Deconstructing Chris Potter

April 27, 2017 | Author: Tie Pereira | Category: N/A
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                DECONSTRUCTING  CHRIS  POTTER   An  study  of  Chris  Potter’s  approach  to  jazz  standards     By  Jordi  Ballarín  

                              Master  of  Music  program.     Main  subject:  Jazz  saxophone   Main  subject  teacher:  Simon  Rigter      

          Artistic  Research  Question    

How  can  I  acquire  a  contemporary  improvisation  vocabulary   and  improve  my  jazz  phrasing  through  studying  Chris  Potter’s   playing,  focusing  on  his  approach  to  jazz  standards?    

 

 

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Table  of  Contents     INTRODUCTION  ....................................................................................................................  5   WHO  IS  CHRIS  POTTER?  ....................................................................................................  6   BIOGRAPHY  ....................................................................................................................................  6   ARTISTIC  PERSONALITY  AND  MAIN  INFLUENCES  .............................................................  7   TRANSCRIPTIONS  ................................................................................................................  9   PHRASING  ............................................................................................................................  40   PRELIMINARY  CONCEPTS  ........................................................................................................  40   ANALYZING  CHRIS  POTTER  PHRASING  ...............................................................................  40   PRACTICING  THE  PHRASING  ..................................................................................................  47   RHYTHM  ..............................................................................................................................  51   TIME  AWARENESS  ......................................................................................................................  51   TRAINING  TIME  AWARENESS  .................................................................................................  54   THE  MIXED  METER  ....................................................................................................................  66   CREATING  LINES  .........................................................................................................................  70   RHYTHM  VARIETY  .....................................................................................................................  72   SOME  TIPS  FOR  WORKING  ON  RHYTHMIC  VARIETY  ......................................................  74   MELODYC  DEVICES  ...........................................................................................................  75   DIVIDING  THE  OCTAVE  .............................................................................................................  75   INTRODUCING  VARIATIONS  ...................................................................................................  79   HOW  TO  USE  THIS  OVER  TUNES?  ..........................................................................................  81   MORE  ABOUT  MOTIVIC  DEVELOPMENT  .............................................................................  84   CREATING  LINES  2  ......................................................................................................................  86   MORE  HARMONY  ...............................................................................................................  87   TRITONE  SUBSTITUTION  .........................................................................................................  87   OTHER  REHARMONIZATIONS  ................................................................................................  90   THE  Vb9,  13  CHORD  ..................................................................................................................  92   PENTATONICS  AND  CONSTRUCTIONS  IN  PERFECT  4THS  .............................................  92   REFLECTION  IN  THE  PLAYING  ......................................................................................  96   REFLECTIONS  IN  COMPOSING  ....................................................................................  104   TUNE  1:  BUT  IT  DID  NOT  HAPPEN.  EXPERIMENTING  WITH  PHRASING.  ..............  104   TUNE  2:  ROTTERDAM  BLUES.  WORKING  WITH  DIVIDING  THE  OCTAVE  AND   RHYTHMIC  DEVICES.  ..............................................................................................................  111   COMMENTS  .............................................................................................................................................  116  

CONCLUSION  .....................................................................................................................  118   AUDIO  AND  VIDEO  MATERIAL  TRACK  LIST.  ..........................................................  120   MEDIA  REVIEW  ................................................................................................................  121   LITERATURE  .............................................................................................................................  121   CDs  ................................................................................................................................................  121   INTERNET  ..................................................................................................................................  122    

 

 

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INTRODUCTION      

   

“There  is  something  I  found  out  about  people  I  really  respect   how  they  make  music  and  how  they  look  at  things,  and  it  is  that  they   are   opened.   They   are   curious   and   keep   on   checking   stuff   out.   This   how   they   got   there   in   the   first   place,   because   they   were   curious   and   they   wanted  to  learn.  That  is  what  I  want  to  do  and  if  I  am  a  traditionalist   in  any  way  is  that  I  want  to  try  to  follow  the  same  process  that  seemed   to  get  my  heroes  to  be  able  to  play  something  beautiful.”     Chris  Potter.  

Why   to   choose   Chris   Potter   as   a   subject   for   an   Artistic   Research?   It   comes   from   me   listening   to   his   playing   and   thinking:   “I   want   to   be   able   to   do   that”.   To   do   what?  To  transmit  the  impression  of  being  free  when  improvising.  Playing  pretty   much  inside  the  changes  when  I  want  and  being  able  to  go  somewhere  else  if  I  feel   like  that  is  what  the  music  needs,  and  all  that  in  a  fluent  and  coherent  way.     Of  course,  the  goal  of  the  research  is  not  playing  like  Chris  Potter.  This  is   not   going   to   happen,   and   that   is   not   a   bad   thing.   The   goal   is   to   check   out   his   playing,  try  to  figure  out  for  which  processes  he  went  through  to  play  the  way  he   does,  and  see  how  can  I  apply  it  myself,  finding  my  own  ways  through.  Probably   some  things  that  worked  for  him  will  not  work  for  me,  or  will  work  in  a  different   way,  or  will  bring  me  somewhere  else,  and  that  is  fine.       What   I   hear   when   listening   Chris   Potter   play   over   jazz   standards   is   a   player   with   a   deep   knowledge   of   bebop   with   a   very   open-­‐minded   attitude   that   makes   him   look   for   new   sonorities,   new   rhythms,   new   concepts   to   expand   his   playing.   In   this   report   I   will   put   special   attention   on   those   elements   that   expand   his  playing  from  bebop  into  somewhere  else.  Anyway,  I  will  always  come  back  to   jazz  tradition,  there  is  a  whole  world  of  things  to  learn  for  me  there.          

 

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WHO  IS  CHRIS  POTTER?    

BIOGRAPHY    

Chris   Potter   was   born   on   the   first   of   January   of   1971   in   Chicago,   and   moved   to   Columbia,   South   Carolina,   at   a   very   early   age.   His   parents   were   not   musicians   but   they   had   a   fairly   good   and   heterogenic   record   collection.   He   remembers   some   Western   Classical   music   records   from   Bach,   Stravinsky   or   Bartok;  some  blues  records,  The  Beatles,  Bob  Dylan….  And  also  some  jazz  records   from  Dave  Brubeck,  Charles  Lloyd,  Miles  Davis  or  Eddie  Harris.       “The   first   music   that   grabbed   me   was   the   blues.   My   parents   had   some   blues   compilations   from   musicians   from   Chicago.   Then   went   deep   into   The   Beatles   and   was   some   years   later   that   I   discovered   the   jazz   records  and  decided  that  I  wanted  to  play  the  saxophone  and  I  just  kind   of   bugged   my   parents   until   they   bought   me   a   horn.   So   it   was   the   saxophone  that  drove  me  deeper  and  deeper  into  this  particular  style  of   music   but   I   think   I   always   carried   with   me   that   idea   that   I   just   liked   music.  But  of  course  was  trying  to  learn  to  play  the  saxophone  that  I  went   deep  into  all  the  greats”.1     He  started  playing  piano  by  him  own  at  the  age  of  7  and  saxophone  at  10,   first   inspired   by   saxophone   players   like   Johnny   Hodges,   Lester   Young   or   Coleman   Hawkins.  It  took  a  while,  he  says,  until  he  understood  Charlie  Parker.  But  when  he   got  it  he  went  deep  into  figuring  out  how  to  play  like  him  for  some  years.     At  the  age  of  15  he  was  playing  regularly  in  his  hometown.  He  remembers   having   two   weekly   gigs   in   the   same   place.   One   with   a   very   traditional   jazz   band   with  which  he  remembers  as  a  very  good  opportunity  of  learning  how  to  play  jazz   in   a   traditional   way;   and   other   with   a   more   experimental   people   with   whom   he   played   a   more   eclectic   repertoire:   maybe   a   standard   and   then   playing   free   for   a   while   and   after   that   a   Rollin’   Stone   song.   A   prologue   of   the   musician   to   come:   a   very  opened  minded  player  with  a  very  deep  knowledge  of  bebop.     In  1989,  at  the  age  of  18  years  old,  he  moved  to  New  York  and  spent  one   year  studying  in  the  New  School  and  two  years  in  The  Manhattan  School  of  Music,   graduating   in   1993.   During   these   years   he   joined   the   band   of   Red   Rodney,   the   trumpet  player  that  played  in  Charlie  Parker’s  band.  He  spent  four  years  playing   and  learning  at  the  side  of  the  “the  guy  on  the  Charlie  Parker  record”.     After   graduation   from   Manhattan   School   of   Music,   Potter   started   a   long   series  of  sideman  activities  with  many  artists  such  as  Ray  Brown,  Jim  Hall,  Dave   Douglas,   Mike   Manieri,   Dave   Holland,   Steely   Dan   or   Paul   Motian.   Although   he   recognizes   the   influence   of   all   the   good   musicians   he   worked   with,   through   different   interviews   he   emphasizes   his   admiration   for   Paul   Motian,   especially                                                                                                                   1  Transcription  from  a  Master  class  in  the  Filmmuseum,  Amsterdam,  2008.    

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because  of  his  approach  to  music  to  not  wanting  to  have  a  plan  of  what  is  going  to   happen.  Being  as  un-­‐analytical  as  possible.       Chris  Potter  released  his  firs  record  as  a  leader  in  1994:  Presenting   Chris   Potter  (Criss  Cross).  And  there  had  been  14  in  total  including  his  last  release  on   2009:   Ultrahang   (Artistshare),   recorded   with   his   band   called   Underground,  with   Adam   Rogers   on   guitar,   Craig   Taiborn   on   Rhodes   and   Nate   Smith   on   drums.   Through  all  this  records  we  can  recognize  a  very  unquiet  and  curios  musician  in  a   constant  search  of  new  ways  of  self  expression  and  enjoying  challenging  himself   one  way  or  another.    

ARTISTIC  PERSONALITY  AND  MAIN  INFLUENCES    

It   is   maybe   a   bit   dangerous   to   describe   somebody’s   personality   without   knowing  him,  so  maybe  is  smarter  to  write  down  what  Chris  Potters  says  about   his  musical  identity:     “My   aesthetic   is   based   in   Bird   and   Lester   Young   and   Sonny   [Rollins].   I   want   my   music   to   have   that   emotional   impact.   What   I   learned   from   them   in   terms   of   phrasing,   sound,   approach   to   rhythm   will   never   be   outdated.   I   would   like   to   basically   use   the   same   aesthetic   sensibility   with   more   contemporary   harmonic   and   rhythmic   concepts,   being   influenced   by   classical,   world   music,   funk,   rock,   rap,   country,   whatever...digesting   new   ideas,   new   influences   to   keep   the   freshness   alive.”1     I   think   this   defines   quite   well   what   I   hear   when   listening   Chris   Potter   (CP)   play.   Is   quite   obvious   that   his   main   musical   background   is   traditional   jazz,   especially   bebop,   and   at   the   same   time   is   a   person   that   likes   music,   no   matter   what  style.  If  there  is  something  that  grabs  his  attention  he  wants  to  check  it  out.        “Style   is   important,   but   it   is   more   important   to   see   things   in   common,  things  that  speak  to  people  in  different  styles.”2     In   this   sense,   CP   is   a   musician   that   wants   to   be   influenced   by   a   lot   of   different   musical   expressions.   But   the   things   that   grabbed   him   at   an   early   age   seem  to  be  the  thread  that  connects  all  this  influences.     Charlie   Parker   is   probably   his   biggest   influence   as   a   saxophone   player,   his  main  source  of  bebop  vocabulary:     “I  always  try  to  find  a  feeling  of  forward  motion.  Obviously  bird  found  a   tremendous  way  (…)  it  feels  like  it  just  has  to  keep  going.  Learning  how  

                                                                                                                1  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=10384   2  Chris  Potter  Master  Class  DVD,  Roberto’s  Winds,  New  York,  2009.    

