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Yeah Chris, I forgot, Elling changed the title. I saw this live with Kenny Barron on piano.

Anyway, when I was playing Naima, I got accused of just playing scales. Then I had to listen again to some of this kind of music to undertand the purposeness of each and every phrase. Not everyone plays like this. Melodic content is in every line....like Jarrett. Except, Pasqua has more space so the melody lingers.

I heard this on the radio next to Bill Charlap's playing and it showed me the contrast in style.

This kind of melodic playing reminds me of Herbie's solo on Dolphin Dance. Every phrase is so memorable.

Anyway, that's the challenge to myself this time around. Avoiding what Scott Colleta may refer to as 'Wandering'

Here's a rendition of Body and Soul with a modified melody...mistakes made but I only record once. I've avoided this tune for so long because it seemed hard to come up with something passable. But it seems to come easier now. All comments welcome.

Body and Soul
http://www.box.net/shared/st2kadn7833h8h0m0z7l

No comments? Anyway, I had to get adjusted to the feel of the backing rhythm so I was off time playing the head. I suppose that was easy to fix by re-recording but I thought it was better to be brutally honest about what I do.

Interesting; Kenny Werner about Keith Jarrett
http://jazztimes.com/articles/28162-artist-s-choice-kenny-werner-on-keith-jarrett

Nicely played. But, I feel you're too much either on top or ahead of the beat. I would like to hear a version were you laid back a bit.

Also, I don't think/feel it's necessary to play/state every chord, especially during the solo

Great comments Chris. I need to work at this tempo more. My discomfort shows. When I learned this particular styling it was intended to be played in double time latin feel. So at the beginning I was doing that and it didn't sound right. But I didn't do another take to correct. I think it's always good to freeze the moment so I get maximum revelation of all weaknesses.

Thanks!

I liked it jw. Your time, use of space and overall phrasing are all getting better. Some nice LH voicings too--I recognize some of those sounds from AP ... Nothing wrong with that though.

Good job.

Hi Dave F
I just went into your Soundcloud and listened to your Days of Wine and Roses which I've just finished studying as part of my Joy of Improvisation course. I really liked your choice of voicings which sounded nice and interesting and modern, and I also liked the movement between your voicings.

Nice "Body and Soul", JazzWee. What are some of those AP voicings?

Thanks Dave and Jazz+! You're both very kind to my one take. This is definitely copied stylistically from AP's album since that's how I learned it That's why the melody is different too. Unfortunately, I'm a LONG LONG way from coming close to the way he plays it. My only immediate goal on a first try was to see if I can play it with some good melodies.

Jazz+, the biggest thing is probably the first two chords. In the original changes that's 4 chords. I only play two | Eb-7 | AbMaj7(+5) |

I was also taught to play the bridge with Coltrane changes but my backing track (iRealB) plays the regular changes so I wasn't able to do that here.

I learned this a long time ago but was never able to play it well so I gave up. If I get this perfected then I plan on playing it as a trio at the end of September.

Sounding good on Body and Soul JW.
What are the coltrane changes for the bridge?

Here is an interesting video of one of englands best young pianists demonstrating the elements of one of his tunes and then playing it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/video/2011/aug/18/gwilym-simcock-these-good-days-video

Thanks Beeboss. I'll check my notes later but the Coltrane changes are like Giant Steps changes. Maybe that's why I never tried playing this tune before because that intimidated me at the time

I was told you can call the tune as 'Body and Soul - Coltrane Changes' and supposedly people know what that means. Apparently not so common.

Speaking of changes -- I've been playing Footprints with chromatic chord motions like Herbie and it really opens it up to some interesting harmonic possibilities.

I like how he stepped on the pedal and strummed the keys. I was wondering how he picked out the notes while he was strumming. It was like a new discovery for me.

ok I got it, just forgot momentarily

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtr4XQGcSDY

So many alternate changes to these tunes

DMa7 F7 BbMa7 Db7| GbMa7 A7 DMa7|

Speaking of Footprints--Jimmy Rowles showed me these alternate changes to the ambiguous bar 13 section a long time ago

|F#m11 B7 | Fm11 Bb13+11 | Cm11 ||

That's a pretty fast version isn't it? And McCoy Tyner is doing some interesting chord movements on the A section.

Do we call that the McCoy Tyner Changes? LOL.

"Body and Soul! McCoy changes on 'A', Coltrane Changes on 'B'! ", Whew!

As if the tune isn't difficult enough originally...

What I find interesting is to solo on these changes but not tell the bass player.

I heard too that it can be played as a pair of ii/V's. Thanks for posting this. For the longest time I just played these as |D7 | Db7 |