[tenor71363]

So I just listened to Stitt play Au Privave about 70 times in a row. When he gets to his 4th chorus about half way through the 5th bar he plays outside the harmony. This is not the only time he does this, but this is what I am inquiring about. I may be wrong so correct if I am. Are there listeners who can hear the harmony of his playing without having to transcribe the notes? I am trying to hear the sound of his harmony against the harmony of the rhythm section. In other words, I want to be able to say that this is such -n- such a chord played against this chord. I hope I am not too vague. Thanks.

 

[scooby]

It's a sequence. He's starts with a major arpeggio in the key of F and then plays the same figure one half-step higher (F#) and then another half step higher (G) before going down a half step (F#). It's a common way of adding some "outside" flavor to a line. Your ear hears the symmetry of the repeated shape as it moves through different keys but also hears the contrast with the expected harmony. Moving by half-steps is common, but by no means the only possibility. Some people refer to this technique as "side-slipping."

The complete transcription is available at my website: www.scooby-sax.com

- Scooby

 

[piwikiwi]

I transcribed another stitt solo where he also does the same thing. It makes it sound fresh imho