Oleo - what melody version do you play actually?

[DonEsteban]

I recently listened to the Sonny Rollins original and learned the "right" tones, but...

Most guys seem to play the "wrong" Realbook version. (With the G instead of F and a couple of other notes changed)
Also on a lot of recordings I have they play the Realbook melody.

What is your melody of choice, in particular at jam sessions?

[BickertRules]

I play the melody from the Miles version from “Relaxin with…”:

but my favorite version is Grant Green’s, which is so wrong it’s right:

[mr. beaumont]

I learned it from the version on "Bags Groove," so if I was leading, I'd play it that way (and that tempo too!)

If I wasn't leading, I'd do my best to never try and play that head in unison with somebody else

[DonEsteban]

I learned it from the version on "Bags Groove," so if I was leading, I'd play it that way (and that tempo too!)

Me too, that was what I referred to as "original" earlier.

If I wasn't leading, I'd do my best to never try and play that head in unison with somebody else

Maybe I should follow your advice...

[MarkRhodes]

[mr. beaumont]

Gotta save this clip for whenever somebody asks "What's so cool about jazz guitar?"

By the way, since we're talking about this tune, I had a really tough time when I first learned this one, remembering the little syncopated bits in the head. So I made up words to it. I still sing it in my head when I play it...I think I learned this tune 20 years ago!

O-le-o
O-le-o
Not but-ter
Or short-en-ing is workin' for me
Mar-gar-ine
Mar-gar-ine
When I make a pound cake
It's got to be
Im-per-i-all-y

O-le-o
O-le-o
Not but-ter
Or short-en-ing is workin' for me
Mar-gar-ine
Mar-gar-ine
When I make a pound cake
It's got to be ol-e-o

My great aunt's pound cake recipe SPECIFICALLY calls for "Oleo," and you'd think anything would be better with butter, but I assure you, there are crucial exceptions.

[JazzPadd]

I usually only comp on this one, as it often gets called by horn players at jam sessions I frequent. I like all of the above versions. Maybe that's the beauty of the tune, lending itself to versioning. But I think I'll bookmark that Pass Pedersen one as a reminder of what is, indeed, cool about jazz guitar!

[AllanAllen]

I usually only comp on this one, as it often gets called by horn players at jam sessions I frequent. I like all of the above versions. Maybe that's the beauty of the tune, lending itself to versioning. But I think I'll bookmark that Pass Pedersen one as a reminder of what is, indeed, cool about jazz guitar!

Reviving this thread to ask what you comp during the head.

The melody is so bop any of the swing Rhythm Changes stuff I play sound bad.

Pretty much all the recordings I heard everyone plays it together. Wes Montgomery, Pat Martineo, Joe Pass, Sonny Rollins, both Relaxin and Bags Groove versions by Miles Davis, sounds like Grant Green needed another day with the melody before recording it…

Cotton Tail is much more pleasant…

[pamosmusic]

… sounds like Grant Green needed another day with the melody before recording it…

How very dare you.

[AllanAllen]

Listen to it right now and tell me he did a good job.

[Bobby Timmons]

^ Lol! That's some of the worst I've ever heard someone f up a tune!

[ccroft]

^ It's guitar jazz. Thank your lucky stars you dropped that for keys!

[Christian Miller]

Cool sub changes on that Grant green recording …

[djg]

^ Lol! That's some of the worst I've ever heard someone f up a tune!

he's doing fine. it's your ears.

[pamosmusic]

Grant doesn’t play the head right or wrong; he plays the head precisely as he means to.

(read in Sir Ian McKellen’s Gandalf voice.)

On a for real note … I always assumed those alterations to the pitch were just his super hip arrangement. Pat Martino used to an additive meter at the end of the phrase. That kind of thing. Otherwise it’s just typical Grant choppy. Which is just the Grant we know and love.

[AllanAllen]

You're ears are blinded by the fact that it's Grant Green. If someone posted a take like that in the showcase thread you'd all be telling them to get their phrasing and technique together.

If he wanted to rearrange Oleo into a contrafact he should have done that and made Greeneo.

I just expected better from the Blue Note session guitarist.


.... now I'm never going to get an answer to my initial question.

[pamosmusic]

You're ears are blinded by the fact that it's Grant Green. If someone posted a take like that in the showcase thread you'd all be telling them to get their phrasing and technique together.

If he wanted to rearrange Oleo into a contrafact he should have done that and made Greeneo.

I just expected better from the Blue Note session guitarist.


.... now I'm never going to get an answer to my initial question.

Thats a pretty common thing though. Ari Hoenig for a modern example.

I once did a weird additive meter Scrapple that was super fun, despite the fact that it was a big mess because we didn’t get enough rehearsals in.

When Miles and Ahmad Jamal were cribbing the American songbook they were reharmonizing and taking melodic liberties all over the place.

Its the nature of the music.

Also … for what it’s worth … a contrafact is a new melody written for existing changes. For example, Oleo is a contrafact for I’ve Got Rhythm. This is closer to just a reharm.

[pamosmusic]

And I guess to answer your question, I always just play the head

[grahambop]

Listen to it right now and tell me he did a good job.

That’s a great version, so what if he decided to re-write part of the melody and the changes a bit, it’s jazz.

He probably got tired of playing the usual rhythm changes for the millionth time.

Jerry Bergonzi does this kind of thing all the time.

[pamosmusic]

And just to prove I’m not just wearing Grant-Goggles, Airegin from the Sonny Clarke sessions is one where Grant probably could’ve used another day with the melody

But the solo absolutely smokes so who’s counting.

[AllanAllen]

That’s a great version, so what if he decided to re-write part of the melody and the changes a bit, it’s jazz.

He probably got tired of playing the usual rhythm changes for the millionth time.

Jerry Bergonzi does this kind of thing all the time.

Yeah true. To Peter’s point, I like the Miles feel when he gets loose with the harmony. But the GG oleo just seems a little rough. Better than I can do it, but still rough. And I’m just talking about the head compared to the Bags Groove one.

It’s Nitpicking, but after listening to a bunch of versions back to back GG’s Oleo stood
out…. I’ll probably love it in 3 days.

[Christian Miller]

On a for real note … I always assumed those alterations to the pitch were just his super hip arrangement.

Probably on account of them obviously being exactly that

(based on the fact that he solos on the same changes and the band are clearly playing those too.) ;-)

Dude, all I can say is, I wish I had your restraint hah. A few years on JGO ought to cure that.

[Christian Miller]

And just to prove I’m not just wearing Grant-Goggles, Airegin from the Sonny Clarke sessions is one where Grant probably could’ve used another day with the melody

But the solo absolutely smokes so who’s counting.

oh yeah agreed. Also, I don’t care.

[Christian Miller]

It’s Nitpicking, but after listening to a bunch of versions back to back GG’s Oleo stood
out…. I’ll probably love it in 3 days.

Its often the way it goes…

[AllanAllen]

Its often the way it goes…

So Christian, if you're at a gig and they call Oleo do you play the head in unison or comp? If you do comp, is it swing Rhythm Changes, or something different?