George Benson - Billie's Bounce

[M-ster]

After the Andreas Oberg transcription, I thought it was interesting to look at Mike Stern doing a blues in F, and now George Benson on the same Charlie Parker tune as the Oberg transcription. (All 3 are blues in F, with approximately the same jazz/blues changes.)

The original recording was February 1968, released on "Giblet Gravy."

billies-bounce-george-benson.pdf

The rehearsal letters mark each chorus. Benson's solo begins at C. Choruses N - U are piano solo (which I omitted). Choruses V - Y are trading 4s with the pianist. Only Benson's stuff is transcribed.

Of interest:

1) Benson starts stepping out in the second bar of his solo (bar 26). There's an enharmonic spelling, but bar 27 is an A major 7 arpeggio (over F7)

2) Bar 56 contains Ab to Db7 arpeggios

3) Bar 66 suggests Eb to A7

4) Bar 80 is all Ab minor

5) Bars 81 and 82 contain Bmaj7 to Emaj7 arpeggios over G-7 to C7

6) Bar 93 has mixed #s and bs (sorry), but it's all Ab- or Db7 (depending how you want to look at it ... could be B lydian, too)

7) Bar 116 - Eb+ arp. over D7

8) Bar 256 - Amaj7 arp. over F7 (again)

9) Bars 263-264 - I'd say the last 6 beats are just C7alt, but it's an interesting line

10) Check the line that begins just before letter X - Starts with an Emaj7 arp., slips into C7alt, and then back to E major for 2+ bars before arriving at Bb

11) The line approaching letter Y is also pretty wild

I love the "I can play anything over anything" thing.

[jseaberry]

I'll finish looking at this as soon as I pick my jaw up off the floor! Thank you!!

[Reg]

Very cool... I remember when the album came out, still have copy... That was one of my 1st guitar transcriptions, yours is cool, kinda small, but fun to read through, thanks... good to hear Benson in his earlier days....was that Herbie or Keith on piano, always dug the piano solo structure (form)....best Reg

[M-ster]

Interestingly, it was Herbie on piano, who I usually like, but the piano bits didn't seem as interesting as the guitar, so I didn't transcribe them. When I checked and saw it was HH - I felt like I dissed him! (Sorry, Herbie!)

Other personnel were Ron Carter, bass; Billy Cobham, drums; and Johnny Pacheco, congas. Carter sounds great. I didn't realize it was Cobham, either, although there is a very cool press roll (like, perfect articulation) when the drums enter (the first few choruses are guitar, bass, congas) that might have been a clue. Feel is great, too, of course.

[kris]

GREAT Work!!!
Kris

[Reg]

Thanks... with vocal in the background... I knew it was one of the two.... You didn't like the ascending melodic and rhythmic groove stretching the harmony a little... yea I always dug Benson's playing back then... too bad he didn't stay in a more jazz direction like Herbie... well I guess the wa-wa Watson thing was different...maybe head hunters to... well at least he went back to jazz...Reg

[M-ster]

As I think about it, there is an explanation for the Amaj7 arp's over F7 and the Emaj7 arp's over C7 ...

He's probably thinking of the b5 subs. I.e., if you're thinking B7 (in place of F7), Amaj7 licks are not a stretch. Similarly, if you're thinking F#7 (in place of C7) ...

It's also interesting that Amaj7 during a bar of F7 results in a major 7 (E natural) on the dom 7 chord. Just an observation that there is nothing new. These guys were doing it 40+ years ago.

[markf]

that is a lot of work, thanks. I am a slow reader, but gonna work through some of it.

I like the sound of A maj 7 over F7.

also, G7, and A7, and D7 over F7

[M-ster]

You are welcome, Mark.

[Tag]

As I think about it, there is an explanation for the Amaj7 arp's over F7 and the Emaj7 arp's over C7 ...

He's probably thinking of the b5 subs. I.e., if you're thinking B7 (in place of F7), Amaj7 licks are not a stretch. Similarly, if you're thinking F#7 (in place of C7) ...

It's also interesting that Amaj7 during a bar of F7 results in a major 7 (E natural) on the dom 7 chord. Just an observation that there is nothing new. These guys were doing it 40+ years ago.

Its just alterd dom. For F7 leading to Bb7 you use F# melodic or dorian minor right? Going up the F#-7 arp starting on the third gives you the A maj 7 arp. Django was even doing that years earlier. Rule: On a dom 7 chord going up a 4th, use a maj7 arp built off the maj third.

[fep]

Its just alterd dom. For F7 leading to Bb7 you use F# melodic or dorian minor right? Going up the F#-7 arp starting on the third gives you the A maj 7 arp. Django was even doing that years earlier. Rule: On a dom 7 chord going up a 4th, use a maj7 arp built off the maj third.

F#melodic minor = F altered, yeah that works and is often used. But that does not equal an Amaj7 arp.. the E note of the Amaj7 in not included in F altered (or F# melodic minor).

F# dorian minor over F7 is an unusual choice as it also has an E natural.

[Tag]

F#melodic minor = F altered, yeah that works and is often used. But that does not equal an Amaj7 arp.. the E note of the Amaj7 in not included in F altered (or F# melodic minor).

F# dorian minor over F7 is an unusual choice as it also has an E natural.

The Dorian ( 1/2 step up from Dom 7 chord) is used as much as the melodic minor up 1/2 step. It gives you the A Maj7 arp you are looking for. Benson views the E note as just the flat 5th of the chord you are going to, (in this case Bb7) and gives you a bluesy sound. Martino and Benson both use use the 1/2 step up dorian (as well as the common melodic minor) all over the place. That E note is also a nice leading tone from the 7th (Eb) of the F7 to the 5th (F) of the Bb7. (Also comes from the bebop scale as well.)

