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Showing posts with label riffs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label riffs. Show all posts

4 February 2018

Post 595: ELLINGTON'S 'BIG HOUSE BLUES'

For anybody interested in studying traditional jazz, 'Big House Blues', composed by Duke Ellington in 1930, is a good illustration of what makes the music endlessly fascinating and interesting.

For a start, like plenty of other pieces from our standard repertoire, it has two sections of which one is in a major key (in this case Eb) and the other in the related minor key (C minor).

 Next, it reminds us that not all tunes in the 1920s and 1930s were structured in 12-bar or 32-bar formats. In fact, the first theme (Section A - see below) consists of 20 bars. Other examples of 20-bar tunes from our early repertoire are After You've Gone, Oh You Beautiful Doll, The Darktown Strutters Ball, I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan, Keeping Out of Mischief Now, You've Got the Right Key but the Wrong Keyhole, You Got Me Crying Again, and Papa De Da Da.

The tune uses riffs – again typical of our music – and they are unusually pretty and rhythmically interesting. Note what happens in bars 17 and 18 of the A section, for example. 



It is possible to go straight from section A into section B , though bands with a piano often get the pianist to play a four-bar link between the two, just as Ellington did.

 Now look at the second theme - section B – in the key of C minor. It has a 32-bar AABA structure, again using a pretty, dramatic riff for the A sections. The middle eight has its own striking, defiant melody ending with a powerful use of the G7 chord.

 Improvisations are normally played on this B section and they can be very dramatic. The melody and the minor key lend themselves to growling, muted work, for example. Actually, the chord sequence is much simpler than it sounds: it is possible for a musician of average ability to produce something quite impressive from this material. I think that is why it is popular with trumpet and trombone players.

 I have heard some bands also introducing a 12-bar blues chorus in Eb, and using this for improvisations. I think that spoils the overall impact of all the minor chord stuff. Ellington himself didn't do it in 1930, so why should we?

 A very good way to end the tune is to play Section A again, with those bars 17 to 18 sustaining the drama and bar 20  bringing the piece to a striking sudden halt.

 You can hear the tune being played by Ellington himself BY CLICKING HERE. And you may watch a band playing the piece in 2008 BY CLICKING HERE.
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25 January 2018

Post 591: 'DREAMING THE HOURS AWAY' AND WILLIAM DULMAGE

Though history has not treated his memory kindly, William E. Dulmage was an important figure in American music during the first half of the Twentieth Century.

 Born in 1883, he became a musician, composer and music publisher. He grew up in Michigan and spent much of his life there. His parents ensured that he had a good music education and he found employment in a large store in Detroit - the Grinnell Brothers Music House. Grinnell sold pianos of their own manufacture and these were considered some of the best at the time. William Dulmage worked there for 22 years, rising to become manager of the Band and Orchestral Department. In his spare time he played in the band and orchestra run by George and William Finzel in Detroit. It was not a jazz band but it played for dances in Detroit and for boat trips on the nearby Lake St. Clare.

 In 1930 he moved on to an executive post with the Wurlitzer Company, well before its decline, and he worked there for twelve years.

 During all this time, William was composing. Early on there were his patriotic World War One songs. Later there were soundtracks for films and television shows. He wrote Tigers on Parade as the theme song for the local baseball team. Two of his hits were Tenderly Think of Me and When It's Night Time in Nevada. 


In his final years, Dulmage ran a music store of his own, with the help of his wife and son.

William died in 1953.

Why am I telling you all this? Because one of Dulmage's songs was called Dreaming The Hours Away and, since 2015, it has been very successfully revived by traditional jazz bands, notably Tuba Skinny.

What a fine song it is! It has a 16-bar Verse, using plenty of minor chords, and a repeated pattern in two-bar phrases. The words for the first phrases are: 'When evening comes along....The night bird sings his song....It makes me sad and blue.... Because he sings of you...'.

Then there is a beautifully-phrased 32-bar Chorus (with a 16+16 structure). The words of the first 16 are: 'Dreaming....the lonesome hours away... Longing... for you all through the day...and in the twilight.... beneath the starlight...thoughts of you...make me blue...'.

But the words are not important. When the Clarence Williams Jazz Kings recorded the tune in 1928 - the year after Dulmage composed it - they chose not to have a vocal at all. You can hear the seven-piece band playing the song BY CLICKING HERE.

