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SOTW TOTM for October 2013 - Chelsea Bridge .....

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15K views 109 replies 23 participants last post by  Swaman 
#1 ·
Hi All,
Davey (Borganiboy) has passed the torch on to me for this months tune of the month.

I thought I would take the tempo down a bit and choose a ballad. One of my favourites is Billy Strayhorns 'Chelsea Bridge'. Playing the melody always give me a good workout on tone.

Below is a link to 2 play alongs and jpegs of sheet music in Bb, Eb and concert:
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B33pfnpI5AwRaG1nVjc5YmRLVjQ&usp=sharing

Click on file then click on 'down' arrow in bottom right of screen which gives you the option to save the file.

I look forward to hearing some takes on this one and I will try and do a few in the style of....
 
#2 ·
#35 ·
This tune always reminds of good old Ben Webster. I never played it before, but hope to find some time to work on it this month.
Found at least some time to record a quick take for this tune. Didn't know how to play the bridge and had some issues with the chords (didn't have much preparation, as usual), but here it is anyhow. Played on a fresh La Voz medium reed and a 1935-1940 Otto Link Four**** mouthpiece that was refaced by Jon van Wie to an 8*.

- 'Chelsea Bridge' (Four 8* JvW - La Voz medium): http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12525571
 
#15 ·
Here is the well known Ben Webster version of 1964:



And one by Paul Gonsalves:

Thanks for posting these links Peter. They show the strong link between Gonsalves and Webster in their sound and phrasing. Here are a couple I found on youtube:



Harry shows his Webster and Getz influences above. Not a bad choice of role models imo!



This might be my favorite Webster version with Mulligan reprising the Harry Carney role.
 
#7 ·
Yikes that is setting the bar....very nice....I think I may try this one as the head is slow enough that I may be able to read it....but after your version I will be taking us down a few notches ....
 
#5 ·
Nice pick, and the Hell of a tune. I've been thinking about learning it for a while, so this will be the right time.
 
#10 ·
Nice pick for the TOTM and a nice kickoff from borganiboy. I may embarrass myself and have a go at this tune since it has been on my "want to learn" list for a while. For me the version I hear in my head is Joe Henderson's from "The Kicker" when I think of this tune...

 
#17 ·
Great call for this month, haven't been on SOTW a lot recently but checked in to see the September tune and was most pleasantly surprised!!! Hearing all those wonderful performances by such legendary players, it's interesting how each player imparts their personal flavor, similar to some of the other great ballads like Body and Soul, Stardust, You've Changed...

For a more recent take, here's Joe Lovano...
Lovano Chelsea Bridge with Ed Thigpen, Carsten Dahl, Jesper Bodilsen

Strayhorn composed a number of these hauntingly beautiful ballads, Blood Count, Lush Life, A Flower is a Lovesome Thing, Chelsea Bridge...very evocotive and beautiful with complex harmonies. Always great when his work receives more attention!
 
#18 ·
Here's a rough first attempt at Chelsea Bridge. Using the onboard mic on a laptop so sound is a bit rough.
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12519968

I don't get to play much between being a single parent and work so I need to do some long tones and get the muscles back. On a musical note, the major pentatonic starting with flat 6 works nicely over the first chord. This would start on the 5th degree of C min +7 and would be G, A, B, D, Eb. you can get some nice sequences happening over those first two chords.
 
#22 ·
Here's a rough first attempt at Chelsea Bridge. Using the onboard mic on a laptop so sound is a bit rough.
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12519968
Not so rough that your beautiful tone doesn't come through. Superbly played, great pacing of your solo, and it sounded to me like you're in complete command of the chords and where you are in them. Getting more intense with arpeggios in the last eight of the first solo chorus and then putting more beboppish and scalar lines in the second chorus where you'd been longer-lined the first time through, then returning close to the theme for the last eight of the 2nd chorus, made for a beautiful story. What a pleasure to hear... thanks!

Great choice of tune, too, Rob. I will be sure to work on this one although I'm somewhat busy with a show for the first part of the month.

