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Originally Posted by ragman1
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05-07-2020 11:06 AM
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It's okay, I don't do immediate either :-)
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A summary of the principles of Shorter's music. In those cases where standard harmonic practice seems not to apply, the bass lines provide the main clues as to prolongational function, not the chord structures above them. As a result, in such cases, one must rely on rhythm, context, and formal location of the bass intervals, which include fifths, thirds, and seconds. For example, a bass descending fifth at the end of a piece from a weak beat to a long-held chord on a strong beat will probably best be interpreted as a "dominant" "tonic" cadence even if the chord qualities do not agree with any standard patterns. Context has even suggested such an interpretation in the case of the tritone bass leap at the end of "Juju." In some contexts, such as an opening progression, a descending fifth might be interpreted as "tonic" to "subdominant." Stepwise bass lines involve neighbor chords, incomplete neighbor chords, or passing chords. Because the bass intervals can be nondiatonic, and because the chord qualities can include nondiatonic notes, nonfunctional progressions result between the elaborative chords and the surrounding chords. Bass motion of a third either divides a larger interval or creates an embellishing chord. Again, because of the possibility of a nondiatonic bass note for the elaborative chord and the variability of the chord qualities, nonfunctional progressions often result. Shorter's style rests on the relative weighting of standard harmonic practice versus the nonfunctional practices: although there is always some of the former, the latter quite often predominates. Background structures emphasizing the subdominant over the dominant, involving directional tonality or tonal pairing, or dividing the octave equally do not depend on nonfunctional foregrounds; however, such foregrounds can be replicated at the background level and can contribute to tonal ambiguity.
Some of the harmonic characteristics described belong to the bebop style: the repeated pairs of I-bII chords of "Deluge" and "Speak No Evil" differ from those of Thelonious Monk's "Well You Needn't" or Dizzy Gillespie's "A Night in Tunisia" only in that Shorter's blls are major seventh chords originating in the phrygian mode, while the bebop blls are dominant sevenths arising from tritone substitution. Shorter uses II-V groups, but they are relatively infrequent and not a leading characteristic of his style as they are in bebop, in which they are ubiquitous. The other harmonic techniques and characteristics outlined above occur frequently in his music, represent innovations with respect to earlier jazz styles, and serve as the leading elements of his harmonic style.
Most of these innovations are present in Shorter's compositions of 1964, calling into question whether they are truly the result of a broader evolutionary process. Although other jazz composers of the 1960s participated in the expansion of harmonic possibilities, Shorter is well known as a leader among them, and at least some of the categories examined probably belong to him more than to others. A general study of jazz harmony in the 1960s or studies of other individual composers would help to put Shorter's contributions in perspective.Last edited by rintincop; 05-07-2020 at 04:06 PM.
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I was wondering how Ron Carter approached playing the bass on Shorter’s tunes, found this interview on Ethan Iverson’s site where he discusses it briefly, it has some interesting details:
RC: Wayne writes really hard chords, man! They don’t always go where you want to go. But it’s up to you to make it work. The chord functions aren’t always in the bass, for example.
EI: Now, why do the Wayne Shorter records that you and Herbie are on [Speak No Evil, The All-Seeing Eye, Schizophrenia] have such a different harmonic atmosphere than the Miles Davis records that feature Wayne’s tunes [Miles Smiles, Nefertiti, Sorcerer]?
RC: You got another horn player: Miles Davis! Think about it if Sonny Stitt or J.J Johnson was the other horn….
EI: Good Christ. [Laughter.] No, I mean, did Miles do something to Wayne’s charts?
RC: No, we all were looking at Wayne’s written music. There was hardly any rehearsal. We usually just got the music in the recording studio. We made sure that the “A” section and the “B” – just the formal structure of a tune – was clear. And then we would make a take.
EI: Were there chord symbols? I had a theory that there were sometimes only piano voicings on the charts and not changes.
RC: No, it’s true that there were voicings, but also Wayne always had chord symbols. And he knew exactly what they meant! My job was to make them sound reasonable.
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Originally Posted by rintincop
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+ the link to the site he got it from... :-)
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Originally Posted by ragman1
JSTOR: Access Check
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I know, I already found it. Well, we got to see it at least
There are similar essays but on Oxford Uni sites you have to sign up to.
