New Joy – Roy Hargrove

This lyrical 3/4 song has no key center and no dominant chords; most of the chords are major sevenths. The harmonic motion is largely stepwise; the melody connects the different tonalities with common tones. In the beginning the melody implies an E♭ minor tonality over an Emaj7 chord, using B♭/A♯ (the ♯11th) and G♭/F♯ (the 9th) which connect with the following Gbmaj7 chord. The 24-measure ABC form is repeated twice. In the A section the rhythm section uses a 1-feel, switching to a triplet Latin groove (implied 9/8) on the B and C sections. The B section, which alternates Gmaj7 and Fmaj7, has a rising and falling bass figure. A more chordal rhythm section figure is added for the C section, which alternates sus and major chord qualities over a B pedal. Solos are on the head form, but with a swinging 1-feel throughout. There is no intro or coda; one measure of Emaj7 is added at the end of the out head.

In several places in the melody, four notes fit evenly in the 3/4 measure. These are written with a bracket marked 4:3, but they are also the same as dotted 8th notes. The first two measures of the B section have a different melodic rhythm: one quarter note followed by three quarter-note triplets. This is very close to the 4:3—the first note has to be slightly longer so that the second lines up with beat 2.

A second part is available for the quintet arrangement. The alto sax enters with harmony on the last two measures, the first time through the head. On the second time, the horns are in octaves for the A section. The B section adds an alto countermelody so there are actually three lines going on (trumpet, alto, and the bass line which is also doubled by the piano). The horns are again in octaves for the C section except for the harmony again on the last two measures.

Our E♭ lead sheet is written in the octave that Roy played it on trumpet; alto and baritone saxophonists have the option of playing some or all of the melody an octave below where it's written.

This version is very slightly faster than the "Diamond In The Rough" recording and the arrangement is slightly different. On both repeats of the head, the alto plays the B section countermelody and the harmony in the last two measures, the latter an octave below where it is on the other version. Only Roy has the melody for the A section and most of the C section; in both recordings, he uses a Harmon mute. The B section bass line is not doubled by the piano; the drums play washy swing here, going to the 9/8 Latin groove only on the C section. Here the piano and bass figures from the other version are not played, replaced by more of a loose 1-feel. The Latin groove is also suggested on the C section of the solos.