Howard
 
#21 ·
A little over the top, but (the late, great, great) Jimmy Mosher's solo with Buddy's big band on this tune has always been one of my Mosher favorites. Such a great tune no matter how it's done.

 
#30 ·
Va-va-va-va-va-voom!

Mmm, just a little over the top.... Fun, though, and some real interesting stuff in the sax, you're right. Arrangement hints at both '50s noir detective show themes and '50s strip club music... not that I have firsthand experience of either, you understand...

Thanks for sharing!

Howard
 
#23 ·
@Borganiboy - Davey, enjoyed both of your takes. Good to hear you mastering the mellow style too, beautiful tone and controled playing, but still you. Second take executed more in your normal mode, both great :).

@robscott - Rob, loved the Webster air in your take, soundwise a mixture between a Ben and Getz approach in my ears. Loved how you did build up your solo, very well played :).

Both setting the standard high.
 
#34 ·
Hey, nice attempt for your first try at what is a tricky tune. I like the atmospheric beginning then the build up to the high notes. Good thick sound and Lots of blues feeling in your playing. Playing at this tempo is a great way to find your own sound. I can hear a lot of blues influences in your take.
Cheers,
rob.
 
#36 ·
@Borganiboy -Nice takes Davey, nice to hear you on this type of tune!

@robscott - Very pretty sound, and very emotional feel (great change playing too), I liked this a lot!

@littlewailer - Nice job man! Your sound is really starting to become your own, and good take on this (deceptively tricky) tune.

@peebee - Lush sound!
 
#42 ·
@powerofsoul big tenor sound,vibrato nice.Nice steady flow.Cool.
Thanks, Davey... I've had a bit more time to work on this one (opening weekend for the amateur theatrical / musical I'm involved in is now done)... so here's a version where at least I'm also playing the correct bridge melody... I faded it out during the first few bars of the improv ... still need to figure out what to improvise on the bridge, especially...

Setup is now Schagerl academica T1 tenor, "new vintage-style" slant HR link (7*), probably a #3 Rico Jazz Select. No processing on the recording, done in a fairly dry acoustic.

I feel like there are intonation issues being shown up by this tune... if anyone has specific comments on whether you hear intonation issues and what they are, or anything else, I welcome them...

https://db.tt/AFspNiko

Cheers,

Howard
 
#39 ·
Thanks everyone. It is a deceptively tricky tune but very cool. This Minor Major 7ths create a real interesting dark vibe.

The hardest part for me was just making it flow and navigating the bridge. After hearing all the takes I've got more Ideas.

I'm going to the tunnel under the bridge and doing Chelsea Bridge under the Bridge.
 
#50 ·
Here's my easy take on the chords to this tune in case anyone fancy's a blow on this, like a lot of ballads it gets more complicated in the bridge ( though not as tough as 'Lush Life' )
chelsea bridge: AABA form
A section

1st Bar C -^7 C melodic minor scale . find a motif , try Eb F G B
2nd Bar Bb-^7 Bb melodic minor scale. play same motif but a whole step down Db Eb F A
3rd bar same two chords as above but 2 beats.
4th bar. C7 . emphasise Bb and E

Next three bars are a II-V-I in Eb so can play chord tones or to really simplify F- for two bar, Eb one bar
Last bar is chromatic descending 7th chords, Eb7 D7 Db7


----------------------------------

B section: Bridge
You can simplify the bridge by removing the dom 7th chords that are part of 2-5. this then breaks down into essentially 4 keys for the most part.

1st three bars of the bridge are a diatonic sequence | II V | I vi | II V | you could just play F# major
Bar 4 C# minor

Bar 5 is 2 beats of B major then 2 beats B minor
Bar 6 is A major
Bar 7 is A minor
Bar 8 chromatic descending 7th chords, Eb7 D7 Db7

Regards, rob
 
#54 ·
@Davey, the mellow side is sounding good. We need to hear more of it.
@Rob, Great feel and sound.
@Sean, You really put your own mark on this one in a good way.
@Peter, Such a big lush sound..
@Howard, Nice big tenor sound..
@StrongD, Great tenor sound, with some edge if you need it..

This is my version http://snd.sc/1hFhBmQ

Chris...
 
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