Especially For You – John Oddo
Almost a pop ballad, this song was originally written for Woody Herman's big band. Our "Further Explorations" recording has Minus You tracks for melody instruments.
- Recording: Woody Herman - Live At The Concord Jazz Festival
- Recorded on: August 15, 1981
- Label: Concord (CJ 191)
- Concert Key: F
- Vocal Range: , to
- Style: Even 8ths (funky)
- Trumpet - Bill Stapleton, Brian O'Flaherty, Scott Wagstaff, Mark Lewis, George Rabbai
- Trombone - Gene Smith, John Fedchock, Larry Shunk
- Tenor Sax - Paul McGinley
- Tenor Sax, Flute - Randy Russell, Billy Ross
- Bari Sax - Mike Brignola
- Electric Piano - John Oddo
- Electric Bass - Mike Hall
- Drums - Dave Ratajczak
Video
- Description
- Historical Notes
- Solos
- Piano Corner
- Bass Corner
- Drum Corner
- Guitar Corner
- Inside & Beyond
- Minus You
This first version of Especially For You is more obviously a pop ballad than our later one. Though the melody is approximately the same speed as our "Further Explorations" version (to the right), the feel is half the tempo and thus the measures are written twice as long with 16th notes instead of 8th notes. This arrangement has an intro based on the third and fourth measures of the head, developing the phrase into three measures of 3/8 before going back into 4/4. This intro reappears at the end of the head a half step higher (in G♭), but with the end leading back to F. The arrangement is two choruses long, with a tenor sax solo on the A sections of the second chorus. The tenor also has the melody on the second A section and some of the B section; the rest of the melody is played mostly by trumpets in unison, on the first A section also with flutes an octave above.
The Minus You version (to the right) is in A♭ concert.
John's beautiful big band arrangement for the Woody Herman band is available from MusicDispatch.com and other music dealers.
The Minus You version (to the right) is in A♭ concert.
John's beautiful big band arrangement for the Woody Herman band is available from MusicDispatch.com and other music dealers.
Composer/pianist John Oddo played with and wrote for the Woody Herman band from 1981 to '83. By this time Woody Herman had stopped making big band studio recordings, hence the live performance album. The tenor saxophonist featured on this recording is Paul McGinley, who is mostly unknown outside this lineup of Herman's band. This concert also featured guest soloists Stan Getz and Al Cohn.
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- Recording: Don Sickler - Further Explorations With Larger Ensembles
- Recorded on: October 21, 2004
- Label: jazzleadsheets.com (JLS 1041)
- Concert Key: A-flat
- Vocal Range: , to
- Style: Even 8ths (medium)
- Muted Trumpet, Flugelhorn - Don Sickler
- Tenor Sax - Wayne Escoffery
- Piano - Gloria Cooper
- Bass - Tim Givens
- Drums - Vince Cherico
- Arranger - Don Sickler
Video
- Description
- Historical Notes
- Solos
- Piano Corner
- Bass Corner
- Drum Corner
- Guitar Corner
- Inside & Beyond
- Minus You
The style of this song is slightly difficult to define. It has a "jazz-pop" or even "smooth jazz" sound, and could be described as a pop ballad though it's at a medium tempo. The groove is light and bossa-like—not a bossa but somewhat more funky (called "medium light funk" on the lead sheet). The melody, especially in the A section, is mostly pentatonic, further contributing to a pop-ish sound. This song contains an interesting key change up a half step; unlike many pop songs which contain one of these key changes, Especially For You modulates from A♭ to A, returns to A♭ for the solo, and then goes back to A for the out melody.
The head is essentially an AAB form, with two 16-measure A sections in the key of A♭; the last four measures of these are different. (Note that the 9th through 12th measures of these sections have the same melody as the first four measures but different changes.) The B section is in the key of A, 22 measures long with the 9th through 14th measures the same as those of the second A section, up a half step. After the head, the key returns to A♭ for a solo section that is three A sections long: two of the first A section and one of the second. The out melody is B again (in the key of A); there is a vamp coda. The top line of all horn punctuations and backgrounds is notated in the lead sheet; the horns have different backgrounds in the first and second A sections.
The head is essentially an AAB form, with two 16-measure A sections in the key of A♭; the last four measures of these are different. (Note that the 9th through 12th measures of these sections have the same melody as the first four measures but different changes.) The B section is in the key of A, 22 measures long with the 9th through 14th measures the same as those of the second A section, up a half step. After the head, the key returns to A♭ for a solo section that is three A sections long: two of the first A section and one of the second. The out melody is B again (in the key of A); there is a vamp coda. The top line of all horn punctuations and backgrounds is notated in the lead sheet; the horns have different backgrounds in the first and second A sections.
"Further Explorations With Larger Ensembles" was recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs.
Don Sickler: Composer John Oddo wrote a beautiful big band arrangement of his composition for the Woody Herman band. Years later, my job was to create a new quintet arrangement, in a different key, to accompany vocalist Gloria Cooper for the lyric version of the song (All My Love, Especially For You) for her "Dedicated To You" album project. Recently, when I started looking for what I had available to re-explore in a Minus You context, I immediately heard this one for myself as a muted trumpet melody feature, and then soloing on flugelhorn. The Minus Melody track will work for any other instrumentalist.