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to   play   bebop   is   how   I   became   able   to   create   this   feeling   of   constant   motion”1  

With   Sonny   Rollins   I   really   hear   a   connection   in   terms   of   phrasing,   especially   in   the   strong   articulation   that   they   both   use   quite   often.   Also   some   harmonic   solutions   make   me   hear   a   thread   in   between   CP   and   Rollins   or   Steve   Grossman  type  of  playing.     CP  often  expresses  his  admiration  for  Lester  Young  and  his  ability  of   making   beautiful   music   with   very   simple   ideas   and   little   material.   Connecting   with  that  idea,  he  often  explains  how  much  he  learned  from  the  works  of  Western   Classical  composers  as  Bach,  Bartok  or  Stravinsky,  mainly  in  terms  of  what  level   of   complexity   are   you   able   to   reach   working   out   very   simple   ideas.   “Complex   things  are  just  a  bunch  of  simple  things  putted  together”,  he  says.       In   the   documentation   process   I   did   not   listen   or   read   from   CP   a   reference  to  Michael  Brecker  as  an  important  influence.  Maybe  it  wasn’t  for  him,   but  I  hear  clear  things  in  common  in  their  playing.  Similar  ways  of  timing,  with  a   big   articulation   variety   and   similar   ways   of   dealing   with   material   that   connects   them   both   with   Coltrane   and   his   experimentations   with   the   harmonic   and   melodic  possibilities  of  the  different  subdivisions  of  the  octave.     Being  aware  of  all  this  musical  and  personal  background  of  CP  is  very   important   because   gives   a   perspective   and   a   context   to   his   artistic   expressions   that  we  will  go  through  in  this  work  and  also  makes  me  see  CP  playing  as  a  very   interesting  subject  of  study  by  itself,  but  at  the  same  time  as  a  door  by  which  I  can   connect  myself  with  other  beautiful  musical  expressions.                      

                                                                                                                1  Chris  Potter  Master  Class  DVD,  Roberto’s  Winds,  New  York,  2009.    

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TRANSCRIPTIONS   CHRIS  POTTER  ON  STANDARD  JAZZ  TUNES       “Playing   standards   is   a   big   thing   on   how   do   I   approach   everything.   I   don’t   do   it   so   much   anymore,   but   that   is   so   much   in   my   background.   And   it   is   very   often   the   framework   that   I   will   work   whatever  thing  I  want  to  work  on”.5         Transcribed  material  from:     Woody  ‘n  You   • Red  Rodney  (1992),  Then  and  now,  Chesky  Records.     Airegin   • Chris  Potter  (1993),  Sundiata,  Criss  Cross.     Amsterdam  Blues   • Al  foster  (1997),  Brandyn,  Laika  records.     Anthropology   • Tom  Cohen  (1999),  Digging  in,  digging  out,  Double  time  jazz.     Stella  by  Starlight   • Jim  Hall  (1999),  the  jazzpar  quartet,  Storyville.     Star  Eyes   • Chris  Potter  (2001),  Gratitude,  Verve.     Blues  Nouveau   • Jim  Rotondi  (2003),  New  Vistas,  Criss  Cross.     All  the  things  you  are   • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngoE1hreStc&feature=related     Giant  Steps   • Bootleg  recording  in  Denmark        

                                                                                                                5  Transcription  from  Chris  Potter  Online  Lessons,  www.artistshare.com    

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PHRASING    

PRELIMINARY  CONCEPTS    

 

“A  lot  of   times  I  am  just  working  on  sound  and  articulation.  I   think  I  spent  a  lot  on  time  on  this,  because  this  is  the  first  thing  people   hear,   and   it   is   a   life   long   thing.   As   much   there   is   to   learn   about   harmony   and   rhythm   and   form   there   is   at   least   as   much   to   learn   in   just  sound  and  how  to  get  from  one  note  to  the  next.”6  

Normally   when   talking   about   somebody’s   “sound”   on   the   horn   we   are   not   talking   just   about   tone   quality   but   of   a   whole   picture:   tone   quality,   timing,   articulation…  Sound  and  phrasing  make  as  able  to  recognize  Parker,  Coltrane  or   whatever   player   we   know   after   hearing   a   few   notes   coming   out   of   their   horns.   It   is   a   substantial   part   of   “the   voice”   of   each   player.   Nobody   gets   the   same   tone   out   of  the  horn,  and  there  are  not  two  players  that  phrase  exactly  the  same  way.     We   are   going   to   categorize   this   concept   of   phrasing   in   3   different   aspects:     • Timing:  Placement  of  the  notes  in  the  context  of  a  pulse.   • Articulation:  Attacks  and  releases  of  the  notes.   • Dynamics:  The  use  of  sound  volumes.     It   is   worth   to   say   that   all   this   aspects   are   not   absolute   things   in   any   player.  They  might  change  depending  on  the  specific  situation:  The  mood  of  the   player   on   that   moment,   which   piece   is   being   played,   the   tempo,   relation   and   reaction  to  the  other  players,  etc.    

ANALYZING  CHRIS  POTTER  PHRASING    

CP   phrasing   is,   to   my   ears,   directly   connected   with   Sonny   Rollins   and   Charlie   Parker,   who   actually   was   Rollins’   main   influence   as   well,   and   developed   it   further   on   probably   as   a   consequence   or   other   rhythmical   devices   he   implemented  in  his  playing  and  that  we  well  study  with  more  details  in  the  next   chapter.                                                                                                                           6  Chris  Potter  Master  Class  DVD,  Roberto’s  Winds,  New  York,  2009.      

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Timing   Talking  about  the  eighth-­‐note  feel7,  we  could  say  that  CP  is  very  aware,  in   a  conscious  or  unconscious  way,  of  the  relation  of  his  playing  with  the  pulse  given   by  the  rhythm  section.  As  most  of  the  great  players,  he  is  able  to  play  on  top  of  the   beat,  of  push  it  forward,  or  lay  it  back  depending  on  the  moment,  listening  to  what   the   phrase   needs.   And   the   same   thing   happens   with   his   swing   feel,   normally   played  on  a  quite  straight  way,  and  in  concrete  spots  with  an  emphasized  triplet   feel.     The   following   example   shows   what   looks   like   a   constant   in   CP   playing:   Playing  on  top  of  the  beat  and  laying  back  the  ends  of  the  phrases.       Example  1:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  on  Woody  n’  You.    

 

  This  feeling  of  laying  back  the  end  of  the  phrases  is  often  mixed  up  with   a  more  accented  swinging  intention:     Example  2:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  Solo  on  Woody  n’  You.    

 

                                                                                                                  7  Eighth  note  feel:  this  expression  makes  a  reference  to  the  placement  of   consecutive  eighth  notes  in  the  context  of  a  pulse  and  groove,  and  in  this   particular  case  we  are  talking  about  swing  grooves.    

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The  so  called  swing  feel  tends  to  appear  in  a  more  clear  way  when  CP  goes   into   more   simple   lines,   where   he   deals   with   few   notes,   creating   a   sensation   of   going  with  the  groove.     Example  3:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  on  Stella  by  Starlight    

  In   the   next   example   we   can   hear   very   clearly   how   he   is   playing   in   the   backside  of  the  beat  for  a  whole  blues  chorus  and  immediately  changing  the  time   feel  from  the  beginning  of  the  next  chorus.     Example  4:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  on  Amsterdam  Blues.  

    Articulation   In   the   context   of   saxophone   playing,   articulation   has   mainly   to   do   with   the   decisions  made  on  how  and  when  to  put  your  tongue  on  the  reed,  what  is  know   as   tonguing.  Articulation   is   very   tight   up   with   the   timing,   or   better   to   say,   with   the   time   feel.   The   choices   the   player   does   on   how   to   articulate   the   line   will   influence  the  time  feel.       Traditionally,   the   basic   articulation   when   playing   jazz,   talking   about   consecutive  eighth  notes,  would  be  like  this:    

   

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Consequently   with   the   articulation   there   will   we   an   accent   on   every   upbeat   eighth   note,   which   would   be   more   or   less   obvious   depending   on   the   player.   This   type   of   articulation   creates   a   kind   of   swing   feel,   even   if   the   timing   of   the  eighth  notes  goes  more  on  the  straight  side.     Example  5:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  on  Blues  Nouveau    

 

  In  CP  playing,  at  least  in  the  material  analyzed  in  this  research,  that  is  all   playing  over  swing  grooves,  this  is  also  the  main  articulation  technique.  But  we   find   very   often   eighth   notes   lines   where   all   the   notes   are   articulated,   in   a   way   that  reminds  me  a  bit  to  Harold  Land’s  phrasing.     Example  6:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  on  Stella  by  Starlight    

  This  kind  of  articulation  emphasizes  a  lot  the  straight  feel  of  the  eighth  notes.  It   is   less   common   in   higher   tempos,   where   is   harder   to   play   and   maybe   not   that   nice.     Of   course   there   are   many   places   in   the   middle   of   these   two   described   articulation   techniques   and   CP   came   out   to   be   a   very   flexible   player   in   this   issue,   as  we  can  see  in  the  following  transcription  of  a  chorus  over  Star  Eyes.                    

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Example  7:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Star  Eyes.    

  Dynamics   Dynamics   related   to   music   blocks   is   something   normally   underused   in   straight   ahead   jazz,   unless   we   are   talk   of   ballads.   We   don’t   hear   very   often   crescendos   or   diminuendos   in   this   music,   or   a   whole   phrase   played  forte   and   the   next  one  pianissimo.  There  are  always  exceptions,  but  this  is  the  most  common   situation.       In   the   other   hand,   there   is   and   important   roll   of   dynamics   inside   the   traditional   bebop   line:   the   creation   of   accents   in   certain   notes.   This   part   of  

 

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dynamics  is  again  closely  related  with  the  articulation,  because  most  of  the  times   this  accents  are  created  not  only  by  playing  louder,  but  also  by  attacking  the  note   (tonguing).   The   combination   of   these   two   elements   will   create   a   stronger   accent,   a  very  ruff  one,  or  one  very  subtle.     If   we   focus   again   in   CP   playing   we   listen   a   quite   aggressive   way   of   attacking  the  notes  and  very  pronounced  accents,  that  connects  him  again  with   players  such  as  Sonny  Rollins  or  Steve  Grossman.  This  connection  is  even  more   clear  to  my  ears  when  listening  a  way  of  phrasing  some  lines  that  I  think  is  like  a   sort  of  trademark  of  this  kind  of  playing.  Putting  it  in  to  words,  I  am  talking  about   arpeggios  played  in  eighth  notes  or  eighth  note  triples  were  the  target  note  has  a   strong  accent  and  the  eighth  note  just  before  that  is  played  staccato,  in  a  more  or   less   exaggerated   way   depending   on   the   particular   case.   Described   like   this   sounds  very  confusing,  maybe  is  better  just  to  listen  to  some  examples.     Example  8:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  on  Blues  Nouveau.    

 

 

It  is  also  very  common  to  listen  one  staccato  eighth  note  as  a  kind  of  pick   up  for  the  note  on  the  beat.     Example  9:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  on  Airegin.    

