JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 34) - Let's Cool One

**ragman1** · 09-07-2021, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by TOMMO

In A Mellow Tone I guess

I didn't mean you've repeated yourself. 'I see you've done this before!' is an old music hall joke between fellow performers meaning it's good (because they have to do it every night!). But in common parlance it's just a compliment.

**TOMMO** · 09-07-2021, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by ragman1

I didn't mean you've repeated yourself. 'I see you've done this before!' is an old music hall joke between fellow performers meaning it's good (because they have to do it every night!). But in common parlance it's just a compliment.

Get it! We have an equivalent phrase in german. Your compliments are much appreciated!

**mr. beaumont** · 09-07-2021, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by wzpgsr

Nice takes, everyone!

Slow going getting back into the saddle here. I need to crank the BPM up a few notches. My backing track just about puts ME to sleep. Maybe I'll pound out a quickie tomorrow.

Some how I missed yours my first listen through...nice take, laid back, swinging...An organ group is just the right setting for you.

And Graham, great stuff. I love those crunchy chords...open strings can be fantastic things in flat keys. A really well put together solo in general.

**mr. beaumont** · 09-07-2021, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by Peterson

Jammin’ with Jeff:

Ah, that was fun.

I actually like it sped up a bit. It's a fun tune, this makes it even "brighter."

**ragman1** · 09-07-2021, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by TOMMO

Get it! We have an equivalent phrase in german. Your compliments are much appreciated!

I've seen you're in Germany from your posts but your English is so good I never thought you were actually German. How did you get so fluent?

**TOMMO** · 09-08-2021, 03:01 AM

Originally Posted by ragman1

I've seen you're in Germany from your posts but your English is so good I never thought you were actually German. How did you get so fluent?

Thanks. When I was kid I was dying to make it to 5th grade to receive English classes- not sure why but my grandma worked for the British Forces here in town. Anyway: apart from school I started to read a lot in English like Melody Maker and New Musical Express which were available at the railway station's newsstand and any book I could get my hands on. Also listened to and transcribed a lot of song lyrics (and trying to write some myself). In the 70s and 80s our band worked a lot with Chicago blues musicians so I got some more practice in conversing instead of just reading and writing.

And now back to the scheduled program...

**kris** · 09-08-2021, 03:54 AM

Originally Posted by TOMMO

Thanks. When I was kid I was dying to make it to 5th grade to receive English classes- not sure why but my grandma worked for the British Forces here in town. Anyway: apart from school I started to read a lot in English like Melody Maker and New Musical Express which were available at the railway station's newsstand and any book I could get my hands on. Also listened to and transcribed a lot of song lyrics (and trying to write some myself). In the 70s and 80s our band worked a lot with Chicago blues musicians so I got some more practice in conversing instead of just reading and writing.

And now back to the scheduled program...

You are a lucky man.
In my school years, English was little tolerated.
Hence, sometimes I make mistakes in the English language and I have to study all the time.
Fortunately, there is a " jazz language"that I have mastered quite well, I suppose.

**ragman1** · 09-08-2021, 06:43 AM

And now back to the scheduled program...

Quite so. Thank you

**Triple_Jazz** · 09-08-2021, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by TOMMO;[URL="tel:1145210"

1145210[/URL]]Now here's mine - warts and all. Not overly happy with what I'm able to come up with right now but that's where I am at :

Feedback and suggestions welcome as always...

Your solo was definitely swinging but you played the head way to straight in my opinion. Try going behind the beat a little on the climb to C7alt

btw, I alvais rheed yer phostz in dis zort of vhay fur zum vhreazon

**TOMMO** · 09-08-2021, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by Triple_Jazz

Your solo was definitely swinging but you played the head way to straight in my opinion. Try going behind the beat a little on the climb to C7alt

Thanks for your advice - I will definitely work on that. I wanted to play those ascending notes more staccato type like Monk often used to do but failed to make it more pronounced...

btw, I alvais rheed yer phostz in dis zort of vhay fur zum vhreazon[/QUOTE]

Vot?

**ragman1** · 09-08-2021, 01:41 PM

I think he meant for some reason read I your posts always like this

**John A.** · 09-08-2021, 02:38 PM

Crazy busy again this week (in a good way with 3 jam sessions and a gig, + day job), so no time to record something, but am listening to what you guys are up to. Lots of good stuff.

**wzpgsr** · 09-09-2021, 12:05 AM

Wanted to squeeze one more in at a faster tempo. I didn’t have time to apply the bad chorus wart remover, so apologies for the length.

**ragman1** · 09-09-2021, 06:35 AM

Actually, this is really the corniest progression, totally typical of a million swing-era tunes. It can so easily become a swing number, or a Western swing tune, or even a country number, and so on.

I think the greatest challenge isn't just getting round it - it's almost beginners' stuff - it's making it sound like a jazz tune - which I found quite difficult but you do pretty well.

**wzpgsr** · 09-09-2021, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by ragman1

Actually, this is really the corniest progression, totally typical of a million swing-era tunes. It can so easily become a swing number, or a Western swing tune, or even a country number, and so on.

I think the greatest challenge isn't just getting round it - it's almost beginners' stuff - it's making it sound like a jazz tune - which I found quite difficult but you do pretty well.

I read somewhere a theory that the name of the tune and the straight quarter notes of the melody might have been a jab at the cool jazz players, who apparently Monk felt could not swing.

