Wildwood – Gigi Gryce

This first version of Wildwood is slower than the live version recorded two months later, from which our lead sheet is taken. This recording still swings just as hard, however, with a walking bass on all four beats and the drummer swinging with sticks on the hi-hat. In this earlier studio version, however, the chords in the coda are ambiguous, and not all of the same rhythm section hits are played throughout the head. Pianist Horace Silver plays different changes in the intro as well, with the drums coming in on the fifth measure, and the bass doesn't enter until the head.

For more details about the song itself, click on the second album cover.

Note: the lead sheets shown under the different album covers are all the same; they are based on the October 1951 recording (second album cover).

This medium-up swinger fits the style of the early '50s Stan Getz quintet very well. A relatively simple, subdued melody allows for the more complicated chord progression to shine through, with plenty of II-V7s and some unexpected key centers in the bridge. The plethora of II-V7s allows room to develop solos that are both harmonically rich and melodically fluid. Any syncopation in the melody, which creates a rhythmic push, is paired with strong quarter notes on the beat in order to support the swing feel and lock in with the walking bass.

The first two measures of the melody are very similar to the beginning of Clifford Brown's Joy Spring, but the different rhythm of the second measure leads to simpler melodic material. While the A sections are centered around G major, the bridge shifts to E♭ and G♭ major—the flat VI and the natural VII. The last note of the second ending serves as both a delayed resolution of the A section, and a harmonic anticipation of the bridge: the melody is expected to land on the root (G), however it actually acts as the third of E♭ major in this context.

Our lead sheets are based on this recording, including the changes of the piano intro and several rhythm section figures. On both quintet versions, tenor sax and guitar play the melody in unison. This is the fastest of the four Getz recordings.

Note: the lead sheets shown under the different album covers are all the same; they are based on this recording (October, 1951).

This version is much slower than the 1951 quintet recordings. Steve Kuhn's piano intro (with bass and drums throughout) has different changes. This time Stan Getz plays the melody by himself, so he has more freedom to interpret the melody. He adds more embellishments to quarter notes in particular, to make sure they keep their bounce despite the slower tempo. The rhythm section is also more interpretive than earlier recordings, which creates a more relaxed and open feel. The 2-feel in the bass as well as the drummer's use of brushes gives rhythmic space for Getz to play with the time. However, the band swings harder during the solos and the head out, when the drums switch to the ride and the bass begins to play a 4-beat walking bass line.

Note: the lead sheets shown under the different album covers are all the same; they are based on the October 1951 recording (second album cover).

This version is similar to the Newport recording, as the piano intro has the same chord changes and Getz embellishes the melody in a similar manner. However, while the bass plays a similar two-feel, the drums provide more support by playing less freely than at Newport, and therefore it swings more overtly. The rhythm section plays more hits as well, particularly in the bridge; Getz thus has a little less rhythmic freedom and plays fewer embellishments in those areas.

Note: the lead sheets shown under the different album covers are all the same; they are based on the October 1951 recording (second album cover).