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Originally Posted by rintincop
For example, a bass descending fifth at the end of a piece from a weak beat to a long-held chord on a strong beat will probably best be interpreted as a "dominant" "tonic" cadence even if the chord qualities do not agree with any standard patterns. Context has even suggested such an interpretation in the case of the tritone bass leap at the end of "Juju." In some contexts, such as an opening progression, a descending fifth might be interpreted as "tonic" to "subdominant." Stepwise bass lines involve neighbor chords, incomplete neighbor chords, or passing chords. Because the bass intervals can be nondiatonic, and because the chord qualities can include nondiatonic notes, nonfunctional progressions result between the elaborative chords and the surrounding chords. Bass motion of a third either divides a larger interval or creates an embellishing chord. Again, because of the possibility of a nondiatonic bass note for the elaborative chord and the variability of the chord qualities, nonfunctional progressions often result. Shorter's style rests on the relative weighting of standard harmonic practice versus the nonfunctional practices: although there is always some of the former, the latter quite often predominates. Background structures emphasizing the subdominant over the dominant, involving directional tonality or tonal pairing, or dividing the octave equally do not depend on nonfunctional foregrounds; however, such foregrounds can be replicated at the background level and can contribute to tonal ambiguity.
Maybe they are functional... Maybe not.
I mean the Neapolitan chord, bII, in classical music is a subdominant chord. It is usually therefore followed by a dominant. It can also be understood as a modal interchange chord into major - here, Phrygian.
The slow movement of the Moonlight Sonata is a classic example. In the works of Schubert, the Horace Silver tune Peace and All The Things You Are it is used as a means of modulation to distant keys. (B to Bb in Peace, Ab to C in ATTYA.)
But this is not how Wayne uses it. So, I wonder if non functional music isn't the realm of the constant subdominant? OTOH, Wayne does use a lot of dominants. I'm still unsure whether I feel tases dominants provide an obscure, but functional means of motion, or are just used colouristically.
Some of the harmonic characteristics described belong to the bebop style: the repeated pairs of I-bII chords of "Deluge" and "Speak No Evil" differ from those of Thelonious Monk's "Well You Needn't" or Dizzy Gillespie's "A Night in Tunisia" only in that Shorter's blls are major seventh chords originating in the phrygian mode, while the bebop blls are dominant sevenths arising from tritone substitution. Shorter uses II-V groups, but they are relatively infrequent and not a leading characteristic of his style as they are in bebop, in which they are ubiquitous. The other harmonic techniques and characteristics outlined above occur frequently in his music, represent innovations with respect to earlier jazz styles, and serve as the leading elements of his harmonic style.
It's not in fact heard as being diatonic to the Phrygian mode for reasons I discuss in the videos above (Wayne and Freddie play pentatonic, for instance, Herbie alternates C dorian and Db lydian in Speak No Evil) although the relationship can be understood that way. I prefer the idea of constant pentatonic/blues melody, non diatonic baselines. This appears to be the organising principle of Deluge for example, with the bass moving Eb - E - A - Ab - B, but the melody using notes chosen from the Eb minor blues scale.
These things have to taken on a case by case basis. Wayne, I think, has a number of devices that get used and refused, for instance:
- chordal motion by diatonic third
- dominants and ii-V's resolving unexpectedly (i.e. not by
- this Phrygian vamp idea
- m7 to maj7 a semitone below
- pedals using modal interchange voicings
- Upper structure triads moving in unusual but parsimonious ways with basslines moving by leap.
- pedals in the top voice
- non diatonic contrary motion
- pentatonic/blues melody underpinned by chromatic bass movement
I'm sure you can think of loads more. We can see these devices also in other composers.
Most of these innovations are present in Shorter's compositions of 1964, calling into question whether they are truly the result of a broader evolutionary process. Although other jazz composers of the 1960s participated in the expansion of harmonic possibilities, Shorter is well known as a leader among them, and at least some of the categories examined probably belong to him more than to others. A general study of jazz harmony in the 1960s or studies of other individual composers would help to put Shorter's contributions in perspective.
