Rat Race Blues – Gigi Gryce
Rat race, indeed. Piano, trumpet and alto sax play the theme in three different keys. Melody, 1st and 2nd parts; C treble clef edition includes bass & drum notation.
- Recording: Gigi Gryce - The Rat Race Blues
- Recorded on: June 7, 1960
- Label: New Jazz (NJ 8262)
- Concert Key: A-flat
- Style: Swing (uptempo)
- Trumpet - Richard Williams
- Alto Sax - Gigi Gryce
- Piano - Richard Wyands
- Bass - Julian Euell
- Drums - Mickey Roker
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Our audio excerpt starts with the intro, giving you a two-horn glimpse of the theme, followed by the piano playing the theme. After the piano solos (A-flat blues), the theme takes on a new look, and the trumpet joins the piano in the middle of the theme by playing it in F concert, and then solos (F blues.) When composer/alto saxophonist Gigi Gryce joins in, he plays the theme in B-flat concert. Eventually all three are playing the theme in three different keys.
Although the original theme stated by the piano is cued in all lead sheets, the other editions are labeled 1st and 2nd parts to complete this three-front-line composition. The C treble clef lead sheet includes notation for bass and drums.
Although the original theme stated by the piano is cued in all lead sheets, the other editions are labeled 1st and 2nd parts to complete this three-front-line composition. The C treble clef lead sheet includes notation for bass and drums.
"The Rat Race Blues" was recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs.
In 1960, Gigi recorded three albums as a leader for the New Jazz label: "Saying Somethin'" on March 11, "The Hap'nin's" on May 3 (see Nica's Tempo), and "The Rat Race Blues" on June 7. The three sessions all took place in the first year of engineer Rudy Van Gelder's new Englewood Cliffs studio. Gigi also expanded Rat Race Blues into a more extended work and recorded it for the film maker Fred Baker. Baker created his film "On The Sound" to Gigi's recorded score and played the music on location (Long Island Sound) for the dancers. The film won the USA Golden Eagle for 1963, and Special Mention and Selection representing the USA at the 1963 Edinburgh, Berlin and Venice International Film Festivals. Here's a link to the online video.
Learn more about Gigi Gryce at Noal Cohen's Jazz History website. Also see Gryce's discography.
In 1960, Gigi recorded three albums as a leader for the New Jazz label: "Saying Somethin'" on March 11, "The Hap'nin's" on May 3 (see Nica's Tempo), and "The Rat Race Blues" on June 7. The three sessions all took place in the first year of engineer Rudy Van Gelder's new Englewood Cliffs studio. Gigi also expanded Rat Race Blues into a more extended work and recorded it for the film maker Fred Baker. Baker created his film "On The Sound" to Gigi's recorded score and played the music on location (Long Island Sound) for the dancers. The film won the USA Golden Eagle for 1963, and Special Mention and Selection representing the USA at the 1963 Edinburgh, Berlin and Venice International Film Festivals. Here's a link to the online video.
Learn more about Gigi Gryce at Noal Cohen's Jazz History website. Also see Gryce's discography.
Gigi Gryce
November 28, 1925 – March 17, 1983
Gigi Gryce was a fine altoist in the 1950s, but it was his writing skills, both composing and arranging (including composing the standard Minority) that were considered most notable. After growing up in Hartford, CT, and studying at the Boston Conservatory and in Paris, Gryce worked in New York with Max Roach, Tadd Dameron, and Clifford Brown. He toured Europe in 1953 with Lionel Hampton and led several sessions in France on that trip. Read more...