Reveling In The Beat – Gloria Cooper & Ira Gitler

This sunny bossa is simplicity at its finest: a tuneful melody over a satisfying chord progression. Gloria Cooper flavors the song with distinctly Brazilian syncopation that transports the listener down to Rio. This arrangement features trumpet and tenor sax background voices that make it particularly exciting, but it sounds just as lovely with a simpler arrangement.

Our audio excerpt begins at the top of the tune, while Gloria's recording kicks off with four bars of instrumental introduction before she enters on the verse. Gloria interprets the melody with a cool, laid-back vibe, which adds to the Brazilian feeling of the piece. The first chorus ends with an intricate instrumental interlude, followed by a chorus of guitar solo from Freddie Bryant.

The harmonic progression of this song, instrumentally known as Stretta A Me, is so natural that it lends itself very well to melodic, lyrical improvisation, as evidenced by both solos here. The guitar solo is followed by a chorus of Gloria herself soloing on piano and showing how versatile a musician she is. Gloria reenters at the top of the head and the piece closes with an extended version of the instrumental interlude.

Lyric Description: This lyric is a celebration of unlikely romance, as two people who have quickly come together suddenly realize that their love for each other is real and true. While onlookers believed that the pair wouldn't last, the lovers are overjoyed to find that they are perfect for one another. Noted jazz journalist Ira Gitler's lyric compares their compatibility with the harmonious way that singers and dancers work together on stage.

No-Vocal Version: The accompaniment-only version starts with four bars of instrumental introduction. The first chorus features the same background lines as on the original recording, giving the singer an opportunity to practice interacting with a horn section. A four-bar instrumental interlude separates the head from two open solo choruses, which are perfect for both beginner improvisers (since the harmonic progression isn't too tricky) and master improvisers (who can create lyrical lines like on the original recording). The two choruses are followed by the head out, which ends with the same instrumental ending as on the original recording. This is a great tune for practicing how to subtly emphasize syncopated rhythms.

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