Kenny Drew Jr.'s blues melody is constructed of a tone row (all twelve notes in the chromatic scale); but undergoes many transformations. Fun to play and fun to analyze.
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Kenny Drew Jr.'s melody starts right out with the whole tone row in heavy swinging eighth notes (a "tone row" contains all twelve chromatic pitches). The melody then goes up a half step and the interval pattern is reversed. Kenny adds more rhythmic and dynamic interest as he uses different twelve-note patterns. You should have some fun figuring out how his melodic lines are constructed. Two takes of Serial Blues are available on the "Secrets" album.
This was Kenny Drew Jr.'s fourth trio date as a leader. His first, "Third Phase," was recorded in 1989 with Buster Williams (bass) and Marvin "Smitty" Smith (drums). In 1993 he recorded his second trio date with Eddie Gomez (bass) and drummer Bill Stewart ("Another Point Of View"). In 1994 he recorded "Portraits Of Mingus & Monk" with the same trio as on the "Secrets" album.
Kenny recorded Serial Blues again in 1997, with soprano saxophonist Steve Wilson getting a crack at the melody ("Follow The Spirit" on Sirocco Jazz).
Kenny Drew, Jr., son of pianist/composer Kenny Drew, Sr., started music lessons at the age of four. He studied classical piano with his aunt Marjorie, but soon found he enjoyed playing jazz as well. He performed worldwide with a comprehensive variety of musicians, including Stanley Jordan, OTB, Stanley Turrentine, Slide Hampton, the Mingus Big Band, Steve Grossman, Yoshiaki Masuo, Sadao Watanabe, Smokey Robinson, Frank Morgan, Daniel Schnyder, Jack Walrath, Ronnie Cuber and many others. Read more...