 

                         

 

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Phrasing  as  rhythm  creator    

The  basic  of  bebop  language  is  build  up  from  eighth  note  lines,  combined   with   eighth   note   triplets.   To   emphasize   target   notes   of   the   line,   normally   the   top   notes,  an  accent  is  played.     Example  10:  Fragment  of  Charlie  Parker  solo  over  Bloomdido    

 

   

This   implies   a   certain   rhythm.   These   rhythms   are   created   basically   by   putting   an   accent   either   on   a   note   on   the   beat   or   on   a   note   on   the   upbeat,   creating  combinations  of  groups  of  two,  three  or  four  eighth  notes.  As  I  already   said,   bebop   is   CP’s   main   musical   background,   and   this   motion   implied   in   the   phrasing   is   a   very   important   characteristic   of   his   playing.   Actually   he   has   developed   this   because   of   implementing   different   rhythmic   devices,   as   groups   of   5,  6  or  7  eighth  notes,  into  his  playing.  These  groupings  also  create  sequences  of   two,   three   or   four   notes,   but   somehow   they   generate   different   sequences   that   create  rhythmic  progressions  over  the  bar  line.     Example  11:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  on  Blues  Nouveau    

 

             

 

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Example  11:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Giant  Steps    

 

   

As  you  can  see  in  the  examples,  this  rhythms  are  implied  in  the  line,  but   actually  the  choices  of  where  to  put  the  accent  and  how  strong  would  this  accent   be  can  change  completely  the  meaning  of  the  phrase  and  suggest  another  rhythm   implied  on  the  phrase.     One   of   the   constants   that   appear   when   listening   to   CP   talking   about   his   approach  to  music  is  the  will  of  creating  contrast  and  a  feeling  of  what  he  calls   forward  motion.  The  variety  on  the  phrasing  described  on  this  chapter  is  a  huge   tool  for  generating  contrast:  Playing  on  the  bit,  and  pushing  it  forward  or  laying   it  back  depending  on  the  moment,  emphasizing  the  swing  feel  on  a  certain  spot   an   after   that   playing   some   very   straight   articulated   eighth   note   line,   etc.   To   be   able   to   combine   all   this   elements   in   an   organic   way   makes   the   musical   speech   way  more  interesting.    

PRACTICING  THE  PHRASING    

“I   listen   and   try   to   copy   a   lot   of   different   people.   I   play   along   with  records  of  Bird,  Lester  Young,  Miles,  Louis  Armstrong,  Stan  Getz,   Coltrane,   Sonny,   Wayne…   And   just   feel   how   that   time   feel   feels   like.   Sometimes  is  surprising.”8     This   is   the   hard   part   when   talking   about   time   feel.   I   can   think   to   play   more   in  front  or  more  laid  back  but  at  the  end  of  the  day  you  just  have  to  feel  it;  it  is   not  something  that  you  can  grab  from  words.  I  am  not  discovering  nothing  new   if  I  say  that  a  great  way  of  doing  that  is  to  play  the  solo  transcription  with  the                                                                                                                   8  Transcription  from  Chris  Potter’s  Master  Class  in  Humber  College,  Toronto,   Canada,  2009.    

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record   and   try   to   play   as   close   as   possible,   being   even   more   important   to   play   with   the   same   type   of   phrasing   that   playing   all   the   correct   notes.   Or   just   play   along   with   the   record,   and   try   to   put   the   feel   of   the   phrasing   into   your   own   playing.     In  this  particular  case,  playing  through  CP  solo  transcriptions  has  been  a   very  challenging  thing  to  do.  CP  is  a  player  that  really  masters  the  instrument  on   a  technical  level  and  I  found  walls  I  decided  not  to  try  to  climb  during  this  one   and   a   half   year   research.   Playing   fluently   as   he   does   in   the   altissimo   register   has   been  the  highest  wall,  and  I  decided  to  not  deal  with  that  in  this  research.     Another  thing  that  was  quite  new  for  me  was  the  level  of  activity  of  the   tongue.  Not  only  in  the  intensity  of  the  articulation  but  mainly  in  its  flexibility.   My   playing   was   based   in   the   standard   jazz   articulations   and   I   found   extremely   enriching  to  practice  CP  solos  for  this  issue.       I   also   wrote   down   some   articulation   sequences   for   consecutive   eighth   note  lines  that  I  incorporated  in  my  practicing  routines,  that  I  found  very  useful   to  improve  my  flexibility  on  this  subject:    

 

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This  can  look  like  a  pretty  basic  thing  for  a  classically  trained  player.  They   are   more   used   to   train   articulation   flexibility,   but   it   is   something   generally   left   apart  by  jazz  musicians.       I  did  not  try  to  practice  all  the  lines  or  all  the  scales  with  all  the  different   articulations   given.   But   I   found   it   an   interesting   thing   to   experiment   while   practicing,   to   listen   how   they   change   the   meaning   of   a   specific   line,   or   a   concrete   scale   pattern.   Sometimes   some   of   them   will   work   very   nicely   and   others   just   wouldn’t   fit   the   concrete   line.   I   like   to   thing   about   this   also   as   a   way   of   ear   training,   understanding   it   like   hearing   a   specific   “sound”,   with   all   the   implications  that  word  has.       Also   found   interesting   to   try   out   articulation   sequences   that   imply   an   uneven  when  the  line  doesn’t  suggest  it.      

 

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Example  12:  Line  with  a  7  eighth  note  grouping.    

 

  Example  13:  Same  articulation  in  a  scale    

 

  This  would  be  a  clear  example  of  how  phrasing  can  emphasize  a  certain   rhythmic   structure,   either   implied   on   the   line   or   not.   For   seeing   further   experimentations  with  phrasing  go  to  the  chapter  Reflections  on  composition.        

 

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RHYTHM    

Rhythm  is  probably  the  central  issue  in  CP’s  playing.  He  really  developed  a   very  rich  and  complex  rhythmical  concept  that  came  out  of  trying  to  implement   in  his  bebop  playing  different  kind  of  influences  from  other  music  styles.       “First   I   was   just   thinking   this   down   the   middle   bebop   thing,   and   then   gradually   bringing   some   other   things   in   there:   how   tabla   players  would  play  some  groups  of  sevens,  put  the  triplets  in  a  slightly   different  spot  in  the  bar,  how  some  Cuban  musicians  play  over  the  bar   line   (…)   I   started   to   think   how   can   I   still   be   playing   confirmation   or   whatever,   but   start   to   use   those   things.   And   I   think   started   first   by   singing  this  rhythms  and  trying  to  figure  out  what  notes  could  work”.9     He   also   names   western   classical   composers   as   Bartok   or   Stravinsky   as   very  important  influences  to  develop  his  rhythmic  concept:     “They  used  this  groupings  of  notes,  maybe  7  notes  over  a  4/4,   creating   all   this   complicated   polyrhythms.   This   was   very   new   for   western  classical  music  but  not  in  other  cultures  like  African  music.  But   not  used  in  this  kind  of  odd  meter,  it  was  usually  related  to  some  kind   of   4   and   6.   And   as   far   as   I   know   this   music   was   an   important   influence   for  Stravinsky  to  write  The  Rite  of  Spring”.10     Listening   to   CP’s   discography   is   quite   obvious   that   he   also   developed   a   very   fluent   speech   improvising   in   uneven   measures.   In   this   research   I   will   not   go   through   that,   I   will   focus   on   figuring   out   how   applies   the   mentioned   influences  in  a  4/4  context.  We  well  go  through  that  developing  two  concepts:   Time  awareness  and  rhythmic  variety.    

TIME  AWARENESS    

I   use   this   concept   referring   to   everything   that   implies   over   imposing   a   certain   rhythm,   either   melodically   or   harmonically,   which   suggests   a   different   division  of  time  than  the  one  implied  in  the  given  time  signature.  Normally  these   are  called  cross  rhythms.     In   CP’s   playing   we   can   listen   this   happen   constantly.   I   organized   the   rhythms   he   plays   attending   to   the   length   of   the   whole   patter,   distinguishing   three  different  categories:     • Cross  rhythms  with  the  length  of  5  eighth  notes.   • Cross  rhythms  with  the  length  of  6  eighth  notes.   • Cross  rhythms  with  the  length  of  7  eighth  notes.                                                                                                                   9  Chris  Potter  Master  Class  DVD,  Roberto’s  Winds,  New  York,  2009.   10  Chris  Potter  Master  Class  DVD,  Roberto’s  Winds,  New  York,  2009.    

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   Let’s  see  some  examples:     Example  1:  Chris  Potter  playing  rhythm  in  5  over  the  first  four  bars  of  Airegin’s  B   part.    

 

  Example  2:  Chris  Potter  playing  rhythm  in  6  over  Giant  Steps    

 

  Example  3:  Chris  Potter  playing  rhythm  in  6  over  All  the  things  you  are.    

 

  Example  4:  Chris  Potter  playing  a  rhythm  in  7  over  Giant  Steps    

 

 

This   last   one   is   just   happening   for   two   bars   and   actually   sounds   more   like  a  variation  of  one  idea.  But  I  am  pretty  sure  he  started  to  hear  this  kind  of   things  by  moving  a  rhythm  like  that  for  longer  periods  over  the  bar  line.       The   three   examples   shown   above   demonstrate   how   to   play   this   cross   rhythms   keeping   the   harmonic   rhythm.   I   also   noticed   that   CP   is   able   to   anticipate   or   delay   harmonic   changes   without   loosing   track   of   where   is   the   one.   I   do   not   know   if   he   developed   this   ability   from   this   approach   but   for   me   it   is   definitely  related.        

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Example  5:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  Solo  over  Blues  Nouveau.    

 

  In  this  example  we  can  observe  how  the  target  notes  are  a  bit  displaced   from  where  we  normally  would  expect  them  to  be.  The  note  B  in  the  G7b9  is  in   the  forth  beat,  and  the  resolution  in  the  third  of  Cm7  (note  Eb)  is  delayed  till  the   third  beat  of  the  bar.  And  because  of  the  context  we  can  notice  that  it  is  not  an   accident.   He   is   perfectly   aware   of   where   he   is.   This   is   even   clearer   in   the   following  example.     Example  6:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Amsterdam  Blues.    

 

 

Starting   from   the   7th   bar   of   the   form,   we   could   say   that   he   is   playing   some  different  changes.  Instead  of  F7,  D7b9,  Gm7,  C7,  he  is  playing  A  major,  Ab   major,  G  major,  C7.  But  at  the  same  time  he  is  outlining  these  alternate  changes   on  groups  of  6  consecutive  eighth  notes  starting  on  the  upbeat  of  the  third  beat   of  F7,  creating  a  harmonic  rhythm  in  ¾  that  lands  on  the  first  beat  of  the  C7.  Of   course   he   is   not   thinking   all   these   things   on   that   moment,   but   for   sure   he   spend   some   time   in   the   practice   room   figuring   out   how   to   do   that   till   reaching   the   point  of  just  hearing  that  kind  of  lines  during  the  playing.                  

 

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TRAINING  TIME  AWARENESS    

The  first  difficulty  presented  when  dealing  with  cross  rhythms  is  to  be   able   to   feel   the   two   different   layers   going   on   at   the   same   time.   This   means   to   be   able  being  able  to  play  the  5,  6  or  7  without  loosing  the  one  of  the  4/4  bar.     For   these   I   found   very   useful   to   work   out   some   exercises   without   the   horn:    

 

 

This   would   be   the   basic   schema   for   a   6   eighth   note   cross   rhythm   over   a   4/4.   The   idea   is   to   play   both   rhythmic   layers   being   able   to   feel   them   independently,  so  we  know  in  which  beat  of  which  bar  are  we  in  any  moment.   Once  we  are  able  to  do  it  as  it  is  written  we  can  try  to  change  one  rhythm  from   one   hand   to   another,   or   play   the   bottom   line   with   the   feet   and   clap   the   upper   one,   or   whatever   other   combination   that   comes   to   our   mind.   And   then   try   to   switch   from   one   set   put   to   the   other   without   stop.   All   this   kind   of   games   will   keep  our  brain  active  and  will  help  internalize  the  relation  in  between  the  two   rhythms.     The  same  approach  should  be  done  with  the  basic  outline  of  fives  and   sevens:      

 

 

 

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The  next  thing  I  did  is  try  to  figure  out  different  rhythmic  patterns  that   imply  this  kind  of  over  the  bar  line  divisions.  I  tried  to  go  from  the  very  simplest   ones  to  the  busiest  ones.    

