May 2012 TOTM - ON GREEN DOLPHIN STREET

[Nobby Keys]

BayviewSax has passed the baton to me for this months TOTM.

I have chosen ON GREEN DOLPHIN STREET, I checked to see if it had been picked before or not and don't think it has, if it has please let me know.

BayviewSax contacted me today while I am at work so I do not have any prepaerd material, but I do have the dots from a JA playalong if anyone wants them please PM me.

This is a classic jazz tune played by many great players, so there must be loads on YouTube, easy melody and plenty to improvise over. Hope its OK for all to have a go. If I can help please let me know.

Looking forward to your contributions.

[mrpeebee]

It's never been chosen before Derek (at least not since Nov 2009). Nice pick!

I've update the main TOTM index: http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthr...=1#post1803559

[Nobby Keys]

Thanks Peter.

[mrpeebee]

I found a free backing track here (listed under G): http://www.ralphpatt.com/Backing.html

[cleger]

Great tune, but way over my head. I love playing the melody of this tune but I immediately get lost on the improv. I'm good for the first part of the tune but when it gets to the altered chords, starting with the Eø (on tenor), I fall apart. I guess that's progress because in the past I didn't even know I was lost. I'll be interested to hear what you guys do with this one.

[mrpeebee]

Great tune, but way over my head. I love playing the melody of this tune but I immediately get lost on the improv. I'm good for the first part of the tune but when it gets to the altered chords, starting with the Eø (on tenor), I fall apart. I guess that's progress because in the past I didn't even know I was lost. I'll be interested to hear what you guys do with this one.

Claude, would still love to hear your version . Remember we are here to learn and not only to post perfect takes (otherwise I would have been already 'out of business' a long time ago ).

[fsaxwas9]

Great tune, but way over my head.

....that never stopped me! I'm perpetually in over my head!~

Claude - I'd love to hear you take a swing at this one too, if you feel like it...

When you look at the sheet it seems like there's a lot of chords, but you get the descending part on the top and then a mixture of major and minor ii/V7s. You could essentially play your V7 sound over both the ii and the V... no need to outline every chord either.

[cleger]

no need to outline every chord either.

Yeah, like I've ever done that

I've always just faked my way through the changes, for some reason this one doesn't seem to be amenable to my fakery.

I will put something up since I love the tune.

[fsaxwas9]

Here's my attempt at a pianoless quartet version, served straight-up without the usual vamp. Funny, just happened to be an alto lying around the house when I went to record...that's a "non-name" student mouthpiece with Rico platicover on alto. Saxscape/RJS on tenor.

Please excuse some audio issues, I didn't realize when adding the saxophone parts that I was running the sound of the other tracks through the mixer again as I played along. It's real noticeable on the alto during the melody (the alto melody/solo was a single pass).

Fishy Thing

[ztats]

I've been meaning to really learn this tune for a while now. this could be my first SOTW splash.
By the way which key do you guys play this tune in? C is the fake book key but others play it in Eb.

[cleger]

Here's my attempt at a pianoless quartet version, served straight-up without the usual vamp. Funny, just happened to be an alto lying around the house when I went to record...that's a "non-name" student mouthpiece with Rico platicover on alto. Saxscape/RJS on tenor.

Fishy Thing

The head was bizarre but the improv got rolling pretty well and you had a bit of a Dolphy thing going on alto. The tenor improv was quite nice as well. I liked the angularity of your lines which reminded me a bit of Rollins in his recordings that he did with Don Cherry.

[scargo]

Anybody have the lead sheet for this? I was sort of able to work out the head using the backing track (I do love the tune), but I know I missed a bunch of stuff, and even if I figure it out, my memory just isn't good enough to get through cleanly. I guess what I'm saying is I need a crutch. Oh, the changes would help too ...

[fsaxwas9]

....I have this old cassette with some other stuff on it. At the beginning of one side is this little bit of Green Dolphin Street from some gig around early 1991. Seems like a "car out of control" to me now, thought I'd share just for the heck of it...wish there was more. There was probably a great guitar solo in there somehwere!!!

Old Live Tape (all there was)

I remember there was a handful of people in the basement of this club and we jammed a few loose sets and had a few beers with the patrons...

[cleger]

You guys asked for it, I found a different backing that I seemed to get along with a bit better (although I messed up the start of the out chorus).

On Green Dolphin Street

[cleger]

....I have this old cassette with some other stuff on it. At the beginning of one side is this little bit of Green Dolphin Street from some gig around early 1991. Seems like a "car out of control" to me now, thought I'd share just for the heck of it...wish there was more. There was probably a great guitar solo in there somehwere!!!

Old Live Tape (all there was)

I remember there was a handful of people in the basement of this club and we jammed a few loose sets and had a few beers with the patrons...

Sounds like a fun gig!!

[Rennie]

OK, here I go....

Oh Green Dolphin


While practising (I was trying out an air support exercise by Ben Britton on his blog - and I should work on that more! - thank you Ben Britton) I sort of happened into this song - so I recorded a version.

[fsaxwas9]

Claude - nice sound... your entrance was great! Some nice melodic ideas, it seemed to me that as you continued during the improv your confidence increased. One thing that might help is articulating a little less to smooth things out as you negotiated some of the lines...As you approached the 2:00 mark and after I really liked what you were doing.. nice ideas, nice use of space, nice dynamics towards the end. Good take!

Rennie - liked your introduction "el misterioso" and how you gradually played less and less space. Cool concept... loved the contrast of the horizontal things with the more angular stuff you played. Some impressive runs in there, really intricate stuff. The double-time work towards the end was great! Your free approach throughout reminded me of Sonny Rollins at times, not necessarily the phrases but to great amount of elasticity you displayed. Brave going a capella on this. Great!!

The head was bizarre but the improv got rolling pretty well and you had a bit of a Dolphy thing going on alto.

...no it didn't quite come together...guess I need to spend a bit of time working things out before I start recording! As far as anything Dolphy-ish, I know what you mean, wasn't anything specific that I was going for. Something about that pianoless backing, it does effect how I play on both horns...

With the less open mouthpiece on alto, it was a lot more comfortable. I may come back later with a regular alto only take, that was fun!

[Saxmansteve]

Okay, I took a quick stab at this. I'll work on it and post something at the end of the month to compare.
http://soundcloud.com/stevenaseifert...dolphin-street
Steve

[fsaxwas9]

Here's a bit more of me on alto, with JA's traditional backing track.... didn't get a complete take down. Got interrupted towards the end of the improv in my posted take and during a more adventurous final take the digital recording just stopped. (Maybe I need to free up some more disc space...)

As compared to my past alto attempts, I think this mouthpiece setup gives a lot better flavor of my alto sound...still fighting with the ergonomics on my daughters Bundy II alto.


Dolphin Place

[mrpeebee]

I know this tune mainly as played by the heavy tenors Eddie Lockjaw Davis and Johnny Griffin. So I recorded some takes on my metal Early Babbitt 12 and Florida no USA 10* Otto Link mouthpieces and mixed them into one 'tough tenor' take. Still don't have good La Voz reeds in the house, so I used a very old Rico Plastic Cover 2 from the 80's. Never liked it in the past, but now it gave (for me!) acceptable results on the big tip Links. First solo is on the EB 12, second on the Florida no USA 10* (starting at 3:02). From 5:14 onwards it's chase chorusses (fours) starting with the EB. The Florida has some more punch in this recording and wins for me.

- On Green Dolphin Street (on an Eary Babbitt 12 and Florida no USA 10*): http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11624065