"Coming on the Hudson" - A Johnny Griffin Tenor Saxophone Solo Transcription
This month's post features a transcription / analysis of Johnny Griffin's tenor saxophone solo on Thelonious Monk's "Coming on the Hudson", recorded live at the legendary Five Spot Cafe in NYC on August 7, 1958. It was released as one of the tracks on the album "Thelonious in Action!". In addition to Monk and Griffin, the quartet was rounded out by bassist Ahmed Abdul Malik and the great Roy Haynes, on drums.
I've been wanting to do a transcription of Griffin's tenor solo on "Coming on the Hudson" for a long time. The tune - which is perhaps one of Monk's most "Monkish" - seemed somewhat challenging to grasp, as far as its form, rhythms and resolutions were concerned. At the same time, it ebbs and flows steadily - kind of like the Hudson River itself - whirlpools and all!
I've been wanting to do a transcription of Griffin's tenor solo on "Coming on the Hudson" for a long time. The tune - which is perhaps one of Monk's most "Monkish" - seemed somewhat challenging to grasp, as far as its form, rhythms and resolutions were concerned. At the same time, it ebbs and flows steadily - kind of like the Hudson River itself - whirlpools and all!
"Coming on the Hudson" sports a quirky 19-bar, AABA song form. Each A-section is 5-bars long, with the bridge, or B-section, being 3 bars of 4/4, plus 1 bar of 2/4. Not your typical standard song form. It's also noticeably devoid of any real ii-V-I harmonic resolutions.
Ex. 1 below (from Hal Leonard's Jazz Play-Along vol. 90, Thelonious Monk Classics), is a notation graphic of Monk's piano voicings, which reveal how the tune is constructed, as well as what Johnny Griffin was working with for his solo.
This example, as well as the examples of Griffin's tenor solo below, are all in concert key.
If the 5-bar A-section isn't unconventional enough for the period, the melodic accents and harmonic rhythms give the illusion that this tune might actually be in something other than 4/4, as given in the time signature.
It feels like:
12 34/ 123 1 / 23 12 / 1234 / 1234 - in other words, a bar of 4/4, followed by 2-bars of 3/4, a bar of 2/4 and 2-bars of 4/4.
Likewise, the B-section - with its 2/4 bar on the end - feels like:
123 1 / 23 12 / 123 1 / 23 - or 2-bars of 3/4, a bar of 2/4 and two more of 3/4.
As it is actually written in 4/4, this breakdown is only to show where the accents fall. Monk plays them throughout the duration of Griffin's solo, as well as on his own. There's always a method to Monk's madness.
Ex. 1 - Coming on the Hudson - Monk's Voicings
Ex. 1 below (from Hal Leonard's Jazz Play-Along vol. 90, Thelonious Monk Classics), is a notation graphic of Monk's piano voicings, which reveal how the tune is constructed, as well as what Johnny Griffin was working with for his solo.
This example, as well as the examples of Griffin's tenor solo below, are all in concert key.
If the 5-bar A-section isn't unconventional enough for the period, the melodic accents and harmonic rhythms give the illusion that this tune might actually be in something other than 4/4, as given in the time signature.
It feels like:
12 34/ 123 1 / 23 12 / 1234 / 1234 - in other words, a bar of 4/4, followed by 2-bars of 3/4, a bar of 2/4 and 2-bars of 4/4.
Likewise, the B-section - with its 2/4 bar on the end - feels like:
123 1 / 23 12 / 123 1 / 23 - or 2-bars of 3/4, a bar of 2/4 and two more of 3/4.
As it is actually written in 4/4, this breakdown is only to show where the accents fall. Monk plays them throughout the duration of Griffin's solo, as well as on his own. There's always a method to Monk's madness.
Ex. 1 - Coming on the Hudson - Monk's Voicings
"Thelonious in Action!" features some of Johnny Griffin's strongest recorded efforts. Even with the then recent emergence of John Coltrane (who Griffin replaced in Monk's band, when 'Trane rejoined Miles Davis in early 1958), Johnny Griffin was considered among the "top dog" contemporary tenor saxophonists in Jazz at that time and place in space.
Coming up in Chicago and nicknamed "The Little Giant", Griffin was known for his rugged, blues inflected sound and rapid fire execution. He was considered the "fastest gun in the West" (or East), well before Coltrane developed his so-called "sheets of sound". "I like to play fast", said Griff. "I get excited, and I have to sort of control myself, restrain myself. But when the rhythm section gets cooking, I want to explode". This controlled explosiveness is definitely in evidence on these live recordings.
Focusing again on "Coming on the Hudson", it´s apparent that, by the time of this live recording, Griffin had this quirky, asymmetrical tune well tamed. A quick listen to an earlier studio version, recorded some 5+ months earlier (which included trumpeter Clark Terry and baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, as well as Griffin and Monk), reveals an unfamiliarity by all involved. It´s highly probable that - on this earlier session - it was the first time anyone, other than Monk, had seen the tune.
