AdvancedLessonPlanforYoungPerformersInitiative:OnGreenDolphinStreet

NOTETOTEACHER:Thislessonplanisdesignedtoencouragediscussionabouthowmembersofajazzcombointeractwitheachotherandthemusic,usingthevideoperformanceofthejazzstandard,OnGreenDolphinStreet.ThevideoisofjazzlegendJimmyHeathontenorsaxwithjazzvibraphonistStephonHarrisinconcertattheUWECJazzfestival.

BEFORETHEVIDEO

TEACHER:Hereissomeinformationonthecomposerandthestructureofthetune.BronislawKaperwroteOnGreenDolphinStreetin1947foramoviebythesamename,butthetunedidnotbecomefamousuntiljazztrumpeterMilesDavisrecordeditin1958.Jazzwasmovingfromthefrenziedbebopstyleto“cool”,andDavisledthemovement.OnGreenDolphinStreetfitthecooljazzstylewithitsbuoyant,“spacy”openingandmediumtempo.This“floaty”qualityiscreatedwiththepedalnoteofthekeystayingconstantfortheopening7barsasthechordschangeaboveit.ThecoolmoodisaugmentedbythebassplayingarepetitiveLatinpatternwhichleansonbeat4insteadofbeat1.Aftertheopeningsevenbars,thebassplayeranddrummerswitchtoastraightaheadjazzfeel,leadingintotheBsection,whichisbasedoniiVIpatterns.After8bars,AreturnsasdoestheLatinfeel.TheCsectionismorecomplicated,butstilllargelybasedoniiVI’s.TheformisABAC.

DURINGTHEVIDEOTEACHER:• PassoutcopiesoftheDirectedListeningSheettogroupleaders(3-4inagroup)• Instructthegroupstolistenquietly—notalking—notesmaybetaken,butmostlylisten!

Names:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DirectedListeningSheetforOnGreenDolphinStreet

1. Howdoesthetunebegin?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Whoplaystheleadlineandinwhatstyle?_____________________________________

3. Whatinstrumentisplayingharmoniccontentknownas“comping”behindthesaxsolo?_______________________________________________________________________

4. Whyisitokthatthepianoiscompingwhilethevibessolo?________________________

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5. Describehowthevarioussoloistsbuildenergyandexcitementintheirsolos._________

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6. Whatdoesthedrummerdotobuildintensityinhisplaying?_______________________

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7. Describetheinteractionbetweenthebassistandthedrummerduringthebasssolo.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8. Whatisthetenorplayer,JimmyHeath,signalingbyholdingup8fingers?

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AFTERTHEVIDEO

• Afterthevideo,thegroupsshoulddiscussthetuneandanswerthequestions.• Ifneeded,runthevideoagain…infact,runitagainanyway!It’sagreattuneandagreat

performance!

TEACHER’SANSWERSHEETGUIDE:

1. ThebassplaysaLatin-stylesyncopatedline,joinedbysomemelodiccommentsbythevibes,anddrumsarekeepingtimeusingbrushes.

BassplayingaLatin,syncopatedlineDrums,usingbrushes,pianoplayingchords,vibesplayingamelodicintrowith2malletsVibesuses4malletstocomp

2. TenorSaxplaystheleadline,great,easytone.Cooljazz.JimmyHeathisusingmelodicandharmonicmaterialfromthetuneinabeautifullymasterfulmanner.

3. ThePianoiscompingbehindthetenorsolo.Thevibesarerestingduringthistime.

NOTE:thetwocompinginstruments,pianoandvibesarecooperatingandnotdoublingupcompingduties.

4. Becausethevibesareplayingmelodicideaswhilethepianoiscompingwithchordal

harmonies.

5. Thesolostypicallybuildtensionbystartingfairlysimply—easyrhythms,fragmentsofmelody,andthenusemorecomplexrhythms,longerlines,repeatednotes,higherregister,andlouderdynamicstobuildexcitementandenergy.

6. Thedrummerbuildsintensitywithmoreandmorecomplexrhythms,switchingfrom

brushestosticksandamoreliberaluseofcymbals.

7. Drumscutdowntojustonecymbalduringthestartofthebasssolo.Asthebasssolobecamemorerhythmicallyenergetic,thedrummerusedsticksontherimstomatchthedouble-timefigures.Oncethebasssettledbackintoregulartime,thedrummerchangedbacktocymbal—nicesymmetryinbothplayersapproach.

8. JimmyHeathissignalingforthedrummertotrade“8s”ratherthantrading4bar

phrases,whichisperhapsmorecommon.Thismeansthevibesplays8barsimprovsoloontheform,followedbyan8bardrumsolo,thentenorsax,thendrums,thenvibes,thedrumsagain.(Thetenorthenplayedtheheadofthechartasthetunewindsdown.)