Stupendous-Lee – Gigi Gryce
A very happy swinging tune with an intricate second part. Transcriptions of both Gigi Gryce's alto sax solo and Art Farmer's trumpet solo are available from the original recording. Our "Gigi Gryce Project" version has Minus You tracks for all instruments.
- Recording: Art Farmer - When Farmer Met Gryce
- Recorded on: May 19, 1954
- Label: Prestige (PRLP 7085)
- Concert Key: F
- Style: Swing (medium)
- Trumpet - Art Farmer
- Alto Sax - Gigi Gryce
- Piano - Horace Silver
- Bass - Percy Heath
- Drums - Kenny Clarke
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- Jazz mandolinist Leif Larsson.
This interesting horn melody over a great original flowing chord progression was first recorded as a unison front line melody (as Au Tabou, discussed in the Historical Notes for "The Gigi Gryce Project" recording—above right). In the Farmer/Gryce recording (Gigi's only recording of it himself), he wrote himself a harmony part and made it into a delightful quintet arrangement with Art Farmer playing the lead. Here again, as with Social Call, Gigi wrote a whole new A section out chorus melody which goes back to the original bridge (Latin in his quintet arrangement, it was swing in the previous recording). B-flat horn players may want to also check out a different way to further explore this composition. Read the Historical Notes for the Gryce Project recording.
You'll find what's necessary for Gigi's quintet arrangement (Concert Condensed Score and second parts) under EXTRAS.
This is the arrangement used on our "Gigi Gryce Project" recording.
You'll find what's necessary for Gigi's quintet arrangement (Concert Condensed Score and second parts) under EXTRAS.
This is the arrangement used on our "Gigi Gryce Project" recording.
"When Farmer Met Gryce" was recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's legendary Hackensack Studio.
Stupendous-Lee is dedicated to Gigi's wife, Eleanor "Lee" Sears. This composition was first recorded on November 2, 1953, in Paris, France, and was listed as Au Tabou on the original issue. Pianist Henri Renaud and his quintet recorded an entire album of Gigi's music: "Henri Renaud Quintet - Joue Gigi Gryce" (Vogue LD 174). Gigi was present in the studio for that session, and had been recording with Henri Renaud in Paris since September of that year himself. Gigi was on tour in Paris with Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra.
Check out other titles recorded on "When Farmer Met Gryce."
Learn more about Gigi Gryce at Noal Cohen's Jazz History website. Also see Gryce's discography.
Stupendous-Lee is dedicated to Gigi's wife, Eleanor "Lee" Sears. This composition was first recorded on November 2, 1953, in Paris, France, and was listed as Au Tabou on the original issue. Pianist Henri Renaud and his quintet recorded an entire album of Gigi's music: "Henri Renaud Quintet - Joue Gigi Gryce" (Vogue LD 174). Gigi was present in the studio for that session, and had been recording with Henri Renaud in Paris since September of that year himself. Gigi was on tour in Paris with Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra.
Check out other titles recorded on "When Farmer Met Gryce."
Learn more about Gigi Gryce at Noal Cohen's Jazz History website. Also see Gryce's discography.
Transcribed Alto Sax and Trumpet Solos: Don Sickler: "More great solos by both Gigi Gryce and Art Farmer. Gigi alto is the first soloist, and Art trumpet is the second soloist on the recording. Our audio excerpts show you one example of how each of these great artists navigate the chromatic downward half step dominant seventh chord progression in the bridge. I can remember in my youth how this type of progression knocked me for a loop for quite a while. All of Gigi's and Art's articulations are carefully notated. B-flat and concert editions are available for both solos."
- Recording: Gigi Gryce - The Gigi Gryce Project
- Recorded on: September 1, 1999
- Label: jazzleadsheets.com (JLS 1024)
- Concert Key: F
- Style: Swing (medium)
- Alto Sax - Bobby Porcelli
- Tenor Sax - Ralph Moore
- Piano - Richard Wyands
- Bass - Peter Washington
- Drums - Kenny Washington
Don Sickler: Our audio clip starts with the intro. It's actually the same intro Gigi used in his quintet recording, except instead of using the piano, which was featured in Gigi's recording, I orchestrated it as an alternating horn feature. For our Gryce Project quintet recording I also remained faithful to Gigi's second part lines, except I started the melody with the alto sax, switching roles for the bridge where the tenor sax has the melody while the alto sax plays harmony.
