Reverence – Jim Rotondi

This 3/4 swinger features an eight-measure bass line that is not played with the melody or in the solo form, but appears as an intro and interlude within the head. Both this bass line and the melody are based on the rhythmic idea of anticipating each measure with triplets on the third beat. The bass line is angular and fourth-based, covering a wide range; on the recording it is doubled by the piano. After the bass line repeated twice as an intro (only the last repeat is included in the audio clip above), the eight-measure A section features a lyrical, diatonic melody starting with three measures of simple stop-time figures. Two A sections are followed by the bass line again. Then there is a second, 12-measure melodic section (C on the lead sheets), with a somewhat more angular melody and harmonies; these at first imply an E minor tonality but go a few other places before leading back to F minor. The bass line returns again before the solos.

It's an unusual form not unlike Peter Bernstein's Lullaby For B, but with a bit more definition in the form due to the melody dropping out for the bass-line interlude. The solo form is the equivalent of two A sections, a C section, and another eight measures alternating Fm7 and E♭m7 (with G♭7 at the end to lead back to the top). The out head has the same form as the in head, with the bass-line section after C leading to a final chord.

A bass part is available showing what Peter Washington plays on the in head of this recording; click on the Bass Corner tab for more details.