One of my all time top 10 tracks. Keith Jarrett American Quartet w/Dewey Redman. Why? Looseness, groove, melody, inside/outside playing. Simple framework that allows lots of expressivity.
Monk is another influence. Why? Singable melodies, changes that make you feel like you can fly on them. Simple framework-expansive possibilities- ex: Hackensack
Here is the Monk version
Here is link
for Bill Frisell
from an album called Lookout for Hope
I’d have to say Wayne Shorter’s “Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum” has been a big influence for me (as well as many other Wayne tunes). The chord progressions in the A sections are really refreshing to my ears… there’s such a strong pull from one chord to the next, but it takes such a unique route. The B section offers a nice bluesy interlude. Overall, a great little journey between the cerebral and the emotional. Very singable melody, too.
Haitian Fight Song by Mingus is the tune that made me love jazz and the bass. The spontaneity of the arrangement, catchy repetitive melody, simple form, burning solos and rhythm section, and overall fire with which the band plays make this song, for me, the embodiment of the spirit of jazz.
“Falling Grace” is a tune that I’ve always loved to play. I think it would sound great as a long slow build from a rubato solo piano (or some other instrument) intro, building up into time and through collective improve over the form, and with the melody stated only at the end. One of the most inspiring things to me about jazz has always been the process of mutation that occurs over the course of a tune, especially as played by people like Miles Davis’ Sixties quintet, or Kenny Wheeler’s group from “Gnu High.” I think it’s important to keep alive a tradition of doing this to classic songs, rather than (er, in addition to) just preserving them in a more direct form. I will try to post a .pdf of Falling Grace, maybe we can play it this weekend!
One of my all time top 10 tracks. Keith Jarrett American Quartet w/Dewey Redman. Why? Looseness, groove, melody, inside/outside playing. Simple framework that allows lots of expressivity.
Monk is another influence. Why? Singable melodies, changes that make you feel like you can fly on them. Simple framework-expansive possibilities- ex: Hackensack
Here is the Monk version
Here is link
for Bill Frisell
from an album called Lookout for Hope
I’d have to say Wayne Shorter’s “Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum” has been a big influence for me (as well as many other Wayne tunes). The chord progressions in the A sections are really refreshing to my ears… there’s such a strong pull from one chord to the next, but it takes such a unique route. The B section offers a nice bluesy interlude. Overall, a great little journey between the cerebral and the emotional. Very singable melody, too.
Haitian Fight Song by Mingus is the tune that made me love jazz and the bass. The spontaneity of the arrangement, catchy repetitive melody, simple form, burning solos and rhythm section, and overall fire with which the band plays make this song, for me, the embodiment of the spirit of jazz.
Sam,
Thanks for the post of the Mingus tune. We’ll call it on Saturday night & see if we get some cats to play it.
-Darrell
“Falling Grace” is a tune that I’ve always loved to play. I think it would sound great as a long slow build from a rubato solo piano (or some other instrument) intro, building up into time and through collective improve over the form, and with the melody stated only at the end. One of the most inspiring things to me about jazz has always been the process of mutation that occurs over the course of a tune, especially as played by people like Miles Davis’ Sixties quintet, or Kenny Wheeler’s group from “Gnu High.” I think it’s important to keep alive a tradition of doing this to classic songs, rather than (er, in addition to) just preserving them in a more direct form. I will try to post a .pdf of Falling Grace, maybe we can play it this weekend!