Tag: jazz

Billy Childs | Twilight Is Upon Us

AllMusic‘s review of Billy Childs‘s album, Twilight Is Upon Us (1989), asserts that the pianist/composer’s “second CD as a leader puts as much emphasis on his composing and arranging talents as his skills as a pianist…It was clear even at this fairly early stage that Billy Childs was on his way to developing an original voice.” Having cut his teeth playing with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard‘s band for half a decade and keeping his varied list of role models in mind, from Herbie Hancock to Maurice Ravel to Keith Emerson, it seems that Childs was on the road to that original voice very early on.

The title track is nothing short of a sonic journey — it clocks in at 8.5 minutes, but is definitely worth the time.

The gentle intro yields to an unsettled, multi-meter, multi-key accompaniment under a plaintive saxophone melody line at 0:59. We’re thrown headlong into a bass-heavy, groove-driven solo section for the sax at 2:32, clearly in 6/4 time. The clearest pivot in tonality arrives at 3:46; from there, the piano solo and rhythm section rebuild gradually. We eventually return to the maelstrom, with Bob Sheppard‘s sax lines navigating skillfully over the turbulent, angular accompaniment.

Bill Evans | Here’s That Rainy Day

Jazz pianist and composer Bill Evans was the winner of seven Grammy awards and an inductee into the Downbeat Jazz Hall of Fame. Discogs.com calls Evans “one of the most famous and influential American jazz pianists of the 20th century. His use of impressionist harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and trademark rhythmically independent, ‘singing’ melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists.” Evans was an integral part of the ensembles of Miles Davis and Paul Motian, among others, before moving into his sustained work as a jazz trio leader.

“Here’s That Rainy Day” (music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke, 1952) was first heard as part of the Broadway musical Carnival in Flanders. Our Twitter follower @cedgray submitted this solo piano tune: “…the best modulation is at 1:59. There’s an augmented modulation: starting in B, it moves through G, Eb, and then back to B.” There’s another big harmonic shift at 3:53, among others.

Herbie Hancock | Palm Grease

From Dave Mandl, who follows us via Twitter: “Palm Grease,” from Herbie Hancock‘s Thrust (1974).

After the tonality wanders around a bit in the first few minutes of the tune, a stronger key change happens at 3:00, where Dave explains that “the piece moves from a bridge in F minor back to the tonic, A minor. I’ve always loved the way the bassist (Paul Jackson) slinks back to A minor. That main bass riff is a classic — the drum beat, even moreso. The piece is in 4/4, but drummer Mike Clark kind of splits it up as 9/8 + 7/8. It’s got to be one of the greatest funk grooves of all time — and that key change is one of my favorites.”

The Artie Shaw Orchestra | All the Things You Are

“All the Things You Are,” a now-classic jazz standard composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, was originally written for the musical Very Warm for May (1939). It later appeared in the film Broadway Rhythm (1944).

The tune is known for its wide-ranging harmonies, which transiently meander quite far from the original key during most of the tune (other than the beginning and ending bars of the form). But this particular version by The Artie Shaw Orchestra (Helen Forrest, vocalist) also features several outright key changes. Starting in A minor, the key shifts to D minor as the vocal melody leads us through the form (1:28), the final instrumental section starts in Bb minor (2:45) and ends in Db major.

Duke Ellington | In a Sentimental Mood

Duke Ellington’s ballad “In a Sentimental Mood” (1935) was recorded several times by its composer, including this version with saxophonist John Coltrane from 1963. The tune starts in Bb minor and ends in Db major, with a middle eight in A major (1:10 – 1:35). The tune saw prominent covers by Art Tatum, Sonny Rollins, and McCoy Tyner, among others.

Of the recording session, Coltrane said: “(Duke) has set standards I haven’t caught up with yet. I would have liked to have worked over all those numbers again, but then I guess the performances wouldn’t have had the same spontaneity. And they mightn’t have been any better!”

Sergio Mendes | Lua Soberana

The winner of the 1993 Recording Academy / GRAMMYs for Best World Music Album, Sergio Mendes‘ Brasilieiro featured 14 tracks, including “Lua Soberana” (Sovereign Moon). The album featured American contemporary jazz musicians such as pianist Russell Ferrante of the Yellowjackets and rock drummer Jeff Porcaro of Toto as well as a huge slate of Brazilian musicians.

The tune doesn’t feature one lone modulation, but rather an ever-shifting harmonic continuum.

0:00 unaccompanied verse
0:35 A major verse
1:08 multi-key chorus
1:38 A major verse
1:54 multi-key chorus
2:24 transition
2:32 B major verse
2:49 instrumental bridge
3:23 B major verse

The Four Freshmen | Shangrila

The Four Freshmen, formed in 1948, released “Shangrila” in 1962. Known as a vocal band because all of the group’s members self-accompanied the quartet’s vocals with their own instrumental playing, the Freshmen featured jazz-infused open harmonies. According to his biographer, a young Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys found the 1950s output of the Freshmen to be an inspiration: “It brings a feeling of love inside me…that feeling of harmony.” The modulation is at 1:39.

Kenny Barron | Have You Met Miss Jones

“Have You Met Miss Jones,” an enduring jazz standard, originated in the score of the 1937 musical I’d Rather Be Right, composed by the legendary songwriting team of Rogers and Hart. The tune is a part of the discographies of jazz artists including Stan Getz, Ahmad Jamal, Art Tatum, Kenny Barron (whose live performance we’re featuring), and many others.

The middle eight section of the tune (first heard at 0:17 – 0:25) features several modulations, departing from the overall key throughout.

Jaco Pastorius | Come On, Come Over

Regular mod scout JB’s latest contribution:

The legendary electric bassist Jaco Pastorius, best known for his work with the ground-breaking jazz fusion band Weather Report (and for pulling the frets off of his bass with a set of pliers to make one of the first known fretless basses!), also released several solo albums. “Come On, Come Over” (1976) is one of the most successful tracks that Jaco produced, featuring a band that boasted David Sanborn (Official), Wayne Shorter, and Michael Brecker on saxophones — for starters. The tune starts in C minor, transitioning to D major at 0:56 and then reverting to the original key at 1:14.

Mike Stern | What Might Have Been

Genre-hopping guitarist Mike Stern has worked with Miles Davis, Brecker Brothers, and Blood Sweat And Tears. He delivers a beautiful contemporary jazz fusion ballad in “What Might Have Been” (2002). Stern takes one of the guitar’s few weak links (the ability to strongly sustain a note without effects) and augments it by doubling it with the human voice, employing the enigmatic wordless vocals of Elisabeth Kontomanou.

The modulation is at 1:30, with a return to the original key at 2:05; after the guitar solo, the pattern repeats at 3:54 and 4:29.