Waltz For Marilyn – Don Friedman
Dedicated to Don's wife, this is a jazz waltz with a long, intricate form and a flowing, singable melody. It's been recorded many times, including an exclusive jazzleadsheets.com duo version with bassist Daryl Johns.
- Recording: Don Friedman - Almost Everything
- Recorded on: April, 1995
- Label: SteepleChase (SCCD 1368)
- Concert Key: C
- Style: 3/4 swing (medium up)
- Piano - Don Friedman
- Bass - Ron McClure
- Drums - Matt Wilson
One of Don Friedman's most fascinating compositions, this 3/4 song has a labyrinthine, yet logical, melodic and harmonic progression. The form is very long, 74 measures in total divided into 17-measure A, 16-measure B, 19-measure C, and 23-measure (15 + 8) D sections. The A, B, and D sections begin the same, with three 3-measure phrases followed by 4-measure phrasing. Throughout, the melody and chord progression wind through different key centers chromatically before settling into C. The last eight measures are basically a vamp.
This version begins with Don playing the melody rubato by himself; the bass and drums enter in time on the last eight measures. Don then plays the melody in time before soloing; our audio clip starts at the beginning of the melody. The ending is a vamp based on the last eight measures of the head.
Note that the lead sheets under each album cover are identical.
This version begins with Don playing the melody rubato by himself; the bass and drums enter in time on the last eight measures. Don then plays the melody in time before soloing; our audio clip starts at the beginning of the melody. The ending is a vamp based on the last eight measures of the head.
Note that the lead sheets under each album cover are identical.
This is the first recording of this song, which Don named for his wife. He recorded it many times, in different settings around the world. "Almost Everything" is the only recording he made with Matt Wilson, and the first of three Friedman-led albums with Ron McClure. The third of these is "Hot House," which contains a solo piano version.
Solo Piano Arrangement Pianist Kenny Drew, Jr., recorded Don's solo piano arrangement in the spring of 2009, at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Kenny was living in Florida at the time, but he came up to the New York area to record quite a few jazzleadsheets.com/Second Floor Music Solo Piano Arrangements. It looked like Kenny was able to see notes on the page and instantly turn them into music on the piano keyboard.
Take a listen: CLIP
Take a listen: CLIP
- Recording: Don Friedman - Hot House
- Recorded on: May 14, 2003
- Label: Chiaroscuro (CR 376)
- Concert Key: C
- Style: 3/4 swing (medium up)
- Piano - Don Friedman
This solo piano version is rhythmically very free. Don plays the melody twice through at the beginning, both times rubato with the second time a little faster. He goes into time at the last eight measures of the second chorus, and solos for a chorus in time. The head out, however, is again essentially rubato. The ending does not vamp as in the original trio version; instead it ritards through the last eight measures.
Note that the lead sheets under each album cover are identical.
Note that the lead sheets under each album cover are identical.
The rest of this album features Tim Armacost on tenor sax, Ron McClure on bass and Tony Jefferson on drums. This is the third recording of Waltz For Marilyn; the second was done by Friedman in 1997 in Milan, Italy, with Marco Ricci on bass and Stefano Bagnoli on drums.
Solo Piano Arrangement by Don Friedman, played by pianist Kenny Drew, Jr. Audio and PDF.
On March 26, 2009, pianist Kenny Drew, Jr., came to Englewood Cliffs, NJ, to amaze the jazzleadsheets.com staff with his piano mastery. Kenny had some free time in his schedule, and Don Sickler needed recorded versions of solo piano arrangements done by many of the great Second Floor Music/jazzleadsheets.com composers. After reviewing all the arrangements at his Florida home, Kenny started his piano solo marathon on Tuesday, March 24, and completed it on Friday, March 27, having recorded just about 80 solo piano arrangements.