Note that the parts available here are different from those under the "When Farmer Met Gryce" album cover (above, left). Our lead sheet editions are true to the expanded form of this arrangement and are designed for any melody instrument to use with our minus melody Minus You track. Click on the Minus You tab for more specific information.
Note that the parts available here are different from those under the "When Farmer Met Gryce" album cover (above, left). Our lead sheet editions are true to the expanded form of this arrangement and are designed for any melody instrument to use with our minus melody Minus You track. Click on the Minus You tab for more specific information.
"The Gigi Gryce Project" was recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs.
This composition was first recorded on a November 2, 1953, Henri Renaud session in Paris, France, under a different title, Au Tabou. Gigi was at the session, but not playing. Bobby Jaspar was the saxophonist (tenor). In the six months between that session and the "When Farmer Met Gryce" session, Gigi made some fundamental changes: the concert key was changed from E♭ to F; he added a harmony part from the start of the melody; he changed the bridge to Latin, instead of swing; he created a new out melody A section; and he changed the title to honor his wife, Lee Sears.
Don Sickler: Once I secured Ralph Moore for my Gigi Gryce Project, I definitely wanted to include Salute To Birdland and Stupendous-Lee, because I had the honor to record both with Ralph on a Jimmy Gourley session in 1986. Gourley was revisiting songs that he had recorded years before when he was the guitarist on the original recordings of these songs. Because of Jimmy, Ralph and I were introduced to Stupendous-Lee as Au Tabou, and we recorded it in E♭ measure [>] . Lucky Ralph has recorded and soloed on it in both keys. Here's a clip of the original Henri Renaud recording with Gourley [>]. Again, note that the bridge is swing.
If B-flat horn players want some more fun, they can get the C lead sheet here (which is in F, thereby becoming the B-flat lead sheet for the original key) and play along with either of the Au Taboo tracks.
Richard Wyands was Don Sickler's first choice as pianist for the "Gigi Gryce Project" recording, since he played with Gigi on seven albums in 1960 and 1961. Both Kenny and Peter Washington were frequent visitors to the rehearsal studio at Second Floor Music on 28th Street and had been involved with Don Sickler on many projects. Bobby Porcelli had been in Don's life since the 1970s when they were introduced by the pianist Rodgers Grant. Rodgers was the first composer to trust his compositions to Second Floor Music. Ralph Moore, also part of the Second Floor Music musical family, was a ideal front line mate for Bobby.
This composition was first recorded on a November 2, 1953, Henri Renaud session in Paris, France, under a different title, Au Tabou. Gigi was at the session, but not playing. Bobby Jaspar was the saxophonist (tenor). In the six months between that session and the "When Farmer Met Gryce" session, Gigi made some fundamental changes: the concert key was changed from E♭ to F; he added a harmony part from the start of the melody; he changed the bridge to Latin, instead of swing; he created a new out melody A section; and he changed the title to honor his wife, Lee Sears.
Don Sickler: Once I secured Ralph Moore for my Gigi Gryce Project, I definitely wanted to include Salute To Birdland and Stupendous-Lee, because I had the honor to record both with Ralph on a Jimmy Gourley session in 1986. Gourley was revisiting songs that he had recorded years before when he was the guitarist on the original recordings of these songs. Because of Jimmy, Ralph and I were introduced to Stupendous-Lee as Au Tabou, and we recorded it in E♭ measure [>] . Lucky Ralph has recorded and soloed on it in both keys. Here's a clip of the original Henri Renaud recording with Gourley [>]. Again, note that the bridge is swing.
If B-flat horn players want some more fun, they can get the C lead sheet here (which is in F, thereby becoming the B-flat lead sheet for the original key) and play along with either of the Au Taboo tracks.
Richard Wyands was Don Sickler's first choice as pianist for the "Gigi Gryce Project" recording, since he played with Gigi on seven albums in 1960 and 1961. Both Kenny and Peter Washington were frequent visitors to the rehearsal studio at Second Floor Music on 28th Street and had been involved with Don Sickler on many projects. Bobby Porcelli had been in Don's life since the 1970s when they were introduced by the pianist Rodgers Grant. Rodgers was the first composer to trust his compositions to Second Floor Music. Ralph Moore, also part of the Second Floor Music musical family, was a ideal front line mate for Bobby.
