Capri – Gigi Gryce
An unusual form gives this underrated classic a bit of a twist.
- Recording: J.J. Johnson - The Eminent J.J. Johnson, Vol. 1
- Recorded on: June 22, 1953
- Label: Blue Note (BLP 1505)
- Concert Key: E-flat
- Style: Swing (medium up)
- Trumpet - Clifford Brown
- Trombone - J.J. Johnson
- Tenor Sax - Jimmy Heath
- Piano - John Lewis
- Bass - Percy Heath
- Drums - Kenny Clarke
This is the first recording of Gigi's composition Capri. This sextet version is in a different key from Gigi's later version with trumpeter Art Farmer (see next album cover). J.J. preferred the key of E♭ for this melody, as it is higher in the trombone's range and showcases its middle and upper register. Besides this, there are several other differences, as you can see by comparing these E♭ concert editions for this recording with the editions based on the Art Farmer recording.
About this recording
On this version, the rhythm section plays with a 4-feel throughout, never pedaling. The melody is slightly different from Gigi's recording, most notably in the third measure, where the first five notes are the same; in Gigi's version the melodic motion is stepwise. Several melody notes that Gigi played on the beat are here anticipated by one eighth note: beat 4 of the fourth measure and the downbeats of the ninth and thirteenth measures. Conversely, the note that in Gigi's version is played on the "and" of beat 2 of the eighth measure is here on beat 3. The last note of the melody is not held out all the way to the end of the last measure in this version, and the ending is in minor rather than major.
Transcriptions of Clifford Brown's solos on both the master and alternate takes are available; see the Solos tab on this page.
About this recording
On this version, the rhythm section plays with a 4-feel throughout, never pedaling. The melody is slightly different from Gigi's recording, most notably in the third measure, where the first five notes are the same; in Gigi's version the melodic motion is stepwise. Several melody notes that Gigi played on the beat are here anticipated by one eighth note: beat 4 of the fourth measure and the downbeats of the ninth and thirteenth measures. Conversely, the note that in Gigi's version is played on the "and" of beat 2 of the eighth measure is here on beat 3. The last note of the melody is not held out all the way to the end of the last measure in this version, and the ending is in minor rather than major.
Transcriptions of Clifford Brown's solos on both the master and alternate takes are available; see the Solos tab on this page.
The version of Capri featured here is widely known, due to the presence of Clifford Brown and its release on the Blue Note label. Gigi's first recording session with Clifford Brown (June 11, 1953) was just eleven days prior to the J.J. session. Gigi and Clifford had been rehearsing and playing with the new band Tadd Dameron had assembled in that summer. J.J and Gigi would record together only twice: first on February 28, 1954, on a Henri Renaud session, in a group which also featured Al Cohn and Walter Bolden; and on November 20, 1956, when J.J. and Gigi were both on a big band session backing pop singer Johnnie Ray.
J.J. was on recordings of several more Gryce compositions: Basheer's Dream (1955), and on three different 1957 sessions: Blue Lights, Hymn Of The Orient and Salute To Birdland (see the Historical Notes on the last three titles for additional details).
J.J recorded two other Blue Note albums, all titled "The Eminent J.J. Johnson"; volume 2, in September, 1954, featured Wynton Kelly (his fourth of many Blue Note sessions), Charles Mingus, Kenny Clarke and Sabu Martinez. In June, 1955, came volume 3 with Hank Mobley, Horace Silver, Paul Chambers and Clarke; this was the only Johnson album with either Mobley or Silver, though all three played on the classic Kenny Dorham album "Afro-Cuban."
Transcriptions of Clifford Brown's trumpet solos on both the master and alternate takes are available; see the Solos tab here.
J.J. was on recordings of several more Gryce compositions: Basheer's Dream (1955), and on three different 1957 sessions: Blue Lights, Hymn Of The Orient and Salute To Birdland (see the Historical Notes on the last three titles for additional details).
J.J recorded two other Blue Note albums, all titled "The Eminent J.J. Johnson"; volume 2, in September, 1954, featured Wynton Kelly (his fourth of many Blue Note sessions), Charles Mingus, Kenny Clarke and Sabu Martinez. In June, 1955, came volume 3 with Hank Mobley, Horace Silver, Paul Chambers and Clarke; this was the only Johnson album with either Mobley or Silver, though all three played on the classic Kenny Dorham album "Afro-Cuban."
Transcriptions of Clifford Brown's trumpet solos on both the master and alternate takes are available; see the Solos tab here.
