Is it music that is still 100% alive, or does it serve only as a study material now?
What is there to add to the jazz tradition (swing, bop etc), that has not yet been played or created?
The great masters have played this music and kept creating new and new melodies, chord structures, licks, rhythmic devices, all of it, but has there been a point, where this style(s) became saturated? Are the stories not true, that even the greats, in their late years, started to lack the innovativeness, started to repeat themselves?
Sure, there have been people like Miles, Trane, Sonny etc, who kept finding and changing their style to always a new branch of jazz, that has been just created, but that meant that they left the old behind;
After the 50's, Miles refused to play My Funny Valentine, sayin' he can't look back,
Trane kept coming up with completely new approaches, to a point where he asked Elvin "not to swing",
Sonny switched to funk, soul, rock, R&B, calypso latin music, where he stopped applying the bop language that he previously used and started playing new.
I don't want to say that they abandoned their roots, because that is not true - what I want to say is that when they felt that it the swing and bop approach everything has been said, that they cannot add/create anything really new within this approach, they had to abandon it in a way to create something new. Turn the page, end one phase.
I guess the music really has to go forward - everyone says:
"You study the great old masters, just like everyone in the music field (and pretty much in any field in life) has, but you still have to walk your own path. You can't just copy, you have to create, which means that you have to go forward..."
In the tradition, there is still less and less that you can create (which in new and still traditional) and after a while, if you don't want to be a copier, you start feeling restrained and you start studying modern and "new way" and you go forward and you exploit possibilities, and you keep trying something new - new rhythms, harmonies, metres, sounds, instruments...
Everything keeps going forward and forward, unfortunately (besides a few exceptions) further and further away from the tradition.
And what makes me sad is this: What am I supposed to do, I, who simply like swing and bebop, not just like a study material, but as a beautiful music that is pleasant to ear, music that I want to keep playing?
I love Ben Webster, his beautiful, simple, but yet amazing melodies, the old breathy tone, relaxed swinging time and phrasing, melancholy and peacefulness, playfulness, crying, the biggest heart...
I love the young Sonny Rollins, his strong sound, reminiscent of Coleman Hawkins, bopper from deep within his heart, young and eager to create a hole in the world, the laid-back, but still driving rhythmic aggressive phrasing, yet beautiful tonal melodies, harmonic thinking that was both modern but still very very traditional and bop-like...I love Count Basie big band, with Lester and Herschel on tenors, Sweets Edison on trumpet, the great rhythmic section, Walter Page, Freddie Green, the great Papa Joe Jones, and the best from the best, Basie's playful piano, so in contrast with the strength of the big band...
I love Ellington's harmonies, the color of his big band, which only he alone was able to create...
What am I to do, to keep playing this beautiful music, but still find my own voice without copying anything that has already been played by someone..? Is there still enough space to create something new even without these boundaries of swing and bebop? Has it not been all said already?
Sometimes I wonder why I spent the lonely nights, dreaming of a song...
A melody that is both old and new, a voice of a nightingale that has never been heard before...
Sometime I wonder...
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Ben Webster - Where Are You
Ben Webster recorded his version in 1957 with Peterson's Quartet (with Herb Ellis, Ray Brown and Stan Levey), in a challenging key of E (F# for tenor). Despite this, he flows through the song with absolute mastery, emphasizing the original melody in both of his choruses, finally modulating half step up in the last A of the 2nd chorus,to finish the song in concert F, with a simple, but the more emotional cadenza.
In this simple song, Ben Webster manages to create a highly emotional atmosphere of lament - you can hear him crying, "Where Are You"...
This song can be found on Soulville (October 15, 1957), recorded on Verve label. It is one of the songs that you never get tired or listening to...
Lyrics:
Where are you
Where have you gone without me
I thought you cared about me
Where are you
Where's my heart
Where is the dream we started
I can't believe we're parted
Where are you
When we said good-bye love
What had we to gain
When I gave you my love
Was it all in vain
All life through
Must I go on pretending
Where is my happy ending
Where are you
In this simple song, Ben Webster manages to create a highly emotional atmosphere of lament - you can hear him crying, "Where Are You"...
This song can be found on Soulville (October 15, 1957), recorded on Verve label. It is one of the songs that you never get tired or listening to...
Lyrics:
Where are you
Where have you gone without me
I thought you cared about me
Where are you
Where's my heart
Where is the dream we started
I can't believe we're parted
Where are you
When we said good-bye love
What had we to gain
When I gave you my love
Was it all in vain
All life through
Must I go on pretending
Where is my happy ending
Where are you
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Jazz - whole life or lifestyle?
