This Here – Bobby Timmons

This Here (also called Dis Here) is one of Bobby Timmons' classics and one of the songs that laid the foundation of the soul-jazz sound. It's an early example of a gospel-infused 3/4 swing groove, with a catchy piano ostinato that's answered by a funky bass figure. The form is a blues variation, 36 measures in length: a long-meter version of a 16-measure blues with the last tonic section extended to eight measures instead of the usual four. The main melodic riff is a two-measure pickup, hip and funky like Timmons' Moanin' with a pronounced rhythmic kick. The "turnaround" of the chorus (letter C on our lead sheets) has different melodic pickup. This simpler, mellower phrase is repeated over chromatically winding changes for 10 measures before a break in the rhythm section sets up a melody pickup back to the tonic similar to the A section pickup. The piano plays offbeat figures on much of the C section in the head.

The solo form is an even 32 measures with no break; the piano and bass play the ostinato from the head on the first chorus of each solo. In this version they also play it at the end of the last chorus of each solo to set up the next soloist. The last chorus of the last solo is extended to 36 measures like the head, which we show as a D.S. to the last four measures of the intro.

This arrangement's intro is not quite a chorus long. The rhythm section plays eight measures of F7, four measures of B♭7, and 12 more measures of F7 with the horns' pickup to the head. Our melody lead sheets show a rhythm section cue for the last eight measures of the intro only; the rhythm section parts have the full intro. The end fades out on the same vamp as the intro; on the recording, the rhythm section goes to B♭7 as they fade like the intro, but this is not shown in our lead sheets and parts.

The two horns play mostly unison and harmonize only at the start of the B section, so instead of 1st and 2nd horn parts for this arrangement we have lead sheets which include the harmonies in these measures. A chorus of backgrounds for the piano solo is also included, with two-part harmonies in all lead sheets. Piano, bass, and drum parts are available as well as the full quintet score. Our audio excerpt starts with the last eight measures of the intro, including the piano pickup.

Bobby's trio version is a somewhat different arrangement from the original Cannonball Adderley recording. The piano ostinato is the reverse of the original both in pitch and articulation, descending in two short quarter notes and one dotted half note rather than rising smoothly to a staccato quarter note. However, Bobby plays the latter figure when comping for himself in his first solo chorus. In this version the rhythmic bass response is played by the bass only, not doubled by the piano. Another break has been added in the head: two measures before the C section to introduce the second melody riff.

The intro is only eight measures. Bobby plays two solo choruses on the recording: one with the bass ostinato from the head and a second chorus with the bass walking. This second chorus is extended to 36 measures; Bobby plays the intro figure on the last eight, so our lead sheets and parts show a D.C. to the intro four measures before the end of the solo chorus.

Piano and bass parts are available; click on Piano Corner for more about the former. Drummers can use the lead sheet or the piano part.

An Easy Sextet arrangement by jazzleadsheets.com's Don Sickler is also available. This arrangement is based on Bobby's trio version, and is mostly a piano melody feature with the horns playing the ostinato figures. The trumpet 1st part takes over the melody at C. There is a two-chorus background that could work for a horn soloist as well as a piano solo; it's based on Bobby's solo and comping on this recording.