JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 11) - Upper Manhattan Medical Group

**mr. beaumont** · 03-26-2021, 06:32 PM

Its a much less predictable melody.

**mr. beaumont** · 03-26-2021, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by rpjazzguitar

For not feeling those changes, this is a very convincing solo, imo. Nice job.

**ragman1** · 03-27-2021, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by rpjazzguitar

I appreciate all of that.

My usual approach to a tune I can't comprehend is to play the chords repeatedly while thinking about the melody. Eventually, the repetition seems to create a new template for harmony and the tune starts to sound "right". That happened really well with Dolphin Dance (and is typical with tunes by Wayne Shorter or Toninho Horta). I didn't get to that point with UMMG.

How about Night Dreamer? I found that particularly obscure. No one else seemed to get it much either. But I appreciate your 'method', it makes very good sense to me.

**rpjazzguitar** · 03-27-2021, 12:34 AM

Originally Posted by ragman1

How about Night Dreamer? I found that particularly obscure. No one else seemed to get it much either. But I appreciate your 'method', it makes very good sense to me.

Night Dreamer is 16 bars. Ten of them are 5 repetitions of the same 2 bar phrase - which reminds me of Hit The Road Jack.

The other 6 bars contain a total of 4 chords.

The transitions are unusual, but there aren't many of them and, for some reason, I didn't find them jarring.

**John A.** · 03-27-2021, 12:46 AM

Another one I was completely unfamiliar with (so far the majority have had me starting from zero) ... I definitely found this one quite challenging.

I read up on the origins of the title. I kind of guessed it had something to do with Strayhorn's doctor/medical situation, but it was interesting to see the details. I currently live in Upper Manhattan, and was born in an Upper Manhattan hospital, though I grew up in the South ... of Manhattan. So I get a kick out the title. I feel like I might need to find the titular medical group after the ass-kicking this tune gave me.

Checking out everyone else's now ...

John

**John A.** · 03-27-2021, 01:15 AM

Jeff, do I detect a little "What Is This Thing Called Love" shout chorus there? Lot's of other cool stuff in there, too.

Christian, i like the chord soloing, and the way you brought the changes out so sharply in the single line playing (something I was struggling to do with this tune).

Ragman, lots of interesting bits of tension in there. Sounds cool,

RonStuff, a guess great minds think alike (guitar-choice-wise, anyway). Especially dig the phrasing and rhythm of your take. Some nice bluesiness, too.

RPJazzguitar, great motivic stuff. I don't hear you struggling with the changes at all. Sounds like you're right on them.

John

**John A.** · 03-27-2021, 01:21 AM

Originally Posted by PickingMyEars

YES!!! I LOVE THIS TUNE!!!

my dad is a doctor, and used to work for NYU Downstate (?)--the hospital right next to ground zero in Manhattan.

So this tune has a lot of meaning for me!

Downtown (not Downstate, which is in Brooklyn).

John

**rpjazzguitar** · 03-27-2021, 02:45 AM

Originally Posted by John A.

Another one I was completely unfamiliar with (so far the majority have had me starting from zero) ... I definitely found this one quite challenging.

I read up on the origins of the title. I kind of guessed it had something to do with Strayhorn's doctor/medical situation, but it was interesting to see the details. I currently live in Upper Manhattan, and was born in an Upper Manhattan hospital, though I grew up in the South ... of Manhattan. So I get a kick out the title. I feel like I might need to find the titular medical group after the ass-kicking this tune gave me.

Checking out everyone else's now ...

John

The chord stabs all sounded great -- voicings and tone. That's a nice touch -- I know it's you because I have the same guitar.

I like the motifs with development, you have that jazzy triplet thing down. It's strong rhythmically. You even had a moment of blues in there that worked great. Overall feel is "happy swing", which is a good trick with a lot of m7b5 chords.

**christianm77** · 03-27-2021, 04:53 AM

Originally Posted by John A.

Christian, i like the chord soloing, and the way you brought the changes out so sharply in the single line playing (something I was struggling to do with this tune).

Thanks! TBH my main technique these days after all this time, and it sounds sort of daft and unsophisticated is simply - play around the chord shapes.

Something I notice Peter Bernstein does all the time...

It allows me to keep the chordal playing and soloing more integrated. Stops me from waffling too much in 8th notes too.

Nice thing about it is it’s as useful to the beginner as it is to the experienced player. Things like that are gold dust...

**christianm77** · 03-27-2021, 04:57 AM

Originally Posted by John A.

Another one I was completely unfamiliar with (so far the majority have had me starting from zero) ... I definitely found this one quite challenging.

I read up on the origins of the title. I kind of guessed it had something to do with Strayhorn's doctor/medical situation, but it was interesting to see the details. I currently live in Upper Manhattan, and was born in an Upper Manhattan hospital, though I grew up in the South ... of Manhattan. So I get a kick out the title. I feel like I might need to find the titular medical group after the ass-kicking this tune gave me.

Checking out everyone else's now ...

John

loving the tone you are getting there

**ragman1** · 03-27-2021, 07:44 AM

Hey, rp -

There is, of course, the other time-honored way... just start the Fm7b5 early and simply obliterate the preceding chord :-)

JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 11) - Upper Manhattan Medical Group-untitled-jpg

JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 11) - Upper Manhattan Medical Group-untitled-jpg

**Ronstuff** · 03-27-2021, 10:19 AM

John, what a great solo. It's got everything I like: space, great lines and really well developped! And yeah I guess it was in the air to get our semi-hollowbody guitars out for this one!

Rp, you're playing through those changes really smoothly. Sounds great to me!