This enterprising arrangement makes the most of the opportunities for 'breaks' in Bars 15 and 16 of the Chorus. But it begins with a 4-bar Introduction, followed (at 09 seconds) by 16 bars distinctively led by the clarinet and freely based on the first 16 bars of the Chorus. This is followed (at 28 seconds) by the final 16 bars of the Chorus by the full band, powerfully led by the cornet. Then it's back (at 46 seconds) to the Verse (which is played only once in the entire recording), played much 'as written' by Dulmage, with syncopations stressed by the whole band.

At 1 minute 05 seconds, we embark on the next run through the 32-bar Chorus, but the first sixteen are led by Ed Allen's muted cornet, unsupported by trombone or reeds. From bar 16 (1 minute 22 seconds), the alto-sax of Coleman Hawkins takes over the lead, backed for his first eight bars by tricky rhythmic pattern played by the rest of the band - notably banjo, brass bass and piano. At the end of the Chorus (1 minute 42 seconds), the trombonist Ed Cuffee takes the lead in another Chorus, and is immediately backed by a delightful little riff from the reeds, until the unmuted cornet (at 2 minutes 10 seconds) takes the lead back for the final eight bars. Then, to finish, we have a complete Chorus with the whole band freewheeling - excitingly improvising but without loss of control.

It's not surprising that this tune and arrangement appealed to Tuba Skinny. They must have worked hard at mastering this number for their own very slick public performances. Here's one - filmed by my friend James Sterling: CLICK HERE.

Note how strongly they have been influenced by the 1928 recording. They use the same Introduction and then copy the idea of having a clarinet take the first 16 bars of the first chorus and the cornet leading the second 16 bars. Then (at 45 seconds), like Clarence Williams, they play the Verse. Like him, they will play it only once. At 1 minute 06 seconds, we embark on the next run through the 32-bar Chorus, but the first sixteen are led by Shaye Cohn's cornet, unsupported by trombone or reeds. From bar 16 (1 minute 26 seconds), the clarinet takes over the lead, backed for his first eight bars by those same tricky rhythmic patterns played by the rest of the band.

At the end of the Chorus (1 minute 46 seconds), the trombonist Charlie Halloran takes the lead in another Chorus, and is backed from time to time by that Clarence Williams delightful little riff from the clarinet and cornet. Then, to finish, we have a complete Chorus with the whole band excitingly improvising. Both bands play the tune entirely in the key of Ab.

Interesting, isn't it, to note how closely, despite their slightly different instrumentation, Tuba Skinny have respected the structure of the original recording?
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17 June 2015

Post 228: DEVICES, BREAKS, STOPS, RIFFS, RHYTHMS

Chris Reilley
I have received an article for publication written by my friend Chris Reilley, who has played piano in bands here in the English Midlands for several decades. Thank you, Chris, and I hope many readers will find this technical material very informative. Here is the article.
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Devices: Breaks, Stops, Riffs, Rhythms and More


One of the most interesting aspects to me in playing Jazz (Jass) music is the playing of the above types of additions to the tune arrangements as these additions bring new excitement and anticipation both to listeners and dancers which is not heard in any other form of Dance Music.

 In my case and in bands I have played with I have used the “Break” in one of my solos independently of the established “Break point” by calling “Break” to the rest of the Rhythm section at a point of my own choice and this can change from performance to performance. Sometimes other members of the front line do the same with a direct signal during their solo. This can be risky on occasion and we all have to be on our toes, but the unexpected act can create a thrilling spontaneous effect.

 Now to explain each term used becomes somewhat more difficult as these “terms” are used mostly in jazz music and so far I have not found a book which deals with this in any way whatsoever. The “AB Guide To Music Theory" by Eric Taylor which I have used on past occasions makes no mention of the terms “Breaks”, “Stops” or “Riffs” and anyway I suspect that these terms are more likely covered by books on Musical Arrangement (which I do not own). So the following are my interpretation of these terms:-



Break:- A rhythmical pause in the music which allows one (or more) instruments to play an improvised passage of arranged length without accompaniment.


For example see:- Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers – Doctor Jazz:
The breaks start in the first 8 Bars of the introduction and continue throughout the rest of the tune, including the vocal. See my Chords – below.
An interesting comparison is the same recording by Joe “King” Oliver – the composer of this tune can be heard on:-
where the arrangement is slightly different and they also play the verse.

