GENRE
modal jazz (a jazz style in which the solos are based on modes instead of the chord changes). This leads to longer, freer improvisations.

TIME SIG = 6/4 (compound duple time)- jazz waltz
MODE = mixolydian, using G,A,B,C,D,E,F,G (F is i the flattened 7th note in the key of G)
HEAD = the main melody accompanied by the 12 bar blues chord progression
CHORUS = each repetition of the blues chord progression- changes = the chord sequence in a jazz song

HARMONY
based on the 12 bar blues chord pattern, but there are altered or extra notes added to the harmonics in bars 9 &10 of the changes, and blue notes are added frequently. Although the home note is G throughout, a lack of conventional cadences and the frequent use of the blue flattened 7th (F natural) makes the music sound modal rather than in the key of G

12 bar blues chord progression:
G7/G7/G7/G7
C7/C7/G7/G7
D7#9/Eb7#9/G7/G7

Altered chords = G7#9 (G,B,D,F,A#) & Eb7#9 (Eb,G,Bb,F#)

VOICINGS = the pianist, Bill Evans, varies the order of the notes in the chord from the bottom note to the top. Order of the notes is called 'voicings'
RHYTHMIC DEVICES = swung rhythms, syncopation, triplets, rhythmic displacement and cross rhythms
STRUCTURE = 'All Blues' is a head arrangement, consisting of variations of the head (main tune) over a 12- bar blues progression. There is an introduction at the start, a coda at the end and a four bar riff introduces each of the main sections

Top jazz musicians of the time recorded the album- at the peak of their abilities
Davis felt that jazz was becoming too dependant on complex chord sequences. In the album he wanted to explore the concept of modal jazz. This meant that rather than relying on complicated chord patterns the harmony focuses on a mode or scale and the improvised solos are freer and longer
The track is from the album 'Kind of Blues' which was recorded in one take in New York in 1959
Instrumentation- trumpet, alto sax, tenor sax, piano, double bass, drum kit (drums play a syncopated snare drum part and steady beat on ride cymbal)

ORDER OF EVENTS
1) four bar intro (rhythm section of piano, drum kit and bass)- the bass plays riff 1 (an ostinato played throughout). The piano plays a trill in 3rds. The drum kit plays a 3 beat waltz rhythm quietly with brushes.
2) four bar riff 2 (saxophones and rhythm section)- the saxes play a stepwise figure in parallel thirds moving up to the blue 7th of G (F) and back
3) Head 1- the main 12 bar head melody played for the first time on the trumpet using a harmon mute with its stem removed. The melody has a rising leap of a 6th with the long high note decorated with a mordent. It then moves stepwise using a narrow range of a 5th
4) Head 2- riff and head are repeated
5) trumpet solo- riff 2 or the link is played followed by four 12 bar choruses for un-muted trumpet. The texture changes as the piano trills are replaced by comping ( the piano playing the background chords) using the accompaniment rhythms based on riff 2- the drummer adds the ride cymbal and uses unpredictable syncopated hits on the snare- the trumpet solo is modal, using the mixolydian mode over the G7 and C7 chords. A diminished scale is used over the altered chords- trumpet techniques include grace notes (appogiaturas), blue notes, ghost notes and the fall off. The melodic phrases are longer and higher and wider in range than that of the head
6) link- repeated, but without the two saxophones (bar 89)
7) alto saxophone solo- more angular than the solo of Davis, with more leaps, shorter phrases, more chromatic notes, more rhythmic with strong accents on the beats, a thick tone, sudden groups of fasts notes, fast scales and arpeggios in semiquavers and triplets- the melody is sometimes triadic (using the notes of a chord), has leaps, blue notes and a wide 2 octave range. There is a swung rhythm with syncopations and triplets
8) Link (riff 2)
9) Tenor sax solo- (4 choruses), less vibrato than Adderley. The first chorus is simple with ideas exploring the mode. The 2nd chorus has short 3 and 4 note ideas with sequences and complex rhythms. The 3rd and 4th choruses combine extremely fast scales, arpeggios and triplets with long sustained phrases- Coltrane
10) Link
11) Piano solo- ( 2 choruses) the style is calmer with more intricate comping with the left hand as the right hand plays long melody notes in the first chorus. In the 2nd chorus the 2 hands combine into a chord based solo using parallel 7th and 9th chords, sometimes with the left hand in contrary motion. The middle range of the piano is used with a limited range of notes- Evans
12) link- (riff 2) piano reintroduces the trill idea. Sax play riff 2 in thirds again. Ride cymbal is played more quietly
13) Head 3- the trumpet played with a mute
14) link
15) Head 4
16) Link
17) Coda (outro)- trumpet uses only the tonic and dominant notes in the first two phrases. Davis then uses the same simple legato phrase he played at the end of the head. Saxophones play riff 2. Piano plays trills. The song fades out

GCSE Music Revision 2