Countdown - Improv with Chord Tones, Scales and Four Note Groupings by Ed Saindon

Originally posted on "All Things Vibraphone" & "All Things Improvisation" on November 2016. This was one of many things by Ed that I've had in the back burner for a long time. There are so many great things about this clip. To me it is just stunning. Definitely "my ideal". 

On the one hand the improv techniques are just so clearly executed, and with so much ease over this challenging chord progression. On the other hand, this is particularly a great lesson for vibes players. I remember that during the time Ed made this clip, he was focusing on incorporating all four mallets in linear playing, as well as working on particular nuances of the "Fulcrum Grip"; such as switching between fulcrums and having more control over certain fulcrums. All of that is clearly evident in this clip. 

Additionally this is a study in phrasing, time, time feel, touch and "dynamics". Yes, the dynamic range and level of nuance within a line is just insane. That is the reason I find Ed so difficult to transcribe. There are always notes in a line that no matter how hard you try to listen they are almost inaudible, as if they were "implied". 

Of course, this clip by no means represents Ed's playing in its entirety. It is a fast tempo, so there is little to no opportunity for dampening, instead, it is a great chance to focus on "pedaling". So I decided to edit Ed's original clip, which he recorded off the cuff with the phone, and zoom into the "hands and feet". Ed probably won't be thrilled that I chopped off his head from the original clip, but I think this is a good way to observe how relaxed his upper body is, and how loose, fluid and both delicate and powerful the grip is in spite of stemming from such minimal motion. Economy of movement at its best. 

The other important aspect to notice is how evenly Ed is standing on both feet; controlling the pedal with just the toes. The pedal is not swiveling from side to side, or "fluttering" (what's that?), or being bashed against the floor, or used to keep time. It is simply being applied when it is musically needed. In fact, you will notice that it barely moves, and when it so "minimally" does, it is just to target specific desired notes, or groups of notes. 

Here is the link to the transcription:

Countdown Transcription

Joe Locke's Solo Transcription - Stolen Moments (Sailing)

Another beautiful take on Oliver Nelson's minor blues composition "Stolen Moments" by the great Joe Locke. This is a nice band featuring Billy Childs on piano, Cameron Brown on bass and Idris Muhammad on drums. The session took place in Japan and was put together as the "Joe Locke & The New York Quartet". The album is called "Sailing". Unfortunately this recording hasn't been released. Enjoy!

Stolen Moments - JL Solo Transcription

Joe Locke's Solo Transcription - Stolen Moments (But Beautiful)

Here is a transcription of Joe Locke's solo on Oliver Nelson's minor blues "Stolen Moments". It is the closing tune in the 1991 Locke/Barron "classic" duo session "But Beautiful". Another great insight into Joe's early language. Enjoy!

Stolen Moments - JL Solo Transcription

Joe Locke's Solo Transcription - You Don't Know What Love Is (But Beautiful)

This is a transcription of another tasteful solo by Joe Locke on the standard "You Don't Know What Love Is" by De Paul/Raye. It is from a duo recording entitled But Beautiful with pianist Kenny Barron, which dates back to 1991. I've posted another transcription from this same recording for the tune "On A Misty Night", as well as a transcription fro a trio version of "You Don't Know What Love Is" from 1994. The playing (compared to Joe's present standard) is much simpler, making it a great resource for students to get introduced to Joe's early vocabulary, strongly informed by Bebop players. The transcription contains the standard changes, but Joe uses some common reharmonizations, for example on bars 9-10 of the A section, which I've left up for the students to identify. Enjoy.

You Don't Know What Love Is - JL Solo Transcription

Four Note Groupings on "I Love You" & "Rhythm Changes"

This clip was taped in a recent improvisation class taught by Ed Saindon at Berklee College of Music. The class was working on applying the improvisational technique of "Four Note Groupings" to Cole Porter's composition "I Love You" and "Rhythm Changes". Here Ed is heard on piano as he demonstrates the technique, improvising primarily with FNGs. The attached PDF contains the FNG chart for "I Love You" used in this solo, as well as the "Rhythm Changes" progression along with some basic reharmonization. For further information on Four Note Groupings please refer to Ed's FNG Article. Four Note Groupings is one of the five topics extensively discussed in Volume Two of The Complete Guide To Improvisation by Ed Saindon soon to be released. 

