Miles Davis - All Blues

Question 1

Date?

Answer 1

1959

Question 2

Style

Answer 2

Modal Jazz

Question 3

What instruments are used?

Answer 3

• Frontline; trumpet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone,

* Comping (accompanying); piano, double bass, drum kit

Question 4

What are the key signature and tonality?

Answer 4

• Written in G major

* solos in G and C mixolydian mode

Question 5

What is the time signature?

Answer 5

• 6/4 - Jazz Waltz

Question 6

Describe the tempo

Answer 6

• Very fast- 1 crotchet beat = 156 bpm. (It feels more like two groups of three beats (dotted minims) at a much slower 52 bpm)

Question 7

Describe the structure

Answer 7

• Intro- 4 bars; main intro riff (with saxes) – 4 bars
• ‘Head’ on muted trumpet over altered 12 bar blues chord sequence – 12 bars
• Intro riff returns (now called ‘Link’)- 4 bars
• Head returns on muted trumpet- 12 bars to link- 4 bars
• Pattern of solos for trumpet, alto sax, tenor sax and piano (1/2 length) 4x12 bars
• Head returns 2x12 bars as above
• 4 bar links always in between solos or head pattern.
• Coda- improvised trumpet solo; muted fade to end

Question 8

Describe the texture

Answer 8

• Opening thinnest; 3 instruments (only 3 at solo piano-thickens with piano chords)
• Next layer in intro riff for 2 saxophones in harmony (of 3rds)
• Trumpet ‘head’ adds final layer in intro
• Solos slightly thinner as only accompanied by piano, drum kit and double bass

Question 9

Describe the melody

Answer 9

• Trumpet ‘Head’ features a rising 6th interval, a mordent ornament and use of mute; also long held notes and step movement.
• Improvised trumpet solo (Miles Davis); no mute. On G and C mixolydian mode. Wider pitch range and breaks in melody. Deliberately not over complex.
• Improvised alto sax solo (Cannonball Adderley); in comparison shorter notes and phrases, faster runs, more leaps yet more chromatic notes (semitones)
• Improvised tenor sax solo (John Coltrane); simple starts then develops patterns using sequences with rhythm. Ends by contrasting extremely fast runs with longer phrases. A wide range of pitch and sometimes dissonant (clashing) with the chords.
• Improvised piano solo (Bill Evans); takes Miles Davis deliberately non- flashy approach. 1st 12 bars simple right hand melody with plenty of sustained notes.
2nd 12 bars has chords in both hands.

Question 10

Describe the rhythm

Answer 10

• Swung rhythm throughout= long then short notes alternating in the double bass and snare drum quavers.
• Sax riff also a swung rhythm - 2 beats, 1 beat, 2 beats, 1 beat etc
• Lots of syncopation (off beat notes) characteristic of jazz, eg snare drum during trumpet improvised solo
• Short semiquaver trill notes in piano line

Question 11

Describe the harmony used

Answer 11

• The 9th and 10th chords of the 12 Bar Blue pattern are altered chords with their #9ths. (D7#9 Eb7#9- D7#9) All the 12 chords have added 7ths.
• Saxophones play their intro/link riff in the interval of a 3rd
• The chords are mainly played by the piano in the solos- in head and links the chords are mainly shared between saxes and double bass

Question 12

Describe the dynamics used

Answer 12

• Piece starts p/ mp; brushes keep the drum kit quiet for the trumpet which is also muted to keep the volume confined.
• Improvised trumpet solo, without mute, is slightly louder- mf/sf and f
• Both sax solos vary in volume but generally louder due to the improvising style
• Piano solo and links in between quieter