John Charles – Ronnie Mathews
This post-bop blues was written as a bass feature. It has been recorded several times, with slightly different arrangements.
- Recording: Sterling Place All Stars - Sterling Place All Stars
- Recorded on: July 7 & 8, 1998
- Label: Metropolitan (MR 1117)
- Concert Key: B-flat
- Style: Swing (medium)
- Alto Sax - Vincent Herring
- Piano - Ronnie Mathews
- Bass - Richie Goods
- Drums - Carl Allen
This blues head combines pentatonic lines with more beboppish ones containing chromatic passing tones. The turnaround is the classic blues V7-IV7 instead of the more expected II-V7. The solo changes have this turnaround going to A♭7 (the ♭VII7) instead of the tonic B♭, as in Miles Davis' Freddie Freeloader. The coda, which is basically the same on all recordings, tags the last four measures twice more (the first of these having slightly different changes) then adds on a little piano riff and a single hit.
In this version, the melody is played by piano and bass. This melody lays well on the bass, and it's another great addition to the growing Bass Melody section of our Bass Corner. The final hit in the coda is played here by bass and drums.
In this version, the melody is played by piano and bass. This melody lays well on the bass, and it's another great addition to the growing Bass Melody section of our Bass Corner. The final hit in the coda is played here by bass and drums.
John Charles had been recorded several times before the Sterling Place All Stars album. The first time was on a live Johnny Griffin album, recorded in Paris in 1981 with Ronnie, bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Kenny Washington. In the early '90s it was recorded by Ronnie on his trio album "Lament for Love," and by James Spaulding (also with Ronnie) on the album "Blues Nexus."
For more from the Sterling Place All Stars, check out Salima's Dance.
For more from the Sterling Place All Stars, check out Salima's Dance.
Bass Melodies (Richie Goods, bassist)
A great medium tempo blues head, John Charles is appropriate for a variety of levels. For the beginning to intermediate performer, it is a wonderful study in both ascending and descending eighth note lines as well as how to play on a blues with some harmonic variations. In addition, it will test phrasing skills for there are a number of choice moments that demand a strict staccato marking as well as others that require tenuto length.
For the more advanced to expert practitioners, this is a fine workout of dexterity and intonation. There are a ton of whole and half step intervals in various registers throughout, requiring a refined sense of hand position to nail. This will be a good test of how well one really knows their bass, for if they can play the whole piece in tune and in time, they must have spent a lot of time on their instrument. Lastly, it is a memorable exploration of the Freddie Freeloader chord changes, a strong set of harmonies that have not been probed to their fullest yet.
A great medium tempo blues head, John Charles is appropriate for a variety of levels. For the beginning to intermediate performer, it is a wonderful study in both ascending and descending eighth note lines as well as how to play on a blues with some harmonic variations. In addition, it will test phrasing skills for there are a number of choice moments that demand a strict staccato marking as well as others that require tenuto length.
For the more advanced to expert practitioners, this is a fine workout of dexterity and intonation. There are a ton of whole and half step intervals in various registers throughout, requiring a refined sense of hand position to nail. This will be a good test of how well one really knows their bass, for if they can play the whole piece in tune and in time, they must have spent a lot of time on their instrument. Lastly, it is a memorable exploration of the Freddie Freeloader chord changes, a strong set of harmonies that have not been probed to their fullest yet.
- Recording: Larry Coryell - New High
- Recorded on: September 10, 1999
- Label: HighNote (HCD 7052)
- Concert Key: B-flat
- Style: Swing (medium)
- Guitar - Larry Coryell
- Piano - Ronnie Mathews
- Bass - Buster Williams
- Drums - Yoron Israel
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This version is slower than the Sterling Place All Stars recording. The melody is played by the bass alone the first time through (with drums), and the second time by piano, guitar and bass in unison. On the head out both times are unison. The piano riff in the coda is harmonized by the guitar, and the last hit is tutti.
"New High" was recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs.
This album was the second of Larry's three albums featuring Yoron Israel on drums. The first and third of these, "Monk, Trane, Miles and Me" and "Inner Urge", also have Santi Debriano on bass; the latter includes Santi's composition Abra Cadabra.
Larry Coryell is very much a fan of the composer Harold Land. As "Inner Urge" also versions of Harold Land' Compulsion and Terrain, so does "New High" contain the other Land song from the same original album, Ursula.
This album was the second of Larry's three albums featuring Yoron Israel on drums. The first and third of these, "Monk, Trane, Miles and Me" and "Inner Urge", also have Santi Debriano on bass; the latter includes Santi's composition Abra Cadabra.
Larry Coryell is very much a fan of the composer Harold Land. As "Inner Urge" also versions of Harold Land' Compulsion and Terrain, so does "New High" contain the other Land song from the same original album, Ursula.
Bass Melodies (Buster Williams, bassist)
A great medium tempo blues head, John Charles is appropriate for a variety of levels. For the beginning to intermediate performer, it is a wonderful study in both ascending and descending eighth note lines as well as how to play on a blues with some harmonic variations. In addition, it will test phrasing skills for there are a number of choice moments that demand a strict staccato marking as well as others that require tenuto length.
For the more advanced to expert practitioners, this is a fine workout of dexterity and intonation. There are a ton of whole and half step intervals in various registers throughout, requiring a refined sense of hand position to nail. This will be a good test of how well one really knows their bass, for if they can play the whole piece in tune and in time, they must have spent a lot of time on their instrument. Lastly, it is a memorable exploration of the Freddie Freeloader chord changes, a strong set of harmonies that have not been probed to their fullest yet.
A great medium tempo blues head, John Charles is appropriate for a variety of levels. For the beginning to intermediate performer, it is a wonderful study in both ascending and descending eighth note lines as well as how to play on a blues with some harmonic variations. In addition, it will test phrasing skills for there are a number of choice moments that demand a strict staccato marking as well as others that require tenuto length.
For the more advanced to expert practitioners, this is a fine workout of dexterity and intonation. There are a ton of whole and half step intervals in various registers throughout, requiring a refined sense of hand position to nail. This will be a good test of how well one really knows their bass, for if they can play the whole piece in tune and in time, they must have spent a lot of time on their instrument. Lastly, it is a memorable exploration of the Freddie Freeloader chord changes, a strong set of harmonies that have not been probed to their fullest yet.
Ronnie Mathews
December 2, 1935 – June 28, 2008
Ronnie Mathews was born in Brooklyn, NY. He studied at Brooklyn College, and also with pianist/composer/arranger Hall Overton starting in 1953, then continuing his music education at Manhattan School Of Music from 1955-1958. He played with Gloria Lynne (1958-1960) and started his small group jazz recording career with Charles Persip And The Jazz Statesmen for Bethlehem records on April 2, 1960. He also performed with Kenny Dorham in 1960 and 1961, as well as recording in 1961 on sessions with leaders Clifford Jordan (February 14), Roland Alexander (June 17), his own trio session for Savoy (June 19, unissued), Bill Hardman (October 18), and Junior Cook (December 4). Read more...