Miles Davis critique of Sonny Stitt question

[cosmic gumbo]

With many groups, there are some tunes that the audience always expects you to play, and after a while it can get stale. I know guys that take those tunes and speed them up to make them less boring, and get through them quicker. The strange musical choices of those guys that were actually really busy playing all the time. Miles probably hated So What after the 80th time he played it.

[grahambop]

More! Next page! I want to know the answer to that last question!

(Personally, with modes, I just stop. I mean, someone has to :-))

Hi ragman see my post no. 7, that was actually the next page.

[grahambop]

Some of them. There are several live versions on YouTube. They're not all fast. But maybe people do play faster at live gigs, it's the excitement

When I was in a rock band (in a previous existence) we used to play Message in a Bottle by the Police, which is sort of medium tempo. After about a year we made a studio demo recording of 4 tunes including that one. When we played it back we realised we were playing it about twice the original tempo, it sounded like a punk version! But none of us had noticed, it was just the way the tempo had crept up with each live performance, as you say. By then it seemed natural to play it that fast.

[Vladan]

Hi, V,
Can you explain? Thanks and good playing . . . Marinero

I guess others have already put it in more words.
Personally, I do not analyse, I am "impressions based opinionist",
To me, this one sounded like some generic be-bop, somewhat reminiscent of Savoy sessions.

[Marinero]

When I was in a rock band (in a previous existence) we used to play Message in a Bottle by the Police, which is sort of medium tempo. After about a year we made a studio demo recording of 4 tunes including that one. When we played it back we realised we were playing it about twice the original tempo, it sounded like a punk version! But none of us had noticed, it was just the way the tempo had crept up with each live performance, as you say. By then it seemed natural to play it that fast.

Hi, Graham,
As a saxophonist for many years of my musical life, I joined a 10 piece Jazz/Rock big band ala Tower of Power. I brought with me a great vocalist/bassist from a previous R and B group who had an innate sense of perfect time. When we went to the first rehearsal, he kept quizzically looking at me during the rehearsal and I knew what he meant. Whenever we started a piece, we began in one tempo and always finished in a quicker tempo. The problem was the drummer. Being new to the group, it took a few weeks to convince the original members the drummer needed to be replaced. I called a drummer I played with for years and the problem was solved. This problem I found exclusively among Rock drummers. Never with Jazzers or in R and B. If there are time problems, always look to the drummer . . . Good playing . . . Marinero

[grahambop]

In our rock band the drummer was actually very good, he played no unnecessary frills and just kept a good steady beat. I think it was just playing live, everyone subconsciously felt the tune should go faster for some reason!

[ragman1]

Hi ragman see my post no. 7, that was actually the next page.

Yes, got it. Sorry, we saw it. It was a fairly simplistic answer. Mind you, nothing wrong with it per se.

And certainly familiarity breeds velocity :-)

I think tunes tend to find their own tempo. Inevitably slow when learning and exploring, then it sort of clicks into place at the right natural tempo for the tune.

[christianm77]

A good one is the tempo for Signed Sealed Delivered.

creating excitement at a moderate tempo.... there’s a dying art

[ragman1]

Signed Sealed Delivered

Motown really, isn't it?

I think the excitement's mostly down to the chords - 1 6 4 5 and some bVII7. Great to thump out.

[christianm77]

Motown really, isn't it?

I think the excitement's mostly down to the chords - 1 6 4 5 and some bVII7. Great to thump out.

its a great bassline and changes, but I think a lot of it’s down to how you play the tempo. A lot of musicians just struggle making medium tempos sit. Those guys were the best feel players. The Beatles attempts at pseudo Motown always sounded a bit leaden by comparison. I love Ringo (probably my favourite Beatle no jokes) but it’s a different vibe.