SwingJournal #11

Bags Groove (Take I): Miles Davis and Milt Jackson take care the melody of beautifully harmonized unison lines. Milt Jason plays sets of harmony of the second chorus. Miles plays the main melody. Miles takes the first solo after the melody and Milt Jackson becomes the 2nd soloist. Thelonious Monk lays out during the melody and behind Miles' solo. Milt Jackson does not accompany Miles either, therefore Miles plays trumpet solo with Percy Heath on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums. When Milt Jackson plays solo, Monk comes in as an accompanist. The taste of ensemble becomes from Miles ensemble to MJQ kind of feeling. After Milt Jackson's solo, Monk is a soloist. When Monk plays solo, Milt lays out. So it becomes Monk's trio. After Monk's solo, Miles plays solo again for 3 choruses only without Milt Jackson and Monk. Again Monk lays out behind Miles's solo and head-out melody.

Bags Groove (Take 2) Compared to the first take, it is slightly slower. The concept is as same as take I. When Miles plays, Thelonious Monk lays out completely. By the way, "Bag's Groove" was composed by the vibraphonist on this recording Milt Jackson. He is also known to be co-leader of Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ). Even though "Bag's Groove" is the album title for Miles' album, this composition became iconic composition for MJQ. Compared to the take 1, take 2 has many challenging moments by all soloists.

Airegin: Tenor saxophonist, Sonny Rollins opens intro of his own composition. Kenny Clarke plays Nigerian Six flavor accompaniment along with Percy Heath puts his bass on two and three. Airegin is a make up word and can be read Nigeria as backward. Sonny Rollins joins to this recording from this track and Thelonious Monk will be replaced with another great pianist Horace Silver.

After the intro Miles and Sonny Rollins union middle fast tempo melody. Similar to the first two tracks by Monk, Silver lays out during the intro and melody. Monk also lays out during Miles' solo, but you can listen to Silver's accompaniment behind Miles' solo. Rollins plays his solo after Miles. Only two solos can be heard on this composition, and again head-out melody is played without piano. But Silver returns with last three notes when the melody ends.

Audio File

Download Sheet Music for Sonny Rollins' Airegin

Solo Guitar Arrangement/Performance by Hideaki Tokunaga

Oleo: This is also Sonny Rollins famous composition based on rhythm changes in the key of Bb. Miles uses Harmon mute. Oleo is comprised of four eight-bar phrases in an AABA form. However there is no melody on section B. During they play A sections, it was just trumpet, tenor sax and bass. Then B section is played by piano chords along with Clarke's brush. Through AABA section, Percy Heath keeps playing steady beat. When Miles starts playing solo, Kenny Clarke returns, but Silver lays out A sections and just accompanies Miles on B section only. Silver does the same thing for Sonny Rollins' solo. On this track, you can listen to Silver's solo. He uses idea from from his own rhythm changes composition "Cool Eyes". After Silver's solo, Miles starts playing solo for one more chorus and starts just a duo with Percy Heath. They finish the composition the same way as the beginning.

But Not for Me (Take 2): This composition was written by George and Ira Gershwin for the musical "Girl Crazy" in 1930. "But Not for Me" is comprised of four eight-bar phrases in an ABAC form. Miles plays the first solo and Sonny Rollins plays second solo. Horace Silver plays the third solo. Kenny Clark stops every 16 bars to show this composition well structured.

Doxy: Sonny Rollins' contribution is very big on this album. Miles uses Rollins' three original compositions. Doxy is written in an AABA form. You can listen to Miles', Rollins' and Silver's solos. They play only one chorus for head in and head out chorus.

But Not for Me (Take 1): Compared to Take 2, this is a little mellower take. The solos are as nice as the take 2. The solo lengths are as same as the take 2. I assume that they made this concept before take 1.