Filide – Ray Draper
A great, mysterious minor Latin composition from tubaist Ray Draper. Lead sheets available in three arrangements, one of which has second parts. We now have an exclusive "Further Explorations" version available with Minus You tracks for all instruments, based on the original recording with John Coltrane, but with the melody alternating eight-measure phrases (Latin to swing).
- Recording: Ray Draper - Ray Draper With John Coltrane
- Recorded on: December 20, 1957
- Label: New Jazz (NJLP 8228)
- Concert Key: G minor
- Style: Latin/swing (medium)
- Tuba - Ray Draper
- Tenor Sax - John Coltrane
- Piano - Gil Coggins
- Bass - Spanky DeBrest
- Drums - Larry Ritchie
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Our audio excerpt starts with Coltrane playing the melody. This is preceded on the recording by a 16-measure tenor sax and tuba intro (canon-style) with Drums that is also notated. The melody is Latin throughout, while the solo section swings throughout. There is also an interlude that sets up Coltrane's solo. The interlude section is also used to end the arrangement.
"Ray Draper with John Coltrane" was recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's legendary Hackensack Studio.
Ray Draper was a very talented and persuasive young man on a mission in 1957. If you think this would have been his first recording session (because he is only 17 years old at the time), you're mistaken. He recorded on three sessions earlier in 1957 when he was still only 16! The recording featured here marks his first recording of Filide, a composition he would personally record three times over the next nine months. There is some confusion about the title of this composition. The correct title is Filide, although you will often find it spelled Filidia on Coltrane reissues of what was originally a Ray Draper recording session.
Check out Philip Harper & Brandi Disterheft Live at Smalls on YouTube: Philip Harper, trumpet; Dan Kaufman, piano; Brandi Disterheft, bass; Lawrence Leathers, drums.
Ray Draper was a very talented and persuasive young man on a mission in 1957. If you think this would have been his first recording session (because he is only 17 years old at the time), you're mistaken. He recorded on three sessions earlier in 1957 when he was still only 16! The recording featured here marks his first recording of Filide, a composition he would personally record three times over the next nine months. There is some confusion about the title of this composition. The correct title is Filide, although you will often find it spelled Filidia on Coltrane reissues of what was originally a Ray Draper recording session.
Check out Philip Harper & Brandi Disterheft Live at Smalls on YouTube: Philip Harper, trumpet; Dan Kaufman, piano; Brandi Disterheft, bass; Lawrence Leathers, drums.
- Recording: Jackie McLean - Fat Jazz
- Recorded on: December 27, 1957
- Label: Jubilee (JGM 1093)
- Concert Key: G minor
- Style: Latin/swing (medium up)
- Trumpet - Webster Young
- Alto Sax - Jackie McLean
- Tuba - Ray Draper
- Piano - Gil Coggins
- Bass - George Tucker
- Drums - Larry Ritchie
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This three-horn version is arranged simply, most similar to but quite distinct from the Max Roach version. Like that version there is a four-measure intro; the melodic rhythm is similar but the melody rises with a diminished tonality, unlike the descending whole-tone pattern in the Max Roach arrangement. There are rhythm section hits on the downbeats of both the third and fourth measures in this intro. The trumpet and alto sax play mostly unison on the head, switching to octaves in part of the B section; Ray doubles the bass line for the A section only. The B section melody is phrased a little differently from the other versions: the third and fifth measures of this section have quarter-note triplets on the third beat instead of eighth notes on the "ands" of beats 2, 3, and 4.
The intro reappears as an interlude after the head; here the original four measures are followed by two chords from the horns only (both whole notes) and a break for the first solo. After the out head the same interlude (except for the break) is played as a coda, with the rhythm section added on the two final long chords.
The intro reappears as an interlude after the head; here the original four measures are followed by two chords from the horns only (both whole notes) and a break for the first solo. After the out head the same interlude (except for the break) is played as a coda, with the rhythm section added on the two final long chords.
Recorded a week after the first version of this song ("Ray Draper With John Coltrane" above left), this session was the last of four sextet sessions with Draper and Jackie McLean. All of these except the first also feature the little-known trumpeter Webster Young. Larry Ritchie, the drummer on both of the first recordings of Filide, is best known for his work alongside McLean in Freddie Redd's quartet in the play and movie "The Connection." Pianist Gil Coggins, also on both Filide recordings, may be better known due to his recordings with Miles Davis. However, "Fat Jazz" was Coggins' last recording session for over three decades; Coggins left the scene around that time but returned in 1990.
