Jewel's Tempo – Booker Little

This bouncy medium-up swinger is classic Booker Little, full of subtle, unexpected convolutions in the melody and changes. The A section is quite tonal in E♭ major but the bridge visits G♭ major and D minor. The form is 32 measures but divided into only three sections: 12-measure A, 8-measure B, and 12-measure C the same as A. The melody has a one-measure pickup with a break that sets up a series of rhythm section figures; these respond to the melody notes in the first three measures of the A section. Another break begins the bridge, set up with a hit on the fourth beat in the previous measure.

A couple of quirks in the changes are smoothed out in the solos. On the head, the 11th measure of the A section has Dm7♭5 followed by B♭7 to resolve back to E♭maj7 in the next measure; in the solos these last two chords are cleverly replaced by G7 and Cm. The third measure of the bridge has an unusual side-slip in the head, Em7 to A♭7 going to D minor; the expected A7 is used instead of A♭7 in the solos.

Second parts are available for the quintet arrangement, as well as a Concert Condensed Score. The second part hits with the rhythm section in the first three measures, but elsewhere the horns are mostly harmonized, often in thirds. The rising whole-tone scale lines in the second half of the bridge alternate between octaves and thirds, with contrary motion in the last measure.

For Booker's solo, click on the Solos tab.