Cup Bearers – Tom McIntosh
A jazz standard that unfolds and evolves as it goes, constantly moving in new harmonic directions.
- Recording: James Moody - Another Bag
- Recorded on: January 30, 1962
- Label: Argo (LP 695)
- Concert Key: C
- Style: Swing (medium up)
- Tenor Sax - James Moody
- Trumpet - Paul Serrano
- Trombone - John Avant
- Piano - Kenny Barron
- Bass - Ernest "Ernie" Outlaw
- Drums - Marshall Thompson
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- The Berklee College of Music Wayne Shorter Ensemble: Barclay Moffit, tenor sax; Elad Cohen, trombone; Tommy Holladay, guitar; Eitan Kenner, piano; Jared Henderson, bass; Dor Herskovits, drums
This is a classic jazz standard by one of our great jazz composers and arrangers, trombonist Tom McIntosh. This is the first recording of this wonderful composition. It's been arranged many times, including several by Tom.
The melody flows over the constantly evolving chord progression. Tom has always been open to different rhythmic variations of the melody by performers. The original recorded arrangement keeps a general two-feeling going for the whole unusual ABA form melody: A is 22 measures (14 measures swing to four measures Latin to four more measures swing); B is ten measures swing. Other arrangements utilize walking bass for some sections.
The melody flows over the constantly evolving chord progression. Tom has always been open to different rhythmic variations of the melody by performers. The original recorded arrangement keeps a general two-feeling going for the whole unusual ABA form melody: A is 22 measures (14 measures swing to four measures Latin to four more measures swing); B is ten measures swing. Other arrangements utilize walking bass for some sections.
James Moody had been recording Tom McIntosh compositions since 1959, when Tom was trombonist in Moody's group. Later, in 1962, Blue Mitchell titled his new album "The Cup Bearers," recording that title as well as McIntosh's Capers.
Dizzy Gillespie recorded it the next year (1963) with Moody and Kenny Barron in his group. Paul Winter also recorded it in the same year, and there were as two more recorded performances by Dizzy Gillespie. In 1977, pianist Tommy Flanagan, another Tom McIntosh champion, recorded it for the first time. So far, we've found at least 37 recorded performances.
Dizzy Gillespie recorded it the next year (1963) with Moody and Kenny Barron in his group. Paul Winter also recorded it in the same year, and there were as two more recorded performances by Dizzy Gillespie. In 1977, pianist Tommy Flanagan, another Tom McIntosh champion, recorded it for the first time. So far, we've found at least 37 recorded performances.
- Recording: Don Sickler - Further Explorations Vol. 1
- Recorded on: May 28, 2003
- Label: jazzleadsheets.com (JLS 1034)
- Concert Key: F
- Style: Swing (medium up)
- Trumpet - Don Sickler
- Piano - Cecilia Coleman
- Bass - Tim Givens
- Drums - Vince Cherico
Our Minus You version is in the key of F. The rhythm section begins the head with figures based on the melodic rhythm—close to a 2-feel—before going to 4-feel in the seventh measure. The Latin part of the A section (measures 15-18) has a rhythmic pedal point. The bridge is also 4-feel. The solos are 4-feel except for the pedal point in the Latin sections.
This version has an eight-measure intro that starts with a pedal point similar to that used in the Latin sections; the piano melody of the intro is notated in the melody parts. There is a coda which vamps the same pedal point, with constantly descending harmonies of two measures each from F/C down to B♭/C for the final resolution to F. This coda is open for improvisation.
This version has an eight-measure intro that starts with a pedal point similar to that used in the Latin sections; the piano melody of the intro is notated in the melody parts. There is a coda which vamps the same pedal point, with constantly descending harmonies of two measures each from F/C down to B♭/C for the final resolution to F. This coda is open for improvisation.
"Further Explorations" was recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs.
In 2003, the rhythm section of Coleman, Givens and Cherico spent a few days at the Van Gelder Recording Studio, playing titles from the Second Floor Music catalog, with trumpeter Don Sickler in an isolation booth playing melodies and solos. Don recently had time to work on these tracks, adding a fresh melody and solo. He thought that jazzleadsheets.com customers would enjoy having these accompaniment tracks, including the minus you rhythm section tracks.
In 2003, the rhythm section of Coleman, Givens and Cherico spent a few days at the Van Gelder Recording Studio, playing titles from the Second Floor Music catalog, with trumpeter Don Sickler in an isolation booth playing melodies and solos. Don recently had time to work on these tracks, adding a fresh melody and solo. He thought that jazzleadsheets.com customers would enjoy having these accompaniment tracks, including the minus you rhythm section tracks.
Our Minus You rhythm section parts show Don Sickler's improvised melody on the coda. Pianist Cecilia Coleman improvised the melody in the fifth and sixth measures of the intro; thus our piano part indicates a solo fill on these measures. In the trio minus melody track, with only bass and drums accompaniment, the soloist can improvise over the entire intro.
CLIP Form of the full track:
-- intro
-- melody
-- trumpet solo 2 choruses
-- out melody
-- coda
mp3 minus melody
-- tacet for the intro
-- play the melody
-- solo 2 choruses
-- play the out melody
-- solo on the coda
mp3 minus Piano
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play figures on the intro, with solo fill
-- comp for the melody
-- comp for the trumpet solo 2 choruses
-- comp for the out melody and coda
mp3 minus Bass
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play the intro
-- play figures and walk for the melody
-- walk and play figures for the trumpet solo 2 choruses
-- play figures and walk for the out melody and coda
mp3 minus Drums - sticks throughout
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play figures/comp for the intro (fill into the melody)
-- comp and play figures for the melody
-- comp and play figures for the trumpet solo 2 choruses
-- comp and play figures for the out melody and coda
mp3 Bass and Drums only) minus melody, so piano, vibes, guitar can play the melody
-- count off sets up the intro
-- solo on the intro
-- play the melody
-- solo 2 choruses
-- play the out melody
-- solo on the coda
CLIP Form of the full track:
-- intro
-- melody
-- trumpet solo 2 choruses
-- out melody
-- coda
mp3 minus melody
-- tacet for the intro
-- play the melody
-- solo 2 choruses
-- play the out melody
-- solo on the coda
mp3 minus Piano
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play figures on the intro, with solo fill
-- comp for the melody
-- comp for the trumpet solo 2 choruses
-- comp for the out melody and coda
mp3 minus Bass
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play the intro
-- play figures and walk for the melody
-- walk and play figures for the trumpet solo 2 choruses
-- play figures and walk for the out melody and coda
mp3 minus Drums - sticks throughout
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play figures/comp for the intro (fill into the melody)
-- comp and play figures for the melody
-- comp and play figures for the trumpet solo 2 choruses
-- comp and play figures for the out melody and coda
mp3 Bass and Drums only) minus melody, so piano, vibes, guitar can play the melody
-- count off sets up the intro
-- solo on the intro
-- play the melody
-- solo 2 choruses
-- play the out melody
-- solo on the coda
Tom McIntosh
February 6, 1927 – July 26, 2017
Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, trombonist and arranger/composer Tom McIntosh studied voice at the Peabody Conservatory in 1944. In 1950 he was stationed in Germany with an Army band, where he first encountered reedman James Moody, who was touring Europe with Coleman Hawkins. Nine years later, after graduating from the Juillard School in NYC, Mac was hired by Moody to play in his sextet. The sextet became a septet for the first Moody recording, simply titled "James Moody," recorded in Chicago in August, 1959, for the Argo label. This album also contained Tom's first recorded composition With Malice Toward None, which Tom arranged as well. Read more...