A swinging minor blues head built around a rhythmic piano figure. In addition to our lead sheet, we have a piano part and a quartet condensed score which also works as a bass or drum part.
A minor blues head in a classic post-bop style. This song is based on a two-measure rhythmic piano figure, repeated through most of the head with a simple blues-scale riff melody on top. Within the piano figure, the resolution B♭-A appears three times in each phrase making the chord qualities Cm7 to Cm6; the same notes repeat at the IV chord resulting in F7sus to F7 though F minor is played here in the solos. This piano figure is complemented by a bass figure, doubled by the piano and bass both playing open fifths. At the "turnaround" the bass walks; the piano harmonizes the melody with bouncy triplet chords.
Our lead sheet shows the melody, with piano rhythms below the staff. We also have a complete piano part and a two-staff condensed score which is also the bass and drum part. The bass figures are shown an octave up in the condensed score, in the range they would be played on bass.
From this album's liner notes: "I.A. Blues stands for 'illegal alien,' referring to [Renee's] immigration problems which are happily behind her."
For more from Renee Rosnes' first album, check out Fleur-de-lis and The Storyteller. I.A. Blues and a few other songs on this album are in a post-bop style recalling classic Blue Note recordings of the late 1960s and early '70s, especially those that feature McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, and often Ron Carter. One notable song recorded by that rhythm section, which has a similar rhythmic feel to I.A. Blues, is Survival Blues from Tyner's 1970 album "Extension."
Few can deny that Renee Rosnes is one of the most important pianists and composers in contemporary jazz. As a child, Renee was initially attracted to classical piano, but became interested in jazz during high school. She went on to study classical piano performance at the University of Toronto but returned to Vancouver to pursue jazz. Renee quickly rose to the top of Vancouver's active jazz scene and performed as a sideman with Joe Farrell and Dave Liebman while still in her teens. Read more...
