Category Archives: Instrument

Guest Post by Andrew Green: Eric Harland, Byus

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Byus, written by Walter Smith III and performed by: Ambrose Akinmusire, trumpet; Walter Smith III, tenor saxophone; Jason Moran, piano; Joe Sanders, bass; Eric Harland, drums.  From the album III, released 2010 on the Criss Cross label.

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Download the PDF: Solo, Drumset Notation Guide

I initially transcribed this because I was playing it in a jazz group at Lawrence University (Appleton, WI).  The solo really shows off Harland’s technical virtuosity and fluidity around the kit and is a prime example of why he is one of the most in-demand drummers right now.  This introduction is in 7 throughout and I chose to notate the 7 as alternating bars of 4/4 and 3/4 for ease of breaking down the beats when reading.  This intro sets up the tune beautifully, introducing the 7/4 feel that returns throughout the disjointed and angular melodies and hits.  Many of the individual licks are simple in conception but difficult to pull off at such breakneck speeds, one right after the other. Continue reading →

Stéphane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt, After You’ve Gone

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(Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

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PDF:  Concert Pitch, Bass Cleff, Bb, Eb

After You’ve Gone, music written by Turner Layton, lyrics by Henry Creamer and performed by: The Quintette du Hot Club de France, featuring Django Rienhardt and Stéphane Grappelli.  From Djangology, recorded in 1949 and released by RCA Bluebird.

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Joe Henderson, Isfahan

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With Neil Swainson, bass, at Harpo's, Victoria. Photo by Guy MacPherson

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Download the transcription: Eb, Bb, C, Bass Clef

“Isfahan” composed by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn and performed by Joe Henderson, Tenor Sax; Christian McBride, Bass.  From Lush Life: The Music of Billy Strayhorn, Verve Records 1992.

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Nicholas Payton, You Stepped Out of a Dream

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Download the Transcription: Bb, Eb, C, Bass Clef

I got this disc when I was a freshman in college. My wife (girlfriend at the time) got it for me, and the first track that stuck out was this one. The groove is what first got me. The groove is this really great double time feel that is real open in the drums and piano. It just feels so good! And after hearing Nicholas’ playing on this track I knew I had to one day transcribe it. The first thing I noticed when I took some time to dig in was that they play with a double time feel, so it sounds like the chord changes go by at half speed. Payton’s solo fits so gently in to the groove, he’s simply an extension of the rhythm section.

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Greg Cohen and Dave Douglas, Charms of the Night Sky

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Download the PDF: concert pitch, Bb, Eb

Charms of the Night Sky, written by Dave Douglas and performed by: Dave Douglas, trumpet; Greg Cohen, acoustic bass; Mark Feldman, violin; Guy Klucevsek: accordion.  From Charms of the Night Sky, recorded 1998 and released on the Winter & Winter label.

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Clifford Brown and Harold Land, The Blues Walk

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This album is pretty special to me because it was one of the first jazz albums I ever really got into.  Harold Land and Clifford Brown are probably the first two jazz musicians that I really studied and tried to emulate and have had quite an influence on me.  This selection in particular has stuck with me a) because it’s just really fun to listen to Clifford and Harold trading all the way down to 1/2 measures and b) it demonstrates a high level of communication between these musicians.

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Mark Feldman, Charms of the Night Sky

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Mark Feldman – violinist (photograph by Valerie Trucchia)

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Download the PDF: C, Bb, Eb, Bass Clef

Charms of the Night Sky, written by Dave Douglas and performed by: Dave Douglas, trumpet; Greg Cohen, acoustic bass; Mark Feldman, violin; Guy Klucevsek: accordion.  From Charms of the Night Sky, recorded 1998 and released on the Winter & Winter label.

 

I’ve been drawn to this solo (the whole album, really) since the first time I heard it.  I love the combined timbres of accordion+violin and accordion+trumpet, and so many beautiful textures and combinations are explored on this album.  Even just during the violin solo.  One thing that really turned me onto this solo in particular is the subtly nebulous nature of the rhythm which seems to fight the underlying rhythm, but without sounding ‘wrong’ in any sense of the word.  (I first noticed this kind of rhythmic stretching/contracting listening to Miles Davis, such as his solos on Sweet Pea and the title track of the album Water Babies – it’s really inspiring how Miles goes in and out of the groove without disrupting it.) Continue reading →

Chet Baker, Zing! Went the Strings of my Heart

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Download the PDF: C, Bb, Eb, Bass Clef

“Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart,” solo by Chet Baker, From Quartet Live Vol. 3 (Aug 1954).

What I love about this solo is how surprised I was when I found out this was Chet Baker. The tempo is absolutely blazing fast and Chet just rips this tune apart playing a mix of beautiful melodies and chromatic eighth notes. Chet is known for slow songs, and his eerie singing, but this track shows why Charlie Parker was so excited to play with Chet with Parker got stuck in LA. This recording is part of a set of nights in LA with Chet’s quartet, right after Chet gets back from touring with Bird. I have all three nights (Quartet Live Vol1, 2 & 3) and they’re all phenomenal. It’s clear that this early playing by Chet is the reason Bird warned Miles and Dizzy of a this guy out on the West Coast.

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Chris Potter, All the Things You Are

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Download the Transcription: Tenor Sax, Concert Pitch

To anyone that knows me it’s no secret that Chris Potter is one of my favorite musicians and this recording is a prime example of why.  I’ve heard a number of criticisms about this recording citing that it is too technical and not very musical.  While I patently disagree (true it is very technical, but I find it to be extremely musical as well) I think given the context of the recording, a masterclass at Youngstown University, it makes perfect sense that Chris would emphasize his virtuosic ability as a way of demonstrating what is possible as a saxophonist and as an improvising musician.

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