From A To Z – Don Friedman

For a detailed description of this song, click on the "Friday A.M." (album cover #4).

This first version of From A To Z is a bit slower than later recordings, around ♩ = 168. There is an extended vamp intro over a D pedal, mostly in D Phrygian mode. The bass and drums play with a very loose even-8ths feel throughout, with the bass playing mostly whole and half notes with the harmonic rhythm.

Faster than the first version (♩ = 200), this recording has no intro. The rhythm section feel is still relatively loose, but more energized than on "Prism," starting with a 2-feel in the bass. Again, the same feel from the head is used in the solos. On the in head, Don plays the same rhythmic comping figure in measures 3 and 4 of the second A section that he does on the first A in the "Friday A.M." recording; these comping rhythms are shown in our lead sheet.

A very different version of From A To Z in a solo piano setting. Don has the opportunity to stretch out and explore this song's complete melodic and harmonic potential. He plays the entire head rubato, essentially beginning each section at a ballad tempo with many rolled and arpeggiated chords. The first solo chorus goes back and forth between tempo and rubato, eventually settling into a medium up swing (around ♩ = 232) with a contrapuntal linear texture between the two hands. The out head returns to the rubato ballad tempo.

A Don Friedman classic—effortlessly lyrical, with smoothly flowing changes and a melody that is equal parts bossa and baroque. Like other of Don's compositions, this one was recorded several times in different settings and tempos. Our lead sheet comes from this quartet version, the only one with a horn player on the melody.

Though this song begins in G minor, it travels through some other key centers before finishing in B♭ major. Our lead sheets have no key signature. The form is irregular, with a 14-measure first A section. The second A section begins with the same eight measures as the first A and then goes straight to a B section whose first 12 measures are the same as those of the first A transposed up a fourth. This section continues for 10 more measures, developing the phrase first heard in the eighth measure of A over first ascending and then descending changes. The changes throughout are based on II-V7s, with some unexpected cadences such as Am7-D7-E♭maj7 starting in the fifth measure. The melody ends on E♮, the ♯11th of B♭maj7.

This recording is quite fast (♩ = 220). There is an eight-measure bass and drums intro, not shown in our lead sheet; most of the other recordings have no intro. The melody is doubled by piano and tenor sax, over a 2-feel samba groove. The solos go to swing. On this version, as on the others, the chord Don plays at the end of the out head is an A triad over a B♭ triad.

Don Friedman's original manuscript has different rhythms in the melody, with several more syncopations; for example, the long notes in the 3rd and 7th measures are anticipated by an eighth note. These are not played in any of Don's recordings: though he comes up with a variety of expressive interpretations of his own melody, he always plays the long notes of the melody on the downbeat. This recording is more precise than the others, with the melody doubled by piano and tenor sax; for this reason our lead sheets reflect this version.

Don Friedman's duo version with Daryl Johns is straightforward without any added duo arrangement. It's slightly slower than the "Friday AM" version (around quarter note = 208), with no intro. The bass line is more rhythmic in the absence of drums; click on Bass Corner for further details. This bass line continues for the solos.