Journey Of The Three Kings – Don Sickler
A great way to make your holidays gigs memorable!
- Recording: Charlie Rouse - An Uptown Christmas
- Recorded on: July 7, 1988
- Label: Uptown (UP 27.33)
- Concert Key: A minor
- Style: Swing (medium)
- Tenor Sax - Charlie Rouse
- Piano - Walter Davis, Jr.
- Bass - Santi Debriano
- Drums - Victor Lewis
A groovy We Three Kings, stated simply and solemnly over a bass ostinato. The piano comes in on the C section, with simple triad voicings. Solos are over a 3-measure vamp. In addition to the B-flat lead sheets (Trumpet or Tenor Sax) and an E-flat lead sheet, a Concert Condensed Score is available which includes a transposed tenor sax part that will work great for Guitar as well as piano and bass.
The all-star compilation album "An Uptown Christmas" was recorded over seven sessions from 1984 to '88. Walter Davis Jr., Santi Debriano and Victor Lewis played on two other Christmas songs from this session; Jingle Bells as a trio, and Silent Night with baritone saxophonist Sahib Shihab. The rest of the session was for Rouse's album, "Soul Mates," with this quartet plus Shihab and trumpeter Claudio Roditi.
Note from Don Sickler
Back in those days, Uptown wanted to end most of their sessions with the artists playing a Christmas song for a Christmas album that would feature all of Uptown's artists (to be released much later). They often asked me to pick a Christmas song and arrange it for the artist. Thinking about Charlie Rouse, his sound and his elegant use of space during his solos, this song and the arrangement almost immediately came to me. Charlie Rouse: such a giant!
Note from Don Sickler
Back in those days, Uptown wanted to end most of their sessions with the artists playing a Christmas song for a Christmas album that would feature all of Uptown's artists (to be released much later). They often asked me to pick a Christmas song and arrange it for the artist. Thinking about Charlie Rouse, his sound and his elegant use of space during his solos, this song and the arrangement almost immediately came to me. Charlie Rouse: such a giant!
Don Sickler
born on January 6, 1944
Don Sickler, founder of jazzleadsheets.com, was born on January 6, 1944, in Spokane, Washington. Don took up the trumpet at the age of ten and two years later formed his own jazz combo. Don received his Bachelor’s Degree from Gonzaga University, then decided to further his career and studies in New York City at the Manhattan School of Music, where he received his Master’s Degree in Trumpet Performance in 1970. During this time, he also played commercially, subbing on Broadway and playing in show bands and commercial jobs. Read more...