I bring this up because a couple of the progressions echo ones we can see in Iris and the other tunes. I'd made no study of Wayne's music. I'd merely listened to it, Kenny Wheeler and Kurt Rosenwinkel, and used chords at the piano that I liked the sound of. As the article rintincop posted suggested, I was very aware of bass movement when writing this. So, this much is definitely the case... But I think with enough tunes, one could get a sense of what the 'non functional' II-Vs and turnarounds so to speak, are.
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Originally Posted by ragman1
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Do we get to hear the tune then?
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As far as I can see, these modern compositions don't have turnarounds. Except the last chord might segue into the first - not necessarily by logic but by sound.
(Your AbM7 - Am11 becomes a repeated pattern)
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Originally Posted by ragman1
Not in terms of function. Although I think there’s some non traditional turnaround type progressions in Joe Henderson’s tunes.
(Your AbM7 - Am11 becomes a repeated pattern)
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1953 "Glass Enclosure" by Bud Powell
Wayne Shorter was influenced by the more advanced harmonies used in "Glass Enclosure" and other Powell compositions from the 1950s in his own writing of music. (wiki)
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Originally Posted by christianm77
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Originally Posted by ragman1
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I mean I could have done a shit half arsed version, but what’s the point of that?
it won’t happen this weekend. I’m teaching. We’ll see where we are at on Monday.
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05-08-2020, 08:48 PM #118joelf Guest
My 2 cents: If people would only think voice-leading---getting from one note or chord to another---it would remove cluttered thinking and nomenclature. (I know: voice-leading doesn't apply to non-resolution, you'll say. Not so sure of that, either).
All I know is it's much harder to play or write when over-thinking. Kills the flow. Over-naming is over-thinking. You want to study and analyze it after so you can learn and build. Of course we need names for things. But I've seen too many talented musicians lock and frustrate themselves with Rube Goldberg cartoon-like thinking. I don't teach much, but when I do I try to read students, watching carefully for over-complicated views in their thought processes, then gently guide them to the simplest way to view and name things.
I guess I always had sort of a resentment of music theory. Not sure why, and I'm sure it's a failing in some way. But I do study scores and tunes and great solos, and try to connect the dots. But it's always the 'express route', and for me that means the simplest way to boil things down, with the big picture in view. Getting involved with stopping to name and hang out too long at the detail points will impede the flow--even of study.
With a bow to my learned colleagues here, that's what works for me...
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Originally Posted by joelf
It seems he thinks maybe melody, bass, mode/colour in that order.
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And what you say touches on a key dilemma.
to what extent should there be a pedagogical formulation of jazz progressions etc?
And to what extent should teachers simply encourage students to get stuck in and work it out as they go?
i actually lean much more to the latter. There’s little better advice you can give than ‘learn more tunes.’ As a teacher the urge is always to give too much information.
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Unfortunately Durban is back in hospital, not too good, Dirk banned him for a little while, for being rude to someone. the least of his problems.
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Originally Posted by marvinvv
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05-09-2020, 10:59 AM #123joelf GuestOriginally Posted by christianm77
And remember, I never said don't analyze, I said simplify. Everyone needs understanding to bolster intuition. Re students, yeah, I think it's best to at least try to figure things out. You get more out of it. But not every student's ready for that, and that also could lead to frustration or even disaster, trying to conclude things when you don't know what the hell you're doing. That's what teachers are for: the student should try to work things out, b/c everyone sees things and (we hope) approaches playing and breaking things down differently, according to his/her needs (and that's where schools can really f them up, with that codified nonsense). When they hit a wall, or as individual problems crop up, don't panic---ask the teacher.
I really don't know what Wayne's doing, but he definitely came up the same way as everyone, with the extant materials and knowledge of same---he just was unafraid of his instincts. I think many of the post-'60s jazz composers were seriously checking out 20th Century classical materials. Woody Shaw, Joe Hen, McCoy, Chick---all the people into 4ths and lots of other goodies.
Speaking of which: 'non-functional' harmony is nothing new---maybe newer to jazz. The Impressionists were doing it in the late 1890s. Classical harmony has always been 50-100 years ahead of us...
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To all big thank you for your thoughtful well wishes, we have not been able to see him, sadly another stroke, yes a sharp tongue at times, but a big heart.
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Shit. Poor Durban.
How did you get your teaching gigs?
Today, 01:45 PM in Everything Else