Sans Souci – Gigi Gryce
Another classic Gryce contrafact (this time based on Out Of Nowhere changes): Gigi's Latin melody is preceded by an eight-measure set up intro (check out how Gigi develops this intro in the second recording), swing solos, second parts, and a great shout chorus. With this Gryce composition you can be worry-free and just have fun, especially with "The Gigi Gryce Project" Minus You audio tracks.
- Recording: Art Farmer - Art Farmer Quintet Featuring Gigi Gryce
- Recorded on: October 21, 1955
- Label: Prestige (PRLP 7017)
- Concert Key: G
- Style: Latin (Bolero)
- Trumpet - Art Farmer
- Alto Sax - Gigi Gryce
- Piano - Duke Jordan
- Bass - Addison Farmer
- Drums - Philly Joe Jones
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Video
- Lenny Breau, guitar; with Dave Young, bass; Wayne Finucan, drums; unknown trumpet and alto sax; on TV in 1961.
- Aziolo Bop Quintet. Fête de la Musique 2014 - Lausanne
Our audio excerpt starts with an eight-measure intro for all members of the quintet (clearly notated in all parts). This is a classic Gigi Gryce melody based on "Out Of Nowhere" changes. The melody is Latin and the solos are swing.
Gigi's entire arrangement is notated including his "shout chorus." The shout chorus is another interesting melody, this time swing; the new melody's two A sections are also based on "Out Of Nowhere" changes. The rest of the shout chorus on the original recording is a Bass solo. Chord symbols are in all parts so anyone can solo in this section of the "shout."
In addition to the horn melody lead sheets, separate second parts are also available so you can play it, as Gigi originally did, with a quintet.
Gigi's entire arrangement is notated including his "shout chorus." The shout chorus is another interesting melody, this time swing; the new melody's two A sections are also based on "Out Of Nowhere" changes. The rest of the shout chorus on the original recording is a Bass solo. Chord symbols are in all parts so anyone can solo in this section of the "shout."
In addition to the horn melody lead sheets, separate second parts are also available so you can play it, as Gigi originally did, with a quintet.
"Art Farmer Quintet Featuring Gigi Gryce" was recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's legendary Hackensack Studio.
This is the first recording of Sans Souci. Gigi also recorded it with Donald Byrd in 1957, and Gigi's old boss Lionel Hampton recorded it in 1982 and 1983. Gigi, along with Clifford Brown and others, were in Hampton's 1953 band, discussed in other historical notes (see Salute To Birdland, for example).
Learn more about Gigi Gryce at Noal Cohen's Jazz History website. Also see Gryce's discography.
Check out other titles recorded on this album.
This is the first recording of Sans Souci. Gigi also recorded it with Donald Byrd in 1957, and Gigi's old boss Lionel Hampton recorded it in 1982 and 1983. Gigi, along with Clifford Brown and others, were in Hampton's 1953 band, discussed in other historical notes (see Salute To Birdland, for example).
Learn more about Gigi Gryce at Noal Cohen's Jazz History website. Also see Gryce's discography.
Check out other titles recorded on this album.
- Recording: Donald Byrd - Gigi Gryce - Jazz Lab
- Recorded on: February 5, 1957
- Label: Columbia (CL 998)
- Concert Key: G
- Style: Latin (Bolero)
- Trumpet - Donald Byrd
- Alto Sax - Gigi Gryce
- Piano, Celeste - Tommy Flanagan
- Bass - Wendell Marshall
- Drums - Art Taylor
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As with Social Call, the tempo is much faster on the Donald Byrd recording than on the original one with Art Farmer. Not much else is different about this version. The intro and coda are longer and feature pianist Tommy Flanagan on celeste. The intro is repeated twice; the first time begins with four measures of solo celeste, with bass entering in the fifth measure and drums in the seventh. The horns come in the second time through the intro; the reverse situation happens in the coda, which begins with the horns on the melody and then vamps and fades with the rhythm section while the horns hold the last note.
This album also contains a version of Blue Concept [coming soon] and a nonet arrangement of Nica's Tempo. Click on Blue Concept for more details about the three albums titled "Jazz Lab" The rhythm section on this session also recorded in 1959 with vibraphonist Lem Winchester. Tommy Flanagan and Wendell Marshall, who first recorded together on this Jazz Lab session, went on to record extensively together in the early '60s with Coleman Hawkins, Kenny Burrell, Bobby Jaspar and others. Flanagan and Art Taylor had done two albums together previously to the Jazz Lab session, one with Burrell and one with Miles Davis; they had also recorded with Milt Jackson and John Jenkins by the time of their appearance on John Coltrane's classic "Giant Steps" album.
- Recording: Gigi Gryce - The Gigi Gryce Project
- Recorded on: September 1, 1999
- Label: jazzleadsheets.com (JLS 1024)
- Concert Key: G
- Style: Latin (Bolero)
- Flute - Bobby Porcelli
- Tenor Sax - Ralph Moore
- Piano - Richard Wyands
- Bass - Peter Washington
- Drums - Kenny Washington
Our "Gigi Gryce Project" version splits the difference in tempo between those of the slower Art Farmer and faster Jazz Lab Quintet recordings. The arrangement differs from both versions mostly in the intro and coda. The intro is an extension of the first recording's intro: the eight-measure phrase is first played by the piano (with bass and drums), then improvised over by flute (four measures) and tenor sax (four measures); the two horns then play the intro melody a third time with the piano soloing. The horns play the same melody for the coda; the eight-measure phrase is played one more time to the last chord, with the horns again trading.