Ragman, another cool take in your own sweet way!

**PickingMyEars** · 03-27-2021, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by John A.

Downtown (not Downstate, which is in Brooklyn).

John

Makes sense. My dad used to have an office off of Metropolitan Ave in Williamsburg. Still practicing medicine at 75... when's retirement, I'd say.

I'd love going to the hospital with him because that meant I could search the aisles of J&R for new music! Loved J&R... digital makes things easier, but it took away the adventure experience of finding new music... And the relationships you made with the store employees as well.

**Reg** · 03-27-2021, 11:01 AM

So if some of you are looking for a different approach to playing over UMMG

/ F-7b5 ..../ Bb7alt........ / Eb-7 ..../ Ab7.../ pretty straight ahead

/ C-7 F7alt / Bb-7 (Bb-6) / Db-7 .../ Gb7.../

It's just a way using subs and the relative Min. That's the way I use to play it back in the 70's.

**ragman1** · 03-27-2021, 11:55 AM

rp -

Or it can be reduced to a lot of maj scales and simple arpeggios. It's not very jazzy but there's no clashing or strange leaps into other sounds.

**ragman1** · 03-27-2021, 11:59 AM

But if you prefer weird...

**rpjazzguitar** · 03-27-2021, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by ragman1

But if you prefer weird...

Nice version! He's playing across the transitions at times. What I mean is that his lines don'talways stop every 4 bars ... and then he starts a new one. Instead, he's playing across those transitions within the same line. Not all the time, but sometimes. It makes the tune make sense. If that makes sense.

**ragman1** · 03-27-2021, 02:25 PM

I'm glad someone understands it :-)

**PickingMyEars** · 03-27-2021, 04:48 PM

These last two tunes have proved that I really need to even up on all my keys. Gb minor doesn't feel natural to me at all... which means I gotta address that gap. And the major to diminished progressions is very popular, it's in Spring Is Here as well from what I remember. Love that tune, but I gotta make that harmony feel better as well.

Anyway, still a lot of work to make this tune sing. Here is what I have so far:

Overlake is the closest major hospital by my place.

**PickingMyEars** · 03-27-2021, 10:09 PM

Just found this version, and the lines are so clear and crispy:

Helps distract from my first take. Branford Marsalis outlines the harmony in a way that is so musical and swinging. If his students don't want to practice, can I take their place?

Ron, ya gotta be more forthcoming about letting us know that you're a teacher because us folk have to stick together. Been a challenging year for everyone, but it only makes it worse when people call us babysitters. As crappy as the paperwork is for Special Ed, I can't see myself doing anything BUT teaching. The kids make it worth it. I like to think the only "thing" that I give my students is a mirror. I want them to see the creativity and intelligence that they already possess and bring to the table.

Sorry for the tangent, just saying hello from afar

Fellow educators on the thread, I salute you.

**ragman1** · 03-28-2021, 06:06 AM

Originally Posted by PickingMyEars

Just found this version, and the lines are so clear and crispy

Yes, good, fluent, and he played a long time too.

I like to think the only "thing" that I give my students is a mirror. I want them to see the creativity and intelligence that they already possess and bring to the table.

Bravo, Sir. That and a bit of hard slog too, of course :-)

**PickingMyEars** · 03-28-2021, 10:52 AM

Maybe the bit about teaching was a bit much.

Slog. Not familiar. I do know grog. As in, "grog me, barkeep!" Anyone get that reference?

Apparently, print screens don't work on the forum any more. Yey to technology. Here is a playlist I have going for U.M.M.G. I have listed the artist and the album that has the tune:

1. Art Farmer --Something to Live For, The Music of Billy Strayhorn

2. Art Farmer --ARTistry

3. Dizzy Gillespie --A Portrait of Duke Ellington

4. Howard Alden --A Splendid Trio

5. Joe Cohn --Emeryville Session, Vol.1: Marathon Man (Another GREAT guitar solo on that one!)

6. Joe Henderson --Lush Life-The Music of Billy Strayhorn

7. Duke Ellington --Jazz Party

8. Duke Ellington --His Mother Called Him Bill

9. Doug Raney --Something's Up

10. Terrell Strafford --This Side of Strayhorn

11. Branford Marsalis --Trio Jeepy

Could someone make a Spotify of that list that we could continually add to through our study of this tune? I dunno how to work Spotify.

Peter Bernstein duet with Angelo Lazzeri:

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**John A.** · 03-28-2021, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by Ronstuff

John, what a great solo. It's got everything I like: space, great lines and really well developped! And yeah I guess it was in the air to get our semi-hollowbody guitars out for this one!

Rp, you're playing through those changes really smoothly. Sounds great to me!

Ragman, another cool take in your own sweet way!

Thanks Ron. I was shedding this on my archtop and just not getting anywhere at all with playing it cleanly and coming up with solo ideas (and the quite audible sound of the melody misfiring again on my archtop was driving my wife bananas), so I decided I needed a change of scenery. I can't say I feel comfortable on these changes, but at least I came up with something.

John

**ragman1** · 03-28-2021, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by PickingMyEars

Slog. Not familiar.

Slog is hard work. It might be more Brit than US but it's in M-W, which is a US dictionary:

1a : hard persistent work

b : a prolonged arduous task or effort

Slog | Definition of Slog by Merriam-Webster

**ragman1** · 03-28-2021, 12:58 PM

I've had a change of heart about this tune. I'm playing it a little slow but the melody's really quite pretty so I decided to play it straight. More or less, anyway. But for some reason everyone seems to want to make it sound as weird as possible (including me at the beginning).