Also a fine example of a “Split Break” where two instrumentalists share an 8-beat Break, the first taking 1 Bar followed rapidly by the other. For example see:- Bix Beiderbecke and His Gang, 1927 – At The Jazz Band Ball
For those as long in the tooth as I am, a treat from 1954 with a well-known British band: Humphrey Lyttelton's The Onions. Originally recorded by Sidney Bechet, one of the few tunes to feature an Audience Vocal Break:-

Stops:- A series of one or several beat notes played as short breaks played behind a soloist by the rest of the band in rhythm.

For example see Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five – Once in a While (not the well-known song)
This also features breaks as well. It is interesting to hear even the great Kid Ory drops a “Cod” on this not easy “Stops” passage near the end.

Another example is by Clarence Williams' Washboard Four – Candy Lips
The stops come in on the Washboard Solo again near the end.

Riffs:- A riff is more commonly associated with swing bands, but it is used with many smaller jazz bands as well. You may suggest that there is no difference between Stops and a Riff. My response would be that the Stops usually include the Rhythm section but with a Riff the rhythm is not broken. 

It is found usually when a solo is being taken by a member of the band and the remaining front line (and sometimes part of the rhythm section also) will play a rhythmic passage (i.e. in the form of an “Answer” theme) behind the soloist. Sometimes just repeating a single note of the chord. For example see Duke Ellington playing Cotton Club Stomp:

For a later recording by Sidney Bechet of All Of Me see:-

The Riffs at the beginning and end are long notes only, whereas in the Trumpet's and Bechet's solo they are repeating notes.

Rhythms:- Apart from the most common which is the Waltz, most Traditional Jazz Tunes have been composed in Common time, i.e. 4/4. There are some notable exceptions, for example the verse of Saint Louis Blues by W.C. Handy where the verse is played in a Minor key and with a Latin Rhythm. 

N.B. “Latin Rhythm” is a generic term which covers a wide range of styles, some of which are referenced below.

An example of this is:- St. Louis Blues. Blues legend Bessie Smith's only film appearance. Uncut 1929. See:-

Some Bands play the Latin Rhythm Verse first. Others go into it after playing the Chorus. The above film gives a rare insight into Bessie Smith performing in moving picture form. 

There is also a tune called Mamanita by Jelly Roll Morton. See:-

Jelly Roll Morton used many “Devices” which he describes in the Jelly Roll Morton Library of Congress recordings which are worth a listen, including Latin Rhythms. See:- 

One very sadly missed English trumpet player – Dan Pawson - took great pride in playing unusual tunes in his own inimitable style, some of which were hits from the early days of Music Hall and he played several tunes in a Latin Rhythm. One of these is by Dan Pawson's Artesian Hall Stompers, called Take Her To Jamaica. See:-
Yet another by the same band is Amor. See:- 

Another source of Latin Rhythm is heard in some New Orleans Parade Bands. This example is of The Treme Brass Band at the Red Beans and Rice Parade – 2013 playing Big Chief. See:-

March Time (2/4) – commonly called “two beat”. Again a very general term but below are some examples:-

One of these is a very well-known performance of a pseudo March. It can be heard in the Glen Miller version of Saint Louis Blues. See:- 

In New Orleans there are still “Parade Bands” that play very authentic New Orleans March Styles. An early example of this is the recording of Eureka Brass Band - Lady Be Good. See:- 

As these bands were more often followed by a “second line” (dancers), the March Style had to be played with a grand amount of “swing”.

Introductions and Endings

Introductions

From the earliest Rags originally composed for Piano. See The Entertainer (Piano Ragtime, Joplin):

and The Ragtime Dance - (Scott Joplin, 1906):

......to a modern film score with both tunes. The Entertainer/Rag Time Dance:-

Most early composers incorporated a “Scored Introduction” into their composition. It has been suggested that the reason for the “Introduction” was for the dancers to appreciate being given an idea of what the tune was called, its style (e.g. “One Step”, “Two Step”, “Waltz” or even “Latin”) and its tempo, before deciding to take part in the dance. This followed the arrangements of earlier formal dance types (e.g. barcarolle, mazurka and polonaise).