Fast forward to the Five Spot recording - after weeks or months of it being part of the band's nightly repertoire - and it's clear that by this time, Griffin is tearing it up it like he owns it.
What impresses me most is not only Griff's aforementioned sound and chops, but his rhythmic approach, as well. This is evidenced in the first few bars of his solo (Ex. 2), in which the accents of the eighth-note triplet figures in bar #1 are on the downbeats of 3 and 4 (the intervals involved are perfect 4ths).
In bar #2, he shifts the accents forward by an eighth note triplet, to the 3rd triplet of beats 1 and 2. It's almost too subtle to notice, but... notice it! He continues in bar #3 with a Monkish sixteenth-note tritone containing figure, before outlining the Ab min7.
Ex. 2 - Shifting accents
Coming up in Chicago and nicknamed "The Little Giant", Griffin was known for his rugged, blues inflected sound and rapid fire execution. He was considered the "fastest gun in the West" (or East), well before Coltrane developed his so-called "sheets of sound". "I like to play fast", said Griff. "I get excited, and I have to sort of control myself, restrain myself. But when the rhythm section gets cooking, I want to explode". This controlled explosiveness is definitely in evidence on these live recordings.
Focusing again on "Coming on the Hudson", it´s apparent that, by the time of this live recording, Griffin had this quirky, asymmetrical tune well tamed. A quick listen to an earlier studio version, recorded some 5+ months earlier (which included trumpeter Clark Terry and baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, as well as Griffin and Monk), reveals an unfamiliarity by all involved. It´s highly probable that - on this earlier session - it was the first time anyone, other than Monk, had seen the tune.
Fast forward to the Five Spot recording - after weeks or months of it being part of the band's nightly repertoire - and it's clear that by this time, Griffin is tearing it up it like he owns it.
What impresses me most is not only Griff's aforementioned sound and chops, but his rhythmic approach, as well. This is evidenced in the first few bars of his solo (Ex. 2), in which the accents of the eighth-note triplet figures in bar #1 are on the downbeats of 3 and 4 (the intervals involved are perfect 4ths).
In bar #2, he shifts the accents forward by an eighth note triplet, to the 3rd triplet of beats 1 and 2. It's almost too subtle to notice, but... notice it! He continues in bar #3 with a Monkish sixteenth-note tritone containing figure, before outlining the Ab min7.
Ex. 2 - Shifting accents
The next two examples (Ex. #3 and 4), illustrate Johnny Griffin's ability to creatively and coherently sub-divide the beat into 16th and 32nd notes - and continue to swing in the process.
The scalar sequence beginning on the second beat of bar #23 (over C7), is an exercise in itself.
Ex. 3 - 16th and 32nd note scalar sequence (C7)
The scalar sequence beginning on the second beat of bar #23 (over C7), is an exercise in itself.
Ex. 3 - 16th and 32nd note scalar sequence (C7)
Similarly, Griffin "spits" a series of rapidly descending, diatonic seventh-chord arpeggios (bar #48), again over C7, a bit later in the solo.
Ex. 4 - Spittin' in the microcosmos
Ex. 4 - Spittin' in the microcosmos
From the tune's B-section, Griff employs whole-tone scale material, beginning on the second beat of bar #68 (3:03). Whole-tone is his scale of choice over this section of the tune in each of his 4 choruses.
Ex. 5 - Whole-Tone on the bridge.
Ex. 5 - Whole-Tone on the bridge.
Recalling his experiences while working with Monk, Griffin explained, "We never rehearsed. You can imagine what could happen with no rehearsals, playing Monk's music. So, of course I'm making mistakes [on the bandstand], and we'd stop and play it again. The club is packed full of people and we kept playing it over and over. I'm making mistakes, but I never felt embarrassed - and the people loved it".
Monk began his first stint at the venue in July 1957, with saxophonist John Coltrane, bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik, and drummer Shadow Wilson in his group. However, by the time it ended in December, he had lost Wilson to poor health, while Coltrane left in pursuit of a solo career and a return to Miles Davis's group. Monk returned to New York's club scene in 1958 with a new quartet and received an eight-week offer from Joe and Iggy Termini to play the venue again, beginning on June 12.
Johnny Griffin's tenor solo begins at ca. 0:50
He played most nights during the weekend to capacity crowds with Abdul-Malik, drummer Roy Haynes, and tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin, who had performed with Monk before. Griffin was unfamiliar with all of his repertoire and, like Coltrane, found it difficult to solo over Monk's comping during their first few weeks. During their performances, Monk often left the stage for a drink at the bar or danced around, which gave Griffin an opportunity to play with more space. However, the quartet eventually developed a sufficient rapport and grasp of the set list.
- Wikipedia
- Wikipedia
That must have really been something to have experienced live and in person!
B. Stern
B. Stern
Create your own amazing musical lines!
The following Shortbooks™ break it down and show you how!
Available for immediate download!
The following Shortbooks™ break it down and show you how!
Available for immediate download!
Checkout is SSL safe and secure through my E-Junkie Online Store and PayPal.
RSS Feed
