Prayer For New Orleans – Steve Davis
Blues-flavored though not technically a blues, this 12/8 Latin song has a rubato intro and coda. Condensed Score, second horn parts and piano part are available for the recorded quintet arrangement.
- Recording: Larry Willis - Blue Fable
- Recorded on: October 2, 2006
- Label: HighNote (HCD 7163)
- Concert Key: E-flat minor
- Vocal Range: , to
- Style: Latin 12/8 (medium)
- Trombone - Steve Davis
- Alto Sax - Joe Ford
- Piano - Larry Willis
- Bass - Eddie Gomez
- Drums - Billy Drummond
Video
- Description
- Historical Notes
- Solos
- Piano Corner
- Bass Corner
- Drum Corner
- Guitar Corner
- Inside & Beyond
- Minus You
Though not a blues, Prayer For New Orleans is in a blues mood throughout. It features a 12/8 Latin groove on most of the head and solos, with a lyrical blues-scale melody over changes that give this melody extra depth. The form is 26 measures: a 14-measure A section and a 12-measure B section. At B, rhythm section hits lead to three deceptive cadences resolving to Am7, Dm7, and finally Emaj7(♯11)—linking back to E♭ minor for the next chorus.
There is a rubato intro CLIP, which returns as the coda. This nine-measure section is in the same style as the head without being melodically or harmonically related: mostly blues scale for the melody, but plenty of tasty side-slips in the changes. After this intro, the drums set up the groove for four measures; piano and bass then come in for eight more measures before the head. This eight-measure vamp is also played between the last solo and the out head. Our Condensed Score shows the bass line here which continues under the melody.
Second parts are available for the two-horn arrangement. In our E♭ lead sheet, the intro and coda are written in the range where alto saxophonist Joe Ford plays on the recording; as this is quite a low register for alto we indicate “optional 8va.”
A piano part is also available, showing Larry Willis' chord figures which start in the vamp before the melody and continue for the first eight measures of the head. These figures and voicings were part of Steve Davis’ original manuscript.
There is a rubato intro CLIP, which returns as the coda. This nine-measure section is in the same style as the head without being melodically or harmonically related: mostly blues scale for the melody, but plenty of tasty side-slips in the changes. After this intro, the drums set up the groove for four measures; piano and bass then come in for eight more measures before the head. This eight-measure vamp is also played between the last solo and the out head. Our Condensed Score shows the bass line here which continues under the melody.
Second parts are available for the two-horn arrangement. In our E♭ lead sheet, the intro and coda are written in the range where alto saxophonist Joe Ford plays on the recording; as this is quite a low register for alto we indicate “optional 8va.”
A piano part is also available, showing Larry Willis' chord figures which start in the vamp before the melody and continue for the first eight measures of the head. These figures and voicings were part of Steve Davis’ original manuscript.
Prayer For New Orleans is Steve Davis' tribute written in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
“Blue Fable” was recorded at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The title track is a Jackie McLean composition; Larry Willis played on Jackie’s original recording of that song in 1965 for his album “Jacknife,” also at Van Gelder’s. Though this 2006 album was Larry’s only recording as a leader with Steve Davis, the pianist recorded on five of Steve’s albums including “For Real” in 2013.
“Blue Fable” was recorded at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The title track is a Jackie McLean composition; Larry Willis played on Jackie’s original recording of that song in 1965 for his album “Jacknife,” also at Van Gelder’s. Though this 2006 album was Larry’s only recording as a leader with Steve Davis, the pianist recorded on five of Steve’s albums including “For Real” in 2013.
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Steve Davis
born on April 14, 1967
Steve Davis is widely regarded as one of today's leading improvisers on the trombone. His lyrical, hard-swinging style first gained him broad recognition during the 1990s while working with the bands of jazz legends Art Blakey, Jackie McLean, Chick Corea's Origin and the cooperative sextet, One For All. Steve also followed in his mentor Curtis Fuller's footsteps by joining saxophone legend Benny Golson and The New Jazztet in 2008. Read more...
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