Current rotation:

  • Horace Silver - Nica’s Dream
    • From flipping to A Night in Tunisia (would like to learn that melody cold) in the Real Book; but stayed with it.
    • Invites a study of the “class minor” — the minor with a major 6 with an optional major 7. A V i cadence over one chord essentially. - - Another way to voice is with root + 3rd and 7th, but in this case root + 3rd and 6th (where the minor 3rd and major 6th make the tritone).
    • I have always played minor 7 chords, which miss all of the above and have a completely different sound (somehow not as rich).
    • It’s hard to play the trumpet and sax rhythms together; a very rhythmic piece overall.
    • Should study the piano comping over the sax (first) and trumpet (second) solos separately for additional ideas.
      • syncopated over the A section
      • straight over the B section
    • Piano solo is very simple, but cohesive. Also worth studying.
    • I’m embarrassed to say I hadn’t realized Horace Silver was a pianist!
    • original 1959 recording is slower
  • Chick Corea - Windows
    • This was from last fall. Would like to revisit.
  • Hiromi - Seeker
    • Good practice for rhythm; some nice sus chords after the intro.
    • Feels really good; not intellectual; the form is on my level (though certainly not her Oscar Peterson-esque soloing).
    • Intro: (4x) C Gm Am A♭ (~2x) Am D7 F C by this point into the smooth part based more on the sus chords. More to come! Irresistible rhythm, really — it makes this tune. Keeping it in rhythm even at the most out of control parts, and then that flow of bringing it back down smoothly.
  • Snarky Puppy - Thing of Gold
    • Playing through just the chords first chords in chorus fills with warmth.
    • Chorus (beginning): B♭△ Gm9 G♭△ D♭△ A♭△ E♭△
    • It would be challenging to cover this because it’s really an orchestra; lots of polyrhythmic vamping over one chord.
  • Bobby Hebb - Sunny
    • Classic in minor. It’s about time I learned it.
    • Surprising amount of rhythmic complexity in just the repeating bass line and melody.
  • Sister Sledge - We Are Family
    • Classic major, open, sus sound.
    • Again, interesting to see how to cover this, since so much of the sound comes from polyrhythmic vamping.