Moving In Harmony - Week 1

Welcome to the blog. I say this in part also to myself as I've been sitting and brooding on this idea like an expectant hen for ages. A heartfelt thank you to my good friends Mike and Quentin (the current incumbent webdev) for making it possible for me to sequester a little bit more of the internet. Hopefully this will grow and blossom into a place of musical fascination, wonder and caustic irony.

I have quite the backlog of harmonic, melodic and rhythmic discoveries that I'd like to share, but for now, something more current.

I was preparing a song for a jam session a few nights ago at Cafe Classen in Arnhem, and the bass player, Lester, recommends that we play this banger - "I'm Not So Sure" by Cedar Walton. The intro is fairly docile in comparison to what was to come. I had to take a look at his comping, I had to! Couldn't have expected what Walton was about to play. He bangs down some imposing modal 4th/major chord voicings which I find so jarring yet so beautifully angry in some kind of way.

Lester was erudite enough to point out that this song was covered by Roy Hargrove on his “Earfood” album. In the score I've also included what can be heard at the end of the form. It seems to me that Clayton (the pianist on the recording) is playing these dense diminished voicings that harmonise the rising lines that the horns are playing.

Naturally I find value in both versions. One jagged and in your face, the other a bit more teasing and suggestive. I'm confident learning a little bit of both styles can only but help improve one's piano sound for the long term. Mix and match as you see fit.

• DS