This portfolio is designed to let me explore some aspect of jazz that is hitherto unknown to me. As I have contemplated what I would like to research and write about I realized that even though I have a background in both classical and jazz piano, I have little knowledge on the changing role of the piano in music culture and more specifically in jazz.
The piano is in reality called a pianoforte. This name comes from the Italian words piano and forte which are used in music. Respectively, they mean soft and loud. This function of the piano, the ability to play loud or soft, was one that its predecessors lacked. Both the clavichord and the harpsichord were restricted by a extremely small range of dynamics. However, the design of both of these instruments was integral to the invention of the piano.
Bartolomeo Cristofori invented the piano around 1700. Unlike the harpsichord which had strings that were plucked or the clavichord which had tangents, the piano consisted of hammers that struck the strings and then rebounded so the sound would continue. It was at first seen as just another keyboard type novelty but that would soon change.
Because of the popularity of the piano both in the home and in popular music it is hard for us to understand how different a harpsichord or clavichord are from the piano. Though this is a jazz portfolio, I have never heard of jazz played on a harpsichord or clavichord so we will examine some classical music to see the difference. The following piece is Sonata in B minor K.27, L.449 composed by Domenico Scarlatti.
Clavichord
Harpsichord
Piano
From the differences in these three videos, it is obvious that the piano had the ability to become a much more versatile instrument than either the harpsichord or the clavichord. The harpsichord, though loud enough to play at concerts, had virtually no change in its loudness. The clavichord could change its volume but was still so quiet that it could be heard from no more than a few feet away. The piano would meet both of these requirements. It is especially important to note the ability to use a wider range of dynamics because by being able to drastically change the volume of the performance the piano would be capable of not only being used as a solo instrument, but as a part of an ensemble.
As composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach (who had formerly composed for the harpsichord), Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Frederic Chopin, and Claude Debussy made the piano more well-known and well-liked through the ages up to the twentieth century, it became a common household item. This phenomenon ushered in the entrance of the piano into jazz.
The piece I am going to examine for this week is a Neal Hefti tune called "The Kid From Red Bank" which was written for Count Basie and his orchestra. The version I'll discuss here is performed by the Count Basie Orchestra and featured on "The Complete Atomic Basie" album.
This recording was made and released in 1957 by Capital Records. It was written to showcase Count Basie of whom the song title refers (Basie was born in Red Bank, New Jersey in 1904).
So without further ado..."The Kid From Red Bank".
"The Kid From Red Bank" has a very steady beat, albeit at an exceedingly fast tempo that is played in cut time. It has a very energetic big band feel. The instruments playing are saxophone (both tenor and alto, possibly a baritone but I couldn't decide), trumpet, trombone, bass, drums, guitar and (obviously) piano.
This piece is styled as a piano feature so the band has certain melodies that they play at specified times (they would have been written down on sheet music and played exactly) and when they're not playing the tune is opened up to Count Basie's piano solo accompanied by the rhythm section (bass, drums, and guitar).
This tune is rather easy to outline in simple form:
A section x2
piano solo x2
B section x2
piano solo x2
C section x2
piano solo x2
A section x2
8 bar phrase (ending)
Unlike most songs, the phrases in this piece (aside from the ending) are not 8 bar, but 12 bar phrases. Right from the beginning (there is no introduction) we hear our first melody or our A section which is 6 bars band and then 6 bars piano solo. This A section is played twice. We then get to enjoy two 12 bar choruses of Basie's excellent piano playing. Then comes our B section which features the trombone section with hits from the drums and piano. The B section is also played twice and sticks with a 12 bar phrase. After the B section Basie plays two more choruses of his solo and then the band plays the C section twice. Though it is a different melody, the C section is modeled after the A section in that it is 6 bars band and then 6 bars piano solo. Two more choruses of piano solo and then we're back to the A section again with the typical repeat. The band ends the piece with an 8 bar phrase that is cut off by a hit from the drums.
As I mentioned before this is a piano feature for Count Basie and, therefore, he is the only soloist. Basie has a very particular piano style; while some jazz pianists will play variations of the tune, Basie stays away from the melodies while staying within the bounds of the 12 bar blues format. Basie also plays surprising few notes at some points in his solo. A good example of this is the 6 bar phrase solos he plays during the A and C sections. Basie makes good use of repetition to build up the suspense in the music (eg. the repeating eighth notes in his solo after the first set of A sections). This suspense builds interest in what will happen next in the music and Basie doesn't disappoint. In his solo section after the B section, Basie employs a technique called stride. Stride is a style of left-hand piano accompaniment that alternates between low bass notes with higher chords. Basie's use of stride coupled with the syncopation found in parts of this particular solo section almost gives the impression of an old ragtime piano tune. The solo section after the C section is a conglomeration of first repetition, then the stride style. Basie's 4 bar mini solo finishes up the tune quite nicely.
Basie's solo shows his excellence as a jazz pianist. Instead of filling up the space with a multitude of notes, Basie makes the empty spaces work for him. He knows exactly how to accent the coming sections his band will play while also proving that it is his piece. He plays a variety of techniques from stride and syncopation, to glissandi and broken chords. These ability to play not in just one way, but many makes the solo a delight to listen to.
Part of Basie's success must be attributed to the rhythm section. Because of the quick tempo, this song could very easily drag (for those of you who may not know, drag is a slang term for fall under tempo). The bass provides a walking bass line that is always steady and consistent. The guitar comps chords but with a regularity that makes his part hard to pick out. The drummer plays ride cymbal and high-hat perpetually while also providing hits to accent both the piano solo and the beginnings of each new chorus. Never once does the rhythm section let down their guard and this vigilance lends the tune a strong support that keeps it from sounding rushed or sloppy.
The rest of the band may not provide a foundation for the piece or the pizazz that Count Basie's solo does, but they provide the necessary energy needed to get the piece going and then keep it that way. By their careful attention to the different kinds of accents and musical notation (staccato, tenuto, slurring, etc.) their performance is precise and unified. This provides an excellent amount of energy to a piece that doesn't features much more piano than anything else.
"The Kid From Red Bank" is an excellent example of a big band tune as well as a great showpiece for jazz piano everywhere. This piece with its fast tempo, endless energy, reliable rhythm section and skilled soloist holds you spellbound until the very last note.
