KIND OF BLUE 1959

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGQzNsZAtCo• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I21UW_hgopE• https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=mX3K9CkORO0

• Live• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9A2bPzLHnU

• What do you notice about the recording set up.• Which instruments are miked up?

DOCUMENTARY -MADE IN HEAVEN

  1.Write down 4 facts about this track – the people involved and when and where it was recorded.

2.Can you say 2 things about this particular style of Jazz.

3.Why do you think this track is still so famous and popular long after it was recorded. Identify 3 features of the music that appeal to people. Do you like it? Give 2 musical justifications for your own feelings about the track.

4.ALL BLUES is in some ways a simple and clear piece of music, in others sophisticated. Identify 2 features of the music which seem simple and clear and one feature which shows more complexity.

5.Write down 4 facts about MILES DAVIS and his life and music.

ALL BLUESALL BLUES

• This track is from the ALBUM KIND OF BLUES which was recorded in one take in NY in 1959.

• Line-up is trumpet / alto sax / tenor sax / piano / bass / drums

• Unusually for Jazz the time signature is 6/4 and is marked JAZZ WALTZ

• This is MODAL JAZZ – this means that rather than relying on complicated chord patterns the harmony focuses on a MODE or scale and making it easier improvised solos.

BASIC FACTS ABOUT ALL BLUES

• Each mode has a different pattern of tones and • the C major scale C D E F G A B C starts on its KEY NOTE

and goes up using the following pattern of tones and semitones

• C D E F G A B C

tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone.

• The Western natural minor scale (e.g. the A natural minor scale A B C D E F G A) does the same, but it has a different pattern of tones and semitones

• A B C D E F G A

tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone.

• The modes are easiest to see on a piano keyboard using the white notes only. The most common modern modes are:

• Ionian (C D E F G A B C)• Dorian (D E F G A B C D)• Phrygian (E F G A B C D E)• Lydian (F G A B C D E F)• Mixolydian (G A B C D E F G)• Aeolian (A B C D E F G A)• Locrian (B C D E F G A B)

• The Ionian mode is the same as our major scale.• The Dorian is rather like our natural minor scale but with a

raised sixth.• The Phrygian is like our natural minor scale but the second

note of the scale is flattened.• The Lydian is like our major scale but the fourth note is

sharpened.• The Mixolydian is like our major scale but the seventh note is

flattened.• The Aeolian is the same as our natural minor scale.• The Locrian sounds rather strange, and was hardly ever used

in Medieval music. It is our major scale with every note, other than the 1st and 4th, flattened.

• Modal jazz solo's, rather than basing a solo over the changes of chords, the soloist would play over different modes, freeing the player.- soloists use a mixolydian mode to help improviseThe Mixolydian is like our major scale but the seventh note is flattened.

All blues uses the key of G mode The white notes on the piano from G to

G, GABCDEFG. 'All blues' is sometimes described as

modal jazz.

• MILES DAVIS gave his band for this track the minimum • of preparation before they went into the studio in • New York in 1959.

• They got given some scales ( MODES) and melody lines to improvise on.

• Each track including this one on the album had only one take and the whole album was recorded in just 2 sessions. However all the musicians were at the height of their playing abilities

• At 9:39 WHAT SHOWS THAT IS MAYBE A LIVE RECORDING?

• The first note of the trumpet is not very strong and if it was an overdubbed recording it would have been done again

THE RECORDINGTHE RECORDING

THE BAND-

MILES DAVIS- TRUMPETCANNONBALL ADDERLEY-ALTO SAX JOHN COLTRANE-TENOR SAXJIMMY COBB-DRUMSBILL EVANS –PIANO PAUL CHAMBERS -BASS

4/4 G7 G7 G7 G7 C7 C7 G7 G7 D7#9 Eb7#9-D7#9 G7 G7

• Notice there are DOMINANT sevenths used and that the last line has ALTERED chords where basically the harmony is made more interesting by adding notes

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKleyugdRX0

THIS IS THE CHORD PATTERN FOR ALL BLUES

• INTRO

• HEAD – this is where the original tune or melody is played

• IMPROVISED SOLOS -trumpet / alto sax / tenor sax / piano• HEAD - the main theme returns• OUTRO -this fades out

STRUCTURE OF ALL BLUES

• A RIFF is a short rhythmic ostinato- very common in Jazz, Blues & Pop.

• KIND OF BLUE uses 2 short riffs • The first G D ED F DED is on Double Bass• The second the alto and tenor saxes play in

the intro in 3rds (in harmony)• D/B E/C F/D E/C

RIFFS – WHAT ARE THEY?

• The RHYTHM section provides the harmony and rhythmic background- in this case it is the DRUMS / BASS / PIANO

• The frontline instruments are TRUMPET, ALTO SAXOPHONE & TENOR SAXOPHONE

• THE WORD COMPING means accompanying- playing the background chords & rhythms

THE INSTRUMENTS & THEIR ROLES