 

 

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    We  got  here  a  lot  of  different  possibilities  of  outlining  cross  rhythms  in   five,  six  and  seven.  The  next  step  would  be  to  be  able  to  play  these  patterns  over   a   tune   without   loosing   track   of   the   harmonic   rhythm.   For   that   I   found   very   useful  as  a  first  step  and  exercise  I  got  from  Steve  Coleman.  The  idea  is  to  play   the  same  patter  over  the  tune,  and  first  play  only  the  bass  notes  of  the  changes.   Once   you   are   able   to   do   that   you   can   start   to   go   to   different   layers,   outline   a   certain  voice  leading  and  slowly  get  into  improvising  melodies.                                          

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CD  2/TRACK  1  

   

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On  the  last  chorus  of  the  last  demonstration  I  tried  to  outline  a  complete   voice  leading  over  the  changes.  By  doing  that  combined  with  this  cross  rhythm   concept  I  started  to  get  some  melodic  structures  that  remind  me  somehow  to  CP   playing.  I  guess  when  he   says  that   some   harmonic   things   from   his   playing   came   out  of  developing  these  rhythmic  concepts  one  of  the  things  he  is  talking  about   is   this.     In   the   following   example   we   can   see   a   line   with   sort   of   the   same   approach,  combining  a  clear  outline  of  chord  changes  with  a  cross  rhythm  in  6.     Example  7:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  All  the  things  you  are   Track  and  time    

     

 

62  

The   following   demonstration   over   a   rhythm   changes   takes   the   same   kind  of  approach,  but  the  rhythmic  patter  is  changing  in  every  section  by  adding   an  extra  eighth  note.    

CD2/TRACK  2    

 

 

63  

 

 

This   is   a   nice   way   of   practicing   for   me.   Putting   obligations   in   order   to   force   myself   to   do   thing   I   cannot   do.   Hopefully   by   doing   that   a   lot   it   starts   to   get   into   my   playing   in   a   natural   way.   I   also   notice   that   being   able   to   play   these   rhythms   in   a   fluent   and   organic   way   creates   a   kind   of   motivic   type   of   playing,   because  actually  is  just  about  moving  a  rhythmic  sequence  and  displace  it  over   the  bar  line.     The   image   showed   in   the   following   page   is   a   fragment   of   an   exercise   written   by   Chris   Potter   himself.   I   downloaded   it   from   www.artistshare.com.   It   shows   pretty   clearly   that   he   went   in   this   direction   to   work   on   this   cross   rhythm   thing.  Again  he  emphasizes  that  the  purpose  of  this  exercises  is  not  to  play  them   exactly.  They  should  be  considered  as  a  blueprint  from  where  start  building  up   our   own   solutions   to   find   a   way   through   the   changes   and   the   rhythmic   patter   at   the  same  time.                            

64  

   

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65  

THE  MIXED  METER    

Till   now   we   just   talked   about   playing   a   cross   rhythm   melodically,   but   respecting  the  harmonic  rhythm.  Another  possible  thing  to  do  is  to  play  a  cross   rhythm  in  a  harmonic  sense.     The   following   exercises   are   based   on   this   concept   that   I   learned   from   Simon  Rigter.  The  starting  idea  is  to  impose  a  harmonic  rhythm  in  ¾  over  the   normal  4/4  structure  of  a  song.  Is  possible  to  keep  this  two  layers  going  on  for   as   long   as   you   want.   At   the   beginning   I   started   doing   it   during   three   4/4   bars,   that  is  the  length  that  this  game  needs  in  order  to  make  the  match  again  the  first   beat   of   the   two   time   signatures.   Like   this   sounds   very   complicated,   let’s   see   a   practical  example.     This  is  the  harmonic  structure  of  the  B  part  of  Airegin,  by  Sonny  Rollins:    

 

  So  if  we  change  the  harmonic  rhythm  of  the  first  three  bars  of  the  first   and  second  pentagram  we  would  get  the  following  harmonic  rhythm:    

 

           

 

66  

Having  this  schema  in  mind  we  will  come  with  lines  like  this  one:    

CD2/TRACK  3  

 

  Looking  at  it  can  seem  to  be  very  awkward  thing  to  do.  But  it  actually   sounds  pretty  normal  outlined  this  way.  In  fact  the  only  thing  that  is  happening   is   that   some   chords   are   being   anticipated   and   some   resolutions   are   being   delayed.  Charlie  Parker  was  already  doing  that  without  maybe  thinking  of  it.     Depending  on  which  form  we  want  to  do  this  mixed  meter,  we  will  not   have   enough   chords   to   fill   in   the   ¾,   so   we   will   have   to   add   some,   like   we   can   observe  in  this  line  Simon  Rigter  made  up  over  All  the  things  you  are  during  a   lesson  I  had  with  him:        

67  

CD2/TRACK  4    

 

    For  now  what  we  this  is  make  an  alternate  harmonic  rhythm  in  3  over   the   4/4.   But   it   has   not   to   be   necessarily   like   that.   We   can   think   about   other   harmonic  rhythms,  and  we  can  make  them  also  in  a  not  regular  way.     This  is  an  example  of  that  over  Giant  Steps:    

 

68  

 

 

CD2/TRACK  5    

 

 

Also  dealing  with  groupings  of  5  and  7  consecutive  eighth  notes  can  be   approached   with   a   harmonic   implication.   Basically   it   works   more   or   less   the   same  way,  creating  a  delay  in  the  harmonic  rhythm.  But  is  very  hard  to  keep  it   for   long   periods,   so   I   just   worked   it   out   in   little   environments   like   a   II   V   I   progression.                

69  

    Example  7:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Anthropology.    

 

CREATING  LINES  

  This  kind  of  lines  I  found  transcribing  CP  made  me  try  to  figure  out  how  can  I  do   it  myself.  Normally  all  the  shapes  we  practice  over  the  scales  or  all  the  lines  we   try  to  be  able  in  every  key  through  the  horn  are  based  on  structures  in  two  or   four,   and   sometimes   in   three.   And   consequently   these   are   the   things   that,   at   least   in   my   case,   come   to   my   ear   and   to   my   fingers   while   improvising.   So   I   started  to  look  for  lines  and  shapes  in  five  and  seven,  first  just  adapting  material   I  already  know.       For  example,  a  II  V  I  line  like  this  one:  

  Can  become  a  five-­‐note  groupings  line  just  by  changing  all  that  seventh  chords   into  ninth  chords:    

  As  I  said  before,  lines  like  that  imply  again  a  delay  in  the  harmonic  rhythm.  In   this  case  the  line  resolves  to  the  first  degree  in  the  third  beat  of  the  third  bar.     I   also   found   quite   handy   to   adapt   some   octatonic   shapes   in   similar   ways:    

  into:    

 

 

 

   

70  

  All   this   kind   of   shapes,   applied   to   whatever   scale   can   be   isolated   and   worked  out  as  technical  exercises.  I  am  writing  them  on  the  context  of  changes   because  at  the  end  this  was  the  tricky  part  for  me.  In  the  example  written  above   the   octatonic   sequence   is   repeated   five   times   being   the   last   note   of   the   last   group  in  the  first  beat  of  the  fourth  bar.  Notice  also  that  harmonically,  the  lines   implies  a  dominant  sound  that  actually  doesn’t  resolve  to  the  one,  goes  over  it   till   reaching   the   next   dominant   chord.   Lines   with   this   kind   of   approach   can   be   founded  in  CP  playing:     Example  8:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Airegin    

 

   

Going   back   to   where   I   was,   talking   about   creating   lines   in   fives   and   sevens,   I   came   up   with   some   kind   of   “rules”   to   be   able   to   make   a   smooth   transition  to  the  real  pulse.  Not  in  a  very  systematic  way  like  trying  to  figure  out   all  the  possibilities,  just  realizing  some  constants  that  made  the  lines  work  for   me.     So   I   know   that   if   play   five   eighth   notes   three   times   I   need   an   extra   passing  tone  to  reach  the  one  of  the  third  bar:    

 

  Or,  like  we  already  saw,  playing  five  eighth  notes  four  times  we  get  to   the  third  beat  of  the  third  bar,  or  five  times  and  the  last  note  of  the  last  grouping   is  in  the  first  beat  of  the  forth  bar.     Or  playing  two  times  seven  eighth  notes,  starting  in  the  second  beat  and   finishing  on  the  first  beat  of  the  third  bar.    

 

 

71  

Playing   three   times   seven   and   the   last   note   of   the   last   group   is   the   third   beat  of  the  third  bar.    

 

  Starting  in  the  upbeat  before  the  one,  playing  three  times  seven  we  land   on  the  third  beat  of  the  third  bar.  

 

 

Through   these   mental   games   I   create   lines   over   II   V   I   progressions   or   turn   arounds.   Lines   to   play   through   the   twelve   keys   in   order   to   build   up   a   bit   of   vocabulary  based  on  this  concept.     I   think   working   on   all   this   things   we   talked   about   till   now   in   this   chapter   are   very   helpful.   First,   because   it   causes   a   huge   enrichment   of   your   playing   in   a   rhythmical   sense;   and   second,   because   they   contribute   in   training   the   ear   in   a   rhythmical   and   time   perception   aspect.   This   helps   to   be   aware   of   which  moment  of  the  bar  you  are  in  every  moment  without  needing  to  rely  in   the  rhythm  section  for  that.    

RHYTHM  VARIETY  

  Closely   related   to   this   search   we   just   saw   in   the   previous   section,   CP   has   developed   a   very   rich   pallet   of   rhythms   that   he   uses   in   a   very   surprising   way,   looking  for  the  creation  of  contrast  in  his  playing.       Example  9:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  All  the  things  you  are.  

 

  The   use   of   quarter   note   triples,   mixed   up   with   eighth   note   triplets   is   a   trademark  of  CP  playing.  Also  the  use  of  sixteenth  notes  combined  with  triplets   is  very  common,  giving  a  feeling  of  tension.     Example  10:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Anthropology.  

 

72  

  He   also   likes   to   play   with   rhythmic   patterns   that   are   on   the   limit   in   between   the   binary   subdivision   and   the   ternary   subdivision.   Sometimes   this   is   just   insinuated  by  the  timing,  and  sometimes  is  very  clear.     Example  11:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Giant  Steps    

 

 

 

In   this   last   example   we   can   hear   the   effect   of   a   syncopated   pattern   turning   on   a   quarter   note   triplet.   This   connects   again   with   the   concept   of   rhythm   as   a   tool   to   develop   a   single   idea.   This   happens   very   clearly   in   the   following  examples.     Example  12:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Blues  Nouveau.  

                 

 

73  

Example  13:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  All  the  things  you  are.      

 

   

SOME  TIPS  FOR  WORKING  ON  RHYTHMIC  VARIETY  

    The   tips   I   received   from   different   people   in   my   network   about   how   to   develop   rhythmic   variety   have   a   lot   to   do   with   practice   improvisation   with   obligations.   In   lessons   with   Jasper   Blom   we   established   the   following   possible   parameters:     • Play  phrases  starting  only  on  the  first  beat,  and  after  that  in  the  upbeat  of   the  first  beat,  in  the  second  beat,  and  so  on.   • Use  the  same  approach  but  applied  to  the  endings  of  the  phrases   • Be   aware   of   the   different   rhythmic   figures   (half   note,   dotted   quarter   note,   quarter   note,   quarter   note   triplet,   eighth   note,   eighth   note   triplet,   sixteenth   note,   sixteenth   note   triplet)   and   improvise   trying   to   use   them   all.   • Play  only  in  eighth  note  triplets,  or  in  quarter  note  triplets.       Seamus   Blake   proposed   me   also   to   think   as   a   drummer   when   improvising,  and  as  a  kind  of  exercise  limit  myself  to  three  or  four  pitches  as  if   they  where  the  tombs  of  the  drum  kit,  to  focus  in  the  rhythmical  phrasing.     CD2/TRACK   6:   Example   of   improvising   using   different   rhythmic   figures  over  an  F  blues.      