Solo Trumpet Transcriptions of Clifford Brown's trumpet solos on both the master and alternate takes are available. Clifford takes one chorus on each take. Though none of what he plays is the same on the two takes, the vocabulary is the same and often the general direction and shape of the lines is similar. For example, the start of his solo on the master take clip ascends the octave from A on the "and" of beat 2 in the first measure, largely stepwise to the upper A on beat 3 of the second measure. In the slower alternate take clip he also begins rising from A, but starting on the third beat of the first measure and moving mostly in 3rds; the upper A is on beat 1 of the second measure. Similarly, both solos include a high C held out: on the master take it occurs on the third and fourth measures of the B section and is held for 5 1/2 beats, while on the alternate take it is in the sixth and seventh measures of B for only three beats.
Clifford's articulation is driving and percussive. Small accent markings (> see below) indicate when notes are tongued a little harder than elsewhere.
Note from Don Sickler: I'm pretty sure I first met trumpeter Bruce Harris in 2008. As a fellow trumpet player, he was quick to tell me that he was deep into Clifford Brown. In discussing transcribing solos, I know we talked about my dedication to not only notate the correct notes and rhythms of the soloist, but also to indicate their articulations—where they tongue, where they slur, x's for ghost notes, arrows to indicate laid back notes, etc. I have always tried to give as complete a musical fingerprint of the artist as possible. I remember Bruce and I discussing Clifford Brown's amazing tonguing ability. Bruce felt strongly that Clifford also used his tonguing in special ways to direct and emphasize the movement of his lines. Bruce thought that very small accent marks would be helpful to show the way he felt Clifford was directing the line as he was constantly tonguing the notes. For these two transcriptions we've added Bruce's small accent marks so you can contemplate them as you try to get even further inside Clifford Brown's musical language.
Clifford's articulation is driving and percussive. Small accent markings (> see below) indicate when notes are tongued a little harder than elsewhere.
Note from Don Sickler: I'm pretty sure I first met trumpeter Bruce Harris in 2008. As a fellow trumpet player, he was quick to tell me that he was deep into Clifford Brown. In discussing transcribing solos, I know we talked about my dedication to not only notate the correct notes and rhythms of the soloist, but also to indicate their articulations—where they tongue, where they slur, x's for ghost notes, arrows to indicate laid back notes, etc. I have always tried to give as complete a musical fingerprint of the artist as possible. I remember Bruce and I discussing Clifford Brown's amazing tonguing ability. Bruce felt strongly that Clifford also used his tonguing in special ways to direct and emphasize the movement of his lines. Bruce thought that very small accent marks would be helpful to show the way he felt Clifford was directing the line as he was constantly tonguing the notes. For these two transcriptions we've added Bruce's small accent marks so you can contemplate them as you try to get even further inside Clifford Brown's musical language.
- Recording: Art Farmer - When Farmer Met Gryce
- Recorded on: May 26, 1955
- Label: Prestige (PRLP 7085)
- Concert Key: B-flat
- Style: Swing (uptempo)
- Trumpet - Art Farmer
- Alto Sax - Gigi Gryce
- Piano - Freddie Redd
- Bass - Addison Farmer
- Drums - Art Taylor
This is an unusual 36-bar form (a 16-measure phrase which, when it repeats, develops into a 20-measure phrase). Each soloist plays over a dominant pedal for the first four measures of their first solo chorus.
"When Farmer Met Gryce" was recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's legendary Hackensack Studio.
The first to record Gigi's Capri was J.J. Johnson (June 22, 1953). J.J. recorded it in E-flat, which he felt was a better key for trombone. French pianist Henri Renaud and his quintet also recorded Capri before Gigi did, on Renaud's tribute album to Gigi recorded for Vogue on November 2, 1953 (Henri Renaud Quintet - Joue Gigi Gryce). The lead sheet here is from Gigi's own first recording of Capri. Gigi later recorded this composition with Donald Byrd on "New Formulas from Jazz Lab" for RCA (July 30, 1957). On October 17, 1957, he recorded his nonet arrangement for "Benny Golson's New York Scene" for Contemporary Records.
Learn more about Gigi Gryce at Noal Cohen's Jazz History website. Also see Gryce's discography.
The first to record Gigi's Capri was J.J. Johnson (June 22, 1953). J.J. recorded it in E-flat, which he felt was a better key for trombone. French pianist Henri Renaud and his quintet also recorded Capri before Gigi did, on Renaud's tribute album to Gigi recorded for Vogue on November 2, 1953 (Henri Renaud Quintet - Joue Gigi Gryce). The lead sheet here is from Gigi's own first recording of Capri. Gigi later recorded this composition with Donald Byrd on "New Formulas from Jazz Lab" for RCA (July 30, 1957). On October 17, 1957, he recorded his nonet arrangement for "Benny Golson's New York Scene" for Contemporary Records.
Learn more about Gigi Gryce at Noal Cohen's Jazz History website. Also see Gryce's discography.
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...