Rainbow Over Harlem – Jon Burr
Jon Burr's charming medium swing has a memorable, lilting melody.
- Recording: Jon Burr - In My Own Words
- Recorded on: April 7 & 8, 1993
- Label: Cymekob (CYK 804)
- Concert Key: G
- Style: Swing (medium slow)
- Tenor Sax - Rich Perry
- Piano - Bill Charlap
- Bass - Jon Burr
- Drums - Terry Clarke
Our audio excerpt starts with Jon's accented fourth beat melody pick up, which then relaxes into a mellow, sweet medium slow 2-feel swing until punctuated by another fourth beat accent four measures later. Interweaving 2-feel and 4-feel, Jon's beautiful melody moves into a bass pedal section followed by more 2- to 4-feel sections. Rainbow Over Harlem will delight the ears of musicians and listeners alike, and it also works great at slower tempos.
Burr's knack for writing singable melodies is evident here—in fact, this is such a naturally lyrical piece that Jon later put a lyric to it (see the vocal version Rainbow Over Harlem (vocal)).
Burr's knack for writing singable melodies is evident here—in fact, this is such a naturally lyrical piece that Jon later put a lyric to it (see the vocal version Rainbow Over Harlem (vocal)).
This composition was first recorded in 1991, when Jon was a member of the Sir Roland Hanna Quartet
. That recording featured Roland soloing (piano) with tenor saxophonist Bill Easley playing the melody. Roland liked it as a medium groove arrangement and ended it by vamping and fading on the first two measures of Jon's coda.
Check out more of Jon's titles on this album.
. That recording featured Roland soloing (piano) with tenor saxophonist Bill Easley playing the melody. Roland liked it as a medium groove arrangement and ended it by vamping and fading on the first two measures of Jon's coda.Check out more of Jon's titles on this album.
Related Songs
- Rainbow Over Harlem (vocal) - Jon Burr Swing (medium)
Jon Burr
born on May 22, 1953
Renowned bassist Jon Burr is a mainstay in the New York scene. At the age of 16 Charles Mingus asked him to sit in on bass at the Village Vanguard and Jon has steadily risen in the jazz world since then. He has worked alongside many of the jazz giants while cultivating his own unique sound. His early discography shows us that he hit the ground running upon arrival in the Big Apple, and includes recordings with Buddy Rich and Chet Baker. Read more...