- Recording: Max Roach - Deeds Not Words
- Recorded on: September 4, 1958
- Label: Riverside (RLP 12-280)
- Concert Key: G minor
- Style: Latin/swing (medium)
- Trumpet - Booker Little
- Tenor Sax - George Coleman
- Tuba - Ray Draper
- Bass - Art Davis
- Drums - Max Roach
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This time our audio excerpt starts with the four-measure ensemble intro which is clearly notated for all parts. This intro is very different from the intro on Ray's recording with Coltrane.
If you play in a quintet, you'll notice the second parts are also available separately. Besides the second part counter melody or harmony part, you'll also notice the melody is phrased differently from the way the melody is played on the quintet recording with Coltrane. Also the solo section now alternates from Latin to swing.
If you play in a quintet, you'll notice the second parts are also available separately. Besides the second part counter melody or harmony part, you'll also notice the melody is phrased differently from the way the melody is played on the quintet recording with Coltrane. Also the solo section now alternates from Latin to swing.
On December 27, 1957, Ray recorded Filide for the second time on Jackie McLean's recording session for Jackie's "Fat Jazz" album (Jubilee Records), only seven days after he recorded Filide with John Coltrane. On July 6, 1958, "live" at the Newport Jazz Festival, Ray made his first recording with Max Roach as part of the new piano-less quintet Roach had formed. This performance was followed two months later with the recording featured here. On October 6, 1958, the group did a KABC TV Show "Stars of Jazz" in Hollywood, CA, and on November 25, 1959, the group also recorded Max's "Award Winning Drummer" album for Time Records.
On the two TV performances, the group plays Booker Little's Minor Mode.
On the two TV performances, the group plays Booker Little's Minor Mode.
- Recording: Don Sickler - Further Explorations Vol. 1
- Recorded on: January 25, 2014
- Label: jazzleadsheets.com (JLS 1034)
- Concert Key: G minor
- Style: Latin/swing (medium up)
- Trumpet - Don Sickler
- Piano - Ben Rosenblum
- Bass - Ben Rubens
- Drums - Ben Zweig
Arranger Don Sickler: I've always loved to play this composition, and I really liked the intro line {>} and the interlude line (>) that Ray Draper wrote for Coltrane to play on Ray's New Jazz recording. For my "Further Explorations" recording (which features complete Minus You tracks) I decided to further develop Ray's intro line into repeating canon piano responses and also created a new piano counter line for the interlude. I also gave the bass a specific part in these sections, giving the drummer a lot more to think about as he or she helps tie everything together. The interlude is also used to divide the solo section into two parts. First, the interlude sets up eight-measure exchanges of Latin and swing to solo over, then the interlude comes back in, setting up all swing solo choruses.
Our Minus You tracks have two solo choruses alternating Latin and swing as in the head, and two solo choruses that swing throughout. Click on the Minus You tab for more details.
Our Minus You tracks have two solo choruses alternating Latin and swing as in the head, and two solo choruses that swing throughout. Click on the Minus You tab for more details.
"Further-Explorations" was recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs.
Don Sickler: In the late 1970s when Ray was having some hard times, he stayed with my wife Maureen and myself on the now famous couch in our rehearsal studio (quite a few artists have spent a night or two on that slide-out-into-a-bed couch! With Ray on the premises, I got to explore a lot of his music. I played Filide with him quite a few times, often in a different way than he had recorded it: we alternated between Latin A sections and swing B sections. I always liked this, so that's the way I recorded it.
Maureen also just reminded me: "Ray made rice pudding while he was staying here, and it was the best rice pudding I ever had!"
Don Sickler: In the late 1970s when Ray was having some hard times, he stayed with my wife Maureen and myself on the now famous couch in our rehearsal studio (quite a few artists have spent a night or two on that slide-out-into-a-bed couch! With Ray on the premises, I got to explore a lot of his music. I played Filide with him quite a few times, often in a different way than he had recorded it: we alternated between Latin A sections and swing B sections. I always liked this, so that's the way I recorded it.
Maureen also just reminded me: "Ray made rice pudding while he was staying here, and it was the best rice pudding I ever had!"
