Program Notes

Autumn Leaves​ Joseph Kosma (1905–1969)

​ arranged by Barney Kessel (1923–2004)
Originally composed by Kosma under the title of “Les feuilles mortes,” for Marcel Carné’s film Les portes de la nuit
(1946). Autumn leaves has travelled far from its French origins. Its origins as a showtune are not unordinary for a
jazz standard, however its french nationality is a unique oddity. Johnny Mercer (1909–1976), a tin pan alley lyricist
and co-founder of Capitol Records (now known as the Beach Boys and the Beatles U.S. label) toiled over the tune to
create what we today know as Autumn Leaves. We have Mercer to thank for many other jazz standards, including
“Days of Wine and Roses” and “Come Rain or Come Shine.”

Tonight’s introductory solo is taken from Barney Kessel’s arrangement Autumn Leaves on his 1996 record of the
same name. Barney Kessel, born in Muskogee, Oklahoma grew up in the sound of the blues. Nesushi Ertegan wrote of
Kessel in 1954, declaring, “The blues he heard as a boy in Oklahoma, the swing he learned on his first band job and
the modern sounds of the West Coast school.” Ertegan’s words ring true: the blues undertone that Kessel sews into
every line weaves through the clearness of Kessel’s improvisation. His simple brilliance, often overlooked even by
fellow jazz guitarists, has served as an introduction to the art of jazz guitar for me. An additional album of his I
recommend would be The Poll Winners (1957)—his playing on “It Could Happen To You” demonstrates his mastery of
the chord-melody guitar technique.

Billie’s Bounce​ Charlie Parker (1920–1955)

Kansas City native Charlie Parker, nicknamed “Bird” by his contemporaries, possesses a biography that is
near-mythological to jazz musicians. Considered influential in developing the sound of bebop, Parker innovated and
mastered an artform that pushed jazz beyond its limits. One charming myth, from his early days, has bassist Gene
Ramey recalling his early inexperience: Parker only knew the tune “Honeysuckle Rose” when he attempted to join the
band’s “Body and Soul,” he was laughed off the stage. A later story of Gene’s finds Parker attempting to jam with
pianist Count Basie and drummer Jo Jones. As Bird begins to play, Jones threw a cymbal across the dance floor.
Parker brushed himself off, began to practice at least eleven hours a day, and became one of the greatest jazz players
of all time.

I remember my first introduction to Billie’s Bounce. It may have been on my first day joining the Covenant Jazz
ensemble. I remember being paralyzed by the speed of the tune that was –already difficult enough for me—in this
strange art form I was barely acquainted with called jazz. Thankfully no cymbal was thrown at me—although the
possibility of that happening still isn’t out of the question.

Billie’s Bounce introduction to the world was November 1945, upon its recording for the label Savoy. The album it’s
best found on, The Complete Savoy & Dial Master Takes (2002) is the definitive album of the definitive jazz player,
and my further listening recommendation for this tune. Nestled near the outset of disc two lie four tracks –starting
with “Relaxin’ At Camarillo”– that feature Barney Kessel. Kessel wouldn’t come to appreciate Bird’s music until a
short while later. It significantly shaped his sound consequently.

Manhã De Carnaval​ Luiz Bonfá (1922–2001)

​ arranged by Barney Kessel (1923–2004)
Luiz Bonfá was a master of the guitar. Period. Born in Santa Cruz, Brazil, Bonfá studied under classical guitarist Isaias
Savio. Armed with his classical training, Bonfá tackled many popular Brazilian song styles, including the new (nova)
style brought about by combining American jazz with Brazilian bossa, called bossa nova. Writing for the French
director Marcel Camus’ film Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus), Bonfá wrote his most popular tune: Manhã De Carnaval.

Manhã De Carnaval is the tune that I fell in love with jazz to. The solo recording of ‘Manhã’ on the compilation album
Bossa Nova Brasil remains one of my favorite recordings to this day. However, tonight’s solo-introduction utilizes
Barney Kessel’s arrangement from his excellent album Solo. Kessel’s interpretation of the tune brings the samba
rhythms of bossa guitar to the electric guitar. Kessel presents the tune with his typical improvisational devices and
style, thoroughly “Kessel-ifying” the song. If you wish to listen to the tune as Bonfá more typically performed it, look
no further than Solo in Rio 1959 (1959). Solo in Rio 1959 takes its place as one of my favorite albums of all time, each
track is consistently good as a standalone performance. Despite its title, Bonfá will have you swearing two guitarists
are playing at once.
Nica’s Dream​ Horace Silver (1928–2014)
Horace Silver began studying piano in high school, influenced by blues and jazz pianists, notably jazz pianists Bud
Powell and Thelonious Monk. Silver got his start in his hometown of Hartford, Connecticut. After Stan Getz made a
guest appearance with Silver's trio, Silver began working with the tenor saxophonist. Later, alongside drummer Art
Blakey’s band the Jazz Messengers, Silver and Blakey pioneered the sound of hard bop.