All Minus You versions except for Minus Melody have the same form as the full quintet track.
clip excerpt of full track
-- intro
-- melody
-- tenor sax solo 2 choruses
-- alto sax solo 2 choruses (starts with 4-measure "send-off" from the shout chorus)
-- shout chorus 2 A sections
-- piano solo B, C, then another full chorus
-- out melody
mp3 minus melody - Minus You for all melody instruments - the piano solo has been taken out, as well as the two A sections of the out melody—the last chorus is a shout chorus going back to the head at the bridge, like the out chorus melody on the "When Farmer Met Gryce" recording. Note: if two horns want to play with this track together, just use any of the second part editions from the Farmer/Gryce recording along with the Minus You melody part.
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play the intro and melody
-- solo 2 choruses (performance edition has only these 2 solo choruses, then goes directly to the shout chorus)
-- tacet for saxes "send off" at the beginning of the next chorus - this is the only place the saxes have been left in for this track
-- continue soloing 2 more choruses
-- play the shout chorus
-- play the out melody from the B section
mp3 minus piano - pianists should get the rhythm section part
-- count off sets up the intro
-- comp for the intro and melody
-- comp for the tenor sax solo 2 choruses
-- comp for the alto sax solo 2 choruses
-- comp for the shout chorus 2 A sections
-- solo B, C, and another full chorus
-- comp for the out melody
mp3 minus bass - bassists should get the rhythm section part
-- count off sets up the intro
-- 2-feel for the intro
-- walk for the melody (Latin on the B section)
-- walk for the tenor sax solo 2 choruses
-- walk for the alto sax solo 2 choruses
-- walk for the shout chorus 2 A sections
-- walk for the piano solo B, C, and another full chorus
-- walk for the out melody (Latin on the B section)
mp3 minus drums - drummers should get the rhythm section part
-- count off sets up the intro
-- 2-feel for the intro
-- comp for the melody (Latin on the B section)
-- comp for the tenor sax solo 2 choruses
-- comp for the alto sax solo 2 choruses
-- comp for the shout chorus 2 A sections
-- comp for the piano solo B, C, and another full chorus
-- comp for the out melody (Latin on the B section)
[clip] 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
-- play the intro and melody
-- solo 4 choruses
-- play the shout chorus
-- play the out melody from the B section
clip excerpt of full track
-- intro
-- melody
-- tenor sax solo 2 choruses
-- alto sax solo 2 choruses (starts with 4-measure "send-off" from the shout chorus)
-- shout chorus 2 A sections
-- piano solo B, C, then another full chorus
-- out melody
mp3 minus melody - Minus You for all melody instruments - the piano solo has been taken out, as well as the two A sections of the out melody—the last chorus is a shout chorus going back to the head at the bridge, like the out chorus melody on the "When Farmer Met Gryce" recording. Note: if two horns want to play with this track together, just use any of the second part editions from the Farmer/Gryce recording along with the Minus You melody part.
-- count off sets up the intro
-- play the intro and melody
-- solo 2 choruses (performance edition has only these 2 solo choruses, then goes directly to the shout chorus)
-- tacet for saxes "send off" at the beginning of the next chorus - this is the only place the saxes have been left in for this track
-- continue soloing 2 more choruses
-- play the shout chorus
-- play the out melody from the B section
mp3 minus piano - pianists should get the rhythm section part
-- count off sets up the intro
-- comp for the intro and melody
-- comp for the tenor sax solo 2 choruses
-- comp for the alto sax solo 2 choruses
-- comp for the shout chorus 2 A sections
-- solo B, C, and another full chorus
-- comp for the out melody
mp3 minus bass - bassists should get the rhythm section part
-- count off sets up the intro
-- 2-feel for the intro
-- walk for the melody (Latin on the B section)
-- walk for the tenor sax solo 2 choruses
-- walk for the alto sax solo 2 choruses
-- walk for the shout chorus 2 A sections
-- walk for the piano solo B, C, and another full chorus
-- walk for the out melody (Latin on the B section)
mp3 minus drums - drummers should get the rhythm section part
-- count off sets up the intro
-- 2-feel for the intro
-- comp for the melody (Latin on the B section)
-- comp for the tenor sax solo 2 choruses
-- comp for the alto sax solo 2 choruses
-- comp for the shout chorus 2 A sections
-- comp for the piano solo B, C, and another full chorus
-- comp for the out melody (Latin on the B section)
[clip] 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
-- play the intro and melody
-- solo 4 choruses
-- play the shout chorus
-- play the out melody from the B section
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...