Exclusive Minus You audio tracks
Besides our melody parts, a piano part (also for drummers) and a bass part are available. The melody and all relevant rhythm section information is included in these parts.
clip The format of this recording is:
-- intro
-- melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- interlude (C)
-- trumpet solo 2 choruses (alternating Latin/swing)
-- interlude
-- trumpet solo 2 choruses (swing)
-- out melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- interlude (C) as ending
Note that the interlude does not return after the last solo chorus, which goes straight into the out melody.
mp3 minus melody
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play the intro
-- play the melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- play the interlude (C)
-- solo 2 choruses (Latin D, swing E)
-- play the interlude
-- solo 2 more choruses (swing)
-- play the out melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- interlude C as ending
mp3 minus Piano
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play the intro
-- comp for the melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- play the interlude (C)
-- comp for the trumpet solo 2 choruses (Latin D, swing E)
-- play the interlude
-- comp for the trumpet solo 2 choruses (swing)
-- comp for the out melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- play the interlude C as ending
mp3 minus Bass
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play figures for the intro
-- play figures and walk for the melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- play figures for the interlude (C)
-- trumpet solo 2 choruses (Latin figures D, walk E)
-- play figures for the interlude
-- walk for the trumpet solo 2 choruses
-- play figures and walk for the out melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- interlude C as ending
mp3 minus Drums
-- count off sets up the intro
-- comp for the intro, melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing), and interlude (C)
-- comp for the trumpet solo 2 choruses (Latin D, swing E)
-- comp for the interlude
-- comp for the trumpet solo 2 choruses (swing)
-- comp for the out melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- interlude C as ending
mp3 Bass & Drums only - to feature piano, guitar, vibes, or any melodic instrument that likes to play without harmonic accompaniment.
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play the intro
-- play the melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- play the interlude (C)
-- solo 2 choruses (Latin D, swing E)
-- play the interlude
-- solo 2 more choruses (swing)
-- play the out melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- interlude C as ending
Besides our melody parts, a piano part (also for drummers) and a bass part are available. The melody and all relevant rhythm section information is included in these parts.
clip The format of this recording is:
-- intro
-- melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- interlude (C)
-- trumpet solo 2 choruses (alternating Latin/swing)
-- interlude
-- trumpet solo 2 choruses (swing)
-- out melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- interlude (C) as ending
Note that the interlude does not return after the last solo chorus, which goes straight into the out melody.
mp3 minus melody
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play the intro
-- play the melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- play the interlude (C)
-- solo 2 choruses (Latin D, swing E)
-- play the interlude
-- solo 2 more choruses (swing)
-- play the out melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- interlude C as ending
mp3 minus Piano
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play the intro
-- comp for the melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- play the interlude (C)
-- comp for the trumpet solo 2 choruses (Latin D, swing E)
-- play the interlude
-- comp for the trumpet solo 2 choruses (swing)
-- comp for the out melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- play the interlude C as ending
mp3 minus Bass
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play figures for the intro
-- play figures and walk for the melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- play figures for the interlude (C)
-- trumpet solo 2 choruses (Latin figures D, walk E)
-- play figures for the interlude
-- walk for the trumpet solo 2 choruses
-- play figures and walk for the out melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- interlude C as ending
mp3 minus Drums
-- count off sets up the intro
-- comp for the intro, melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing), and interlude (C)
-- comp for the trumpet solo 2 choruses (Latin D, swing E)
-- comp for the interlude
-- comp for the trumpet solo 2 choruses (swing)
-- comp for the out melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- interlude C as ending
mp3 Bass & Drums only - to feature piano, guitar, vibes, or any melodic instrument that likes to play without harmonic accompaniment.
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play the intro
-- play the melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- play the interlude (C)
-- solo 2 choruses (Latin D, swing E)
-- play the interlude
-- solo 2 more choruses (swing)
-- play the out melody 2 times (A-Latin/B-swing)
-- interlude C as ending
Ray Draper
August 3, 1940 – November 1, 1982
Ray Draper was born into a musical family on August 3, 1940, in New York City. His father, Barclay, played trumpet with name bands and recorded with Jelly Roll Morton, and his mother was a concert pianist. Ray went to the High School Of Performing Arts, for which he auditioned on tuba. His goal was always to make the tuba a recognized solo jazz instrument. As Nat Hentoff wrote, "He blows the hottest modern jazz tuba I've yet heard." At the young age of 16, on February 8, 1957, Ray made his first jazz recording session ("Jackie McLean & Co") for Prestige Records, for which he also arranged one of his own originals. Read more...