Bee Vamp – Booker Little
A vamp-based uptempo piece from the classic Booker Little/Eric Dolphy live album.
- Recording: Eric Dolphy - Eric Dolphy At The Five Spot, vol.1
- Recorded on: July 16, 1961
- Label: Prestige (PR 7611)
- Concert Key: B-flat
- Style: Swing (uptempo)
- Trumpet - Booker Little
- Bass Clarinet - Eric Dolphy
- Piano - Mal Waldron
- Bass - Richard Davis
- Drums - Ed Blackwell
This song's form is tricky because of its repeating vamp sections. The eight-measure vamp, alluded to in the title, appears four times over the 48-measure form. Though the sections are labeled ABCDEFG here (our audio excerpt shows the first A, B, C, D and E of the master take recording), it is really a big ABA form with A, B, and C making the first A-section (20 measures long) and the other being E, F and G. This ABA interpretation would be confusing, however, because the A, C, E, and G sections are identical (the vamp).
Fortunately, there are two recorded takes of this composition. We have notated Booker's A section melody the way he plays it on the master take, accompanied by "interpret freely." Comparing this A section with the alternate take [show excerpt] shows a similar melodic outline, but rhythmically quite a different one. The B and D sections have definite melodies. Booker always plays so strong melodically that we will often transcribe what he played with an "interpret freely" indication rather than just showing chord changes indicating a solo section.
This approach will become more clear as we explore more of Booker's wonderful music in the future. For now, for this piece, we have just indicated the vamp chord symbols and rhythmic hits for the remaining vamp sections (C, E and G.) We recommend that you listen to how melodically Booker plays these sections on the recordings. It's not just "soloing!"
The shifting major 7 ♯5 chords over the vamp can be tricky to solo over. Booker takes a modal approach. On the master take he mostly plays Bâ™ dorian or Bâ™ melodic minor, accentuating G natural which is in the two chords played on the downbeat, Aâ™maj7♯5 and Câ™maj7♯5. In his solo on the alternate take [clip?], he alternates this tonality with Bâ™ aeolian or "natural minor", with Gâ™; his use of this note calls attention to the fourth chord, Gâ™maj7♯5. The ending on the recording repeats and "breaks down" in the same way as the ending of Aggression.
The first parts for the quintet (B-flat Trumpet 1st part and E-flat Alto Sax 1st part) can be used as B-flat and E-flat lead sheets. In situations with only one horn, the 1st part should be used. Tenor saxophonists can use the B-flat Trumpet 1st part; in lineups with other horns, tenor sax players can also use the B-flat Bass Clarinet 2nd part.
Fortunately, there are two recorded takes of this composition. We have notated Booker's A section melody the way he plays it on the master take, accompanied by "interpret freely." Comparing this A section with the alternate take [show excerpt] shows a similar melodic outline, but rhythmically quite a different one. The B and D sections have definite melodies. Booker always plays so strong melodically that we will often transcribe what he played with an "interpret freely" indication rather than just showing chord changes indicating a solo section.
This approach will become more clear as we explore more of Booker's wonderful music in the future. For now, for this piece, we have just indicated the vamp chord symbols and rhythmic hits for the remaining vamp sections (C, E and G.) We recommend that you listen to how melodically Booker plays these sections on the recordings. It's not just "soloing!"
The shifting major 7 ♯5 chords over the vamp can be tricky to solo over. Booker takes a modal approach. On the master take he mostly plays Bâ™ dorian or Bâ™ melodic minor, accentuating G natural which is in the two chords played on the downbeat, Aâ™maj7♯5 and Câ™maj7♯5. In his solo on the alternate take [clip?], he alternates this tonality with Bâ™ aeolian or "natural minor", with Gâ™; his use of this note calls attention to the fourth chord, Gâ™maj7♯5. The ending on the recording repeats and "breaks down" in the same way as the ending of Aggression.
