|
Return to Homepage
SwingJournal #8
Speak No Evil
Artist : Wayne Shorter
Original Recorded Date : December 24th, 1964
Original Label : Blue Note Records
Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio Studios in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
UPC: 724349900127
Producer : Alfred Lion
Remastering : Alfred Lion
MP3 Reissue : MP3 Reissue : Ron McMaster
Cat # Blue Note 4189
Witch Hunt : After a faster medium intro, the tempo slows down a bit. Elvin
Jones is in charge of setting the new tempo. It is still in a medium
tempo, but it still has a shuffle kind of feel. The melody is in 28 bars
with the form AABACD. Each section has 4 bars. On sections A and B, we
can hear the same rhythmic patterns. Within two bars, there are a
combination of 12 eighth notes, 2 quarter notes and a rest of 2 bars.
The D section has the same rhythmic motif of these AB sections, but it
has different notes is in a different mode, and appears with a different
time feel and a lower temper. The C section is the bridge. . Shorter and
Hubbard play entirely in unison. The
only place they play in harmony for a brief moment in the intro. This
composition has a lot of open spaces and Herbie Hancock fills these
spaces with fantastic block chords. Hubbard might have started his
solo with a similar concept and the foundation and goals of trumpet
technique in 20th century can be heard.
Fee Fi Fo Fum :
Sophisticated Herbie Hancock's block chord intro guides the
leading instrumentalists to the melody. The leading instruments on this
recording sessions are Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone and Freddie
Hubbard on trumpet. On the seventh bar of the intro, there is a strong
syncopation attack on the and of beat two and we can see similar syncopation
effects on entire composition. These syncopation attacks can't
be effective without Elvin Jones' cymbal, and on this intro his
cymbal makes the quiet environment for the giants' entry as if they
start saying "Fee Fi Fo Fun".
Very laid-back rhythms and easy going unison melodies are played by
Shorter and Hubbard, however the melody is written over very complex
harmonies. Right before the bridge there is a syncopated attack on
beat four. On the bridge, Wayne and Freddie start harmony; Freddie
plays leading top notes, and Wayne plays in a very unique parallel movement
with a mixture of perfect 4th and augmented 4th intervals. Fee Fi Fu Fum is
written with the form ABA 888 form, and the last A section also has a
unison line.
Hubbard starts his solo with very rich, fat trumpet sound. He plays only
one chorus. He executes phrases very clearly with many longer notes.
This long-note approach might be in the tradition of historically great trumpet
players such as Buddy Bolden, King Oliver, Louie Armstrong . From the
middle to lower range of Hubbard's trumpet, his
tone is incredible. Hubbard starts playing motif triplet phrases at
the last A section. It is a fantastic way to end a solo and pass it to
the next soloist.
Compared to Hubbard, Wayne Shorter is playing very layed back phrases. It
is so layed back as if he is creating a sort of atmosphere where avoiding playing
complete phrases is his goal. I don't recall this kind of approach when he
was with Art Blakely and Jazz Messengers, I believe he established
this type of new approach when he was with the Miles Davis Quintet.
When Herbie Hancock plays solo, you can tell that his strongest
influence at this point is Wynton Kelly. Hancock plays as if he wanted
to combine Bill Evans', George Shearing's chord
progression approaches, as well as Wynton Kelly.
Dance Cadaverous : Wayne Shorter contributes so many wonderful compositions to this
world. Among those compositions, his waltz compositions are most superb.
On this album, you can listen to two of these. They are Wild Folower
and Dance Cadaverous. Many people might believe that Wayne's
contribution is the biggest elements to Miles Davis' 2nd
quartet. On the 8th bar of the intro, Wayne Shorter and Freddie
Hubbard create a Miles Davis Quintet-like atmosphere.
Speak No Evil : You may wonder why this composition adapted this title so perfectly,
and this composition also set the tone for the whole album. To discover the
historical relationship of bebop to modal jazz, this composition might
be as important as Miles Davis's "So What". The form is ABABC and they
play two choruses.
Wayne Shorter's vocabulary is utterly different from any saxophonists
from 40's to 60's. If you listened to his solo, you can't believe how
deep his concept is. Many jazz critiques agree that Charlie Parker was
the greatest bebop player and John Coltrane is the greatest post bop
player. Nothing is wrong with their assessment, but I feel like Wayne
Shorter must be on a different planet when I listen to this solo.
Freddie Hubbard is a proficient trumpeter under Art Blakey's Jazz
Messengers. As we mentioned in a previous swing journal, he might be
the most successful player from the Messengers after Clifford Brown. On this
composition, he is the only soloist who practices the bebop-based concept.
Later on Freddie Hubbard will be also known to be a side-slipping
soloist.
Hancock devoted his presence to the filling in of breaks with lyrical notes
by responding to the very simple melody. This simple melody was played
in unison by Hubbard and Shorter with crescendos. Their harmonic and
rhythmic lingo influence Hancock when he solos. At the beginning of
his solo, he searches for his own voice by using Hubbard's left over
phrases. He swings as hard as Wynton Kelly on the first chorus and he
becomes insane by using McCoy Tyner- like side slipping on the second
chorus.
Infant Eyes:
Audio File
Download Sheet Music for Wayne Shoter's "Infant Eyes".
Solo Guitar Arrangement/Performance by Hideaki Tokunaga
Wild Flower : YLike a beautiful flower, Shorter and Hubbard engage in a gentle way on
their octave unison while Hancock delivers very busy responses like
bumble bees. Like many other compositions on this album, Hancock's
presence is the most important essence of Shorter's performance and
compositions.
Most listeners will agree that Wayne Shorter's voice can be heard more
clearly on this album than many Miles Davis' 1960's Great
Quintet recordings. The most important part of Miles' recording is the youngest
member of the band, drummer Tony Williams. On this album I believe
Wayne Shorter wanted to record his compositions based on his
experience with Art Blakey Jazz Messengers.
|
|
If you like above CD, please try this CD.
Clayton Cameron
|
Wayne Shorter
|
Griffin&Grossman
|
Michael Brecker
|
Kenny Kirkland
|
Jaco Pastorius
|
Art Blakey
|
Azar Lawrence
|
Hideaki Tokunaga
|
|
|