From the early days of classic jazz bands (e.g. Joe “King” Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, etc.) the bands would play the “scored” arrangement, or play the last 4 or 8 Bars of the Chorus instead.

See the Bunk Johnson version of I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate:
or the Graham Bell Version – same tune with verse:-
or by Wild Bill Davidson – with verse, using a very common (some say “corny”) ending:-
See My Chords:-
Endings

These tend to follow a similar framework to the “Introductions”, with a repeat of the last 8, 4 or even 2 Bars of the Chorus. There are, however some notable exceptions:-

For instance an example from Jimmy Yancey, playing Yancey Stomp, where the ending bars are in a different key:-

Bouncing Around by A.J. Piron:-

My chords with New Orleans Hot Shots arrangement:-
or by Piron again New Orleans Wiggle:-

As A.J. Piron and Peter Bocage composed both of these tunes, the sheet music would have had not only the Ending but also the Introduction as recorded.

Also see Sister Kate by Wild Bill Davidson – above.

For standard 32 Bar tunes with no arranged ending, the lead (normally the Horn) will signal to the rest of the Band when he/she would like the tune to end and will wind up with a well-established phrase, usually copied from a well-known instrumentalist in a previous time.

There are numerous examples, of which I relate only a few:-

You Tell Me Your Dream by the Mardi Gras Jazz Band :-

Any Time by Kid Thomas:-

Percy Humphrey's Crescent City Joy Makers - Over In The Gloryland:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV8F2JpThYY 

Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five - Knee Drops 1928:-

Dinah - Muggsy Spanier and his Ragtime Band:-

See My Chords:-
Poor Butterfly - Bunk Johnson & Don Ewell:-

Ken Colyer: Postman´s Lament:-

Wynton Marsalis plays Buddy Bolden Blues:-

Tempo Change

The effect of Tempo Change can be a bit disconcerting for those who wish to dance to a tune being played by a jazz band (or for that matter any dance band ) as the dancers have to be prepared for it.

Two examples:- Bix Beiderbecke - Since My Best Girl Turned Me Down:
and
Dinah - Muggsy Spanier and his Ragtime Band:-

Again the reader might know of many other recordings which have this feature.

Please note the chords included are from my own personal collection (still building from existing 800+ tunes). Any enquires for availability can be made through this Blog.

I have chosen all the “Devices” which are of the most interest to me as a piano player. I have not included references to “Key Changes” as this might be covered at a later date and it tends to be more complicated, but if the reader has any additional ideas that he/she would like to be added, please let me know.
                Chris Reilley. (February, 2015)
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13 May 2015

Post 210: PLAYING BOOGIE WOOGIE

I am publishing this article which has been e-mailed to me by Chris Reilley. Chris is a traditional jazz pianist and boogie-woogie enthusiast from the English Midlands. Please note: Chris later sent a supplementary article on Jimmy Yancey, so this has been added at the end.
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Playing Boogie Woogie

Before I start with the main work on this subject I would like to pay tribute to a very sadly-missed, long-standing and great friend of mine, Don Case, who died on the 25th August, 2013.
Don and I knew each other as school friends and from about 1950 played jazz together, firstly on the piano playing boogie-woogie and after that traditional jazz in a small band with Don playing trumpet whilst I played clarinet (and later still trombone).

 He continued playing piano up until his death, composing most of his own tunes, continually advancing his style, but still maintaining a link to blues and boogie-woogie.

 Although a fairly shy musician, Don did make the occasional public performance which was usually very well received. However I am the only person that I know of who recorded his playing which at some point in the future I hope to publish.

 His work in this music has to be heard to be appreciated, but I personally rate him as one of the best English boogie-woogie musicians who have lived in the UK.

 Among the most interesting things that Don did was to compose some tunes in non-standard keys. For example he would compose some boogie-woogie tunes in the keys of A, E and D Major and Minor as well as the more common keys of C, F and G. I think he decided to do this for the common reason that he found it easier to sing in those keys.

 I, personally, found it difficult enough to play in the more common keys with some of the repetitive left-hand boogie patterns being required to be played throughout any tune, never mind playing in those other keys.

 Don and I had many a long hour playing duets and playing each other's solo pieces, bouncing ideas off each other. One major benefit for me was to hone my ability to listen to what was being played at the same time as adding to it to get a great combined sound.

