Sweet Talk – Roland Alexander
This sultry medium swinger is a contrast to some of Roland Alexander's edgier, more driving compositions. Our exclusive version, the first recording, has Minus You tracks available for all instruments along with the recorded quintet arrangement.
- Recording: Taru Alexander - Kojo Time
- Recorded on: September 21, 2014
- Label: jazzleadsheets.com (JLS 1020)
- Concert Key: C minor
- Vocal Range: , to
- Style: Swing (medium)
- Trumpet - Don Sickler
- Alto Sax - Elijah Shiffer
- Piano - Ben Rosenblum
- Bass - Marty Jaffe
- Drums - Taru Alexander
Video
- Description
- Historical Notes
- Solos
- Piano Corner
- Bass Corner
- Drum Corner
- Guitar Corner
- Inside & Beyond
- Minus You
Subdued and sultry, this medium-tempo song provides a contrast to the bold, angular nature of some other Roland Alexander compositions. Sweet Talk has an almost Freddie Redd-like quality in its combination of slightly bluesy melodic material and bebop-ish rhythms. The changes are relatively diatonic, with the bridge going to G minor and F minor. There are a few unexpected resolutions in the A section, based on IIm7♭5-I without a V chord; this appears in the first two measures. The sixth measure of Roland Alexander's original lead sheet had Dm7♭5 but not G7; the G7 is played most of the time on the recording, so we've included it in parentheses.
Notable rhythm section figures are included in all lead sheets and parts, such as a bass figure in triplets which sets up the A and C sections. Because this quintet arrangement has the horns alternating on the melody, our lead sheet (which is also the Minus You melody part) is separate from the quintet 1st part. The quintet arrangement also has a few different articulations from the original lead sheet, and some of the two-horn voicings suggest minor sixth chord qualities (written in the parts) where the lead sheet shows minor triads. The C section has the horn voicings switch, with the trumpet and alto sax alternating the melody and harmony, almost every measure.
Our rhythm section parts are concert condensed scores that show the two-horn arrangement. The piano and drum parts are the same, and the bass part shows the triplet bass figures that set up the A and C sections. Check out other compositions from the "Kojo Time" album.
Notable rhythm section figures are included in all lead sheets and parts, such as a bass figure in triplets which sets up the A and C sections. Because this quintet arrangement has the horns alternating on the melody, our lead sheet (which is also the Minus You melody part) is separate from the quintet 1st part. The quintet arrangement also has a few different articulations from the original lead sheet, and some of the two-horn voicings suggest minor sixth chord qualities (written in the parts) where the lead sheet shows minor triads. The C section has the horn voicings switch, with the trumpet and alto sax alternating the melody and harmony, almost every measure.
Our rhythm section parts are concert condensed scores that show the two-horn arrangement. The piano and drum parts are the same, and the bass part shows the triplet bass figures that set up the A and C sections. Check out other compositions from the "Kojo Time" album.
"Kojo Time" was recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs.
Don Sickler: This one was a lucky find. Horace Silver had originally published it for Roland, but the title didn't appear anywhere because it was registered at the copyright office in 1961 under the folio name of "Uptown Suite" (which also contained Roland's composition Uptown). After I renewed the folio for Roland in 1989, Horace sent me the manuscripts that were registered as "Uptown Suite," and Sweet Talk was one of the three titles. They were all just single line lead sheets.
Don Sickler: This one was a lucky find. Horace Silver had originally published it for Roland, but the title didn't appear anywhere because it was registered at the copyright office in 1961 under the folio name of "Uptown Suite" (which also contained Roland's composition Uptown). After I renewed the folio for Roland in 1989, Horace sent me the manuscripts that were registered as "Uptown Suite," and Sweet Talk was one of the three titles. They were all just single line lead sheets.
The count-off on the Sweet Talk Minus Drum track will lead straight into the melody with a two-measure bass pickup. The song was recorded a hair slower than Monk's Moments and the form is 32 bars of AABA. The composer's son and drummer on the recording, Taru Alexander, plays brushes for the A sections while the bass player keeps a 2-feel. For the B section, the bass player goes to a 4-feel and Taru follows suit by switching to sticks on the ride cymbal and playing regular swing time. When the final A section comes back around, he seamlessly switches back to brushes corresponding with the 2-feel in the bass. You can also play the A sections with sticks in a 2-feel; your options are limitless with Minus You tracks.
