JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 90) - Pithecanthropus Erectus

[Bop Head]

Sorry, I edited my previous post. It was this:



I was saying if the 'chaos' is formulated then it's not really free improv. I'd say the whole thing had to be fairly spontaneous (and hope to hell it sounded all right later).

When I said 'my problem' I just meant I was working on it at the time, I don't mean I didn't understand it. I used do a lot of that sort of thing, what one might call abstract music. In fact, there's one on my Soundcloud site now. But I can't remember what it was for!

I did not mean in any way to do it unspontaneously. Overdubbing is the only way to do collective improv with you and yourself alone at home (same would apply for me and myself as well of course). That does not mean it cannot sound spontaneous and instinct-driven. My proposal was to record a solo (which should always sound spontaneous) to any sort of playback and then spontaneously react to it in the overdubs.

BTW according to the NPR link wzpgr posted above Mingus very well had a formula for this piece of music.

But you can of course go wild alone very well as well. While searching if there was a version by Mal Waldron (who played on the original version) and Steve Lacy (the two cooperated a lot) I found this one.

[ragman1]

Overdubbing is the only way to do collective improv with you and yourself alone at home (same would apply for me and myself as well of course). That does not mean it cannot sound spontaneous and instinct-driven. My proposal was to record a solo (which should always sound spontaneous) to any sort of playback and then spontaneously react to it in the overdubs.

Well, obviously :-)

I have to organise a meal at the moment so I'll look at the rest of your post later, if that's okay. Looks interesting.

[John A.]

Ok, here goes.

[ragman1]

BTW according to the NPR link wzpgr posted above Mingus very well had a formula for this piece of music.

From the article:

'SPELLMAN: Mingus didn't write down charts for Pithecanthropus Erectus. He basically set up systems of notes that could be played in various places, and allowed the musicians to figure all that out. So, even though you don't hear a lot of wildness in here, you do have a much more liberal kind of way of expressing and opening up composition then you have heard before.'

But I'd say that was precisely NOT a formula! Of course you need an overview otherwise it's nonsense but he let the players figure it out themselves. That's the whole point, although I still get the feeling that they were somewhat tense and unsure. But the band one I posted was great (even better with eyes closed).

[Bop Head]

From the article:

'SPELLMAN: Mingus didn't write down charts for Pithecanthropus Erectus. He basically set up systems of notes that could be played in various places, and allowed the musicians to figure all that out. So, even though you don't hear a lot of wildness in here, you do have a much more liberal kind of way of expressing and opening up composition then you have heard before.'

But I'd say that was precisely NOT a formula! Of course you need an overview otherwise it's nonsense but he let the players figure it out themselves. That's the whole point, although I still get the feeling that they were somewhat tense and unsure. But the band one I posted was great (even better with eyes closed).

While I would call that a formula as well I was especially relating to this (from the same NPR article):

HORWITZ: Right. This album actually has movements. Right? This is a very organized composition.


SPELLMAN: And the movements describe the career of Pithecanthropus Erectus. Mingus saw this as the first upright human being and assumed that since he was so proud of standing up, he saw himself as the ruler of the world. And as the ruler of the world, he became rather arrogant. And then, this arrogance makes a counterattack with nature, which led him into decline, and eventually he fell into extinction.

[John A.]

Bop head and Ragman, let’s please keep the jam threads about posting one’s own versions of the songs and keep discussion relevant to that. The discussion you’re having belongs elsewhere, such as the songs forum.

[ragman1]

Bop head and Ragman, let’s please keep the jam threads about posting one’s own versions of the songs and keep discussion relevant to that. The discussion you’re having belongs elsewhere, such as the songs forum.

We've been censured!

Don't worry, I'd already stopped. I'm not going to discuss what a formula is! But you must admit this is an unusual tune by an unusual man. I don't think a little background on it is out of order.

Anyway, back to the point, my first impulse was to go for it and produce some sort of crazy band soundalike thing... but I'm not sure now of the wisdom of that, it could get pretty messy. I don't know what the others think.

You've been fairly sensible and not gone into multiple overdubs and all that, so it'll be interesting to see what happens.

[ragman1]

Changed my mind. It's coming to get you!

[Robespier]

A bit of Confirmation stuff in the f vamp. 2 takes in 1 from 5.

Technically, too little down sweeping ( or too much up sweeping )

[ragman1]

TUNE REQUEST!

Hi gents, it's that time again. I've got a few tunes to keep us going but we always need more. You know the drill so I won't go through it again. If you're stuck for choices my suggestion would be to take one of the composers that crop up here frequently and go for a tune we haven't done before. That simple, really.

The already-done Song List is here. Of course, it's getting a bit long now but you'll manage (Ctrl + F is a good idea).

Thanks in advance. Don't be shy now, we need all the help we can get

Virtual Jam Song List (alphabetical order)

[ragman1]

I forgot to mention...

Don't post them here! They're supposed to be a surprise when they're announced. Please send me a PM.

[ragman1]

By the way, I also forgot to mention, for new or relative newcomers here, essentially what we're trying to do.

The idea, basically, was that we weren't going to play all the old show tunes from the Great American Songbook again. They're lovely tunes, of course, but we wanted to broach new ground. So the idea was only to have tunes written by performing and recording artists - by jazz artists for jazz artists, if you like - and start at about the 1940's which was the beginning of the bop era.

I think if you look at the list of tunes and composers (especially the composers) on the link above you'll see the point. So if you do suggest tunes try to bear that in mind. We've done a great deal already but I'm sure there are plenty more.

Thanks.