 I miss Don very much.

 Boogie-woogie has a long history dating back to the 1870's and the days when African Americans used to entertain themselves making basic instruments, playing and singing music. Derived from the standard 8 or 12-Bar Blues Pattern, it has been suggested that it started with piano playing in the lumber and turpentine camps where there was usually a piano available. However, as can be heard from many a well-known guitar blues player, a similar style was being used on that instrument at the same time. Who influenced who, is open to debate.

 To play boogie-woogie well has the same demands as for playing any instrument – practice, practice and more practice! It is also very useful to learn all the correct fingering positions, the scales, arpeggios (as taught by piano teachers) and boogie patterns. Added to this it is absolutely imperative to maintain a steady rhythm, unless there is an intended change made which can be heard as being 'intended'.


One common error in my view is for the pianist to play too quickly. The early boogie-woogie piano players would make the tune 'swing' even at a 'walking pace'.



In my quest to aid and try and improve my performance, many years ago I purchased both books shown below. 

I do not know if these are still available. If they are, the reader would no doubt benefit from obtaining a copy of each.
The book on Chord Charts illustrates the notes used for many different chord shapes in each of the 3 inversions. This can be helpful in working out riffs, leading notes and phrases for the right-hand improvisation.

Reading music for me was a bane so I had to get help. In the book on boogie-woogie there are 25 different bass patterns shown. However, I learned more listening to recorded music and copying the bits I liked. For example some the tunes of the Greats of recorded Boogie Woogie, like Clarence 'Pine Top' Smith, Mead Lux Lewis, Albert Ammonds, Pete Johnson, Jimmy Yancey, Mary Lou Williams, James P. Johnson and many more are worth studying (see the YouTube link examples below).

 Once a steady bass rhythm is mastered, the player can then develop the right hand using the 12-bar Blues as a basis for tune, then improvisation on the chords. This can be a variety of Blues patterns ranging from 8 to 12 Bars or even 11 or 13 Bars. There are also many recordings of standard boogie-woogie accompaniment given to pop tunes of the day.

 Using sheet music as an aid for playing most forms of jazz, but boogie-woogie in particular, shows up the deficiencies of the scored music, which is usually accepted to be only a 'guide' and is open to the performer's interpretation. This is (in my view) a very serious drawback for the novice who has to rely on the recordings which nowadays can be accessed from the internet as there are very few teachers around for this genre.

 I was lucky enough in my early years of learning to play boogie-woogie to come across the books shown above and also sheet music for the Mead Lux Lewis's 'Honky Tonk Train Blues' and Clarence 'Pine Top' Smith's 'Jump Steady Blues' as shown below:-




Whilst the sheet music might be helpful for those that are experienced in reading music, I believe it cannot accurately represent the performance in at least one respect and that is rhythmically. For example, the way the bass is played not only at a constant tempo but also with a 'lilt' (a very slight deviance from the beat) and at the same time as syncopating both left and right hands.



Another problem is that in some cases (I think) the music transcriber has not interpreted the recording correctly. For example in 'Honky Tonk Train Blues' on Page 2, (shown above) the first two bar triplets are not the same as the notes played in the recording! There is no doubt in my mind that in some cases in order to represent a recording accurately, it would be necessary to score it with so many very small notes that it would be too difficult to read, but without the score written in this manner, it is impossible to show very minor deviations in both rhythm and note lengths.

Except for when the bass rhythm is used to play along with a pop tune, 'learning the tune' as performed by one of the Greats becomes a matter of playing the recorded piece 'note for note', which for most Jazz musicians defeats the object of improvisation.

To resolve this dilemma, many boogie-woogie players use common 'phrases' (or 'licks') copied from recorded versions of a tune around which the performers build their own improvisation. So that although each performance may be slightly different, there are parts which are recognisable as a known tune.

In the case of musicians such as Don Case he composed virtually all the tunes he played with each unique and skilfully worked out in practice.

One of the most common errors with playing boogie-woogie for the first time is that both left hand and right hand end up playing the same notes. To overcome this common error, it is important to experiment with rhythm and 'cross rhythm' in order to syncopate the right hand with the left.

To achieve this, I suggest that the performer needs to practise playing the left-hand bass passage on its own without looking at the keyboard and hum or whistle the improvisation you would like to play with the right hand.

