In this post we’ll take a look at Melakarta #45 – Shubhapantuvarali (that’s shoo-bop pahn-too-vah-rahlly….no really!). “Shubhap” (for short) has the same tonal DNA as another Melakarta, namely, #36 – Chalanata, which is the subject of an earlier post. It might be helpful to check that out for some pertinent background info, as well as any of the other posts in this category (hey, why not? – they’re FreeB’s). Due to the process known as graha bedham, which changes the śruti, or tonic, of a scale (Melakarta) to a different note within that scale, Melas #36 and #45 have the same … Read More
Bobby Stern
Based on a previous post (it’s a FreeB), which included a breakdown of Thelonious Monk’s challenging original, “Skippy”, I finally got around to putting together a one chorus “solo style” etude, as a means to decipher ways to navigate the changes of this roller coaster ride of a tune. Monk’s only recording of “Skippy” was from the 1952 Blue Note session that was released as part of “The Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 2”, and which included an alternate take of the tune, as well. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, composing an etude for yourself can be extremely beneficial, in that … Read More
Joe Henderson’s tenor saxophone solo on his reharmonized version of Cole Porter’s “Night & Day” (downloadable transcription below), was recorded for the Blue Note label at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio (where else!) in Engewood Cliffs, NJ on Nov. 30th, 1964, ten days before John Coltrane recorded “A Love Supreme” in the same studio. “Night & Day” would be the final track on the “B” side of the original vinyl LP “Inner Urge”, Henderson’s fourth as a leader for Blue Note; and featured then current Coltrane Quartet members McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones on piano and drums respectively; as well as … Read More