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This tune by conga player Mongo Santamaria has been already chosen for TOTM 8 years ago. But I hope for many fresh contributions - and retrospective tracks from the hard disc drives of the long time participating members.
Afro Blue is the first Jazz-Tune I loved and new by name. I had a percussion teacher (percussions were really big in the 80th) and his band played Salsa and other styles. One of their songs was Afro Blue.
The song has a simple melody and simple tonal chords.
It's in concert f-minor, dorian for the first 4 bars (with D) and aeolian for the next 4 bars (with Db). Interesting is this hemiolic african cross rhythm which is 6/8 and 3/4 at the same time.
The song has two parts, but the second is only a variation of the first. Playing by ear and not having to think too much makes it perfect for the B/I TOTM imo.
There are several great recordings of Afro Blue out there.
The first from Mongo Santamaria is very nice with great percussion, flute and xylophone.
Cal Tjader (with soli in Blues Form):
The recording for sax players is of course John Coltrane on soprano:
I don't know, who wrote the lyrics for Afro Blue - Abbey Lincoln perhaps?
The song was making a very hip comeback in the 21st century with versions from Robert Glasper, Erykah Badu and Esperanza Spalding:
Esperanza Spalding (Afro Blue) International Jazz Day Global Concert 2013
Sheets and Backing Tracks can be found here.
Hoping for many contributions this month!
Dirk
Afro Blue is the first Jazz-Tune I loved and new by name. I had a percussion teacher (percussions were really big in the 80th) and his band played Salsa and other styles. One of their songs was Afro Blue.
The song has a simple melody and simple tonal chords.
It's in concert f-minor, dorian for the first 4 bars (with D) and aeolian for the next 4 bars (with Db). Interesting is this hemiolic african cross rhythm which is 6/8 and 3/4 at the same time.
The song has two parts, but the second is only a variation of the first. Playing by ear and not having to think too much makes it perfect for the B/I TOTM imo.
There are several great recordings of Afro Blue out there.
The first from Mongo Santamaria is very nice with great percussion, flute and xylophone.
Cal Tjader (with soli in Blues Form):
The recording for sax players is of course John Coltrane on soprano:
I don't know, who wrote the lyrics for Afro Blue - Abbey Lincoln perhaps?
The song was making a very hip comeback in the 21st century with versions from Robert Glasper, Erykah Badu and Esperanza Spalding:
Esperanza Spalding (Afro Blue) International Jazz Day Global Concert 2013
Sheets and Backing Tracks can be found here.
Hoping for many contributions this month!
Dirk