cxiii. VARIOUS ARTISTS: Oleo

cxiii. VARIOUS ARTISTS

Oleo (Sonny Rollins)

Six versions

1. DAVIS, Miles (1926-1991)
MD, trumpet
Sonny Rollins, tenor saxophone
Horace Silver, piano
Percy Heath, bass
Kenny Clarke, drums
(5:23)

2. ROLLINS, Sonny (1930-       )
SR, tenor saxophone
Milt Jackson, vibraphone
Kenny Drew, piano
Percy Heath, bass
Art Blakey, drums
(6:29)

3. JARRETT, Keith (1945-       )
KJ, piano
Gary Peacock, bass
Jack DeJohnette, drums
(9:01)

4. HANCOCK, Herbie (1940-       )
HH, piano
Buster Williams, bass
Al Foster, drums
(13:47)

5. DOLPHY, Eric (1928-1964)
ED, bass clarinet
Bent Axen, piano
Erik Moseholm, bass
Jørn Elniff, drums
(7:18)

6. REDMAN, Joshua (1969-       )
JR, tenor saxophone
Brad Mehldau, piano
(14:09)

Same changes as Gershwin's I Got Rhythm.

Note the constant syncopation. And the simplicity of the rising melody from the B-Flat Major scale:

1. The first recording of the tune is from Miles' Bag's Groove (1954, released 1957):

First, notice the relaxed tempo -- compared to later versions where the quarter-note pulse is nearly doubled!

Miles takes the first solo on muted trumpet, followed by Rollins which builds steam slowly. Silver mixes it up, Miles takes another chorus and then ... out!

2. Live from Berlin (1965).

Note the increase in tempo! Rollins rolls away with the first solo, taking his time. It's his tune -- he knows these changes! Jackson follows with a soulful turn with some amazing licks. Kenny Drew is unfortunately badly mixed, but he goes to town. Heath keeps walking during his turn, and then the band trades fours. Head and out!

3. Live from Tokyo (1993).

The head is played by Jarrett and Peacock in unison. Jarrett playfully sits out the first chorus and lets his rhythm section set up his solo. As usual, Keith is so hyped up he can't even stay seated ... he also can't help but sing along (annoying, but he's Keith, so ...)

Meanwhile, Peacock and DeJohnette are having a relaxing soak in all the vibrating air molecules. This trio knew each other so well that it is not surprising to hear simultaneous bursts of genius from all three.

Peacock begins his turn, continuing to walk, but then finds a low note to grab onto and turns it into an interesting lick.

They trade fours. DeJohnette's drumming is so innovative -- he loses himself in the rhythm of four bars, but always everyone comes down solidly on one. Head and out, but Peacock plays a low E to end things (the tritone) ...

4. Live from Newport Jazz Festival (1988).

Things can get "out" when Herbie takes up a standard like this one! His solo begins with long pauses while he composes what he's about to do. A thoughtful pianist -- a genius.

Buster's solo is filled with cool double-stops, his trademark wide vibrato, and a few bars with harmonics.

As they trade fours, Foster is having a great time. Hancock plays the head in the highest octave ...

5. Live from Copenhagen (1961).

Dolphy flies. He burns it up. His Danish rhythm section is completely supportive and in the pocket. Axen follows with a really intelligent solo, his left hand comping beautifully. Moseholm's turn is short, walking but quickly gives way to a solo by Elniff. Eric returns with a torrent of eighth-notes and his trademark squawks and the head and out ...

The video of scenes of Copenhagen is lovely.

6. Live in Marciac (2011).

A superb duet! Redman begins alone, deconstructing all the musical elements of the melody, harmony and rhythm.

Mehldau (a great composer) comes in with some single notes like some counterpoint from another planet. He then plays alone for awhile, playing fully-sketched out thoughts until Redman jumps back in -- Redman's relaxed eighth-note runs cascade around Mehldau's comping, going far afield harmonically.

The last three of four minutes are musical magic; the two seem to be organizing the sound into one.

Joshua's father was Dewey, one of the great jazz legends. What a teacher he grew up with!