Drum Transcription

• April celebrations: Birthdays and anniversaries from composers old and new

  We want to add more titles from composers who are already on jazzleadsheets.com, but we’re also trying to add more composers to the site. Looking at the calendar this month we found birthday anniversaries of two new-to-jazzleadsheets.com artist/composers, and we also found some recording anniversaries. We’re celebrating the middle week of April with these:

  April 16, 1923: Trombonist Bennie Green’s 90th birthday. Listen to his B.G.’s Groove Two.

  April 18, 1925: Celebrate baritone saxophonist Leo Parker’s 88th birthday with Glad Lad.

  April 19, 1958: Art Farmer recorded his end-of-session blues. Hear how he relaxes with Back In The Cage [trumpet solo only, B-flat and C editions].

  April 19, 2000: The 49th anniversary of Lucky Thompson’s 1964 recording of Prey Loot, being celebrated with violinist Regina Carter’s new recording.

  April 20, 1956: The first recording of pianist Barry Harris’s High Step, on a piano-less recording with John Coltrane, Pepper Adams, Curtis Fuller, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones.

  We’re also finishing up more drum transcriptions: check out Charli Persip’s drumming on his recording with Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Three For The Festival.

  In case you haven’t seen Charli talk about his experiences, check out our YouTube channel.

• new July 18, 2012

  Donnellon Square (Kenny Drew)
  We’ve already made available several of Kenny Drew’s wonderful compositions that he wrote and recorded when he was well established in Europe in the 1970s. Now, we’re returning to his first recording date, in 1950, when he was just 21 years of age. You’ll hear he was already well versed in the bebop vocabulary. Listening to his opening solo piano introduction and hearing the depth of his composition, it’s easy to understand why he was on so many recordings during his career (over 250).

  The Opener (Hank Mobley)
  Here’s another great Hank Mobley composition and arrangement that he contributed to the “Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers” legacy. It’s a sincere tribute to the jazz artist/composer when the leader keeps their music in the repertoire after the artist leaves the group (Wayne Shorter was the tenor saxophonist on this recording).

  Straight Ahead (Gigi Gryce)
  The Jazz Lab was an important Gigi Gryce/Donald Byrd group for which Gigi wrote and arranged many great compositions. This slow swinger is certainly one of them.

  Three For Two (Jeanfrancois Prins)
  A very serious European jazz artist (guitar) and composer with a true melodic gift. We’re honored to be able to make his music and recordings available on jazzleadsheets.com. Also check out his new CD, "El Gaucho."

  Old World, New Imports (Hank Mobley): Philly Joe Jones drum transcription
  We’ve had the lead sheet for this composition available for some time. Now we’re adding the inspiration for the composition, drummer Philly Joe Jones’ valuable contribution. This composition definitely was written to be recorded with Philly Joe, and as usual, he comes through with flying colors. Check this one out, drummers! Also, visit the Jazz Drum Corner Blog.

  --Don Sickler

   

• new December 28, 2011

  If You Could Love Me - Norman Simmons
  A beautiful Norman Simmons composition, with lyrics by Norman. Sung in a slow Latin tempo by Carmen McRae, later, at different tempos by other vocalists. You can also gain interesting insight into Carmen’s phasing from our vocal transcription of her performance, available separately. Email us (don@secondfloormusic.com) for different keys!

  Juliano - Julian Priester
  Lead sheets and his trombone solo are available from his first recording as a leader, the KEEP SWINGIN’ album on Riverside Records. An energetic ABCD form composition. The melody is constantly modulating as it evolves.

  Valse Robin - Dexter Gordon
  Dexter Gordon’s beautiful waltz for his daughter Robin, a 64-measure expanded AABA form. Recorded on THE PANTHER! album.

  Harbor Freeway 5 P.M. - Jack Wilson
  Two separate lead sheet treatments. First recorded as an uptempo sizzler to feature the drums, it later became a beautiful laid back composition. Compare Jack’s interpretations.

  Out Of Joe’s Bag (Hank Mobley) - Philly Joe Jones drum transcription
  Evan Hughes’ transcription of Philly Joe Jones’ performance on the ANOTHER WORKOUT album. Includes solo drum introduction, playing behind the in and out melodies, and Philly Joe’s solo. More valuable insight into this phenomenal drummer!

  Don Sickler
  jazzleadsheets.com & secondfloormusic.com
  phone 212-741-1175
  email don@secondfloormusic.com

• new December 16, 2011

  Chips - Elmo Hope
  Stars Over Marrakesh - Elmo Hope

  We had a fun Elmo Hope experience in my rehearsal studio a few nights ago. I told pianist/composer Bertha Hope, Elmo’s widow and definitely the leading authority on Elmo’s music, that we needed to get together to play Elmo’s music with two special musicians. Bassist Putter Smith would be in NYC (he lives in California) and he’d like to play some Elmo AGAIN. In the late 1950s, when he was still a teenager, he got to gig with Elmo for quite a few weeks over a six month period in the Los Angeles area. Alto saxophonist/composer Jerry Dodgion had been talking to me about playing, and when I mentioned Putter, and that he had played with Elmo, I found out that Jerry had also played with Elmo in some jam sessions in San Francisco in the 1950s. Jerry said he was also definitely up for playing some of Elmo’s quintet music, so that’s what we did the other night. Bertha hadn’t known that Putter and Jerry had played with Elmo, so she was delighted. After we finished playing and were trying to get some air back into our lungs, I told Bertha that we should talk about their experiences with Elmo. We rolled some video, which we’ll be putting up soon on our jazzleadsheets.com YouTube channel.

