Tomorrow – Lonnie Hillyer

Our Minus You recording introduces this song to the world. It's a serene, melodic composition in 3/4 recalling a standard ballad. Diatonic at the beginning, the changes imply several key centers without always touching down at a tonic chord. The sixth measure of the 16-measure A section begins a descending series of II-V7s from C minor to F♯ minor, resolving to E major in the first A section and then to A major. In the second A section these tonalities are replaced with a return to the tonic. The bridge implies B♭, A♭, and C key centers but does not contain those tonic chords, or for the most part the tonic melody notes. The C section resembles the first A section, but with a two-measure tag to return to the tonic; the form is thus 66 measures long.

"Further Explorations" was recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs.

Don Sickler: Unfortunately, Lonnie died before recording this beautiful piece. I knew him as a fellow trumpet player; he came to my studio once to audition for Philly Joe's Dameronia band. After his death, his widow Maxine wanted his music to live on, so she brought his lead sheets to me at Second Floor Music.

Lonnie wrote his own lyric to this composition. It's available in our Sing JAZZ! songbook, a collection of stunning, lesser-known vocal selections from the Second Floor Music repertoire (Sing JAZZ! contents). Vocalists can also use the minus melody track.

Our Minus You track works for both instrumental and vocal settings. Any melody instrumentalist can play along. Separate parts are available for rhythm section members (piano, bass & drums)
MP3 The format of the track is:
-- intro (rhythm section) [can improvise]
-- melody
-- 2 choruses solo
-- out melody

MP3 minus melody minus you for the entire original track (this track works for any solo instrument)
-- count off sets up the intro
-- eight measure rhythm section introduction [can solo over intro]
-- pick up into melody
-- solo (accompanied by piano, bass and drums) [2 choruses]
-- play the out melody

MP3 minus Piano
-- count off sets up the intro
-- solo for the eight-measure introduction
-- comp for the melody
-- comp for the flugelhorn solo [2 choruses]
-- comp for the head out

MP3 minus Bass
-- count off sets up the intro
-- pedal for the eight-measure introduction [piano solos]
-- 1-feel for the melody
-- walk for the flugelhorn solo [2 choruses]
-- 1-feel for the out head

MP3 minus Drums
-- count off sets up the intro
-- comp for the eight-measure introduction
-- comp for the melody
-- comp for the flugelhorn solo [2 choruses]
-- comp for the out head