Listen to the end of the piano solo (preceding the out melody) on the full recording. Taru's transition to brushes here is frankly less than seamless, but we can learn from his recovery and eventual transition. He starts the out head with sticks playing time on his hi-hat, another great way to play a 2-feel. Alexander then uses his foot on the hi-hat pedal to maintain a sonic presence while his hands switch from sticks to brushes, a great technique. He uses the same technique while switching to sticks before the top of the out bridge. Interestingly, Taru then stays on sticks after the bridge for the last A section and the ending. Any number of combinations of hi-hat time, sticks and brushes could work for this song, as long as your feel corresponds to what's happening in the bass.
Listen to the end of the piano solo (preceding the out melody) on the full recording. Taru's transition to brushes here is frankly less than seamless, but we can learn from his recovery and eventual transition. He starts the out head with sticks playing time on his hi-hat, another great way to play a 2-feel. Alexander then uses his foot on the hi-hat pedal to maintain a sonic presence while his hands switch from sticks to brushes, a great technique. He uses the same technique while switching to sticks before the top of the out bridge. Interestingly, Taru then stays on sticks after the bridge for the last A section and the ending. Any number of combinations of hi-hat time, sticks and brushes could work for this song, as long as your feel corresponds to what's happening in the bass.
Exclusive Minus You audio tracks
CLIP The format of this track is quite simple:
-- melody
-- bass solo 1 chorus
-- alto sax solo 1 chorus
-- piano solo 1 chorus
-- out melody
mp3 minus melody
-- count off sets up the melody
-- play the melody
-- solo 1 chorus
-- play the out melody
mp3 minus Piano
-- count off sets up the melody
-- comp and play figures for the melody
-- comp for the bass and alto sax solos (1 chorus each)
-- solo 1 chorus
-- comp and play figures for the out melody
mp3 minus Bass
-- count off sets up the melody
-- 2-feel, 4-feel and figures for the melody
-- solo 1 chorus
-- walk for the alto sax and piano solos (1 chorus each)
-- 2-feel, 4-feel and figures for the out melody
mp3 minus Drums - Taru Alexander uses brushes on the melody and bass solo, switching to sticks for the alto sax and piano solos and out melody. Other combinations of sticks and brushes can be used.
-- count off sets up the melody
-- comp and play figures for the melody
-- comp for the bass, alto sax, and piano solos (1 chorus each)
-- comp and play figures for the out melody
mp3 bass & drums only—to feature piano, guitar, vibes, or any melodic instrument that likes to play without harmonic accompaniment.
-- count off sets up the melody
-- play the melody
-- solo 1 chorus
-- play the out melody
CLIP The format of this track is quite simple:
-- melody
-- bass solo 1 chorus
-- alto sax solo 1 chorus
-- piano solo 1 chorus
-- out melody
mp3 minus melody
-- count off sets up the melody
-- play the melody
-- solo 1 chorus
-- play the out melody
mp3 minus Piano
-- count off sets up the melody
-- comp and play figures for the melody
-- comp for the bass and alto sax solos (1 chorus each)
-- solo 1 chorus
-- comp and play figures for the out melody
mp3 minus Bass
-- count off sets up the melody
-- 2-feel, 4-feel and figures for the melody
-- solo 1 chorus
-- walk for the alto sax and piano solos (1 chorus each)
-- 2-feel, 4-feel and figures for the out melody
mp3 minus Drums - Taru Alexander uses brushes on the melody and bass solo, switching to sticks for the alto sax and piano solos and out melody. Other combinations of sticks and brushes can be used.
-- count off sets up the melody
-- comp and play figures for the melody
-- comp for the bass, alto sax, and piano solos (1 chorus each)
-- comp and play figures for the out melody
mp3 bass & drums only—to feature piano, guitar, vibes, or any melodic instrument that likes to play without harmonic accompaniment.
-- count off sets up the melody
-- play the melody
-- solo 1 chorus
-- play the out melody
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Roland Alexander
September 25, 1935 – June 14, 2006
Although he never received the credit he was due, the versatile tenor saxophonist Roland Alexander started his career with an unexpected break at age twenty when he made his recording debut—on piano. Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Roland was trained both formally at Boston Conservatory and through day-to-day gig experience, so he was skilled enough to step in when the scheduled pianist (believed to be Red Garland) didn’t make a Paul Chambers session that Roland was observing on April 20, 1956. He was asked to sit in on piano for the blues Trane’s Strain, which was quite a break for the young musician, as the other players on the session were well-known names like John Coltrane, Curtis Fuller, Pepper Adams, and the rest of Miles Davis' current rhythm section, Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Read more...
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