The first parts for the quintet (B-flat Trumpet 1st part and E-flat Alto Sax 1st part) can be used as B-flat and E-flat lead sheets. In situations with only one horn, the 1st part should be used. Tenor saxophonists can use the B-flat Trumpet 1st part; in lineups with other horns, tenor sax players can also use the B-flat Bass Clarinet 2nd part.
In operation from 1956 to 1967, the Five Spot Cafe was one of the most important New York jazz venues of its time. It was especially instrumental in promoting the cutting edge of jazz, most notably such musicians as Cecil Taylor, Thelonious Monk and Ornette Coleman.
This recording from the Five Spot was Booker Little's third to last album. In August he played on Max Roach's "Percussion Bitter Sweet" with Dolphy, Mal Waldron and trombonist Julian Priester, among others, and in September he completed his own album, "Booker Little and Friend" with Priester, George Coleman, pianist Don Friedman, Reggie Workman and Pete LaRoca.
For more from this Five Spot show, check out Booker's Waltz and Aggression.
This recording from the Five Spot was Booker Little's third to last album. In August he played on Max Roach's "Percussion Bitter Sweet" with Dolphy, Mal Waldron and trombonist Julian Priester, among others, and in September he completed his own album, "Booker Little and Friend" with Priester, George Coleman, pianist Don Friedman, Reggie Workman and Pete LaRoca.
For more from this Five Spot show, check out Booker's Waltz and Aggression.
- Recording: Wayne Escoffery - Veneration
- Recorded on: June 2 & 3, 2006
- Label: Savant (SCD 2081)
- Concert Key: B-flat
- Style: Swing (uptempo)
- Tenor Sax - Wayne Escoffery
- Vibes - Joe Locke
- Bass - Hans Glawischnig
- Drums - Lewis Nash
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The arrangement on this version is not much different from the original Booker Little recording. The most notable difference is at the beginning: the vamp is repeated several times, with Wayne soloing, before going directly to the B section. Wayne plays Booker's melody at the A section only on the out head. On this recording, the vamp is often played with an even-8ths groove, especially on the solos.
The first parts for the quintet (B-flat Trumpet 1st part and E-flat Alto Sax 1st part) can be used as B-flat and E-flat lead sheets. In situations with only one horn, the 1st part should be used. Tenor saxophonists can use the B-flat Trumpet 1st part; in lineups with other horns, tenor sax players can also use the B-flat Bass Clarinet 2nd part.
The first parts for the quintet (B-flat Trumpet 1st part and E-flat Alto Sax 1st part) can be used as B-flat and E-flat lead sheets. In situations with only one horn, the 1st part should be used. Tenor saxophonists can use the B-flat Trumpet 1st part; in lineups with other horns, tenor sax players can also use the B-flat Bass Clarinet 2nd part.
In addition to this recording, Bee Vamp has been recorded three other times since the original live Booker Little-Eric Dolphy performance. One was in 1986, with the same rhythm section from Booker's version plus saxophonist Donald Harrison and trumpeter Terence Blanchard. The second comes from a live recording in Belgium in 1989, with Mal Waldron again on piano and co-led by Waldron and reedman Thierry Bruneau. Finally, in 1995, San Francisco-based soprano saxophonist Joe Rosenberg recorded it on "A Tribute To Eric Dolphy."
Booker Little
April 2, 1938 – October 5, 1961
A tragic loss to the world of jazz at age 23! Hearing is certainly believing: in Booker's short life, he still was able to leave us with recordings and compositions that are guaranteed to astonish and captivate. His effortless-sounding virtuosity ranks him as one of the greatest trumpet players. He was also a gifted composer, who obviously took composing very seriously, as his recording output shows. Booker began on trumpet when he was 12 and played with Johnny Griffin and the MJT + 3 while attending the Chicago Conservatory. He worked with Max Roach (1958-1959) and then freelanced in New York. He recorded with Roach and Abbey Lincoln, was on John Coltrane's Africa/Brass album, and was well-documented during a July 1961 gig at the Five Spot with Eric Dolphy. Booker Little led four sessions before his tragic early death. Read more...