"I Love You" & "Rhythm Changes" FNG Chart

Joe Locke's solo - On A Misty Night

Here is a transcription of Joe Locke's vibes solo on Tadd Dameron's tune, "On A Misty Night". This gorgeous duo session with the great Kenny Barron on piano features many great songs, and took place in August 1991. That's just short of 25 years ago. Joe's playing has never stopped evolving, but the musicianship documented on this album is of a stunningly high level. Yet, this solo, as well as the previously posted solo on "You Don't Know What Love Is" from Joe's 1994 trio album "Very Early", are great insights into the roots of Joe's much praised and admired musical vocabulary.  

Joe Locke's Solo Transcription - "On A Misty Night"

Tension Resolution Improv on "Time After Time"

Tension Resolution (TR) on "Time After Time": One of the improvisational concepts that my students and I were working on this week in my improv classes at Berklee was that of TR. We chose specific tensions for each chord change on the beautiful standard "Time After Time" and improvised based upon the sounding of those tensions along with their resolution to the nearest chord tone. The constant tension and release creates forward motion in the improvised line and can be the basis of rich, melodic phrases. I think it's an important and fundamental improv concept that can also be effectively employed along with chord tone soloing. In the improv classes, we also focused on a number of other issues in the application of TR including: simple, melodic phrases; a relaxed, swinging time feel; motives; varied articulation; connecting the line from chord to chord; dynamic shaping of the phrases and rhythmic syncopation.

The concept of Tension Resolution (TR) is addressed in my book The Complete Guide to Improvisation. In the chapter, a three step process of TR is explained and demonstrated on the standard "All The Things You Are". Also included in the chapter are written out TR solos on "All The Things You Are", "Stella By Starlight" and "All Of Me".

A lead sheet of "Time After Time" including the listed tensions used in the TR application can be viewed and downloaded here:

Tension Resolution - Time After Time (PDF)

Joe Locke on "But Not For Me"

Here is a transcription of a solo by Joe Locke on the tune "But Not For Me" (Gershwin) with the reharmonized "Coltrane Chord Changes", which Coltrane originally recorded on the classic album "My Favorite Things".  The project and record date of "Five For John" was put together by renown italian pianist Dado Moroni, who assembled a great band to pay tribute to John Coltrane, with Joe Locke on vibraphone, Marco Panascia on bass, Alvin Queen on drums and guest Max Ionata on sax.  This is without a doubt Joe's territory and he is rightly backed up by a superb rhythm section, really embodying the spirit of Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones & Steve Davis.  Joe's playing on the whole record is truly stunning.  It's great to follow the transcription along with the audio and analyze the lines.  I may attach my own analysis in the future.

The album is available through iTunes, Amazon & Google Play as mp3 downloads.  It was produced and released by the italian label "Via Veneto Jazz", in case you'd like to do some research. Gustavo.

But Not For Me (transcription)

The Language of Joe Locke

This is an article recently written for PAS. It addresses a transcribed solo on the standard "It Could Happen To You" performed by Joe Locke on vibes and Ed Saindon on piano. 

The playing took place during a long weekend that Joe Locke, Ed Saindon and I spent together at Ed's house in December 2009.  Joe and Ed picked each other's brains, shared improvisational concepts and played hours worth of improvised music.  This was one of the many instances Joe got carried away while demonstrating an improvisational idea to us.  

The article (transcription & analysis) was published in two parts.  Here is a PDF containing Part One & Part Two, as well as my original transcription (reads better).  Hope you find this as inspiring as I do.  Gustavo

Click the link below to visualize/download the PDF:

It Could Happen To You

Improv Concepts By Ed Saindon

This was a short clinic presentation at Berklee College of Music on Friday, July 8th. The clinic focused on improv concepts and was presented to the faculty of the Summer Performance Program. Topics covered in the clinic: Tension Resolution, Four Note Groupings and Major 7th #5 Superimposition.

Here Ed is playing three solos he wrote over the changes of three different standards. Each focuses on a specific improv technique. 

The first and second solos use Ed's "Tension Resolution" concept, and are based on the standards "All The Things You Are" & "Stella By Starlight". 

The third solo uses Ed's "Four Note Groupings" concept, and is based on the standard "I Love You".

The fourth solo uses Ed's "Major 7 #5 Superimposition" concept, and is based on the standard "Stella By Starlight".

Here are the written solos:

Improv Concepts (Written Solos)

Giant Steps Solo

Here's a one chorus solo over Coltrane's Giant Steps. 