[M-ster]

Its just alterd dom. For F7 leading to Bb7 you use F# melodic or dorian minor right? Going up the F#-7 arp starting on the third gives you the A maj 7 arp. Django was even doing that years earlier.

... F# dorian minor over F7 is an unusual choice as it also has an E natural.

Yes, but I get it ... Tag's taking a looser approach (like these guys I'm transcribing!).

If you're roughly thinking F# minor against the F7, it's easy to end up with an Amaj7 arp'. It's really F# Dorian, and it does give you an E natural over the F7. But, look at what Martino's doing playing off Gb-7, A-7, C-7, and Eb-7 over an F7 in that transcription. As Tag notes, same stuff.

I did say, "... there is nothing new. These guys were doing it 40+ years ago." But, maybe I needed to say 80-90 years ago!

[Tag]

Yes, but I get it ... Tag's taking a looser approach (like these guys I'm transcribing!).

If you're roughly thinking F# minor against the F7, it's easy to end up with an Amaj7 arp'. It's really F# Dorian, and it does give you an E natural over the F7. But, look at what Martino's doing playing off Gb-7, A-7, C-7, and Eb-7 over an F7 in that transcription. As Tag notes, same stuff.

I did say, "... there is nothing new. These guys were doing it 40+ years ago." But, maybe I needed to say 80-90 years ago!

Exactly. The e note is just another viable tension, and it gives a great bluesy sound, especially when you can hear lines as well as those guys do! Jazz came from blues, and that E note is in the Bb blues scale! As basic as it can get.

[fep]

I think I'm starting to make sense of it. I just saw the Dorian a 1/2 step above the Dom7 used in an example by Don Mock.

I'm getting there this way

|| F7 | Bbmaj7 ||

With a tri-tone sub becomes:

|| F7 B7 | Bbmaj7 ||

Turn the tri-tone sub into a ii-V:

|| F7 / F#m7 B7 | Bbmaj7 ||

And finally you could just skip the B7:

||F7 / F#m7 / | Bbmaj7 / / / ||

[brwnhornet59]

I think I'm starting to make sense of it. I just saw the Dorian a 1/2 step above the Dom7 used in an example by Don Mock.

I'm getting there this way

|| F7 | Bbmaj7 ||

With a tri-tone sub becomes:

|| F7 B7 | Bbmaj7 ||

Turn the tri-tone sub into a ii-V:

|| F7 / F#m7 B7 | Bbmaj7 ||

And finally you could just skip the B7:

||F7 / F#m7 / | Bbmaj7 / / / ||

I agree 100%. I have used this a time or two. We tend to forget sometimes where it all is coming from. Sometimes less is more.

[JazzVocab]

I think I'm starting to make sense of it. I just saw the Dorian a 1/2 step above the Dom7 used in an example by Don Mock.

I'm getting there this way

|| F7 | Bbmaj7 ||

With a tri-tone sub becomes:

|| F7 B7 | Bbmaj7 ||

Turn the tri-tone sub into a ii-V:

|| F7 / F#m7 B7 | Bbmaj7 ||

And finally you could just skip the B7:

||F7 / F#m7 / | Bbmaj7 / / / ||

Yep, I like to keep the flow so I would go F7 / F#m7 / Gm7
Food for thought!

[Curtsong]

Very Nice Job M-Ster. One of my favorite solos of all time.

Thank you for your contribution.

[Philco]

Great job Mster. I've spent some time with this track. Much to learn that's for sure.

If anyone is stumped by the fingering of the well known lick at bar 34 then you can see my take on it over on the Benson picking thread.

Benson Picking technique on Gibson L5 Wesmo

First post.
I play it about 4 times in a row beginning at 3.37 and both hands are visible.

Great sweeping practice....backwards and forwards.
There is one other way to play it but this way seems the most comfortable to me.

Thanks again for the transcription.

[M-ster]

Great job Mster ... Thanks again for the transcription.

Yes, sir, you're welcome. Enjoyed your thread, too!

[TRMP]

Hi M-ster,
Thanks for a great transcription, I always liked this solo, glad I don't have to do the work

Is the 2nd F at measure 118 sharp or natural?
Is the chord at measure 123, C, Eflat,Gnat, A, D playable?

Thanks again,
TRMP

[TRMP]

sorry double post...

[M-ster]

Hi, TRMP. The second F in bar 118 (the one on the top line of the staff) is F natural. The accidentals only apply to the octave in which they appear. (In other words, the sharp on the first space F doesn't apply to the top line F.)

The chord in bar 123 could be played (bar the 10th fret, top 2 strings, with your index):

---10
---10
---12
---13
---15
-----

But, it may be more likely (and do-able) that it's (which omits the G):

---10
---10
----8
---10
-----
-----

[richard vandyne]

M-ster Lucky me I am working on a transcription of Just Friends in F and was wondering where to get another in the same key and then you appear.Stroke of luck. Really appreciate you sending it to us. Thanks alot

[TRMP]

Hi, TRMP. The second F in bar 118 (the one on the top line of the staff) is F natural. The accidentals only apply to the octave in which they appear. (In other words, the sharp on the first space F doesn't apply to the top line F.)

The chord in bar 123 could be played (bar the 10th fret, top 2 strings, with your index):

---10
---10
---12
---13
---15
-----

But, it may be more likely (and do-able) that it's (which omits the G):

---10
---10
----8
---10
-----
-----

Hi M-ster,

Thanks for the response,
regarding the chord, I know that it is physically possible as you have shown, I just don't see Benson
doing that for that style of comping. Maybe I need to listen closer. Or Maybe he let the root go at the 15th fret- as the upper half harmony of the first example seems right to me.
Regards,

TRMPmusic