Love Al he's one of my favorites. You can do it in second position on chromatic and diatonic. I think Al uses both. It's basically a 3/4 blues with one extra chord. ---------- Emile "Diggs" D'Amico a Legend In His Own Mind How you doin'
@ Oisin The head is played on a C chromatic and the solo stuff is on a C golden melody. the tune? is in the key of G. ---------- The Pentatonics Myspace Youtube
"Why don't you leave some holes when you play, and maybe some music will fall out".
Nice, all blues is sweet. I can play the head at least, lol. Al Price isn't an easy guy to find information on it seems, tried a few different engines.
----------
~Ryan
"I play the harmonica. The only way I can play is if I get my car going really fast, and stick it out the window." - Steven Wright
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
I am a Miles fanatic, studying his music/life and having arranged this tune and played it at Augusta and at SPAH 98, so am a bit picky.
The head arrangement is 90% true to the original - nicely done. His playing of the melody is almost there....rather than playing the tonic to start, he should be playing the 5th (below the tonic beginning note). It changes the arc of the melodic line and gives it more depth, as an ascending major 6th is a more dramatic start than the simple major 3rd up. Also the beginning melodic line could move nicely to the fifth above the tonic and back, not centering on the 3rd as he plays (at least once).
As long as he is performing this tune in a nice jazz arrangement, I'd like to hear the solo a bit more melodic jazz line and a little less "harmonicky".
Remember, I am picky picky when it come to Miles and also kinda an old curmudgeon.
Otherwise, it is a nice performance by Al. ---------- The Iceman
Last Edited by on Oct 15, 2011 10:06 AM
wow, tough to go up against one of the greatest bands and probably the greatest improvisational soloist ever....maybe the moral of the story is don't cover miles.....but i did like the harmonica version
It's a tune why not cover it. I wasn't gonna post my version until this up for awhile but the discussion has started about the tune. I studied Miles in college in a class called jazz styles and analysis. This is a tune that can be pushed back to blues or over to jazz. It depends on the soloist and the group. In this version I play more jazz and guitarist is more blues.After all it is called "All Blues".
---------- Emile "Diggs" D'Amico a Legend In His Own Mind How you doin'
Last Edited by on Oct 15, 2011 12:10 PM
Cool thing about Miles Davis is that he really was steeped in the blues and all of his "change the course of music" and/or revitalize himself projects were blues tunes. He approached notes on his trumpet with a deep blues sense, in bending notes and playing with the pitches. ---------- The Iceman
It's just a blues in G. Very playable in second position. Thing thing that's a little unusual is that you're bouncing between major 3rd and perfect 4th quite a bit which is a half step interval that's not used that often as a repeating motif in traditional blues. But there's nothing technically difficult about the tune.
@Iceman: i love your suggestion about starting on the 5th below tonic and moving up to the major third through the major 6th. Wow. Sounds perfect! I'm going to play it that way from now on. i also agree that Al is bending way more than necessary which does make his playing sound "harmonicaish". I don't really know why he's bending so much on the high end.
Last Edited by on Oct 15, 2011 1:49 PM
I find it strange that on this forum where everyone is encouraged not to listen to harp players, and do something original, that he gets knocked for NOT playing like the original!! Al did his own thing on this and I think it sounds waaaaayyyy better for it.
"i also agree that Al is bending way more than necessary which does make his playing sound "harmonicaish"." @ hvyj.I think you'll find this is called improvisation.
"Al did his own thing on this and I think it sounds waaaaayyyy better for it."
If your a blues harmonica player,you would think that. On the other hand,if your a Miles Davis purist,only the original sounds best,and can not be improved upon. To each his own-
Last Edited by on Oct 15, 2011 2:07 PM
"I think you'll find this is called improvisation."
yes, of course. But, I thought we were talking about STYLE of the improvisation. It is possible for a diatonic harp player to improvise with phrasing that's more horn like and jazzier. Al is playing his harmonica like it's a harmonica. that's fine. But there's other (and, IMHO more interesting) ways to put a harp on this tune.
It's sort of the difference between "Wow, nice harmonica on that" and "Wow, i didn't know a harmonica could play that." Nothing wrong with phrasing like sax or keyboard sometimes instead of just using harmonica specific ideas. It can give the player a more sophisticated sound.