The composition is based upon the three tonic system which divides the octave into three equidistant parts. As a start, we can solo only using the three major scales of the three tonal areas of B, G and Eb. Another possibility is to use a major pentatonic scale (1, 2, 3, 5 & 6) a 5th above each of those keys.

This solo uses the major pentatonic scale a 5th above the major chords. (The pentatonic over the Maj chord omits the root and the 4rth, which can be good notes to leave out). 

However, on the V7s and II-7 V7s, I'm using a symmetrical diminished scale (H/W from the root of the Dom7th chord). The Sym Dim scale used over the II-7 V7 may sound a little out but it can create interesting lines in the context of the II-7 V7.  How "out" it sounds depends on the specific notes in the Sym Dim scale that are chosen and emphasized.

Text continues in the downloadable pdf file below:

"Giant Steps" (Written Solo)

Four Note Groupings On Rhythm Changes

Think of Four Note Groupings as an improv technique that can generate interesting lines which sound rich colorful notes over the underlying harmony. I just heard a Kenny Kirkland solo yesterday and it was burning. He was using a lot of four note groupings among other things.  

Ed 


(Click on the link below to visualize the solo and comments)

Four Note Groupings Solo On Rhythm Changes

The Sorcerer - Herbie Hancock

Great example of exclusive use of the Four Note Grouping technique in the opening of  Herbie's solo on "The Sorcerer", from the 1968 album,"Speak Like A Child". Herbie's harmonic and melodic depth back then was stunning. Some other nice techniques evident in this solo are Pentatonics, Upper Structure Triads along with Approach & Passing Notes  and great motivic playing. Gustavo


Here is the transcription:

The Sorcerer - Transcription
The Sorcerer - Audio

You Don't Know What Love Is - Joe Locke

An old transcription of mine of "You Don't Know What Love Is" played by the great Joe Locke. This is from Joe's 1994 trio recording "Very Early" with bassist Ron McClure and drummer Adam Nussbaum. Joe's playing has evolved immensely since then, yet he was playing at an incredible high level. Gustavo

Go here to visualize/download the transcription:

You Don't Know What Love Is - Joe Locke

Gary Burton on "Motivic Development & Dynamics"

Here is the audio & transcription of an improv clinic by Gary Burton in Argentina in 1985 dealing with "Motivic Development & Dynamics" on the chord changes to the standard "On Green Dolphin Street".

It's great to hear/see how Gary manipulates three different motivic ideas on "letter A,B & C" of the transcription. The rest is a demonstration on the importance of dynamic contour in lines. I put in some dynamic markings. You may want to plug in the chord changes once you've downloaded the file. Gustavo





Go here to visualize/download the transcription:

Gary Burton - Motivic Development & Dynamics - "On Green Dolphin Street"

Keith Jarrett - In Your Quite Place

Nice audioclip of Keith Jarrett playing his composition In Your Quiet Place from a 1975 performance in Munich. A beautiful composition and wonderful flowing lines from Keith. What else can you say? Ed

John Scofield

Here's the lastest post from an excellent site run by saxist David Valdez (davidvaldez.blogspot.com). The site covers concepts dealing with improvisation. This post's topic was from a clinic by guitarist John Scofield and addresses playing arpeggios over the changes to Stella. John plays some nice lines via the use of approach notes, harmonic anticipation, tension resolution, ...Ed


Stella By Starlight - John Scofield

Four Note Groupings

Hello guys, here's a link to two articles on an improv technique called Four Note Groupings. The technique uses triads with a passing note as a means of generating lines. Here's a nice vid of Joe Locke playing two choruses of Stella (see last two pages of the attached article) with four note groupings. Feel free to post comments/questions here. Ed


Four Note Grouping Article

www.edsaindon.com
Vibist Ed Saindon's Home Page which includes information on recordings, lessons, concerts, and multimedia.

Chord Scale Theory

Here's an article on chord scale theory. We can use this page as a format for discussing issues related to jazz improvisation. This article might be a good starting point. If anyone has a comment or question related to this article, they can post here.

Chord Scale Theory Article

One thing I'd like to mention is the altered scales listed under the Dom 7th section. There are two altered scales listed. One with the #11 and one with natural 4 & 5. In many situations, I like to use the altered with the 4 & 5 versus the one with the #11. Sometimes, the #11 can be a tough note to use in a melodic phrase. Most often, it needs to be resolved to the 5th. Ed