marino Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 anything that helps get you away from "All Of Me" is helpful. On the other hand............. :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucasb Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Thanks for sharing, nathan! General thoughts to anyone: Recently I find myself a little conflicted on the concept of reharms, if it means a total revamping of a tune. Sure, nothing wrong with expressing a song in a new way when it's musical, and in jazz solos we explore a tune in a myriad of ways. And I'm all for stretching on a song, but when the song is someone else's, the head should be somewhat faithful to the original. Perhaps if I'd changed the term "reharm" to simply "arrangement" it may be more acceptable to take liberties - although I've done some arrangements, they've never been my focus. Definitely there was a bit of semantics happening with the word "Reharm". Personally it always meant a bit more to me than just a few substitutions. But there is certainly a line where it becomes a "re-write" more than a reharm. Interesting in Jazz- you have the contrafact- Bird does Ornithology on How High The Moon to name one of hundreds, and then the reharm- Trane does Body and Soul and sticks Giant Steps changes in the bridge. SK- what do you think it is/what about something like 26-2? Trane reharms Confirmation but then writes his own head on top of the reharm anyway. I guess that's almost a "inspired by" type of situation. My version Chelsea Bridge was about as obscure as I could ever get and it was on purpose since we were in a sort of "guess the tune" vibe for the week. Not my usual reharm and especially since I avoided the melody on purpose to keep the secret. I doubt I'd ever play that on a gig or record it like that, it was more just for 'lab' purposes, throwing ideas around in here. It would be fun for me to take the changes I did there and re-insert the melody as much as possible. I think it would sound cool back in context rather that deconstructed to the nth degree... Anyway, it was fun for me. So all that talking aside, I do have a nice (recognizable lol) arrangement/reharm of What's New, I'll try to post it tomorrow. Love this thread!! (Talking music plus I get to hear SK and Dave Ferris and all these other great pianists play) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 OK, this version should still work in those party gigs. All of Me Nathan - thanks for posting your reharms. I'll listen to them ASAP and I'll be back with some feedback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucasb Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Very nice! It'd be impressive just to make that tune bearable, let alone killing like that! Love the very end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndhjazz Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Great version of "All of Me". But I have to agree with Dave in saying that it would probably be waaaaay too hip for the rooms I play in as well. The end sounds like something Monk would do, and it just made me smile. And thanks in advance for any feedback on the reharms Carlo. Lucas brings up a good point...on which terms is a tune a "reharm" or an "arrangement"? I don't wanna get into an argument, but either way...if it makes the listener think, or inspires the musician...then it's doing a world of good! My two cents. SK...thanks for the feedback on "Stars Fell..." and "Green Dolphin St." Where I'm from, the folks here think that "Stars Fell" is like the National Anthem or something. So I thought to myself...if they take this song so damn dramatic...why not make it so damn dramatic? That was the result. As far as the "nebulous" vibe for "Green Dolphin St", yeah...I was wanting to go for that 60's Miles Quintet / Herbie Hancock sound. Really outside, but you can still tell what the tune is. Hopefully, I achieved that. More than anything...thanks for listening and giving me feedback. -Nathan (ndhjazz) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SK Posted October 23, 2009 Author Share Posted October 23, 2009 Nathan, your explanation of Stars makes sense. Yeah lucas, when it comes to rewriting a tune, then it's a new tune. That's the way I look at Charlie Parker's and Coltrane's songs. anything that helps get you away from "All Of Me" is helpful. On the other hand............. :evil: That version of All Of Me might support the point I was making. (And you call me 'mad'.) :grin: It would certainly be appropriate at a party I might throw. Quote CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stevekessler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndhjazz Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 I'd love to be at THAT kinda party! