Thelma's Heart – Bill Pierce
A rich and memorable composition made particularly enticing by its intricate harmony.
- Recording: Billy Pierce - One For Chuck
- Recorded on: April 6 and 7, 1991
- Label: Sunnyside (SSC 1053)
- Concert Key: A-flat
- Style: Swing (medium)
- Tenor Sax - Billy Pierce
- Piano - Mulgrew Miller
- Bass - Ira Coleman
- Drums - Alan Dawson
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This composition has a seemingly simple melody, but the key-defying harmony makes the composition irresistibly complex. The tuneful, memorable melody sticks with the listener while the unusual harmony elicits rich and profound solos from the musicians, making it a great choice for any gig. The rhythm section continues the rhythmic hits from the head behind the solos, which creates a nice continuity throughout the piece.
Our audio excerpt starts with the introduction, a repeating two-bar rhythm section medium groove pattern that sets up and continues under the A sections of the melody (the melody form becomes an interesting 37-measure ABAC format).
Our audio excerpt starts with the introduction, a repeating two-bar rhythm section medium groove pattern that sets up and continues under the A sections of the melody (the melody form becomes an interesting 37-measure ABAC format).
Don Sickler recalls, "Alan Dawson, Bill Pierce's legendary drummer on this session, began teaching at Berklee College of Music in 1957. I presume Bill met Alan originally sometime in the late '60s, after Bill started at Berklee. They had recorded together on other artists' dates in 1978 and 1983. After Bill invited Alan to record on this album, Alan asked Bill to record on his own 1992 session. They recorded once again (1993) on a Bill Mobley session."
Pierce wrote this song for his wife Thelma.
If you like this song, be sure to also check out Chuck's Groove which was recorded at the same session and also released on "One For Chuck."
Pierce wrote this song for his wife Thelma.
If you like this song, be sure to also check out Chuck's Groove which was recorded at the same session and also released on "One For Chuck."
Bill Pierce
born on September 25, 1948
Bill Pierce is known in the jazz world for both his innovative hard bop playing and his distinguished career as an educator. He hails from a musical family in Florida, with parents both educators who emphasized the value of music; he took up the saxophone early. Read more...