 

74  

MELODYC  DEVICES    

It   is   quite   artificial   to   separate   rhythm   from   melody,   and   both   from   harmony.   Decisions   made   in   one   or   another   of   this   categories   affect   unavoidably   the  others.       In  this  chapter  we  will  focus  very  specifically  on  how  CP  develops  melodic   devices  from  very  simple  ideas,  because  I  think  this  is  one  of  the  main  aspect  that   made   his   playing   develop   from   the   bebop   language   to   other   kind   of   melodic   shapes.   These   constructions   built   up   from   little   cells   have   interdependent   with   harmonic   and   rhythmic   choices,   but   I   think   the   process   I   will   describe   in   this   chapter  has  the  melody  as  a  starting  point.    

DIVIDING  THE  OCTAVE    

Dividing In Equalin  Parts This   is   a   concept   CP   The talks  Octave about   repeatedly   different   workshops   and   master  classes.  The  idea  of  the  division  of  the  octave  in  equal  parts  is  a  concept   that  became  very  popular  in  jazz  music  after  the  research  made  in  this  field  by   Dividing The Octave In Equal Parts John   Coltrane.   He   first   applied   this   principle   harmonically,   creating   chord   progressions  related  to  dividing  the  octave  in  three  equal  parts,  obtaining  three   ˙ the   other.   Compositions   like   Giant   & cdistance   one   from   Tonics   in   a   major   third   ˙ Steps,   Countdown,   26-­‐2   or   Satellite   are   based   on   this   principle.   On   later   works   Coltrane   did   not   “need”   to   have   this   progressions   in   the   rhythm   sections   to   be   ˙ &c able  to  hear  similar  relations  in  his  improvised  melodies.  Coltrane  is  one  of  the   ˙ Probably the first step one can make, if he or she wishes to depart from the use of traditional tonal and modal most  influential  saxophonist  of  the  XX  century,  and  many  other  great  musicians,   progressions and melodic structures, is to delve into material derived from the division of the octave into intervals like  for  example  Michael  Brecker,  got  inspired  by  his  playing  and  developed  his   of equal value. concepts   on  their  own  way.   The intervals that step divideone thecan octave equal parts are the the first make,into if he or she wishes to following... depart from the use of traditional tonal and modal   Probably progressions and melodic structures, is to delve into material derived from the division of the octave into intervals The  main  source  of  inspiration  for  Coltrane  relating  this  subject  was  the   of equal value. work   Thesaurus   of   scale   and   melodic   patterns,   by   Nicolas   Slonimsky,   a   The intervals that divide the octave into equal parts are the following... compilation   of   material   based   on   symmetric   relations.   The   first   part   of   this   work   The Minor Thirdoctave   in   equal   Major Third The deals  with   mtritone. aterial  generated  fThe rom   the   idea  of  the  division   of  the   7thmajor   arpegio.) thirds   (an   (Augmented parts.   The   octave   can   be   divided   in  arpegio.) two   tritones,   (Diminished in   three   3 ˙ minor  thirds  (#diminished   œ steps   augmented   four   seventh  chord),   sœix  whole   & œ œ bMinor œ Third #triad),   ˙ œ b œ The ˙ œ œ The Major Third The tritone. (whole  tone   scale)  or  twelve  half  steps  (chromatic  scale).   (Diminished 7th arpegio.) (Augmented arpegio.)   3 &

 

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3 Using the above material as a creative basis of harmonic progressions, melodies and scales, or even as tools for 3 3 If   wreharmonizing e   consider   more   than   one  will octave,   we   get   the   est   of   tused he   iinntervals   voicing and/or tonal or modal melodies, sound different from the rtechniques Tonal and whit   Modal textures. The reason foroctaves   this fact, is are   that tonal and modalin   concepts, areminor   based on the way theintervals,   Overtone Series in   the   octave.   Two   divided   three   sixth   what   is shaped, whch a utterly natural structure-therefore while this concept based on Symmetry Alone. actually   is   isan   augmented   triad   in   an  Asymmetric, open   inversion,   so  isconsequently   closely   Using the above material as a creative basis of harmonic progressions, melodies and scales, or even as tools for Cadences, "Musical Gravity", Tonal Centers (Not always), Functions and all other aspects that define music as a voicing and/or reharmonizing modal but melodies, sound different from the techniques used in Tonal and language, are needless to saytonal still or present, with a will very different character. Modal textures. The reason for this fact, is that tonal and modal concepts, are based on the way the Overtone Series is shaped, whch is a utterly natural structure-therefore Asymmetric, while this concept is based on Symmetry Alone. (Not©always), Functions and all other aspects that define music as a75   Copyright 2005 dlazaridis.com   Cadences, "Musical Gravity", Tonal Centers language, are needless to say still present, but with a very different character.

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related   to   the   division   in   major   thirds11.   Three   octaves   can   be   divided   in   four   major  sixth  intervals,  what  actually  is  an  unfolded  diminished  chord.       The  perfect  fifth  is  one-­‐twelfth  part  of  seven  octaves,  and  the  perfect  forth   is   a   twelfth   part   of   five   octaves.   So   by   these   divisions   we   get   again   the   twelve   notes   in   the   octave.   Also   with   the   major   sevenths,   which   actually   are   the   inversions   of   the   minor   seconds,   and   represent   the   division   of   eleven   octaves.   The  minor  seventh  is  the  division  of  seven  octaves  into  six  parts.     These  divisions  of  the  octave  are  directly  related  to  scales  and  harmonic   progressions.  We  just  saw  that  the  whole  tone  scale  and  the  chromatic  scale  are   the  division  of  the  octave  in  six   and  twelve  parts  respectively.  Some  other  scales,   if  not  coming  from  this  idea,  they  are  unavoidably  related  to  it,  like  the  hexatonic   scale  and  the  octatonic  scale  outlined  here,  that  in  fact  come  out  of  over  imposing   on  a  minor  second  distance  two  augmented  triads  and  two  diminished  seventh   chords  respectively:    

 

 

There   are   also   harmonic   relations   related   to   this   idea   of   dividing   the   octave.   The   famous   circle   of   4rths   or   fifths   is   a   good   example   of   how   tonal   music   is   related   to   this.   I   already   mentioned   the   progression   known   as   Coltrane   changes,   but   actually   all   the   progressions   based   on   parallel   movements   can   be   also  related  to  this  concept.     I   do   not   want   to   go   deep   into   this.   It   would   take   too   long.   I   just   wanted   to   show  the  idea  because  in  spite  that  I  will  develop  this  idea  from  a  melodic  point   of   view,   it   is   impossible   to   ignore   the   harmonic   connotations   of   these   melodic   sequences  that,  depending  on  how  we  apply  them,  are  more  obvious  or  less.      So,  going  back  to  CP’s  practicing  tips.  The  idea  is  very  simple.  We  choose   a   simple   motive   and   we   transpose   it   symmetrically   through   the   horn   in   different   intervals:   Minor   seconds,   major   seconds,   minor   thirds,   major   thirds,   perfect   fourths   and   tritones.   Eventually   also   in   fifths,   sixths   and   sevenths,   but   actually   this  ones  are  inversions  of  the  others.       Let’s  do  it  with  a  very  simple  cell:  a  perfect  4th    

                                                                                                                11  Starting  from  the  tritone,  all  the  intervals  have  a  mirror.  So  the  perfect  forth  is   the  inversion  of  the  perfect  fifth,  the  major  third  is  the  inversion  of  the  minor   sixth,  minor  third  –  major  sixth,  major  second  –minor  seventh,  minor  second  – major  seventh.  Because  of  these  relations  we  get  the  same  amount  of  intervals   till  we  reach  again  the  starting  tone.    

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Notice  I  skipped  the  perfect  forth  division,  just  because  it  meant  repeating   a  note  in  this  concrete  case.  But  it  could  be  done  of  course.  Also  we  can  do  that  in   sixth  and  seventh  intervals  if  we  want  to.     Also   notice   that   in   this   specific   case   we   get   some   lines   that   fit   certain   scales.  A  perfect  forth  moved  in  minor  thirds  fits  the  diminished  scale  and  moved   in   major   thirds   fits   the   hexatonic   scale   written   before   in   this   chapter   (half   step   below).      

 

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To   go   through   all   the   possibilities   we   should   do   it   also   starting   from   C#   when  doing  it  in  whole  steps,  and  from  C#  and  D  when  doing  it  in  minor  thirds;   C#,  D  and  Eb  for  the  major  thirds;  and  C#,  D,  Eb,  E  and  F  for  the  tritone.       Of   course   there   is   a   technical   aspect   in   being   able   to   play   fluently   this   ideas  through  the  register  of  the  instrument,  but  the  main  thing  of  this  is  to  train   your  brain  and  your  ear  to  be  able  to  move  whatever  idea  to  the  layer  you  want   in  a  fluent  way.       This  is  another  example  with  a  bigger  cell:    

 

 

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This   would   also   be   a   clear   example   of   harmonic   connotations   of   this   process.   Even   if   we   just   think   that   as   a   melodic   cell   constructed   by   a   major   second,   a   minor   third   and   a   major   third,   we   are   actually   outlining   a   minor   seventh   chord   on   a   third   inversion,   or   a   major   six   chord   in   the   second   inversion.   So   actually   moving   this   cell   implies   creating   this   harmonic   movement   very   clearly.      

INTRODUCING  VARIATIONS  

  We  can  modify  whatever  cell  in  a  melodic  level  in  the  following  ways:     Given  cell:  

Retrogradation:  

Inversion:  

 

 

  Retrogradation  of  the  inversion:  

  Changing  the  order  of  the  notes:  

   

 

This   way   we   find   multiple   variations   from   one   idea   that   we   can   again   transpose  in  different  intervals  in  the  same  way  we  did  with  the  original  cell,  or   we  can  try  to  mix  them  up:    

 

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  These  variation  processes  and  the  possibility  of  mixing  them  up  create  a   crazy  amount  of  combinations.  There  is  no  sense  in  trying  to  practice  all  of  them,   but  is  good  to  be  aware  of  the  endless  possibilities  of  a  little  idea  like  this.  It  is  a   good   way   to   find   material   that   maybe   I   wouldn't   find   relying   only   on   my   intuition.   Through   this   system   I   find   things   that   I   like   and   then   I   go   with   them.   Other  things  just  don't  work  for  me  and  I  leave  them.     It   is   maybe   nice   also   to   try   to   mix   these   variations   randomly   while   improvising,   or   jumping   form   one   to   the   other   not   always   in   the   same   interval   but  in  whatever  interval  comes  to  your  ear.     CD2/TRACK  7:  Improvising  with  a  three  note  cell  over  an  F  blues.     Another  thing  I  tried  to  do  while  practicing  these  things  is  to  combine  it   with  the  rhythmical  material  we  talked  about  in  the  previous  chapter.  Four  note   patterns  would  fit  the  line  in  different  cross  rhythms  like  this:    

 

 

Also   is   possible   to   use   rhythmic   patters   that   imply   more   notes,   crossing   on   the   cell   as   well,   what   can   make   the   structure   less   comprehensible,   if   maybe   that  is  what  you  want:    

   

 

Something  I  found  out  also  while  checking  out  CP’s  solos  is  the  possibility   of  generating  a  cell  from  this  logic  and  then  transpose  it  in  minor  seconds,  major   seconds,  etc.  Making  a  kind  of  division  of  the  divided  octave.  

 

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We   would   continue   this   in   minor   thirds,   major   thirds   and   so   on.   Also   could  figure  out  variations  of  this.    