Great thread ! Both/all clips are inspiring. Have been swinging this tune around in rehearsals with the trio I'm in. Working with a great female singer and jazz guitarist. The vocal sure takes the pressure off the 'horn'(harmonica) having to be the lead 'voice'. @Iceman - I too am paying attention and appreciate your insight. @toddlgreene. The original version of this tune was released on the wonderful album 'Kind of Blue'. This album is one of those beautiful recordings that along with being fresh (1959) and a kind of 'academic milestone' in twentieth century improvisational music....Is also a'jazz' album often described as being able to emotionally reach a non jazz audience.
---------- KiwiRick http://www.richardshanksart.com
Last Edited by on Oct 15, 2011 2:35 PM
If you listen closely to the original album version, you will hear that the notes Miles plays against the background of the harmony (Coltrane/Adderly on saxes) creates a specific voicing at each note. Miles was composing a harmonic sound in this tune as well as melody notes. He holds certain notes a little longer (than most others who play this tune) for a specific harmonic tension. Also note how the harmony moves with him during the last 4 notes of the melodic "head". This is one of those songs that reveals so much within a deceptive simplicity if one is willing to pay attention and take the time. Also, the transcribed version of Mile's solo looks like almost NOTHING on paper - so much space, so few notes. ---------- The Iceman
Last Edited by on Oct 15, 2011 3:12 PM
7Limit - if you can scare up a copy of the SPAH 98 tapes (or DVD) of the concerts, you will hear my version of this song in which, at least my solo, is more in line with what hvyj is talking about.
The harmonicky sound we mention is the bending or bending into notes that really defines blues harmonica, or the runs that rely on the layout of the harmonica for note choices or blues scale ideas. The creative and interesting way to play the diatonic is to avoid all of these trappings and truly pick and choose notes as music choices as on say, a piano or guitar. It forces you to think outside of the box, in a way. ---------- The Iceman
I love blues and like swinging melodic jazz. Al fits right in that category.Irrespective of what scale or notes he's playing. Its how it sounds musically, not technically.
I find some jazz heads to be a bit condescending. I'm not saying you are, so how about a rephrase to say "One way to make creative and interesting music is..........." ;O)
Ok now we have a bigger sampling. Be interesting to hear what people have to say. ---------- Emile "Diggs" D'Amico a Legend In His Own Mind How you doin'
I'll start by stating that whilst I enjoy listening to his music now and then, I'm not a huge Miles Davis fan. And I'm certainly not a purist when it comes to jazz at all.
Of all the versions posted on this thread I think I prefer the version by Wee Al Price the best. Having said that though. I don't think that the harmonica played by anybody whether diatonic or chromatic suits this tune. It's timbre to my ear just sounds wrong.
With the single exception of some of William Clarkes playing on the chromatic. I don't think I've heard any jazz tune where the harmonica sounds "right" including Howard Levy (oh no it's sacrilege they cry!! lol) to my ear.
Maybe it's just my "blues" sensibilities at work, but I just feel that in most jazz I've heard the timbre of the harmonica is wrong (to my ear at least). No doubt many of you will take umbridge with this, but it's just my opinion of it.
Last Edited by on Oct 16, 2011 1:48 AM
Had a once through of the above vids. Toots is the pick of that bunch,but I still prefer Al's version as its more melodic and easier on my ear.
@hvyj "But there's other (and, IMHO more interesting) ways to put a harp on this tune." I was hoping you were going to give this a try ? ---------- The Pentatonics Myspace Youtube
"Why don't you leave some holes when you play, and maybe some music will fall out".
One thing to look out for is the d to b in the melody. I think on the chrom at least it csn only be played smoothly by doing corner switching. The woman's version she slides up to the b. ---------- Emile "Diggs" D'Amico a Legend In His Own Mind How you doin'
@7LimitJi: I do play this tune on diatonic. I don't have any recordings though. i don't think I play it as well as Al, but i do play it differently. Like most things i play, I don't play it exactly the same way each time i play it.
I think the head lays out better on diatonic than on chrom. On those occasions when i solo on the high end, I'll just play Mixolydian with no bends, and I think that works pretty well since from 6B through 9B in second position you've got a complete Mixolydian scale. So if you move around up there without bends you have a lot of notes that fit and you can phrase more like a sax instead of leaning on bends.. I prefer to use sax like phrasing for this sort of material. i think it fits a little better stylistically.
