A2 Jazz

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Take the "A" Train arrangement

The piece begins with an introduction, in which the piano plays downward flourishes (E-G#) with syncopated chromatic chords (D7b5-C).
The reeds play the melody. For the first AA brass accompany with stab chords (rhythm) and fills at the ends of phrases. In the B section the brass accompaniment takes on a counter melody feel. When A returns they play stab chords with a new rhythm.
The whole of the next head is a trumpet solo, which becomes more virtuosic until it is based simply on a smaller motif.
There is then a transition, which takes on a 3/4 feel and modulates in a harmonic sequence from C to Eb.
The music goes immediately back to C. Reeds with an exotic riff, ending in a descending triplet chromatic scale, trade 4s with a solo trumpet. This repeats and the trumpet continues, and then they layer up a G7b9 chord (like a train stopping).
In the final head the reeds play the melody with a new stab chord rhythm. There is a decrescendo and we hear glimpses of the opening piano downward flourish.

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A Night In Tunisia arrangement

In the introduction the instruments layer up creating a latin/salsa feel. First the bass riff, then syncopated piano chords, then the drums, then the reeds riff, then the trumpet to begin the A (structure AABAC).
The trumpet plays AABA, along with the reed riff. In the C section the vibes and saxes play in unison, joined by trumpet on the G7#11 chord.
There is then a transition of ascending triplets.
The final head has structure AABA. There is a sax solo for AA, a vibe solo on B and the trumpet plays the final A as at the beginning.

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Clarinet Marmalade

Frankie Trumbauer and his orchestra (Bix Beiderbecke on cornet) 1927, F major, structure ABCBCB (Bs have solos and Cs have sim imp) - large ensemble: two cornets/clarinet/saxes/piano/drums
Hark back and look forward
A - polyphonic texture but not sim imp because cornets are prominent and their line has a melodic feel
Chord prog from C of Buddy's Habit - I I I I7 IV iv I I7 IV iv I I7 II7 V7 I
B- these are solo sections piano (blurs harmony with 6ths 9ths and 11ths) and then trombone
F A7 D7 D7 G7 C7 F
C - minor sim imp Dm Gm C7 (closest to original dixieland sound)
B - sax and cornet in thirds then each takes solo
C - as before
B - clarinet solo then sim imp (quotes LSB)

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Melancholy Blues

Louis Armstrong and his hot 7s 1927, Ab laid back, swing 4 beat feel
Intro - write it out, imitated figure (cornet, trombone, tuba) (arpeggiated, starts with slide from flat 3)
Long 32 bar cornet solo (Armstrong)
A slides, emphasises b5 (Eb), vibrato
A expanding range
B stop time feel (crotchet rest rest crotchet crotchet rest rest c.f. Buddy's Habit)
A swung and straight, stretching out the bars

C - minor unison section (cornets), melodic
A - trombone
B - clarinet (loads of vib)
A - all of the instruments in sim imp (typical end of piece)

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West End Blues

Louis Armstrong and his hot 5s 1928
Uses 12 bar again (Eb) with the typical IV iv
I I I I7
IV iv I I7
V7 V7 I V7 (chrom turnaround)
Experimental in timbre! Solo at start, milk bottle and ****

1) Starts with trumpet solo (totally alone) virtuosic, arpeggiated, totally free with time
2) (from now on the accompaniment is piano block chords) trombone solo, lazy and swung, sildes b3-3, milk bottle accompaniment
3) clarinet and **** voice Q and A (because Armstrong's music fell off the stand..)
4) piano solo - scalic and flourishes
5) clarinet arpeggios, piano flourish then chords

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