Hopefully, eventually. the player should be able to add his improvisation using the right hand without referring to his left-hand bass.

In composing a tune, the player should also take into account several other features:-
  1. The Introduction
  2. The Ending
  3. Choice of Key
  4. Change of Key (not common in this style of Jazz)
  5. Breaks
  6. Vocal (if valued)
Again listening to the well-known recordings will help the player to hear how these features have been used in the past.

I suggest the following to listen to from the wide selection on YouTube:-

Among these of particular note is the very famous Honky Tonk Train Blues by Mead Lux Lewis, Boogie Woogie Dream duet with Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson as well as Yancey Stomp by Jimmy Yancey.

This is My Boogie-Woogie –- Don Case

Albert Ammonds – Boogie-Woogie Stomp

Boogie-Woogie - Pete Johnson

Boogie Woogie Dream - Albert Ammons with Pete Johnson

Meade "Lux" Lewis - Honky Tonk Train Blues

Jimmy Yancey - Yancey Stomp – 1939

Jump Steady Blues – Clarence 'Pinetop' Smith 1930 

Mary's Boogie Woogie – Mary Lou Williams

Boogie Woogie Stride – James P. Johnson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQF2d9CA3gs
I offer this information based on my experience only and if others choose to differ from this, I quite understand. I am open to any suggestions which could improve this article which can be addressed to me (care of this Blog).

Chris. Reilley
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SUPPLEMENT : JIMMY YANCEY

Playing Boogie-Woogie – supplemental
This article is a supplement to my original information givien in the Blog by Pops Coffee called “Playing Traditional Jazz” http://playing-traditional-jazz.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=Boogie+woogie
Jimmy Yancey, in my view one of the most interesting of all Pianist, composers and Blues Singers of the era of this form of music.
My reasons are:-
1. Composing and playing totally original tunes in his own distinctive style.
2. Making use of both Latin Rhythms and standard 4, 8 or even 16 in the Bar patterns.
3. Playing and Singing the Blues with exceptional feeling, including with his wife, Estelle (nee Harris).
4. His “trademark” ending by changing into another Key.
5. Some tunes having original “Breaks” and changes from the standard “Boogie-Woogie pattern base into a Latin Base and back again part way through.
For those who are interested in the history of Jimmy Yancey and more in depth information about Boogie-Woogie in general, I would recommend the book “A Left Hand Like God” by Peter Silvester.
I do not believe that “pigeon holing descriptions” with regard to any particular musical style helps to describe the way that any musician plays is necessary or for that matter helpful and in the case of Jimmy Yancey although he has been labelled as a “Boogie-Woogie Player”, he is much more than that.
To illustrate my point I have given links to various tunes available on YouTube, starting with faster Boogie base numbers:-
“Rolling Stone”:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3BSIckiKyM&list=PLYHbESUElafqy9M5n0cLI4_nvvTntYdKn&index=3 ,
“Yancey Stomp “:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4eQbeuX2Y0&list=PLYHbESUElafqy9M5n0cLI4_nvvTntYdKn&index=1 and
“White Sox Stomp” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUz54Y1XFNA&index=57&list=PLYHbESUElafqy9M5n0cLI4_nvvTntYdKn
These all show a fair turn of speed and are based on his well-known base patterns to the much slower Blues numbers:-
“How Long Blues” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAwM70e18s4&list=PLYHbESUElafqy9M5n0cLI4_nvvTntYdKn&index=2 ,
“Mournful Blues” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRKPhKhuJsY&index=19&list=PLYHbESUElafqy9M5n0cLI4_nvvTntYdKn
and
“BEAR TRAP BLUES” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRQRqmdQCbQ&index=58&list=PLYHbESUElafqy9M5n0cLI4_nvvTntYdKn
Including the recordings he made with his Wife, Estelle, “Mama” Yancey:-
“Monkey Woman Blues“ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF4qD_LHEy0&index=166&list=PLYHbESUElafqy9M5n0cLI4_nvvTntYdKn
or
Labelled as “Make me a Pallet” but this is incorrect. It should be “Four O'clock Blues“. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5xqbt03m1s&list=PLYHbESUElafqy9M5n0cLI4_nvvTntYdKn&index=20
and Jimmy with his own vocal on:-
“I Love To Hear My Baby Call My Name“ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpDIZNBehZo&index=37&list=PLYHbESUElafqy9M5n0cLI4_nvvTntYdKn
The tunes which use a broken base pattern which changes part the way through:-
“Rolling The Stone”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3BSIckiKyM&list=RDc4eQbeuX2Y0&index=2
Then onto the tunes influenced by the Tango and Habanera (Spanish or Latin Tinge) timing:-
“Five O'clock Blues“ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGK773dRczo&index=77&list=PLYHbESUElafqy9M5n0cLI4_nvvTntYdKn
or
“Slow And Easy Blues“
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNhtAdLorHA&index=91&list=PLYHbESUElafqy9M5n0cLI4_nvvTntYdKn
and
“35th And Dearborn“ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVRD0_Zbeic&index=120&list=PLYHbESUElafqy9M5n0cLI4_nvvTntYdKn
He even recorded Ragtime with “Yanceys Everybody's Rag“ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np_OZDQxqVg or try https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1biP-XTg-A
Needless to say that there are several different tunes from those that I have mentioned from the many he recorded which could be of interest. I, personally, do not think there was a another man like him. What a Piano Man!