A lot of harp players lean on bends to make musical statements, which is fine, But on some material i think it fits better stylistically if statements are made more with movement from note to note rather than putting so much emphasis on bends. I mean, it's not either/or, it has to do with what you emphasize. But that's why Iceman and i think the solo is "harmonicaish." It sounds fine, but there's other ways to approach playing tis tune on harp. I really enjoy what Al is doing. There's nothing wrong with it, but he is using a lot of harmonica specific techniques. All I'm saying that there's other ways to approach playing harp on this tune without relying so heavily on harmonica specific techniques.
@Kingley:" I don't think that the harmonica played by anybody whether diatonic or chromatic suits this tune. It's timbre to my ear just sounds wrong."
This is kinda sorta what I'm saying. BUT, in my experience, this tune CAN be played very smoothly on a diatonic and if one doesn't use a lot of blues harp style bends it works really well. I mean, you wouldn't want to use a bullet mic Chicago sound on it either. But with an appropriate amplified set up and a different stylistic approach diatonic harp can fit very effectively on this tune. But I don't think a player can rely on the SOS blues harp chops and sound right stylistically on this tune, which is where i agree with Kingley. That's why I talk about not playing my harmonica like it's a harmonica.
@Diggs; Yeah, on diatonic, D and B are side by side draw notes. IMHO, diatonic is perfect for this tune. You don't have to make any compromises.
Another tune from the Kind of Blue album that is pretty doable on diatonic is So What, BUT you've got to use TWO harps (C and Db) and play each in third position and know when to switch and switch back. With this sort of material, most of the notes you need are available on diatonic harp w/o OBs. BUT the SOS blues licks are not what works. You've just got to approach it differently and play NOTES instead of licks. It's not technically difficult. a player just has to use a different thought process for note selection. Freddie Freeloader is also a good one for harp from the All Blues album, but I haven't played that one very much. I get to play All Blues and So What somewhat regularly.
Last Edited by on Oct 16, 2011 10:54 AM
Hi Chaps. Sorry for my late response to all these comments. Iceman i know of your love for Miles as we correspnoded a wee bit moons back. Your advice on starting at the fifth below is a very cool idea. Might just have to try that one out. Your critiscm is always constructive so i thank ye for it mate.
As far as leaving sacred cows alone it.s not something i get too tied up with..it's good tae stretch yourself and this did me. I don't in a million yrs consider myself a jazz player by any means. I just love MIles and all sorts of different kinds of music. But you cannae ever please all the people all the time and neither is it worth trying,that way lies madness!
I try to inject a wee bit of jazz intae my playing or at least the feel that people like Miles puts intae his music. So my only intention is to get better as a player and a person...both of these things i regard as works in progress.
Anyhoo,saying that Diggs version fair wipes the floor wae mine. I'd buy that bad boys first.
Thanks again for a' the comments lads. This is the kinda thinking material that makes the forum a real boon tae me.
Cheers the noo,Al. ---------- http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/alprice
Checked out your version on the web site. Very nice during the opening head. Yes, if you start on the 5th below rather than on the tonic, you will hear and feel more depth to the melody. Accompaniment tract is 90% faithful to the original Miles concept.
Notice the difference between your first and second playing of the head, in which the second time you don't linger on the Bb, but move it down with the harmony. This doesn't give the suspended chordal harmony effect of the first time through. Each creates its own sound. I prefer the lingering, as that harmony is rich with the +12 (or aug 5th) over the D7 chord.
If that is a chromatic, you incorporate some nice subtle bends to your notes.
Reading your posting gave me a "Trainspotting" dialogue flashback regarding language accent. ---------- The Iceman
Last Edited by on Oct 27, 2011 6:44 AM
Aye it was a chrom Larry. I played aboot wae the valves a bit and a wee bit of embossing tae. I'll surely try and incorporate some some your advice intae my live attempts,thanks.
Guid film Trainspotting to. In saying that i'm fae Glasgow or Glesga tae gie it it's right name. Trainspotting was set in Edinburgh. You need tae watch those yins...dodgy types...Haa! They would steal the sugar oot yer tea then come back for the milk. Sorry ma east coast brethern.
