Serenity – Kenny Drew, Sr.
Well titled, this beautiful ballad is one of Kenny Drew's most recorded compositions. We're starting with the original recording by Kenny and bassist Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen; descriptions of other versions will be added soon. A piano melody transcription is available for this recording.
- Recording: Kenny Drew - Duo
- Recorded on: April 2, 1973
- Label: Steeplechase (SCS 1002)
- Concert Key: B-flat
- Style: Ballad
- Piano - Kenny Drew
- Bass - Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen
Video
- Kenny Drew, Jr., performing his father's composition on the Steinway "B" at the Van Gelder Recording Studio, July 10, 2010.
A beautiful ballad, as serene as the title implies. Serenity has a lyrical theme that flows very smoothly throughout. It's a colorful song harmonically, visiting many different key centers through descending and side-slipping II-V7s; the thread of the melodic theme holds it all together. Though the B♭ major tonality is hinted at in the beginning, the only resolution to the tonic is at the very end with an unexpected approach from below.
Kenny Drew recorded Serenity in a wide variety of settings, from duo (as on this original version) up to big band with Ernie Wilkins' Almost Big Band. "Duo" was the first studio album Kenny recorded in Copenhagen as a leader or co-leader. Later in 1973 he recorded a solo piano album, "Everything I Love", followed by "Duo 2" again with Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen in February 1974.
We have a piano melody transcription for this recording. Kenny Drew plays the melody alone on the two A sections; bassist Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen comes in with the melody on the bridge, and Kenny takes the melody again at C with 2-feel in the bass. After two A sections of piano solo and a bridge of bass melody, Kenny again plays the out melody at C. Our transcription shows the entire first chorus and out C, including the bass melody (cue size notes) and Kenny's voicings for the bridge of the in head. Kenny starts the A section melody with some beautiful two-part counterpoint before switching to a more chordal texture in the left hand to set up the bridge.
Besides our lead sheet, we have a lead sheet with piano voicings from Kenny Drew's original manuscript. It shows the melody with his two-handed accompanying voicings in whole and half notes.
Besides our lead sheet, we have a lead sheet with piano voicings from Kenny Drew's original manuscript. It shows the melody with his two-handed accompanying voicings in whole and half notes.
Kenny Drew, Sr.
August 28, 1928 – August 4, 1993
Kenny Drew was born in New York City. He studied classical piano but soon turned to jazz. His recording career started in 1950 at age 22, first with Howard McGhee for Blue Note, then Sonny Stitt for Prestige. These two 1950 recordings plus a surviving radio broadcast with Charlie Parker (December 8, 1950) put him in the company of jazz greats J.J Johnson, Max Roach and Art Blakey. Read more...