Hard bop, while hard to strictly define, served as a transition away from improvisatory bebop to more “worked out”
arrangements. Hard bop typically features more recognizable lead melodies and solos, although this isn’t necessary.
Most distinctly, given it’s origination partly being drummer Art Blakey, hard bop typically includes complex drum and
melodic themes that interact specifically with each other. Note the change in drumming style from a “latin” unswung
feel of the chorus to the “swing” feeling of the bridge. Silver’s original arrangement includes specific melodic ideas
given to each instrument in his ensemble, much more akin to a symphonic composer weaving melodic ideas through
multiple instrument sections, than to a group of jamming jazz musicians.

Hard bop isn’t typically perceived as a jazz guitarists genre. However, guitarists like Grant Green and Wes
Montgomery and the earlier works of Pat Martino and Kenny Burrell often cross over the lines of bebop into hard
bop. For the original arrangement of Nica’s Dream and more Horace Silver, check out The Jazz Messengers (1956)
self-titled album.

Blue Bossa​ Kenny Dorham (1924–1972)

Dorham was born in Fairfield, Texas. He studied some piano in his childhood, and later began playing trumpet. After
moving to New York, he took up bebop and, in 1945, made his way into Dizzy Gillespie’s first big band. Dorham
recorded with everyone from Charlie Parker, the Jazz Messengers, and Max Roach’s quintet, finding his own sound
with hard bop. With saxophonist Joe Henderson co-leading, Dorham led his own band through the hard bop era. It
was during this time Dorham wrote Blue Bossa.

Tonight’s performance is modeled after a guitar/saxophone duet performed by the Davidson Duo. Saxophonist Eli
Marie Davidsen (n.d.) and guitarist Trond Davidsen’s (n.d.) duet recording of Blue Bossa on their album, Moments,
was the first recording of Blue Bossa that I was exposed to. As Blue Bossa is a superb example of typical jazz melody
phrasing and chord usage at an accessible level for beginners, the tune is often taught to jazz guitarists and
saxophonists early on in their jazz development. Recordings like Pat Martino’s (from his 1997 album Cream) or
Dexter Gordon’s (from his 1976 album Biting the Apple) showcase that even at the highest level, a tune this simple
has much to unpack. Kenny Dorham mastered every style of jazz from his day, so there’s much to choose from, but for
more of Kenny Dorham’s latin vibe (like Blue Bossa), I recommend Una Mas (1963).

While We’re Young​ Alec Wilder (1907–1980)

​ arranged by Wes Montgomery (1923–1968)
Wes Montgomery’s story is to jazz guitarists what Charlie Parker’s story is to the rest of jazzers—mythological. Wes
was born in Indiana, and like his brothers, took up jazz–at the age of 19! After hearing a Charlie Parker recording,
Wes began teaching himself in his small home in between shifts welding. As to not bother his neighbors, Wes only
used his thumb to play notes, creating his own distinctive style. Despite his strange technique, Wes could play fast,
and he typically did. In this way While We’re Young stands out as one of Wes’ few solo ballad performances.
Originally recorded on the album So Much Guitar! in 1961, While We’re Young remains one of Wes’ most popular
tunes—despite laying outside of his typical style. For Wes’ more typical style most guitarist’s would recommend either
Smokin at the Half Note (1965) or Incredible Jazz Guitar (1960). Personally, I’m more of an Incredible Jazz Guitar
guy.

Strasbourg / St. Denis​ Roy Hargrove (1969–2018)

Hargrove got his start sitting in with Wynton Marsalis—as a high schooler! Hargrove attended Berklee from 1988–9
and left to do studio work in the jazz-mecca that is New York. Hargrove got what he was looking for, and since then
recorded a whole host of albums. Hargrove promoted flavors of jazz often inspired by latin pop, soul, and hip-hop.
These traits are well on show in tonight’s closing piece, off the album Earfood (2008). This earworm soulful jazz tune
has evolved into a modern standard that most listeners can’t get enough of. Strasbourg/St. Denis is such an instant
classic that the rest of Earfood can be looked over, but Hargrove’s genius carries itself over into every tune of the
album, matching both ballads and bops equally as well.

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