 

 

Again   we   could   see   these   lines   like   something   by   themselves   or   just   as   another  step  in  this  game  to  train  transposing  and  modifying  little  melodies.    

HOW  TO  USE  THIS  OVER  TUNES?    

We   are   going   back   to   CP’s   solos   to   figure   out   how   he   uses   this   material   in   his  playing.     Sometimes   these   sequences   are   very   nice   just   by   themselves,   and   they   have   an   enough   strong   statement   in   order   to   sound   good   even   if   they   have    

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“wrong  notes”  that  do  not  fit  the  harmony.  If  the  idea  is  clear  and  it  is  played  with   intention  works.     Simply   moving   something   chromatically   can   be   a   very   handy   tool   to   create  some  tension.     Example  1:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Airegin    

 

 

Here   and   example   of   playing   with   a   perfect   forth   in   different   layers   and   directions,  on  a  sort  of  Eb  modal  context.     Example  2:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Star  Eyes.    

 

 

In   the   following   example   we   can   see   again   a   perfect   forth   being   moved   chromatically  combined  with  a  cross  rhythm  in  six.     Example  3:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Blues  Nouveau.    

   

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  The  structures  generated  with  these  sequences  can  be  played  completely   unrelated  to  the  harmony,  or  also  in  a  way  that  keeps  somehow  a  relation  with  it.     Example  4:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  on  Anthropology    

 

 

The  following  example  is  the  fragment  from  where  I  took  the  example  to   show  the  division  of  the  divided  octave.     Example  4:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  on  Amsterdam  blues    

 

 

Another   way   of   using   this   material   is   sneaking   them   into   a   more   harmonically  clear  line,  creating  a  kind  of  spicy  moment  in  the  line.     Example  5:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Giant  Steps    

  In   the   example   above   we   can   observe,   in   the   third   bar   of   the   second   pentagram,   a   symmetric   idea   that   doesn’t   fit   the   harmony.   It   is   just   a   tiny   moment   of   outside   playing   inside   a   line   where   the   harmony   is   very   clearly   outlined.  This  is  maybe  more  clear  in  the  next  example.        

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Example  6:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Blues  Nouveau    

 

 

As   I   said   when   explaining   the   way   of   practicing   these   ideas,   one   of   the   main   goals   is   to   gain   fluency   in   transposing   and   introducing   variations   in   a   simple  motive,  what  actually  helps  a  lot  in  developing  a  motivic  concept  in  your   playing.     Example  7:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Airegin    

 

 

 

Of   course   when   talking   about   motivic   development   fitting   the   harmony,   the   symmetries   “suffer”   some   corrections   in   order   to   fit   the   chords,   and   also   other  motivic  variation  tools  have  to  be  considered.    

MORE  ABOUT  MOTIVIC  DEVELOPMENT      

“In   a   jazz   solo   there   is   enough   material   to   write   ten   symphonies   if   you   use   this   material   as   a   thematic   thing.   So   maybe   sometimes  we  are  just  working  too  hard.  The  problem  is  not  that  I  am   not  generating  enough  material,  the  problem  is  that  I  am  not  working   with  the  material  that  I  have  in  an  intelligent  enough  way  that  I  can  do   something   with   it.   What   I   specially   like   about   this   way   of   thinking   is   that   you   are   creating   areas   of   certain   continuity   and   an   area   of   contrast.”12                                                                                                                   12  Chris  Potter  Master  Class  DVD,  Roberto’s  Winds,  New  York,  2009.    

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  We   already   talk   a   bit   about   motivic   development.   We   saw   how   playing   cross   rhythms   have   a   motivic   connotation   and   we   also   so   some   possibilities   of   melodic   variations   of   a   motive   in   the   previous   section:   Transposition,   retrogradation,   inversion   and   inversion   of   the   retrogradation.   The   combination   of  these  melodic  and  rhythmic  concepts  gives  already  a  lot  of  possible  material,   but  there  are  some  more  elements  to  consider,  like  changing  the  rhythms  of  the   phrase,   repeating   notes,   condense   or   amplify   the   phrase   by   adding   or   quitting   notes,  make  the  intervals  bigger  or  smaller,  etc.         Example  8:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Stella  by  Starlight    

 

 

This   is   a   clear   example   where   some   of   the   mentioned   things   are   being   used.   Improvising   is   composing   in   the   moment,   so   all   the   studies   about   how   to   develop  and  connect  motives  can  be  related  to  improvisation.  I  did  not  go  deep   into  that  because  it  could  be  a  single  research  by  itself.  I  particularly  like  to  work   this   kind   of   playing   based   on   intuition,   and   practice   it   by   improvising.   This   is   something  I  did  in  lessons  with  Jasper  Blom,  and  it  is  also  something  that  Chris   Potters  says  he  does  a  lot:  Just  take  a  very  simple  idea,  two  or  three  notes,  and   try  to  develop  it  in  an  organic  way  through  a  form  or  even  just  freely.       CD  2/TRACK  8:  Developing  a  motive  over  Stella  by  Starlight     I  want  to  insist  also  in  how  all  the  material  we  are  talking  about  refers  to   the   concept   of   creating   contrast   in   the   improvisation.   Creating   a   certain   image   with  your  playing  and  then  introducing  something  new  that  changes  this  image,   and   in   fact   this   new   element   acquires   a   different   relevance   because   its   relation  

 

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with  the  previous  image.  It  is  about  having  a  palette  with  a  lot  of  colors  and  being   able  to  combine  them  in  a  smart  way  to  obtain  a  more  interesting  painting.      

CREATING  LINES  2    

Following   the   routine   described   in   the   previous   chapter,   I   also   tried   to   figure   out   some   lines   based   in   the   symmetric   movement   of   lines.   Besides   the   possible   applications   described,   when   looking   for   lines   I   was   trying   to   keep   a   kind  of  relation  with  the  harmony,  looking  for  ways  of  outlining  the  chords  with   this   kind   of   structures.   Actually   works   very   well   to   combine   these   symmetric   lines  with  the  groupings  of  five,  six  and  seven  notes.    

  This  line  is  built  from  playing  something  around  Gm7  and  then  moving  it   in  minor  thirds  to  Bbm7  (that  is  the  same  than  Gm7b5)  and  then  to  Dbm7,  that  is   kind   of   C7alt.   The   line   continues   with   Em7   over   Fmaj7,   where   only   the   F#   is   a   “wrong  note”.       The  following  line  is  based  on  the  same  idea  but  in  groups  of  five.    

 

  Other  ideas:    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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MORE  HARMONY        

We  already  saw  that  the  development  of  the  rhythmic  concept  described   and  the  octave  division  have  consequences  in  the  harmony.  But  there  are  more   things  to  talk  about.    

TRITONE  SUBSTITUTION    

This   is   something   used   very   often   in   jazz   improvisation,   and   definitively   something   that   appear   many   times   in   CP’s   playing.   For   those   who   are   not   familiar   with   the   concept,   the   tritone   substitution   consists   in   replacing   a   given   dominant   chord   for   another   one   on   a   tritone   distance.   These   chords   have   in   common  the  tritone  interval  created  in  between  the  third  and  the  seventh,  that  is   what  actually  gives  the  dominant  sound  that  needs  to  resolve.      

 

 

Based   on   this   relation,   is   very   common   to   play   a   II   V   line   of   the   tritone   instead  of  the  “normal”  one.     Example  1:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Star  Eyes    

 

 

In   the   third   bard   of   the   example,   the   line   clearly   outlines   a   C#m7   F#7,   resolving   to   Fmaj7.   There   some   spots   in   some   tunes   where   this   kind   of   substitutions   became   a   sort   of   standard   reharmonization.   For   example,   in   All  the   things  you  are,  playing  a  D7  to  go  to  Dbmaj7,  instead  of  the  original  Abmaj7.       Example  2:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  All  the  things  you  are.    

   

 

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Sometimes   not   the   whole   II   V   is   substituted,   and   the   both   layers   are   combined.  In  the  following  example,  CP  plays  B7  (tritone  V),  to  Cm7  to  F7.     Example  3:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Stella  by  Starlight.    

 

 

The   original   chords   and   their   substitutions   can   be   combined   and   connected   in   different   ways.   In   the   next   example   the   tritone   V   is   played   after   the   normal  V,  getting  into  next  bar.       Example  4:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Blues  Nouveau.    

 

 

We  also  can  find  tritone  substitutions  played  on  different  beats  of  the  bar,   creating  again  a  certain  delay  in  resolving  to  the  one.     Example  5:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Stella  by  Starlight    

 

 

Starting   on   the   third   beat   of   the   second   bar,   CP   plays   an   E7   chord   that   connects  with  a  Dmaj7  that  resolves  to  Ebmaj7  on  the  third  beat  of  the  third  bar.   The   Dmaj7   is   just   an   extension   of   E7,   attending   to   Barry   Harris   explanations   about  chord  outline:    

 

 

Attending  to  this  explanation  Dm7b5  (VII),  Fm7  (II),  and  Abmaj7  (VI)  are   extensions  of  Bb7  (V).  And  the  same  logic  can  be  applied  to  its  tritone  substitute,   E7.          

 

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Actually,  many  times  we  listen  lines  like  this  one:     Example  6:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Stella  by  Starlight    

 

 

The   Ab7   is   expanded   till   the   third   beat   of   the   third   bar,   resolving   to   A   major   triad   that   resolves   to   Bbmaj7.   This   A   triad   could   be   considered   as   the   upper  structure  of  B7  going  to  Bbmaj7.  It  also  could  be  understood  as  A7  going   to  Dm7,  which  is  an  upper  structure  of  Bbmaj7.  But  because  the  dominant  sound   is   not   there   (no   minor   seventh   or   flat   ninth),   I   rather   think   that   these   types   of   line  are  coming  from  tritone  substitutions.     Example  7:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Anthropology  

 

 

This   example   is   much   more   clear.   As   an   extension   of   Bb7,   CP   plays   Dmaj7   (upper   structure   of   E7)   and   then   plays   C#m7,   that   would   be   third   degree   of   A   major,  the  “original”  tonality  where  this  E7  belongs.     This   extension   of   the   dominant   sound   played   over   the   I   chord   happens   very   often   in   CP.   Sometimes   it   happens   for   one   or   two   beats,   and   sometimes   it   takes  much  more  space.     Example  8:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Airegin    

             

 

 

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OTHER  REHARMONIZATIONS    

In   certain   forms   we   found   CP   playing   different   changes   than   the   standard   ones  and  adding  chords  that  are  not  played  by  the  rhythm  section       Example  9:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Amsterdam  blues.    

    A  form  schema  we  could  deduct  from  this  chorus  would  be  something  like  that:    

 

 

 

Actually  these  changes  are  pretty  much  based  on  tritone  substitutions:  E7   is  the  tritone  substitute  of  Bb7,  F#7  of  C7  (commonly  played  in  the  third  bar  of  a   blues),  B7  of  F7  and  Ab7  from  D7.                      

 

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Following   example   shows   some   alternate   changes   also   over   the   A   sections   of   rhythm  changes:     Example  10:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Anthropology    

 

  The  chord  schema  CP  is  playing  here  is:    

 

  Example  11:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Anthropology    

  A  form  schema  we  could  deduct  from  this  chorus  would  be  something  like  that:    

           

   

 

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THE  Vb9,  13  CHORD    

This   is   a   very   common   chord,   with   a   very   characteristic   sonority,   associated   to   the   fifth   degree   of   the   major   harmonic   scale   and   also   to   the   octatonic  sound.  The  normal  choice  is  to  use  this  kind  of  sonority  when  resolving   to  a  major  chord,  but  CP  uses  it  very  often  when  resolving  to  a  minor  chord.     Example  12:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Anthropology    

  Or  also  likes  to  play  with  both  13  and  b13  sound  at  the  same  time.     Example  13:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Airegin    

   

 

 

PENTATONICS  AND  CONSTRUCTIONS  IN  PERFECT  4THS    

Pentatonic  scales   appear   sometimes   in   CP’s   solos   as   a   tool   to   emphasize   a   certain  color  of  a  chord.     Example  14:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Stella  by  Starlight.    

