This 3/4 song combines a plaintive minor-key melody and some unexpected harmonic structures. The form is 36 measures, with the last four beating a rhythmic "hook" that contrasts with the rest of the song. The melody begins very diatonically in E minor, but with shifting harmonies that are contain well-disguised II-VI7-II-V7-I in that key. Though the melody on the second eight measures begins differently, the changes begin the same; in the 10th measure the melody's tonality switches to E♭ minor, and the 13th through 16th measures are almost the same as the 5th through 8th measures a half step lower (though the melody is in an upper octave). The fourth eight-measure phrase (C) is the same as the second, separated by a B section that develops the same sort of melodic structures. The melody soars and leaps with a lot of rhythmic variety, including triplets and 4-over-3 rhythms. The rhythmic "hook" at the end of the head develops a two-chord pattern in descending whole steps while dynamically rising, falling, and rising again. This "hook" is repeated as a coda; the melody of the "hook" is used as a cue for the out head at the end of the last solo chorus.
This arrangement features a wordless choir on the melody. The vocals are in octaves for most of the head, but harmonized on the "hook," which is used as an intro: unaccompanied choir once, then a second time with vibes and rhythm section. The vibes doubles the melody throughout, with the soprano sax also playing the melody on the A and C sections.
Note: the lead sheets available under each album cover are identical.
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This recording is the same tempo as James Williams' original version (see album cover left). It features the "hook" only once as an intro, voiced for the three horns. The melody is split up between clarinet on the A and C sections and flugelhorn at the bridge, with some background figures; the tenor sax doubles the flugelhorn B section melody an octave below, and at the start of the C section the flugelhorn does the same to the clarinet melody. There is an extended unaccompanied bass solo at the beginning before the "hook" intro (not included in our audio clip).
James Williams made guest appearances on three of Bill Mobley's four big band albums: "Live at Small's," vols 1 and 2 from 1996, and "New Light" in 2001. The two also played together on Bill Easley's 1990 album "First Call," Alan Dawson's 1992 album "Waltzin' With Flo" (also featuring Billy Pierce), and Scott Reeves' "Congressional Roll Call" from 1996.
James Williams' distinguished career began in the city in which he was raised: Memphis, Tennessee. Having taken up piano at the age of thirteen, he graduated from Memphis State University in the early seventies and threw himself into his city's jazz community. Only a year after attaining his degree, Williams was hired as a professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Coming to a new city opened up an entirely new scene for the young pianist, who began to play as a sideman for visiting artists like Red Norvo, Art Farmer, Sonny Stitt and Milt Jackson. When Art Blakey met him in 1977, he convinced the then-26 year-old Williams to resign from Berklee and go on tour with the Jazz Messengers, a post he held for the next four years and with whom he would win a Grammy Award nomination for the album "Straight Ahead." Read more...
