GCSE Music: All Blues

miles davis played in a bebop group, but he thoguht that there was more to be found in terms of new types of jazz music, so he left to develop on his own idea

he made a new more laid back type of jazz - "cool jazz"

they ways he changed jazz-

• used tunefull melodys
• played lirically- as though he was singing
• based improvisaion on scales and a key signiture
• made trumpets sound tunefull
• often played in lower register

Miles Davis- Trumpet

Julian Adderlye- Alto Sax

John Coltrane- Tennor Sax

Bill Evans- Piano

Paul Chambers- Bass

Jimmy Cobb- Drums

All Blues is based onn the 12 bar blues scale. the main melody (head) and the solos are all played over the 12 bar blues sequence

G7       G7      G7    G7

C7       C7       G7   G7

D7#9  Eb7#9  D7#9  G7 G7

-EACH CHORD LASTS FOR 4 BARS APART FROM  Eb7#9 D7#9    WHICH LAST FOR 2 BARS

All Blues was recorded in one take

Pitch-  all intruments keep to the middle and lower registers

duration- last for 11 and a half mins                                         

dynamics- generally subdued- mostly mf. the ensemble will play quiter when there is a solo playing

tempo- marked "Jazzy Walts" -played at a moderate pace

time sig- 6/4

timbre- mellow- he does this by using: - a mute, - ghost notes ( deliberatly weak notes)

texture- simple- wind plays 3rd and 4ths , piano + double bass plays - simple riff & chords

- based on the 12 bar blues

intro- head(theme)- 4 solos- head - coda (fade out)

Each of the main sections is introduced by a 4-bar riff

• 4- bar intro (rhythm section)
• 4-bar riff (saxes and rhythm section)
• Head 1 (a 12 bar head with muted trumpet playing melody)
• Riff and head repeated
• Four 12-bar choruses for trumpet
• Four choruses for alto sax
• Four choruses for tenor sax
• Two choruses for piano
• One chorus (all instruments with trumpet now muted)
• Head repeated
• Coda (solo muted trumpet)

solos-> trumpet, both sax's and piano

they did not not what they were going to play when they were recording. they only knew a few scales + melody lines to improvise off and roughly what order they were going to play in.