Jazz "Blues After Dark," Dizzy Gillespie (Trumpet), Essay

Jazz

"Blues After Dark," Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet), Sonny Stitt (tenor sax), Lou Levy (piano), Ray Brown (bass), Gus Johnson (drums). In Belgium, 1958

Style = BeBop

Role of Piano = Stride and Comping

Role of the Bass = Walking

Role of the Drums = Brushing and Riding

Role of the Trumpet and Saxophone = Lead and Melody

"Blues After Dark" starts off with Dizzy Gillespie and Sonny Stitt, for a few measures only the trumpet and saxophone play before the drums, bass, and piano enter. This is a dynamic song, but it starts mellow. The brief introduction ends and the main riffs or phrases are featured soon around a central rhythmic structure. Although there are repeating elements, it is not the same two times around. Each time the trumpet and saxophone play, the effect is different. There are also pauses in the music, and silent spots throughout.

The head or lead instruments are the saxophone and the trumpet. They harmonize and play together throughout most of the song. Their role is for the melody, as if they were singers. The piano plays what is known as the stride type of playing, in which jazzy chords are used. However, there are also times in which the piano serves in the "comping" role, when working with the solo players in the song. There is a piano solo at the end of the song. Sometimes, the piano only plays chords that are used in a rhythmic function.

The drummer uses brushes and sticks, but when the sticks are used, the effect is still soft. Mostly, brushes are used. The bass does most of the rhythm work. The bass line is a walking one. The bass player continually walks up and down the neck, playing continuously almost the entire time.Although the piano, saxophone, and the trumpet all play solos, the most important solo is the trumpet solo by Dizzy Gillespie. His cheeks are huge. The trumpet solo is long, and is accompanied by the bass. The bass does not always walk during the solo. During the saxophone solo, the bass plays some notes in accompaniment with the saxophone.

"Sunny Side of the Street,"

The style of the song is BeBop

The role of Piano is sometimes stride and sometimes comping

The role of the Bass is a walking line

The role of the Drums is brushing and riding

Role of the Trumpet and Saxophone = Lead and Melody

The trumpet serves as an echo in a higher register that is in harmony with the saxophone melody. The differential phrasing works, as the instruments harmonize. The bass line follows the general melodic flow of the lead instruments. Then, the two head instruments decide to play the same melody once again.

The first solo is the saxophone solo. It begins rather abruptly, although there is a short lead-in signaling a change in the song. The saxophone is occasionally staccato, but mainly smooth, dancing around the bass notes. Brushes can be heard in the background, with the occasional cymbal. The saxophone solo is long, and nuanced, moving through various registers. The song finishes with vocals. Their voices are thin and harsh not particularly deep and smooth. As Gillespie picks up the singing duties, the sax accompanies him….....