  In preparation for that evening rehearsal, I got busy and put together a bunch more of Elmo’s quintet arrangements so we could read them and get them ready for jazzleadsheets.com. Normally I only put up one title by a composer at a time, but, in honor of that fun occasion, I’m putting out two of the ones we played that night. More Elmo Hope will be put on jazzleadsheets.com over the next few months.

  Our editions of STARS OVER MARRAKESH require a little explanation. This composition was recorded twice by Elmo, both as trio recordings. Both recorded arrangements are different. To avoid confusion, we’ve labeled them first version and second version. We believe the first version is the primary version, so we’ve expanded only that version for our other instrumental editions. Elmo’s piano melody always has a harmony part, therefore it’s perfect for two horns, so we’re also providing second part editions.

  The second version is from Elmo’s second recording, eight years later than the first recording. It has melodic and harmonic differences, and the bridge is in a different key (see our details page for more explanation). Elmo’s wife, Bertha Hope, who is a fine pianist and composer herself, is also the authority for understanding Elmo’s music. Even Bertha doesn’t know why Elmo made the alterations he did for the second recording. Maybe he couldn’t find his original lead sheet or he didn’t go back to the original recording. I know if we didn’t have the first recording, the second one would be rewarding enough. The fact that we have both, and C treble clef editions of each are available, gives you a chance to examine these two recordings in detail, giving you further insight into this important composer.

  more editions of: A Night At Tony’s - Gigi Gryce
  Stupendous-Lee - Gigi Gryce

  The lead sheets and second parts for these two important Gigi Gryce compositions have been available for some time. We’ve had some general requests for more transcribed solos, so both Gigi’s and Art Farmer’s solos from these recordings are naturals to make available. Studying these two soloists is rewarding, especially examining and comparing their solos on the same recording, and even trading fours with each other on A NIGHT AT TONY’S. They’re both what I call real note players: their lines always have such clarity of thought. All their articulations are also notated, giving you the real fingerprints of these great artists. Full B-flat and C editions give everyone the opportunity to examine these solos on their own instruments.

  Workout - Hank Mobley (Philly Joe Jones drum transcription)

  Again, we’ve had the lead sheets for this one out for some time. This is a great drum feature composition, and now you can examine in detail the mastery of the legendary drummer Mobley wrote the composition for: Philly Joe Jones. You can see his eight-measure solo drum intro, followed by everything he plays on the head (full of two-measure exchanges between the horns and Philly Joe). Also, unique to our publications, you always see what the horns are playing (in a smaller staff, above the drum staff). For students or professional drummers, these transcriptions are amazing to study! Also check out Evan Hughes’ blog, the Jazz Drum Corner. See and hear Evan playing his transcription of Philly Joe’s fours with the soloists on NO ROOM FOR SQUARES, and you’ll see why he’s such an important part of our transcribing staff.

  Enjoy!
  Don Sickler
  Second Floor Music and jazzleadsheets.com
  don@secondfloormusic.com
  phone 212-741-1175

• new to jazzleadsheets.com December 5, 2011

  In addition to four new lead sheets (including a melody transcription) and a transcribed solo, jazzleadsheets.com introduces our new Drum Corner with an in-depth look at the artistry of master drummer Philly Joe Jones.
  Drum Transcription: Philly Joe Jones’s performance on No Room For Squares (the master take).
  Of course, drum solos are important to drummers, but equally important (if not more important) is how a master drummer accompanies the ensemble. Therefore, our transcription starts with Philly Joe’s great hi-hat work on the intro under the horn line, followed by his intricate interplay during the opening melody. Everything Philly Joe plays during his delicious exchanges of “fours” with Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan is also transcribed. Joe’s interplay during the out melody and coda ends the transcription.
  Also, unique to our drum transcriptions, the melody sections are shown above the drum staff (in concert key). Now you can see exactly how the drummer is reacting to the horns!
  The transcription was done by drummer Evan Hughes, a new member of my staff.
  Please visit our Drum Corner and tell your drummer friends it, and also about Evan Hughes’ jazz drummer blog at JazzDrumCorner.com. It’s a great resource for anyone interested in jazz drumming.

  Blue Bossa - Kenny Dorham
  jazzleadsheets.com gave me the opportunity to create a new edition of this important Kenny Dorham “jazz standard.” I’m sure practically every musician has at least heard “Blue Bossa,” if not played it. But have you really checked out the first recording of it? Are you aware that K.D.’s melody was created around a bass line that was equally important to Kenny? Now, in our C edition, you’ll see the melody with the bass line added under it on a separate staff for both the head and K.D.’s shout chorus.

  It’s No Time To Be Blue - Kenny Dorham, Kenny Burrell and Larry Jackstien
  When Kenny Burrell called and told me he wanted to write a lyric to his good friend Kenny Dorham’s composition, Blue Bossa, I knew his lyric would fit K.D.’s melody perfectly. Kenny Burrell sang this lyric on his 2003 CD “Blue Muse” on the Concord label.

  Minor Ballade - Don Friedman
  This is a beautiful modulating ballad by Don Friedman, described more fully in our notes. I feel it’s important to be able to examine in detail an artist/composer’s interpretation of his melody, so I’ve also transcribed his performance of the opening melody.

  Minor Mode - Booker Little (plus Booker’s trumpet solo)
  This is Booker Little’s first recorded composition. His recording career started only a month earlier. Although Booker only lived to be 23 years of age, fortunately he left us with quite a few recorded compositions and solos to study. He was one of the great jazz trumpet players and a mature composer at an early age.

  --Don Sickler

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