The Minus Melody tracks do not have the shout/bass solo chorus which is in our Minus You tracks for piano, bass, and drums. For the sake of consistency, we have labeled the two eight-measure phrases of the coda X and Y for both the melody and rhythm section parts, so that they have the same letters whether or not there is a shout chorus.
The Minus Melody tracks do not have the shout/bass solo chorus which is in our Minus You tracks for piano, bass, and drums. For the sake of consistency, we have labeled the two eight-measure phrases of the coda X and Y for both the melody and rhythm section parts, so that they have the same letters whether or not there is a shout chorus.
"The Gigi Gryce Project" was recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs.
Bobby Porcelli, long-time friend and often bandmate of Don Sickler, was a perfect foil for Ralph Moore's tenor sax. In this track, Bobby switches to flute, even for his solo.
Bobby Porcelli, long-time friend and often bandmate of Don Sickler, was a perfect foil for Ralph Moore's tenor sax. In this track, Bobby switches to flute, even for his solo.
Exclusive Minus You audio tracks
mp3 Form of the full track (our clip starts at the melody):
-- intro
-- melody
-- flute solo 1 chorus
-- tenor sax solo 1 chorus
-- piano solo 1 chorus
-- shout chorus (E with bass solo F, twice)
-- out melody
-- coda
mp3 minus melody (our clip starts with the intro)
-- count off sets up the intro
-- intro: tacet first time through the first 8 measures, solo second time, then play the melody for the last 8 measures
-- mp3 play the melody
-- solo 2 choruses
-- play the out melody
-- play the coda (solo at Y until the last two measures)
mp3 minus Piano
-- count off sets up the intro
-- intro: play the melody and then solo on the last 8 measures
-- comp for the melody
-- comp for the flute and tenor solos (1 chorus each)
-- solo 1 chorus
-- comp for the shout chorus (E with bass solo F, twice)
-- comp for the out melody
-- coda: solo at X, play the melody at Y
mp3 minus Bass
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play figures for the intro
-- 2-feel (Latin) for the melody
-- walk for the flute, tenor, and piano solos (1 chorus each)
-- shout chorus: walk at E, solo at F (twice)
-- 2-feel (Latin) for the out melody
-- play figures for the coda
mp3 minus Drums—sticks throughout
-- count off sets up the intro
-- comp for the intro and melody - Latin
-- comp for the flute, tenor sax, and piano solos (1 chorus each) - swing
-- comp for the shout chorus (E with bass solo F, twice) - swing
-- comp for the out melody and coda - Latin
mp3 bass & drums only By eliminating the comping piano track from the minus melody track, we made a track where the pianist can play the melody and be featured throughout. This bass & drums only track also works great as a feature for guitar or any other instrument (tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins loved to play with just bass and drums, for example). Perfect for an audition tape.
-- count off sets up the intro
-- intro: tacet first time through the first 8 measures, solo second time, then play the melody for the last 8 measures
-- [clip] play the melody
-- solo 2 choruses
-- play the out melody
-- play the coda (solo at Y until the last two measures)
mp3 Form of the full track (our clip starts at the melody):
-- intro
-- melody
-- flute solo 1 chorus
-- tenor sax solo 1 chorus
-- piano solo 1 chorus
-- shout chorus (E with bass solo F, twice)
-- out melody
-- coda
mp3 minus melody (our clip starts with the intro)
-- count off sets up the intro
-- intro: tacet first time through the first 8 measures, solo second time, then play the melody for the last 8 measures
-- mp3 play the melody
-- solo 2 choruses
-- play the out melody
-- play the coda (solo at Y until the last two measures)
mp3 minus Piano
-- count off sets up the intro
-- intro: play the melody and then solo on the last 8 measures
-- comp for the melody
-- comp for the flute and tenor solos (1 chorus each)
-- solo 1 chorus
-- comp for the shout chorus (E with bass solo F, twice)
-- comp for the out melody
-- coda: solo at X, play the melody at Y
mp3 minus Bass
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play figures for the intro
-- 2-feel (Latin) for the melody
-- walk for the flute, tenor, and piano solos (1 chorus each)
-- shout chorus: walk at E, solo at F (twice)
-- 2-feel (Latin) for the out melody
-- play figures for the coda
mp3 minus Drums—sticks throughout
-- count off sets up the intro
-- comp for the intro and melody - Latin
-- comp for the flute, tenor sax, and piano solos (1 chorus each) - swing
-- comp for the shout chorus (E with bass solo F, twice) - swing
-- comp for the out melody and coda - Latin
mp3 bass & drums only By eliminating the comping piano track from the minus melody track, we made a track where the pianist can play the melody and be featured throughout. This bass & drums only track also works great as a feature for guitar or any other instrument (tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins loved to play with just bass and drums, for example). Perfect for an audition tape.
-- count off sets up the intro
-- intro: tacet first time through the first 8 measures, solo second time, then play the melody for the last 8 measures
-- [clip] play the melody
-- solo 2 choruses
-- play the out melody
-- play the coda (solo at Y until the last two measures)
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...