Listen to Kenny's interpretation: CLIP
On March 26, 2009, pianist Kenny Drew, Jr., came to Englewood Cliffs, NJ, to amaze the jazzleadsheets.com staff with his piano mastery. Kenny had some free time in his schedule, and Don Sickler needed recorded versions of solo piano arrangements done by many of the great Second Floor Music/jazzleadsheets.com composers. After reviewing all the arrangements at his Florida home, Kenny started his piano solo marathon on Tuesday, March 24, and completed it on Friday, March 27, having recorded just about 80 solo piano arrangements.
Listen to Kenny's interpretation: CLIP
- Recording: Don Friedman - Waltz For Marilyn
- Recorded on: March 3 & 4, 2007
- Label: Jazz Excursion (110)
- Concert Key: C
- Style: 3/4 swing (medium)
- Piano - Don Friedman
- Bass - Martin Wind
- Drums - Tony Jefferson
Like the first two versions, this recording of Waltz For Marilyn begins with the head played rubato—this time by the full trio, with bowed bass and cymbal rolls. Don's set-up in time on the last eight measures leads directly to a bass solo. Only at the head out is the melody played in time. As on the first recording, the vamp is repeated as an ending. The very last chord is a C triad, rather than a D triad with C in the bass as on the lead sheet.
Note that the lead sheets under each album cover are identical.
Note that the lead sheets under each album cover are identical.
Guitarist Peter Bernstein is a guest on some of this album, although not on this title. The last Friedman trio version of Waltz For Marilyn, this is the fifth recording of it. Between ""Hot House" and this album, Don recorded a solo version in Tokyo in 2006 on the album "Moon River: New York Monologue."
Solo Piano Arrangement by Don Friedman, played by pianist Kenny Drew, Jr. Audio and PDF.
On March 26, 2009, pianist Kenny Drew, Jr., came to Englewood Cliffs, NJ, to amaze the jazzleadsheets.com staff with his piano mastery. Kenny had some free time in his schedule, and Don Sickler needed recorded versions of solo piano arrangements done by many of the great Second Floor Music/jazzleadsheets.com composers. After reviewing all the arrangements at his Florida home, Kenny started his piano solo marathon on Tuesday, March 24, and completed it on Friday, March 27, having recorded just about 80 solo piano arrangements.
Take a listen: CLIP
On March 26, 2009, pianist Kenny Drew, Jr., came to Englewood Cliffs, NJ, to amaze the jazzleadsheets.com staff with his piano mastery. Kenny had some free time in his schedule, and Don Sickler needed recorded versions of solo piano arrangements done by many of the great Second Floor Music/jazzleadsheets.com composers. After reviewing all the arrangements at his Florida home, Kenny started his piano solo marathon on Tuesday, March 24, and completed it on Friday, March 27, having recorded just about 80 solo piano arrangements.
Take a listen: CLIP
- Recording: Don Friedman - Don Friedman - Daryl Johns Duo
- Recorded on: August 6, 2011
- Label: jazzleadsheets.com (JLS 1018)
- Concert Key: C
- Style: 3/4 swing (medium)
- Piano - Don Friedman
- Bass - Daryl Johns
Video
- Bassist Daryl John and composer/pianist Don Friedman, at Rudy Van Gelder's Recording Studio.
This version recorded for jazzleadsheets.com was arranged by Don Sickler as a real tour de force for piano/bass coordination. The three-measure-phrase sections of the melody are rubato on both the in and out heads, with the bass playing the melody; all the rest of the form, and the solos, are in time. The bass part is fully notated, with many "hits" subdividing the 3/4 measure into two or four even notes.
Note that the lead sheets under each album cover are identical.
Note that the lead sheets under each album cover are identical.
"Don Friedman - Daryl Johns Duo" was recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs.
Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's recording studio in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, this session was the first of two done that day. A marathon for young bassist Daryl Johns! Don Friedman, because he lived closer, started out the day with Daryl, recording
seven piano/bass duos of Don's compositions. After a break, Daryl changed styles, and pianists, going on to Norman Simmons in the afternoon. Check out all of Daryl's duos so far.
Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's recording studio in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, this session was the first of two done that day. A marathon for young bassist Daryl Johns! Don Friedman, because he lived closer, started out the day with Daryl, recording
seven piano/bass duos of Don's compositions. After a break, Daryl changed styles, and pianists, going on to Norman Simmons in the afternoon. Check out all of Daryl's duos so far.
Solo Piano Arrangement by Don Friedman, played by pianist Kenny Drew, Jr. Audio and PDF.
On March 26, 2009, pianist Kenny Drew, Jr., came to Englewood Cliffs, NJ, to amaze the jazzleadsheets.com staff with his piano mastery. Kenny had some free time in his schedule, and Don Sickler needed recorded versions of solo piano arrangements done by many of the great Second Floor Music/jazzleadsheets.com composers. After reviewing all the arrangements at his Florida home, Kenny started his piano solo marathon on Tuesday, March 24, and completed it on Friday, March 27, having recorded just about 80 solo piano arrangements.
Take a listen: CLIP
On March 26, 2009, pianist Kenny Drew, Jr., came to Englewood Cliffs, NJ, to amaze the jazzleadsheets.com staff with his piano mastery. Kenny had some free time in his schedule, and Don Sickler needed recorded versions of solo piano arrangements done by many of the great Second Floor Music/jazzleadsheets.com composers. After reviewing all the arrangements at his Florida home, Kenny started his piano solo marathon on Tuesday, March 24, and completed it on Friday, March 27, having recorded just about 80 solo piano arrangements.
Take a listen: CLIP
Piano/Bass Duo Don Friedman and bassist Daryl Johns got together at Rudy Van Gelder's studio to perform (and record) this moving bass feature. Our jazzleadsheets.com cameras captured the action (see video above), while Rudy captured the sound, which is available separately, as only he could do.
Separate Bass and Piano parts are available, as is the audio from the session.
Notes from bassist Ben Rubens
It doesn't need to take a lot to craft a memorable piece; often, the quality of the piece is greatly enhanced from the space that's in the air as the song goes on. Waltz For Marilyn compels the performers to take their time, breathe and let the melody sing on its own. This song is a interesting combination of a slow, searching melody felt in "1" and a more brisk run through of 4 over 3. You will be forced to utilize great patience, for the A and most of the B section impels the player to have each note run for its full duration. The second half of B necessitates rhythmic fire and accuracy, for maintaining a steady 4 over 3 feel almost the rhythmic sea can be challenging. A beautiful pairing of the virtues previously listed makes up B2, with a return to the devoted, connected dotted half note in C. However, another surprise comes in with the brisk ending on alternating major 7 chords. Don't be shocked at how deceptively difficult this piece, without fast runs and burning movement, can be.
Separate Bass and Piano parts are available, as is the audio from the session.
Notes from bassist Ben Rubens
It doesn't need to take a lot to craft a memorable piece; often, the quality of the piece is greatly enhanced from the space that's in the air as the song goes on. Waltz For Marilyn compels the performers to take their time, breathe and let the melody sing on its own. This song is a interesting combination of a slow, searching melody felt in "1" and a more brisk run through of 4 over 3. You will be forced to utilize great patience, for the A and most of the B section impels the player to have each note run for its full duration. The second half of B necessitates rhythmic fire and accuracy, for maintaining a steady 4 over 3 feel almost the rhythmic sea can be challenging. A beautiful pairing of the virtues previously listed makes up B2, with a return to the devoted, connected dotted half note in C. However, another surprise comes in with the brisk ending on alternating major 7 chords. Don't be shocked at how deceptively difficult this piece, without fast runs and burning movement, can be.
Don Friedman
May 4, 1935 – June 30, 2016
Don Friedman was only four years old, living in San Francisco, when he started playing his parents' piano. A year later, he started lessons with a private teacher. His love for jazz music was born when he moved to L.A. and heard the likes of Les Brown and Lee Konitz for the first time. Read more...