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucasb Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Ok, "What's New" reharm/subs etc. http://www.divshare.com/download/9008494-618 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legatoboy Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 wow, that was really something... I enjoyed it! it's amazes me how on the first listening ones ear is so fresh. the reharm got really nice in the lower register in I guess what would be about the 12 bar or so. ouch! Ok, "What's New" reharm/subs etc. http://www.divshare.com/download/9008494-618 Quote CP-50, YC 73, FP-80, PX5-S, NE-5d61, Kurzweil SP6, XK-3, CX-3, Hammond XK-3, Yamaha YUX Upright, '66 B3/Leslie 145/122 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SK Posted October 24, 2009 Author Share Posted October 24, 2009 Pretty cool, lucas - a more ethereal What's New. Almost a subtle caricature - the character of the tune is still there, but you brought out a darker side of the original mood which compliments the piece. Passing chords/subs come up naturally when we play a song - then we play into it. Expanded playing over that mood would sound nice. Quote CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stevekessler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Pretty cool, lucas - a more ethereal What's New. Almost a subtle caricature - the character of the tune is still there, but you brought out a darker side of the original mood which compliments the piece. Exactly. I envision this version sung with some kind of alternative lyrics... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Hi Nathan, I've listened to some of your reharms and I must say that I like your ideas and your enthusiasm. "Blue Bossa" runs the border between "extreme bebop substitutions" and "totally free reharm", but I like how it always returns home. "Maiden Voyage" is more difficult because it doesn't have a fixed tonal center, but like most other of your reharms, should work well in a group context, with the rhythm section following the harmonic rhythm. "Autumn Leaves" sounds quite nice, and again, I hear some sort of rhythmic arrangement behind it. "My Romance" has the nerve to make fun of Bill Evans, but with such grace and musicality that I'd say Bill is smiling and not getting angry! Keep at it... the harmonic ear develops as you do more songs. We could say, the more songs you harm, the more you will reharm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucasb Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 Thanks for listening and for the comments/compliments, guys! It made me realize- it could be really funny to make the mood of a standard with ultra-happy lyrics into music totally opposite that and vice versa. Like playing some bi-polar tricks on the audience. Doing these can be a good practice tool (or I should say, "have been for me") in terms of 1) internalizing some new voicings I'm studying as well as 2) organically coming up with new ones while working a tune out. Certainly always good to practice a voicing/concept/etc. in 12 keys but for my learning style it sticks better in context of a tune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SK Posted October 25, 2009 Author Share Posted October 25, 2009 It made me realize- it could be really funny to make the mood of a standard with ultra-happy lyrics into music totally opposite that and vice versa. Like playing some bi-polar tricks on the audience. Oh yeah. Vice versa: Round Midnight in a major key (although the tune doesn't deserve parody.) Quote CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stevekessler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morizzle Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 Although this isn't quite what you guys are talking about, since a few days I have the idea of somehow getting hold of a top notch big band/jazz orchestra, a singer who sounds absolutely like Sinatra, then arrange "I thought about you" in show big band style and, after a long expectation-building intro, let the singer sing lines like "I shaved my armpit today, and I thought about you". Just watching the audience during the perfomance would be worth the work for me. However, that's just me. Quote It's not a clone, it's a Suzuki. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Ok guys and girls, here's my version of Burt Bacharach's "Alfie", which I had hoped to include in the latest KC comp. Unfortunately, only recently I've had the chance to record it with a real piano (Yamaha C3), then I've added a (very) fake double bass at home, courtesy of my K2600. It's in fact preset 41, "String Bass", unedited. I hope that by listening to it, the reason why I didn't want to record it with a sampled piano will be clear. It's a rather intimate version, suitable for an Evans-type piano trio. The timing of the bass is a bit out in spots, 'cause I've played the piano part rather freely, so overdubbing with perfect sync was a challenge. Also, about the recent discussion about just *why* to reharm perfectly good songs... Well, in my case, I see it as an art in itself, like composing, arranging, or improvising. When you do it for a long time, you reach a level where you don't think about the technique anymore; you have a certain vision of the song, and you simply do your best to get it to the audience, and to convey a certain atmosphere that you have in mind. Alfie There's a little intro, but it should be very clear where the theme begins. Enjoy. Edit: I've noticed that in my little computer system, the bass is almost inaudible... (on the system where I mixed, if was loud and clear) Can you hear the bass? If not, I could remix it with more bass in it. The bass is quite important to anchor the voicings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SK