Ah, here it is:

Let’s Cool One The squarest Monk tune. Although he didn’t say so, I remain convinced he is making fun of the West Coast cool school with a supremely un-syncopated melody.

Thelonious Sphere Monk Centennial: Primary and Secondary Documents | DO THE M@TH

**TOMMO** · 09-09-2021, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by wzpgsr

Ah, here it is:

Thanks for the link - looks like an interesting read.

Alright - it's almost time for the change of the guard so here's one more from me. Tried a slightly different approach this time. Listening to some versions I realized that it's quite often played at a slower tempo so I chose a slower backing track and came up with this:

**grahambop** · 09-09-2021, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by wzpgsr

I read somewhere a theory that the name of the tune and the straight quarter notes of the melody might have been a jab at the cool jazz players, who apparently Monk felt could not swing.

Ah, here it is:

It’s a nice idea, but I’m not sure if the timing works out? Monk recorded the tune in May 1952. Would he have heard much ‘cool jazz’ by then? I believe Gerry Mulligan’s pianoless quartet was one of the first, and they did not record until later in 1952. Some of Miles’ ‘cool’ sides had come out by then as individual 78s, but I’m not sure they were described as or associated with the ‘cool school’ until much later (when the whole lot came out as the ‘Birth of the Cool’ LP).

(Apologies for wearing my ‘jazz pedant’ hat here!)

But Iverson may be right, it’s true the tune is very ‘straight’ by Monk’s standards.

**kris** · 09-09-2021, 12:09 PM

Great take of Adam Rogers:

**ragman1** · 09-09-2021, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by wzpgsr

I read somewhere a theory that the name of the tune and the straight quarter notes of the melody might have been a jab at the cool jazz players, who apparently Monk felt could not swing.

Ah, here it is:

Read it, pretty good.

Never mind, he couldn't swing* and they couldn't write brilliant tunes. So good luck to 'em :-)

* not true

**kris** · 09-09-2021, 03:43 PM

"Let's Cool One" from the swimming pool...:-) two choruses:

Box

**grahambop** · 09-09-2021, 06:10 PM

Ethan Iverson is not so keen (in the article quoted above) on Monk’s live albums with Johnny Griffin, but I think they are great! Griffin was completely unfazed by Monk and just blew the hell out of the tunes. And Monk seemed to enjoy it. Hear what Griffin does with our tune here, especially at the 4-minute mark where he tells Monk to lay out (and Monk obeys him!) and then plays some amazing lines by himself. You can still hear the structure of the tune perfectly while he does it.

Also it’s interesting how Monk’s solo which follows Griffin’s is essentially just the melody, ‘deconstructed’ a bit.

I don’t care what Iverson thinks, I love hearing these guys playing together! I have the whole session (they released 2 albums) on CD.

**Triple_Jazz** · 09-09-2021, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by grahambop;[URL="tel:1145523"

1145523[/URL]]Ethan Iverson is not so keen (in the article quoted above) on Monk’s live albums with Johnny Griffin, but I think they are great! Griffin was completely unfazed by Monk and just blew the hell out of the tunes. And Monk seemed to enjoy it. Hear what Griffin does with our tune here, especially at the 4-minute mark where he tells Monk to lay out (and Monk obeys him!) and then plays some amazing lines by himself. You can still hear the structure of the tune perfectly while he does it.

Also it’s interesting how Monk’s solo which follows Griffin’s is essentially just the melody, ‘deconstructed’ a bit.

I don’t care what Iverson thinks, I love hearing these guys playing together! I have the whole session (they released 2 albums) on CD.

That bit where Monk lays out and he starts blowing is the best few minutes around! I tried transcribing it once and quit within 10 mins

i also think your right about the cool jazz chronology. I remember reading (in a jazz history book, not the Internet) that “Let’s Cool One” referred to coming up with a new jam on the spot. This would explain the simplicity. I can’t remember who it was he was writing the tune with but he said those words to a person and it stuck as the title.

**wzpgsr** · 09-09-2021, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by grahambop

Ethan Iverson is not so keen (in the article quoted above) on Monk’s live albums with Johnny Griffin, but I think they are great! Griffin was completely unfazed by Monk and just blew the hell out of the tunes. And Monk seemed to enjoy it. Hear what Griffin does with our tune here, especially at the 4-minute mark where he tells Monk to lay out (and Monk obeys him!) and then plays some amazing lines by himself. You can still hear the structure of the tune perfectly while he does it.

Also it’s interesting how Monk’s solo which follows Griffin’s is essentially just the melody, ‘deconstructed’ a bit.

I don’t care what Iverson thinks, I love hearing these guys playing together! I have the whole session (they released 2 albums) on CD.

Thanks for that. Amazing two chorus break there. I love tapping out the time and hearing how syncopated he gets without losing it.

**grahambop** · 09-10-2021, 04:19 AM

Originally Posted by wzpgsr

Thanks for that. Amazing two chorus break there. I love tapping out the time and hearing how syncopated he gets without losing it.

yeah, I was doing that too! Griffin has an amazing ability to squeeze in extra notes in between all the ‘regular’ ones and still somehow keep the beat really clear. I don’t really understand how he makes that work! I also love the way he is continually bending and shaping the longer notes.

I saw him once at Ronnie Scotts and it was one of the best gigs I have ever seen, he was absolutely on fire. But he is also a great ballad player, he has it all.

His biography is an interesting read, I love how he managed to end up living in a chateau in France!