Concentration – David Hazeltine

This angular song has an edgier sound than many other Hazeltine works, though it's no less swinging. The first phrases of the melody have a lot of fourths and fifths; in the seventh measure the melody becomes simpler and more lyrical, but it gets a little angular again toward the end of the 16-measure A section. There is little repetition or sequence in the melody within both the A section and bridge. Though the form is 64-measure AABC, our lead sheets have rehearsal letters on each eight-measure section (for example the bridge is C and D).

The key center is definitely F, but the changes wander to quite a few places in the A section, including two descending series of major 7th chords. The bridge changes begin with chromatically descending II-V7s from Bbm7 down to F♯m7-B7, which functions as a tritone substitute resolution to B♭ major. This is followed by A♭ major, and the last four measures of the bridge have a resolution to C major with the classic "Coltrane changes" reharmonization.

There are a few rhythm section hits in the A section, and a light Latin groove on measures 7 and 8. The solo changes are simplified. There's a short coda that extends the final melody line downward along with the bass line; the melody then rises in an F minor scale to B♮, with the final chord an E triad over F.

A piano lead sheet is available, showing some countermelodies that David plays to fill in the longer notes of the melody. There is also a bass part, which has all the rhythm section figures as well as slashes in those parts of the melody where the bass walks.