1st Part of Four

2nd Part of Four

Bye Bye Blackbird

Kenny Garrett – Saxofon Solo by marsof

There is also a great transcription of this solo at Harderbop.com if you want to check out exactly what Kenny Garrett is playing here.  Thanks to Kelly Bucheger for spending the time transcribing this!!

As the years have gone by, I have collected many of the albums he has played on. I would say that without a doubt I probably listen to him the most. He has a style and sound that is all his own and you won’t find him playing many of the standard jazz licks everyone else is playing over and over (although he plays many of the standard jazz tunes) As a matter of fact, I very rarely hear him play what I consider a lick or pattern. It seems to me to be more about playing a concept or idea more than licks and patterns. That’s why I love listening to him so much. As you get older and have listened to recording after recording you tend to get a preconceived idea of where a solo is going or what the soloist will do next. If I anticipate where they are going too many times I find myself getting bored with what I’m listening to. I don’t find that happening with Rich’s playing. He’s always playing rhythms and notes that I didn’t see coming. This is what I like the most about his playing. Unlike many other artists out there that just play outside to be unique or original and totally lose the melody, I find Rich’s playing always melodic. He’s always thinking about the melody and the melodic statement to my ears.

The other thing that is unique to Mr. Perry’s playing is his use of rhythm. He plays around with odd rhythms while improvising over common standards. At first it caught me off guard because I wasn’t used to it but as I listened o him more and more I developed a better feeling and understanding of how he was playing with the rhythms as he improvised. As you listen to his solos you will notice a certain rhythmic freedom as well as harmonic freedom that many young improvisers lack.

In this video he is playing over a blues progression all by his lonesome. Just him and a big auditorium. The first thing I noticed is how great his sound is. It just fills the room up but it isn’t loud and obnoxious. It’s subtle and textured. Each note has a voice and sound of it’s own and each note sounds like it’s being shaped just for that moment to me.

Also listen to his ideas and lines. They are so unique and original that at the end he asks the room full of students what he was playing over and they don’t know. I’m surprised they didn’t know that but anyways………. listen to how melodic he is? The lines he is playing are beautiful and memorable in my opinion. They flow from one to another effortlessly. He’s not trying to Wow or impress the crowd for the sake of ego. He’s trying to create and play something special. To me, that is highest achievement for a jazz artist.

One of my favorite times to listen to Rich’s music is when I go to bed. I know it might sound weird but usually I stay up late and when I go to bed my mind is full of stuff. I’m thinking about this project or that project. This bill or that appointment. I can just lie there and toss and turn thinking. I love to put on some Rich Perry on my ipod,put on my ear phones and just be taken away from all that thinking. Usually, a short time later I have taken out my ear phones and then fall asleep easily. Why does that happen? Well for me, I think it’s a mix of the improvisation being interesting enough to distract me from my thoughts yet mellow and beautiful enough to relax me. I love that. Enough of all this……………I’m going to put on some Rich Perry and go to bed. See you tomorrow.

I immediately went out and bought this book and started working on it.  I have to admit that  these solos were extremely hard and frustrating for my 9th grade brain but I stuck with it.  The hardest thing for me to figure out was why Parker would play a certain lick or phrase over a specific chord.  There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to it.  I was learning all my chords from “Patterns for Jazz” by Jerry Coker and was learning what notes sounded good over what chords but then when I looked at a Charlie Parker solo I had trouble seeing how he was using these notes and  creating his lines.

It wasn’t until many years later, when I was in college that I started to understand a bit more about what Parker was doing.  Even to this day, I am in awe when I hear a recording of his.   His lines are so harmonically rich.  His rhythmic ideas and displacements are mind boggling.  You just get a sense that he is playing whatever he wants, whenever he wants and he makes it work over the chords……….

I just found this youtube recording a few days ago and I have to say that this is one of the best Charlie Parker solos I have ever heard.  It’s over the tune “Cherokee” and is a trio with Parker, a guitar player and drummer.  It’s a great example of his flowing bebop lines mixed with his amazing sense of melody.  That………..and it just swings like crazy!  I could listen to this all day.  Check it out.  Also, if you are a sax players and have never checked out the omnibook, maybe this will convince you to give it a look!

P.S. To blow your minds even more, I just found out that Curtis at www.saxsolos.com has this solo transcribed.  It will cost you 2.50! I just received it.  Thanks Curtis!

P.S.  If you have ever been down on your own playing listen at about 43 minutes and see how Joshua feels about his own playing on one of his tunes.

The very thought of you – Jesse Davis
Uploaded by boberwig. – Explore more music videos.

Rick Margitza with Wolfgang Maiwald trio from Wolfgang Maiwald on Vimeo.

Green Dolphin St.

Beautiful Love