 

 

I  saw  different  opinions  on  how  to  name  different  pentatonic  scales.  The   line  in  the  forth  bar  is,  for  me,  an  Eb  minor  pentatonic  scale  (Eb,  F,  Gb,  Bb,  C).  It   creates  the  color  of  an  F7susb9  chord.     Example  15:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Amsterdam  Blues    

 

 

 

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Here  CP  is  playing  a  E  major  pentatonic  scale  over  the  four  bars,  giving  a   sound  of  C7alt,  or  F#7  (tritone  substitute),  that  is  expanded  over  the  whole  four   bars.     Related  to  this  idea  I  got  a  practice  tip  from  Rich  Perry  in  a  lesson  during   my   visit   to   New   York.   The   concept   is   to   play   very   simple   ideas   based   on   an   altered  sound  created  by  the  use  of  pentatonics  and  play  them  on  top  of  almost   every  chord.     We  did  this  over  a  minor  blues.  

CD   2/TRACK   9:  

  Little   pentatonic   ideas   over   minor   blues   creating  

altered  sound.     His  “trick”  doing  that  was  to  play  the  idea  as  late  as  possible  in  the  bar  and   getting   into   the   next   bar,   so   playing   the   altered   sound   on   top   or   the   chord   in   which   the   line   resolves.   The   idea   is   pretty   simple   and   this   use   of   pentatonic   scales   to   create   altered   sounds   or   other   colors   over   specific   chords   can   be   found   in  many  improvisation  methods.  But  I  found  this  creating  a  sound  very  close  to   what   I   hear   sometimes   in   CP’s   solos,   first   because   of   the   idea   of   expanding   the   altered   sound   into   the   target   chord,   and   second   because   of   the   relation   of   pentatonic  scales  with  melodic  constructions  based  in  perfect  4ths,  interval  that   appears  very  often  in  CP’s  solos.     For  example,  a  C  major  pentatonic  scale  can  be  outlined  using  only  perfect   fourths,  starting  from  note  E  (the  third).    

         

 

 

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This  outline  in  fourths  can  be  broken  up:    

  This  kind  of  shapes  can  be  found  in  CP’s  solos  as  a  way  of  outlining  chords.     Example  16:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  All  the  things  you  are.  

 

 

 

We  can  see  how  the  Abmaj7  chord  is  outlined  in  perfect  fourths,  playing   the   notes   of   Ab   major   pentatonic.   The   following   examples   shows   also   chord   outlines  based  on  breaking  up  the  line  in  fourths     Example17:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Star  Eyes    

 

 

Going   back   to   previous   chapter,   when   talking   about   dividing   the   octave,   motives  coming  from  pentatonic  shapes  are  normally  very  strong  and  useful  to   apply  in  that  idea  of  transposing  the  motive  in  different  intervals.  And  normally   it   is   pretty   easy   to   play   lines   related   to   the   harmony,   if   that   is   what   the   player   wants.    

 

 

It   is   easy   to   relate   it   to   harmony   because   there   are   different   pentatonic   scales   you   can   play   on   every   chord,   what   makes   easier   to   find   symmetrical   relations       • Am7:  C  pentatonic,  G  pentatonic,  D  pentatonic.   • D7   (playing   a   tritone   II   V:   Ebm7   Ab7):   Gb   pentatonic,   Db   pentatonic,   Ab   pentatonic.   • Gmaj7:  G  pentatonic,  D  pentatonic,  A  pentatonic.    

 

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  Example  18:  Fragment  of  Chris  Potter  solo  over  Amsterdam  Blues    

 

 

In  this  last  example  CP  plays  again  with  a  C7  altered  sound  over  the  last   four   bars   of   a   blues.   He   plays   an   idea   over   E   pentatonic   and   repeats   it   over   F#   pentatonic.  

 

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REFLECTION  IN  THE  PLAYING       With  this  report  there  is  attached  a  DVD  with  different  recordings  of  me   playing  in  different  situations.  The  recordings  are  in  chronological  order.       First  track  is  a  version  of  Stella  by  Starlight  recorded  in  the  very   beginning  of  this  research  process  and  that  I  show  as  a  reference  of  my  playing   before  this  work  had  been  done.     Second  track  is  a  version  of  Woody  ‘n  You,  by  Dizzy  Gillespie,  from  my   first  master  recital.  There  we  play  the  arrangement  of  this  song  from  the  record   Then  and  Now  from  Red  Rodney,  song  were  I  transcribed  Chris  Potter  solo.  In   this  first  stage  of  the  research  process  I  can  notice  some  “intention”  from  myself   in  developing  certain  aspects.     For  example  in  this  passage  I  can  hear  more  rhythmic  variety  than  I  used  to  have.    

  Or  in  this  other  passage  there  is  a  phrase  with  groupings  of  three  and  two  notes   that,  without  going  over  the  bar  line  yet,  was  something  not  so  common  to  hear   in  my  playing.  

  I  also  start  looking  for  structures  in  fourths  for  now  fitting  with  the  harmony.    

 

 

   

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  The  third  track  is  a  version  of  Amsterdam  blues,  a  major  blues  in  F   composed  by  Chris  Potter  that  I  transcribed  the  solo  as  well.  From  that   transcription  I  took  some  ideas  that  appear  in  my  solo.    

 

 

In  this  example  I  played  the  same  alternate  changes  I  found  transcribing   CP’s  solo  over  that  piece.  Also  in  the  second  four  bars  there  is  a  line  moved  in   minor  thirds.     The  following  passage  shows  also  the  use  of  E  major  pentatonic  over  C7   to  create  the  altered  sound,  sound  that  is  expanded  over  the  last  four  bars  of  the   form.  Also  in  the  beginning  of  the  next  for  there  is  a  three  note  motive  played   over  F7,  then  transposed  to  Bb7  in  the  next  bar,  and  then  played  backwards  and   moved  two  times  in  minor  thirds  and  one  time  on  a  tritone  distance.    

 

   

The  following  line  shows  a  three  notes  motive  based  on  a  perfect  fourth   moved  in  whole  steps,  creating  a  line  that  doesn’t  fit  the  harmony.    

 

 

 

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Fourth  track  is  a  recording  of  a  concert  with  Morfitis  Quintet.  We  are   playing  a  song  composed  by  Gergios  Morfitis  named  “Purple”.    In  this  solo  there   are  some  lines  based  on  moving  a  motive  in  different  intervals  and  with  uneven   groupings.  The  following  example  shows,  from  the  third  bar,  a  five  note  motive   (four  notes  plus  the  eighth  note  rest),  moved  down  and  up  in  whole  steps,   starting  on  the  third  bar  of  the  example.    

 

   

The  next  example  is  a  line  based  on  perfect  fourths,  mostly  in  groupings   of  seven  eighth  notes,  without  an  specific  relation  with  the  harmony.    

 

 

I  also  used  the  idea  of  using  a  pentatonic  to  create  an  altered  sound.  In   this  specific  case,  the  key  center  is  Eb,  so  the  dominant  would  be  Bb7.  Even  if  this   chord  is  not  played,  playing  a  D  major  pentatonic  works  fine  to  create  this   altered  sound  when  looking  for  creating  some  tension  in  the  solo.    

 

 

The  fifth  track  is  a  recording  or  “Rotterdam  blues”,  a  song  composed  by   me,  starting  from  the  idea  of  making  a  minor  version  of  Chris  Potter’s   “Amsterdam  Blues”.                      

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This  is  a  transcription  from  a  part  of  the  solo.  

 

  I  can  see  in  this  solo  the  consequences  of  working  in  the  time  awareness.   One  of  the  ideas  of  working  in  the  mixed  meter  is  to  get  more  freedom  in   outlining  the  chords,  anticipating  chords  or  delaying  resolutions  in  the  harmony   without  loosing  track.    Like  here:    

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  Or  in  this  chorus:    

 

  In  the  first  line  we  can  see  a  phrase  going  over  the  bar  line,  resolving  to   Gm7  in  the  third  beat  of  the  fifth  bar  by  reaching  the  note  Bb.  In  the  seventh  bar   the  line  outlines  an  A7b9  on  top  of  a  Dm7.       The  idea  of  playing  pentatonic  scales  to  create  an  altered  sound  that  I   explained  on  the  chapter  dedicated  to  harmony  is  very  clear  in  the  following   passage.    

 

  The  sixth  track  is  a  studio  recording  of  “Tan  lejos  y  tan  cera”,  composed   by  Jose  Atero.  I  show  here  a  transcription  of  my  solo  on  that  track.  

 

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  In  this  solo  some  of  the  things  worked  out  through  this  research  are   coming  out.  First  line  of  the  part  shows  a  motive  (an  ascendant  sixth)  moved   through  the  changes  and  rhythmically  modified  by  playing  a  cross  rhythm  in   seven  (starting  in  the  fourth  beat  of  the  second  bar).      

There  are  also  many  lines  based  on  groupings  of  five  eighth  notes  like  this  one:    

  Or  this  one:    

  Or  this  other  one:    

 

 

 

 

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  There  is  also  a  line  based  on  three  perfect  fourths  played  then  backwards  and  a   minor  third  down,  played  in  a  way  that  sound  almost  inside  the  harmony.    

 

    There  is  also  a  passage  based  on  mixed  meter.      

 

  This  line  is  actually  outlining  this  harmonic  rhythm:      

  This  following  example  is  a  very  simple  triton  substitution  I  copied  from  CP’s   solo  over  Stella  by  Starlight.    

Over  the  G#7b9,  I  play  D7  down  from  the  fifth  and  Cmaj7  up  resolving  to  C#m7.          

 

 

 

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REFLECTIONS  IN  COMPOSING       “Writing  has  been  one  of  the  best  ways  for  me  to  practice.  I   feel  like  composing  has  helped  my  improvising  a  lot,  just  because  I  am   thinking   how   to   organize   everything   and   I   have   enough   time   to   go   back  and  change  my  decision”.13      

TUNE   1:   BUT   IT   DID   NOT   HAPPEN.   EXPERIMENTING   WITH   PHRASING.    

This  is  a  line  I  did  based  on  the  chord  changes  of  It  could  happen  to  you.   The   construction   of   the   melody   did   not   come   from   material   related   with   this   research  but  more  from  trying  to  use  chromatic  passing  notes  in  the  scales.  But   once  the  melody  was  done  I  tried  to  figure  out  ways  of  phrasing  it  in  a  different   way  that  how  I  would  do  it  without  thinking  about  it.     The  first  thing  I  experimented  with  was  about  which  notes  to  accent  and   which  note  in  order  to  emphasize  the  rhythmic  structures  created  by  the  lines  or   to   create   new   ones   only   by   the   distribution   of   those   accents.   What   we   talked   about  when  describing  phrasing  as  rhythm  creator.     The  possibilities  I  thought  about  were:   • Putting  an  accent  in  the  top  notes  of  the  line   • Putting  an  accent  in  the  low  notes  of  the  line   • Putting  an  accent  every  three  eighth  notes   • Putting   an   accent   in   the   first,   second,   third   or   forth   note   of   every   group  of  four  eighth  notes     The   second   thing   I   did   was   experimenting   with   a   wider   range   of   articulation  combinations  and  time  feel.     DVD  3/TRACK  7:  Experimenting  with  phrasing:  Standard  phrasing  

DVD3/TRACK   8:   Experimenting   with   phrasing:   Phrasing   as   rhythm   creator.   DVD3/TRACK  9:  Experimenting  with  phrasing:  Articulation  variety   DVD3/TRACK  10:  Arrangement  based  on  phrasing  as  rhythm  creator                                                                                                                           13  Chris  Potter  Master  Class  DVD,  Roberto’s  Winds,  New  York,  2009.    