Posted October 26, 2009 Author Share Posted October 26, 2009 Very pretty, Carlo. It draws out the quality of the song in different ways but still in an organic way. Nice. I could hear the bass fine - it added nicely to the music, but a little fuller bass sound would be even better. Also, about the recent discussion about just *why* to reharm perfectly good songs... Well, in my case, I see it as an art in itself, like composing, arranging, or improvising. When you do it for a long time, you reach a level where you don't think about the technique anymore; you have a certain vision of the song, and you simply do your best to get it to the audience, and to convey a certain atmosphere that you have in mind. What you describe is the way I think of playing in general, if we throw out all the approach terms like reharm/arranging/writing. It's about the music we make, nothing else. In that broad sense, I agree. Quote CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stevekessler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SK Posted October 26, 2009 Author Share Posted October 26, 2009 Oh, and here's my belated audio response to your "All Of Me." Tongue in cheek - it's all I could bring myself to do with it. http://stashbox.org/674775/all%20of%20me.wav Quote CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stevekessler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piano4U Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Carlo - Your Alfie is wonderful! Very rich harmonies and inner voice movement. SK- Once again, your creativity never ceases to amaze me. ;-) Quote My YouTube Videos My Lot2Learn Jazz Piano Web Site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linwood Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Great stuff, as usual, guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Oh, and here's my belated audio response to your "All Of Me." I see only one possible response to this: :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 OK, here is a new mix of "Alfie" with a little more bass on it. The link in the original post has been updated as well. The harmony should sound clearer now. I could hear the bass fine - it added nicely to the music, but a little fuller bass sound would be even better. Well, that's not possible since I've recorded the bass to an audio track, no MIDI involved... I would have to play another whole bass track, and the first one was tricky enough, with all the free-floating piano playing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Carlo - Your Alfie is wonderful! Very rich harmonies and inner voice movement. Thanks a lot Roger! (Just today I've listened to your album again) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SK Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 That sounds a little better - it's very nice. Nice nebulous key center with the Bbmaj.7#11 chord at the top, and I love that simple Gm, C sus effect going to the Fmaj7 (after the Gb half diminished, 7#11 or whatever you want to call it to the B.) You freshened the tune up, which was no small feat for a tune that was already nice. Thanks for the grins on the silly "Part Of Me". It was only deserving of one grin icon at best. Quote CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stevekessler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Thanks Steve; once again, you've nailed those changes very well. As I wrote it, that section looks like this: | F#m7b5 B7 | Gm7 C7sus C7 | Fmaj7 Bbmaj7 | Bm7 E7 | | Fmaj7 Bbmaj7 | F#m7 B7 | That's the first ending, for coming back to the beginning of the A section. Edit: Ooops! I forgot the last two bars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucasb Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Beautiful version, Carlo! Steve, maybe time to think about that concept for your next record? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SK Posted October 28, 2009 Author Share Posted October 28, 2009 Steve, maybe time to think about that concept for your next record? Hmm, a CD with a hundred tracks... 30 second sections of songs I can't bring myself to play all the way through. I think you're onto something. Quote CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stevekessler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 I think The Residents had the same idea 30 years ago... The Commercial Album Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndhjazz Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Hi guys. Sorry I haven't been active lately. I've been fighting off the flu throughout the whole weekend until yesterday. I need to go back and catch up on some of your reharms. Here's a reharm I did of "Imagine" (not even close to Vijay Iyer's) but I'm kinda torn on it. Some parts I like, and some I'm not crazy about. So, I'll put it up for public scrutiny, and see what you guys think. http://www.divshare.com/download/9073989-8c8 Thanks, -Nathan (ndhjazz) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linwood Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Check out this kid [video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9BXa22qWTc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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