From some of my friends, I have found 2 different approaches to being a "jazz man".
First one was the good old "jazz is everything", which proposed that a true jazz man lives what he plays, jazz is the main purpose of his life and he subordinates everything else in his life in order to fully "live jazz".
The other approach was that jazz is only a lifestyle, when you don't really "live jazz", you just take it as a part of your life, but other things are equally important, be it family, sports... anything.
I wonder how it really should be. Bird said "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn", and especially in the earlier years, the musicians really lived what they played, they lived jazz, played gigs at night, jammed until the late morning, then got few hours of sleep and then practiced, or got together (or looked for drugs...) and in the evening, there was another gig and then again and again, every day. But for example, Dizzy, which was another great jazz man, had his family, and his wife Lorraine was really strict when it came to Dizzy being a family man. There was one time, when Bird came to Dizzy's home in the middle of the night and started ringing the bell, asking Diz to come out - he wanted to show him some new things he just composed. He asked Dizzy to write it down, but then Lorraine came and told Diz to shut the door and come back in. He obeyed, apologized to Bird and shut the door before his face. Still, Bird kept playing the song from behind the door and Diz wrote it down. :)
But the point is, that even though Dizzy for sure was a great jazz man, whose life was jazz, he still managed to be a full time family man, had his life together...
These are two views on two of the greatest jazzmen of 1940's and 50's. One lived jazz to the fullest extent possible, living a very unbalanced life, but resulting in his early death (of course, here alcohol and drugs took its toll); the other one lived a more balanced life, staying clean and taking care of other things as well, and managed to become a great musician as well.
I am thinking about this because lately I have been asking myself, whether I could practice and play even more than I do now, as it would in turn make my progress faster. But at the same time, I am feeling that my life is really unbalanced, I spend too much time closed in a room, practicing, transcribing, listening to jazz, talking about jazz - that all means exhausting my mind, and spend too little time exercising, going to the nature, doing sports - that means exhausting my body. And I feel that it doesn't do me good. So I am wondering, what should I do. The greats managed to practice and focus on music with all their time, but that of course took its toll and many of them had very difficult personal lives. Do I want that?
I guess the truth is somewhere in the middle. And that's why today I left my saxophone in its case and I am heading out for a hike!
First one was the good old "jazz is everything", which proposed that a true jazz man lives what he plays, jazz is the main purpose of his life and he subordinates everything else in his life in order to fully "live jazz".
The other approach was that jazz is only a lifestyle, when you don't really "live jazz", you just take it as a part of your life, but other things are equally important, be it family, sports... anything.
I wonder how it really should be. Bird said "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn", and especially in the earlier years, the musicians really lived what they played, they lived jazz, played gigs at night, jammed until the late morning, then got few hours of sleep and then practiced, or got together (or looked for drugs...) and in the evening, there was another gig and then again and again, every day. But for example, Dizzy, which was another great jazz man, had his family, and his wife Lorraine was really strict when it came to Dizzy being a family man. There was one time, when Bird came to Dizzy's home in the middle of the night and started ringing the bell, asking Diz to come out - he wanted to show him some new things he just composed. He asked Dizzy to write it down, but then Lorraine came and told Diz to shut the door and come back in. He obeyed, apologized to Bird and shut the door before his face. Still, Bird kept playing the song from behind the door and Diz wrote it down. :)
But the point is, that even though Dizzy for sure was a great jazz man, whose life was jazz, he still managed to be a full time family man, had his life together...
These are two views on two of the greatest jazzmen of 1940's and 50's. One lived jazz to the fullest extent possible, living a very unbalanced life, but resulting in his early death (of course, here alcohol and drugs took its toll); the other one lived a more balanced life, staying clean and taking care of other things as well, and managed to become a great musician as well.
I am thinking about this because lately I have been asking myself, whether I could practice and play even more than I do now, as it would in turn make my progress faster. But at the same time, I am feeling that my life is really unbalanced, I spend too much time closed in a room, practicing, transcribing, listening to jazz, talking about jazz - that all means exhausting my mind, and spend too little time exercising, going to the nature, doing sports - that means exhausting my body. And I feel that it doesn't do me good. So I am wondering, what should I do. The greats managed to practice and focus on music with all their time, but that of course took its toll and many of them had very difficult personal lives. Do I want that?