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TRANSCRIPTION  OF  TRACK  PHRASING  AS  RHYTHM  CREATOR    

 

 

 

 

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TRANSCRIPTION  OF  TRACK  ARTICULATION  VARIETY    

   

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  ARRANGEMENT  BASED  ON  PHRASING  AS  RHYTHM  CREATOR     Later   on   I   did   this   arrangement   based   on   the   version   of   the   melody   focused  on  phrasing  as  rhythm  creator.  The  accents  played  on  the  melody  on  that   version  are  converted  into  kicks  for  the  rhythm  section.        

 

 

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TUNE  2:  ROTTERDAM  BLUES.  WORKING  WITH  DIVIDING  THE   OCTAVE  AND  RHYTHMIC  DEVICES.    

The   idea   of   this   tune   came   by   transcribing   the   theme   of   Amsterdam  blues.   This  is  an  F  blues  composed  by  Chris  Potter.      

 

 

The   melody   in   the   first   four   bars   is   pretty   much   constructed   by   symmetrical  relations  of  intervals,  mainly  fourths.  What  I  did  is  to  take  the  line  in   the   first   bar   and   try   to   make   a   melody   over   a   minor   blues   in   the   relative   key   having  the  focus  in:     • Making  a  line  based  on  symmetric  shapes,  with  the  forth  as  main  interval.   • Look  for  lines  that  do  not  fit  the  bar  line,  by  the  use  of  uneven  groupings   of  eighth  notes  and  cross  rhythms.   • The   logic   of   the   line   is   more   important   than   playing   notes   that   fit   the   harmony.    

DVD  3/TRACK  5  

 

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COMMENTS     The  melody  is  mainly  based  on  constructions  moved  in  different  intervals.    

 

 

This   first   line   of   the   melody   could   be   analyzed   as   a   construction   by   two   different  motives.     Motive  one  and  its  development  

 

  Motive  two  and  its  development  

 

 

Motive   one   is   based   on   fourths   moved   symmetrically   and   in   different   groupings.  Second  motive  is  inverted  and  suffers  a  little  variation  in  the  second   bar.  The  ideas  in  second  and  third  bar  constitute  a  cross  rhythm  in  five.     The  following  line  is  also  a  cross  rhythm,  but  this  time  in  six.  

  The  head  finishes  again  with  constructions  in  perfect  fourths  but  this  time  fitting   more  the  harmony.    

  Also  the  Coda  is  based  in  this  kind  of  symmetries.    

 

 

 

The   arrangement   of   the   rhythm   section   in   the   intro   and   the   first   eight   bars  of  the  head  is  based  on  moving  an  idea  to  different  layers.    

 

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    This  idea  is  repeated  transposed  to  different  layers  with  some  little  variations.    

   

 

   

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CONCLUSION    

In   the   beginning   of   this   research   process   I   thought   that   the   subject   of   study   was   concrete   enough   in   order   to   get   a   convenient   amount   of   material   to   work   on.   Well,   it   definitively   was   not.   It   became   a   much   more   bigger   thing   than   I   expected.   This   selection   of   solos   that   became   the   central   source   of   information   for   this   research   became   a   link   to   how   Chris   Potter   has   developed   his   musical   concept   as   a   player;   and   this,   talking   of   a   player   that   has   reach   such   levels   of   technical   virtuosity   and   musical   complexity,   is   a   really   extensive   subject.   My   feeling  now  is  that  I  opened  a  lot  of  doors  and  passed  through  some  of  them,  and   with  others  I  just  took  a  look  to  check  what  was  inside.       Anyhow,   I   am   a   different   musician   now   than   the   one   that   started   this   research.  With  strong  and  week  points,  but  for  sure  with  a  different  perception   of  where  am  I  as  a  musician  and  with  a  more  clear  vision  of  where  I  want  to  go.  I   cannot  overvalue  the  things  I  learn  from  recording  myself  on  a  regular  basis,  and   how  much  it  affected  to  further  choices  during  the  playing.  It  is  still  very  tuff  to   listen   to   myself   playing,   but   I   am   learning   to   learn   from   it,   to   listen   in   a   constructive  way.       About   this   research   the   thing   that   grabbed   me   the   most   was   the   development   of   a   rich   rhythmic   concept   and   its   tight   up   relation   with   the   phrasing  and  the  timing.  Rhythm  is  the  most  primitive  aspect  of  music  and  is  the   thing   that   grabs   you   more   in   an   irrational   level.   Many   students,   especially   saxophone   players,   are   mainly   busy   with   what   notes   to   play,   looking   for   hip   chord  substitutions  and  all  this  kind  of  things.  I  am  a  pretty  good  example  of  that,   I  declare  myself  completely  guilty.  But  now  I  really  understand  from  a  deep  level   that  all  this  notes  do  not  mean  anything  without  the  intention.       Of   course   the   more   you   know   about   harmony,   melody   and   rhythm,   and   the   better   technique   you   have   in   your   instrument,   the   more   free   you   are   to   express  yourself  as  an  improviser  or  as  a  composer.  Paraphrasing  Chris  Potter,   the   more   colors   you   have   in   your   pallet,   the   more   interesting   painting   you   can   make.  But,  as  Ben  van  den  Dungen  says,  if  you  put  all  the  colors  at  the  same  time   what   you   get   is   just   a   big   brown,   and   in   the   other   hand,   a   picture   in   black   and   white   can   be   extremely   expressive.   This   research   was   about   adding   colors   to   my   pallet,  but  more  important  than  that  is  to  know  how  to  use  them  in  a  smart  way   to   create   an   interesting   dialogue,   with   tensions   and   resolutions,   contrasting   parts…   and   also   to   be   able   to   react   one   way   or   another   to   what   the   rest   of   the   band  is  playing.       In   this   research   I   really   when   through   material   that   was   new   for   me,   I   probably  I  do  not  master  it  the  way  I  would  like  to.  But  some  things  are  slowly   coming   out   in   a   natural   way,   and   this   is   definitively   a   sign   of   having   done   part   of   the  trip.  It  means  they  became  somehow  part  of  “my  sound”.  This  concept,  what   Chris   Potter   calls   “the   sound   in   your   head”,   is   also   something   I   am   trying   to   be   more  and  more  aware.  This  sound  is  a  product  of  choices  I  make:  my  musical  and    

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personal   background,   what   music   I   listen,   the   music   I   play,   what   and   how   do   I   practice…   but   actually   I   cannot   choose   the   final   result,   it   is   just   there,   and   should   not  fight  it.  Probably  it  does  not  fulfill  the  expectations  I  have,  or  the  expectations   I  think  the  others  have  from  me.  This  thoughts  are  just  interferences.  At  the  end   of  the  day,  in  the  moment  of  playing,  after  investing  so  many  time  and  energy  in   looking   for   new   things   to   play,   you   just   have   to   be   honest,   shut   down   your   mind,   and  listen  to  what  you  have  to  say.  It  is  not  an  easy  thing  to  do,  at  least  for  me,   but  is  the  only  way  to  really  find  your  place  in  the  music.     “If   you   try   to   force   your   own   voice   is   not   going   to   come   from   a   deep   level,   I   think   you   just   have   to   let   it   happen.   There   is   a   lot   of   copying  before  you  reach  this  level  of  proficiency  where  you  are  able  to   let  it  go  and  say  to  yourself:  I  don’t  know  if  this  is  good  or  not,  I  don’t   know  if  anyone  is  going  to  like  it  or  if  I  like  it,  but  this  is  what  feels  to   me  like  the  most  natural  way  of  doing  it.”   Chris  Potter.      

 

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AUDIO  AND  VIDEO  MATERIAL   Track  list    

CD  1:  Transcribed  solos    

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

 

Woody  ‘n  You   Airegin   Amsterdam  Blues   Antrhopology   Stella  by  Starlight   Star  Eyes   Blues  Nouveau   All  The  Things  You  Are   Giant  Steps  

CD2:  Demonstrations    

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Playing  cross  rhythm  in  seven  over  All  the  Things  You  Are   Playing  cross  rhythm  in  five  over  rhythm  changes   Playing  mixed  meter  over  Airegin’s  B  and  C  part   Mixed  meter  line  over  All  The  Things  You  Are   Mixed  meter  line  over  Giant  steps   Example  of  working  in  rhythmic  variety  over  F  blues   Improvisation  by  moving  a  three  note  motive  over  F  blues   Developing  a  motive  over  Stella  by  Starlight   Pentatonics  over  minor  blues  

 

DVD  3:  Reflections  on  my  playing  and  composing    

 

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

The  before  the  research:  Stella  by  Starlight   Work  in  progress  1:  Woody  ‘n  You   Work  in  progress  2:  Amsterdam  Blues   Work  in  progress  3:  Purple   Work  in  progress  4  (and  composition  number  2):  Rotterdam  blues   Work  in  progress  5:  Tan  lejos  y  tan  cerca   Experimenting  with  phrasing  1:  But  it  did  not  happen.  Standard  phrasing.   Experimenting  with  phrasing  2:  But  it  did  not  happen.  Phrasing  as  rhythm   creator.   9. Experimenting  with  phrasing  3:  But  it  did  not  happen.  Articulation   variety.   10. Composition  number  1:  But  it  did  not  happen.      

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MEDIA  REVIEW     LITERATURE    

• • • • • • • • • •

Bergonzi,  Jerry  (1998)  Inside  improvisation  Vol  4.  Melodic  Rhythm,   Advance  Music.   Bergonzi,  Jerry  (1994)  Inside  improvisation  Vol  2.  Pentatonics,  Advance   Music.   Liebman,  David  (1991)  A  Chromatic  approach  to  jazz  harmony  and   melody,  Advance  Music.   Crook,  Hal(2002)  How  to  improvise,  Advance  Music.   Harris,  Barry  (1994)  The  Barry  Harris  Workshop,  Bop  City  Productions.   Schoenberg,  Arnold  (1967)  Fundamentals  of  Musical  Composition.  London:   Faber  and  Faber  Limited.   Slonimsky,  Nicolas  (1975)Thesaurus  of  scale  and  melodic  patterns,  Music   Sales  America.   Geyn,  Hein  van  de  (2007)  Comprehensive  bass  method  for  bass  players,   Baselinemusic.   Ricker,  Raimon  (1983)  Pentatonic  scales  for  jazz  improvisation,  Alfred   Publishing.   Ricker,  Raimon  (1983)  Technique  Development  in  Fourths  for  Jazz   Improvisation,  Alfred  Publishing.  

CDs    

               

 

• • • • • • • • • •

Red  Rodney  (1992),  Then  and  now,  Chesky  Records.   Chris  Potter  (1993),  Sundiata,  Criss  Cross.   Al  foster  (1997),  Brandyn,  Laika  records   Tom  Cohen  (1999),  Digging  in,  digging  out,  Double  time  jazz   Jim  Hall  (1999),  the  jazzpar  quartet,  Storyville.   Chris  Potter  (2001),  Gratitude,  Verve.   Jim  Rotondi  (2003),  New  Vistas,  Criss  Cross.   Chris  Potter  (2006),  Underground,  Sunny  Side  Records.   Chris  Potter  (2007),  Follow  the  red  line, Sunny  Side  Records.   (2009)  Chris  Potter  Master  Class  DVD,  Roberto’s  Winds.  

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INTERNET    

• • • • • • •

www.chrispottermusic.com   http://tinpan.fortunecity.com/jazz/789   http://www.jazz.com/features-­‐and-­‐interviews/2009/3/23/in-­‐ conversation-­‐with-­‐chris-­‐potter   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=10384   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngoE1hreStc&feature=related   www.artistshare.com   www.neffmusic.com    

 

 

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