B.G.'s Holiday – Gigi Gryce
A swinging 64-measure AABA song that visits several keys. The melodic and harmonic motions are characteristic Gigi. A transcription of Art Farmer's trumpet solo is available.
- Recording: Benny Golson - New York Scene
- Recorded on: October 14, 1957
- Label: Contemporary (C 3552)
- Concert Key: A-flat
- Vocal Range: , to
- Style: Swing (medium up)
- Trumpet - Art Farmer
- Tenor Sax - Benny Golson
- Piano - Wynton Kelly
- Bass - Paul Chambers
- Drums - Charli Persip
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- Description
- Historical Notes
- Solos
- Piano Corner
- Bass Corner
- Drum Corner
- Guitar Corner
- Inside & Beyond
- Minus You
This song with a 64-measure AABA form is a classic example of Gigi's elegant melodic and harmonic style. As with Nica's Tempo, it is not initially easy to tell this song's key center; due to the visits to many different tonalities, no key signature is indicated in the lead sheet. The shifting quality of the song is immediately established with the chromatic approach pickup to the first measure. It is only in the last two measures of the A section that the key of A♭ is established; though there are many II-Vs in different keys before then, the A♭ major chord is approached from below with G♭7. On the head, the bridge can be divided into two separate sections: the first eight measures are swinging like the A section, with an unusual chord motion taking the roots from a whole-tone scale, while the second eight measures have the drums playing a 6/4 (or 6/8) Latin groove while the melody continues in 4/4. It all comes back together in a break one measure before the C section. Our lead sheets have no key signature due to the constantly shifting harmonies.
There is a rhythm section intro which establishes the key of A♭, even though the beginning of the head doesn't! The intro is shown in all editions. The solo changes are similar to the head, but swinging all the way through. There is a "shout chorus" for the first half of the A section; on the recording it is played on the second A section of the piano solo, but it could also be used on the first A section. On our lead sheets, the second half of the A section in the solo changes is labeled X, shown as the place to go back to after the "shout" section.
We have second parts and a condensed score available for the two-horn arrangement. On the second parts, we indicate where it is unison, octaves, or harmony with the first part.
There is a rhythm section intro which establishes the key of A♭, even though the beginning of the head doesn't! The intro is shown in all editions. The solo changes are similar to the head, but swinging all the way through. There is a "shout chorus" for the first half of the A section; on the recording it is played on the second A section of the piano solo, but it could also be used on the first A section. On our lead sheets, the second half of the A section in the solo changes is labeled X, shown as the place to go back to after the "shout" section.
We have second parts and a condensed score available for the two-horn arrangement. On the second parts, we indicate where it is unison, octaves, or harmony with the first part.
B.G.'s Holiday didn't make it onto the original release of "New York Scene," but is a bonus track on the CD reissue. "New York Scene" was Benny Golson's first album as a leader. For three songs on this album, the quintet was joined by Gigi Gryce, as well as Julius Watkins on French horn, Jimmy Cleveland on trombone, and Sahib Shihab on baritone sax. The rhythm section from this album had first recorded seven months earlier on trumpeter Lee Morgan's third Blue Note album (released as "Lee Morgan, Volume 3") with Gryce and Golson. In February 1958 the same rhythm section played on Hank Mobley's classic album "Peckin' Time," also with Morgan; the following year Curtis Fuller recorded an album released as "The Curtis Fuller Jazztet" with Morgan, Golson, and the same rhythm section.
This album also includes Ray Bryant's Something In B-Flat as well as a nonet arrangement of Gigi's Capri.
This album also includes Ray Bryant's Something In B-Flat as well as a nonet arrangement of Gigi's Capri.
Art Farmer takes one chorus CLIP. He develops several simple melodic ideas across the rapidly changing harmonic structure, especially at the beginning and in the first four measures of the bridge. In several places he plays different upper extensions of the chords from what pianist Wynton Kelly is voicing. The first of these is the concert D♮ (the natural 9th) over C7♭9 in the eighth measure. This does not clash very much, as the rhythms are quite different and the chord extensions are in the middle of Art's lines. In the fifth and sixth measures of the A sections, Art implies one measure of F major and one of E♭ major instead of using the added dominant chords on beat 3 as the rhythm section indicates.
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Gigi Gryce
November 28, 1925 – March 17, 1983
Gigi Gryce was a fine altoist in the 1950s, but it was his writing skills, both composing and arranging (including composing the standard Minority) that were considered most notable. After growing up in Hartford, CT, and studying at the Boston Conservatory and in Paris, Gryce worked in New York with Max Roach, Tadd Dameron, and Clifford Brown. He toured Europe in 1953 with Lionel Hampton and led several sessions in France on that trip. Read more...
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