Anatolia – Eric Alexander

An exciting uptempo song full of rhythmic and dynamic contrasts. Each section of the ABC form begins with a more active phrase, followed by longer notes in the melody; A starts strong while B is quieter at the beginning. The form is 26 measures long, with eight-measure A and B and 10-measure C. There are plenty of rhythm section figures in the head; the last four measures of C have a Latin groove which is played through C in the solo choruses.

Harmonically, Anatolia is mostly modal. The chord progression can be divided into two phrases: C has a similar harmonic structure to A and B combined. A begins with G Phrygian; after more active harmonies at the end of this section and beginning of B, the last four measures of B land on D melodic minor. C begins in B Phrygian and ends in G melodic minor (with a side-slip to F). The melodic minor sections are indicated by a minor-major 7th chord quality; for the Phrygian we indicate this mode without a chord symbol. On the recording, pianist David Hazeltine often plays a sus ♭9 chord quality in the Phrygian sections (1, ♭2, 4, 5 with no 3rd). Some of the changes in sections with rhythm section hits are simplified for the solo chorus; the solo changes are shown below the staff.

Our lead sheet shows the coda from the recording, in which the rhythm section repeats the last four measures of the out head three more times. The recording has an eight-measure drum intro and eight more measures of drums to set up the first solo chorus; these are not shown in the lead sheet.

About the arrangement: A condensed score, second and third horn parts are available for the sextet arrangement. The lead sheets are the first parts. Rhythm section players should read the condensed score. The horns play in octaves for the first five measures and are harmonized for the rest of the head, with a trombone countermelody in the last four measures of B. A variety of voicing structures are used; for example in both melodic minor sections the horns play in thirds, while for the B Phrygian at the beginning of the C section the voicings are in fourths.