At this point I would like to concentrate on the tunes with a “Latin Tinge” flavour, as I think this is the most interesting part of his output.
Yancey was by no means the first to use this timing in his music.
One of the first tunes to use a “Latin” strain was the Saint Louis Blues by W.C. Handy, published in 1914 and recorded by The Original Dixieland Jazz Band in 1921. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBgYrW83fVA&list=RDjBgYrW83fVA#t=6
Following that, a recording of “New Orleans Blues“ by “Jelly Roll” Morton, recorded in 1925:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CtyQXFtu2U.
A very interesting article appears on the Pan American Jazz Web Page under the title of “The Father of Jazz: Jelly Roll Morton which gives further information on this subject:-
https://panamericanjazz.wordpress.com/the-father-of-jazz-jelly-roll-morton/ Likewise another article which appears on the “narrativesculptures“ website under the title “The Spanish tinge: a hidden treasure of blues, jazz and dance History“
is well worth a read for those interested in this subject:- https://narrativesculptures.wordpress.com/2017/03/07/the-spanish-tinge-a-hidden-treasure-of-blues-jazz-music-and-dance-history/
At a later date James P. Johnson also recorded:-
“The Dream “ recorded in 1938 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v1GxVJp7QM&feature=youtu.be
Later still “Tipitina “ by Professor Longhair (Henry Roeland Byrd) composed in 1957. See The Wikipedia entry:- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professor_Longhair
In the recording he follows some spoken introduction with the now familiar Latin Base Pattern as used by Yancey. https://youtu.be/AMGewmEa0cA.
Lastly, I would like to include a Track from a CD which I produced of recordings made by my very close friend Don Case:- Don Case Track02 010195 https://youtu.be/qzyzoEBYfGA
I have recently had a discussion about the use of sheet music as a guide to playing Jazz in general and as this is a subject that might come into play when trying to learn to play Boogie Woogie, I propose to try and add my four pennith worth here. I understand most of the terms that are used in written music, but I own up I cannot read music and have to rely on listening to the recorded version of any tune. My reason (some would day excuse) for not learning to play music from sheet music is because I do not think it is accurate enough to show all the
nuances of the performed musical piece. This is particularly evident in recordings (as I explained previously about “Playing Boogie Woogie”) of Pianists playing this type of music.
My friend, Don Case asked me one day if I could show him what his playing looked like in notated form. Fortunately I had recorded part of his practice as a .midi file. As it happens this allowed me to print out the notation in the exact form as played which I then presented to him as a printed copy.
Below is part of the tune shown as 2 Pages of Score which can also be listened to in full from the YouTube:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4cLptq22fY



Don thanked me and commented that it looked like a spider had crawled over it and it was unusable. Basically he was correct. The main problem being that to show a totally accurate
score representation can only result in a mass of notes and rests unless, one follows the maxim that “Written Music should only be followed as a guide”.
I hope the reader might find this information useful, but should anyone have other ideas regarding this subject, please do not hesitate to contact either me (care of this Blog).

Chris. Reilley
The information given here and previously in this Blog is referred to on the Boogie Woogie Facebook Page:- https://www.facebook.com/groups/218161208197534/
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