This melodic 3/4 song is available in "Further Explorations With Larger Ensembles" format, with a Minus Melody track. The accompanying horn lines are indicated in the Minus You part.
Our audio excerpt starts with the intro (four horns alone) which sets up the flugelhorn melody. The rhythm section and weaving horn lines accompany the melody. The horn intro returns for the last four measures of the melody; it also becomes the start of the coda after the final melody chorus. Ray Bryant is the first soloist on the recording, playing two choruses, followed by one chorus of flugelhorn.
This 3/4 song has Ray's classic melodic touch. Though it has a key center, this song is far from diatonic. The A section begins in G major and works its way around to B♭, where B♭7 feels like a tonic based on the melodic direction—but ultimately resolves back to G major. The B section of the 40-measure AABCD form alternates between minor 7th chords a whole step apart, starting on G minor and then E♭ minor. C begins similar to A, but leads to an eight-measure D section where the melody and changes are more diatonic to return to G major.
Our Minus You parts show the horn parts for the intro and the end of the coda; the rhythms of the backgrounds are notated under the staff everywhere else. For more details click on the Minus You tab. Of course, the Minus You parts work as basic lead sheets, too.
This track was adapted from a vocal version. Ray first recorded this song at the session for his 1968 Cadet album, "Up Above The Rock." That version is in the key of C.
Exclusive Minus You audio track The minus melody track has been edited so it only features the soloist. During the melody, the rhythms of the accompanying horn lines are indicated under the staff so you can see how they have been designed to accompany the melody. After playing the melody, you play one solo chorus, then you go back to the melody, but this time you'll notice that Ray is also challenging you for the first two A sections. There is a little more solo space in the coda, and the horn lines are notated so you can clearly see the set up for your ending solo fill. clip The form of this track is: -- intro (tacet) -- melody -- solo one chorus -- out melody -- coda
Following performances in his native Philadelphia with guitarist Tiny Grimes and as house pianist at the Blue Note Club with Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Miles Davis and others, Ray Bryant came to New York in the mid-1950s. His first jazz recording session in New York was with Toots Thielemans (August, 1955) for Columbia Records. That session led to his own trio sessions as well as sessions with vocalist Betty Carter for Epic Records in May and June ("Meet Betty Carter and Ray Bryant"). On August 5, 1955, Ray recorded with Miles Davis, and on December 2, 1955, with Sonny Rollins, both for Prestige Records. Read more...