Don Sickler: Composer John Oddo wrote a beautiful big band arrangement of his composition for the Woody Herman band. Years later, my job was to create a new quintet arrangement, in a different key, to accompany vocalist Gloria Cooper for the lyric version of the song (All My Love, Especially For You) for her "Dedicated To You" album project. Recently, when I started looking for what I had available to re-explore in a Minus You context, I immediately heard this one for myself as a muted trumpet melody feature, and then soloing on flugelhorn. The Minus Melody track will work for any other instrumentalist.
Especially For You is a song originally written and arranged by John Oddo for the Woody Herman big band. Our version, arranged by Don Sickler, has a slightly different vibe than the original. The use of guitar instead of Rhodes, the drum groove being less 2 and 4 oriented, and the bossa-esque bassline provided by the bassist gives our version a Latin flavor that is not present in the original version. Our Minus You track is lots of fun to accompany, with a solid groove, a relaxed melody and a somewhat involved rhythm section part with hits to catch. This particular Minus You track is very versatile; many grooves work in accompanying it. Although the drum part says "light funk" you can stick to straight funk like on the Woody Herman version, play a looser more relaxed half-time funk feel like in our version, or even play a Latin groove like a bossa-nova and create a totally new feeling.
Drummers should use the Drum part.
Drummers should use the Drum part.
Exclusive Minus You audio tracks
Don Sickler: The instrument editions are actually condensed scores of what's going on in the arrangement, so I'm recommending the C treble-clef instrumental part for each rhythm section player. There was no piano on the original recording, just guitar, bass and drums, but pianists should enjoy playing along with the Minus Guitar track. There is a one-measure drum pick up to start the arrangement after the count off, that drum pick up also starts the minus drums track. After the first measure, the drums have been removed from the Minus Drums track. For the solo section, you'll see repeat signs for the A1 section chord progression, since the soloist solos Al/A1/A2 before the B out melody.
clip MP3 Minus melody (get the lead sheet appropriate to your instrument)
-- count off
-- tacet for the introduction (drum fill sets up intro)
-- play the melody
-- solo over A1-A1-A2
-- play the out melody at B
-- solo over the coda
clip MP3 minus guitar (minus chordal accompaniment, so also for piano) - get the C lead sheet
-- count off
-- drum fill sets up the intro
-- comp for the introduction
-- comp for the melody
-- solo over A1-A1-A2
-- comp for the out melody at B
-- comp for the coda
clip MP3 minus bass (get the C lead sheet)
-- count off
-- drum fill sets up the intro
-- play time/figures for the introduction (Latin)
-- 2-feel for the melody (Latin)
-- walk/accompany the solo A1-A1-A2
-- 2-feel for the out melody at B
-- play time/figures for the coda
clip MP3 minus drums - sticks throughout but nrushes can also be used (get the C lead sheet)
-- count off
-- drum fill sets up the intro (Latin)
-- comp and play figures for the melody (Latin)
-- comp for the solo A1-A1-A2
-- comp and play figures for the out melody at B
-- comp for the coda
Don Sickler: The instrument editions are actually condensed scores of what's going on in the arrangement, so I'm recommending the C treble-clef instrumental part for each rhythm section player. There was no piano on the original recording, just guitar, bass and drums, but pianists should enjoy playing along with the Minus Guitar track. There is a one-measure drum pick up to start the arrangement after the count off, that drum pick up also starts the minus drums track. After the first measure, the drums have been removed from the Minus Drums track. For the solo section, you'll see repeat signs for the A1 section chord progression, since the soloist solos Al/A1/A2 before the B out melody.
clip MP3 Minus melody (get the lead sheet appropriate to your instrument)
-- count off
-- tacet for the introduction (drum fill sets up intro)
-- play the melody
-- solo over A1-A1-A2
-- play the out melody at B
-- solo over the coda
clip MP3 minus guitar (minus chordal accompaniment, so also for piano) - get the C lead sheet
-- count off
-- drum fill sets up the intro
-- comp for the introduction
-- comp for the melody
-- solo over A1-A1-A2
-- comp for the out melody at B
-- comp for the coda
clip MP3 minus bass (get the C lead sheet)
-- count off
-- drum fill sets up the intro
-- play time/figures for the introduction (Latin)
-- 2-feel for the melody (Latin)
-- walk/accompany the solo A1-A1-A2
-- 2-feel for the out melody at B
-- play time/figures for the coda
clip MP3 minus drums - sticks throughout but nrushes can also be used (get the C lead sheet)
-- count off
-- drum fill sets up the intro (Latin)
-- comp and play figures for the melody (Latin)
-- comp for the solo A1-A1-A2
-- comp and play figures for the out melody at B
-- comp for the coda
Related Songs
Email Send Especially For You to a friend
Send this page to a friend via email. Add your name or email in the first field. In the second, add one or more email addresses, separated by a comma.
John Oddo
March 21, 1953 – April 2, 2019
Having started his career as a pianist, arranger, and composer for Woody Herman and his Thundering Herd, Oddo met vocalist Rosemary Clooney in 1983 and served as her music director, pianist, and arranger for more than 18 years. His credits include work on 20 of her recordings, as well as countless live and televised performances. Read more...
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