I guess the truth is somewhere in the middle. And that's why today I left my saxophone in its case and I am heading out for a hike!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Sonny Rollins - The Stopper
Today I was wondering about how guys like Sonny Rollins managed to become such outstanding musicians at such a young age. He'd barely turned 23, when he recorded The Stopper, which shows great technique, and at the same time nice, advanced harmonic-melodic thinking on just a few changes. The continuity, with which he composes the lines, is in my opinion pretty remarkable for his age.
I don't think there were a lot of cats that could play like Sonny "Newk" Rollins in their early 20's.
Sure, there was Bird, Dizzy, Fats, Brownie, Bud Powell, and some others, maybe one or two for each instruments... But hearing Newk's records with Bud Powell when he was not even 19 years old, it makes me wonder... what a great musician he was, and still is.
Thank you Sonny Rollins, for showing the world how much one can achieve when he really loves something and puts his whole "body & soul" into it...
Sonny Rollins - The Stopper (for Bb Tenor)
I don't think there were a lot of cats that could play like Sonny "Newk" Rollins in their early 20's.
Sure, there was Bird, Dizzy, Fats, Brownie, Bud Powell, and some others, maybe one or two for each instruments... But hearing Newk's records with Bud Powell when he was not even 19 years old, it makes me wonder... what a great musician he was, and still is.
Thank you Sonny Rollins, for showing the world how much one can achieve when he really loves something and puts his whole "body & soul" into it...
Sonny Rollins - The Stopper (for Bb Tenor)
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Bud Powell's Indiana
I have wanted to know for a long time, what Bud plays in his solo on Indiana. It sounds amazing, but still very simple at the same time. So I finally got into transcribing this solo and here it is! I left out the first and last theme, and the solo is all there!
I transcribed it in concert key, so pianists, feel free to check it out!
Bud Powell - Indiana (concert key)
I transcribed it in concert key, so pianists, feel free to check it out!
Bud Powell - Indiana (concert key)
Monday, June 14, 2010
What is jazz? (my opinion)
Lately I have been noticing more and more bands that label their music as jazz-ish, or they at least use the word in definition of their style.
I cannot say that I approve this, as I don't feel (about many of these bands) that there is really any jazz in their playing.
This made me think about the essential question "What is JAZZ?"
For me, jazz requires two main elements, to be called jazz: improvisation and swing.
Many listeners, but even musicians, call something jazz, and they base their opinion on the fact that there is a certain amount of improvisation in the songs. However, when the music does not apply swing, then in my opinion it cannot be labeled jazz, but rather improvised something (rock,metal,whatever...).
And swing - for me it is even more important than improvisation in defining jazz. Music which does not have the element of swing, even if it uses other elements of jazz, is not jazz. Therefore jazzmetal, jazzrock, fusion, nujazz etc., that means styles that do not use both swing and at least a certain amount of improvisation, should not really be called jazz. I prefer to use terms like "rock (metal,fusion...) that uses some elements of jazz."
I know it might sound like banal hair-picking, but I really think it is a disgrace to jazz to use its name for things that are completely un-jazz.
I love all kinds of jazz. Even if not using lots of improvisation, but THEY HAVE TO SWING.
Let's call things with the right names, ok?
P.S. How do you recognize a (decent) jazz musician? Well, he swings and he can improvise...
I cannot say that I approve this, as I don't feel (about many of these bands) that there is really any jazz in their playing.
This made me think about the essential question "What is JAZZ?"
For me, jazz requires two main elements, to be called jazz: improvisation and swing.
Many listeners, but even musicians, call something jazz, and they base their opinion on the fact that there is a certain amount of improvisation in the songs. However, when the music does not apply swing, then in my opinion it cannot be labeled jazz, but rather improvised something (rock,metal,whatever...).
And swing - for me it is even more important than improvisation in defining jazz. Music which does not have the element of swing, even if it uses other elements of jazz, is not jazz. Therefore jazzmetal, jazzrock, fusion, nujazz etc., that means styles that do not use both swing and at least a certain amount of improvisation, should not really be called jazz. I prefer to use terms like "rock (metal,fusion...) that uses some elements of jazz."
I know it might sound like banal hair-picking, but I really think it is a disgrace to jazz to use its name for things that are completely un-jazz.
I love all kinds of jazz. Even if not using lots of improvisation, but THEY HAVE TO SWING.
Let's call things with the right names, ok?
P.S. How do you recognize a (decent) jazz musician? Well, he swings and he can improvise...
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