Thursday, May 5, 2011

Hank Mobley's Solo on "Remember"

If you are trying to develop your vocabulary as a jazz improviser, you'll want to transcribe from other players, hopefully great jazz players. You can do entire solos if you have the time, but you should at the very least take some "licks" from the masters and work them into your own solos. You'll start to see how linear vocabulary works with jazz harmony, and if you really stick with it, it should all snowball into you being able to improvise in a jazz manner. The goal is to have your own sound, or at the very least, being able to "put it in your own words", so to speak. Be that as it may, it can be fun and valuable to transcribe an entire jazz solo. This can give you a sense of the overall structure of a solo, and it's a way for the student to sort of "step into the shoes of a master".

I personally haven't transcribed a lot of solos in their entirety. However, I wanted to share one that I did a few years ago. It's tenor saxophone legend Hank Mobley's solo on Irving Berlin's "Remember", from the classic Mobley album Soul Station (with Wynton Kelly, piano, Paul Chambers, bass, Art Blakey, drums). Here is a link to the recording on youtube. I've known about this album for years, but initially, it was hearing drummer Carl Allen sing this entire solo along with the recording that made me want to transcribe it. The whole album is great, and this solo is great because Mobley's lines make so much sense, and they outline the harmony perfectly.

I think this is a good solo for students because there are many small phrases which could be incorporated easily into one's vocabulary. I have marked some of these phrases in red. It's fun to just follow along while you listen, but the next step would be to learn to play along with the solo, or maybe take some of the small phrases and transpose them to all keys. Keep in mind, that I am not a saxophone player, so there might be some better ways to notate some of the idiosyncratic aspects of the solo. Also, some of the rhythms I had to approximate, because they were not 100 percent falling into western rhythmic notation. This is why it's good to learn solos by ear first, so that you get the organic rhythmic feel of the artist.

The first chorus is obviously the melody of "Remember", with rhythmic interpretation and also some embellishments. Mobley gets right to it with a two bar solo break pick up. There are lot of nice sequences (taking the same idea and repeating it but in a different key), which go well with the descending chromatic chord progression. It's all a really good example of Hard Bop, with a lot of "bebop" lines and some "bluesy" interludes. Around letter J,K, and L, which is the second improvised chorus, Mobley implies double-time, but in a complex way, which made it hard to notate. I mused about different options, and went with what you see here. Hopefully it makes sense. Again, it's best to listen to the solo as you read. I like how bar 120 and 121 have a nice diminished scale idea that feels really natural.


If you see anything that really looks wrong, let me know. I haven't looked at this in a while, and just like the written parts of my blog, I can always use some proofreading. I'm hoping to post more solos in the future, and I'm also hoping to get to some more transcribing this summer. I have a hard time doing entire solos nowadays because I find that I can get a lot of mileage out of even one bar from a masterful solo. But I'll have my keyboard with me on tour, so I'm hoping to get to it. So anyway,  here is Mobley's solo, enjoy!






56 comments:

  1. Impeccable swing while constructing beautiful flowing lines that address harmony throughout!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hank had great rhythm,sound,feel,and harmonic sense, and soul..the whole record is great from star to finish...kudos to the transciber! up an octave for the tenor saxophone....jfn

    ReplyDelete
  3. Børge-Are HalvorsenMay 7, 2011 at 9:24 AM

    Beautiful! And nice work, George! I'm sure a lot of horn players would love to be able to find Bb and Eb transpositions of your trancriptions. :-)

    All the best!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys appears on luscious opener Cream Dream; Beth Ditto bursts a lung or two on Cruel Intentions; Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor lends his talents to the condensed carnival of Bad Blood; and Chris Keating from prog-rock oddballs Yeasayer provides vocals on baffling recent single Audacity of Huge. Also along for the ride are Telepathe, Jamie Lidell and Young Fathers, and each plays a part in the house party album of the season.5 previewLOS ANGELES LIMOUSINE

    ReplyDelete
  5. Also some of the rhythms I had to approximate, because they were not 100 percent falling into western rhythmic notation toilet partitionstop 10 salons in New York

    ReplyDelete
  6. I've known about this album for years, but initially, it was hearing drummer Carl Allen sing this entire solo along with the recording that made me want to transcribe it poptop clutchHome Warranty Companies

    ReplyDelete
  7. I wanted to share one that I did a few years ago. It's tenor saxophone legend Hank Mobley's solo on Irving Berlin's "Remember", from the classic Mobley album Soul Station (with Wynton Kelly, piano, Paul Chambers, bass, Art Blakey, drums) Calibre de Cartier replicaCheap Car Hire In Barbados

    ReplyDelete
  8. The first solid evidence against spontaneous generation came in 1668 from Francesco Redi Data Cabling, Structured Cabling, Network Cabling Installation, who proved that no maggots appeared in meat when flies were prevented from laying eggs charm bracelets.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The discovery of the Kuiper belt in 1992 led many astronomers to debate whether Pluto should be considered a planet in its own right or part of the belt's larger structure.
    Tesco Direct Promotion Codesfrisør majorstua

    ReplyDelete
  10. Tenor saxophone players are few and far between. Hank Mobley's solo is one of the best. Maybe the best.
    Sri Lanka Tours
    Home Warranty Company

    ReplyDelete
  11. I wanted to share one that I did a few years ago. It's tenor saxophone legend Hank Mobley's solo on Irving Berlin's "Remember", from the classic Mobley album Soul Station (with Wynton Kelly, piano, Paul Chambers, bass, Art Blakey, drums)Michele Deco Diamond replicaLeather Lingerie

    ReplyDelete
  12. accounts receivable factoringarticle writing servicesScholastic, the American publisher of the Harry Potter series, launched a multi-million dollar "There will soon be 7" marketing campaign with a "Knight Bus" travelling to 40 libraries across the United States, online fan discussions and competitions, collectible bookmarks, tattoos, and the staged release of seven Deathly Hallows questions most debated by

    ReplyDelete
  13. best banner standsused ophthalmology equipmentI wanted to share one that I did a few years ago. It's tenor saxophone legend Hank Mobley's solo on Irving Berlin's "Remember", from the classic Mobley album Soul Station (with Wynton Kelly, piano, Paul Chambers, bass, Art Blakey, drums)Michele Deco Diamond replicaLeather Lingerie

    ReplyDelete
  14. cash loanGeschirr mietenI wanted to share one that I did a few years ago. It's tenor saxophone legend Hank Mobley's solo on Irving Berlin's "Remember", from the classic Mobley album Soul Station (with Wynton Kelly, piano, Paul Chambers, bass, Art Blakey, drums)Michele Deco Diamond replicaLeather Lingerie

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thank you for the transcribe. Not easy but very rewarding. Me personally, I just copy them off smart guys like you. I am the worst and it makes me feel very unworthy. But I can play pretty good.Car Warranty CompaniesAuto Warranty

    ReplyDelete
  16. dental implants san diegoTop 10 Highest Mountains
    The Norte Chico civilization was a complex Pre-Columbian society that included as many as 30 major population centers in what is now the Norte Chico region of north-central coastal Peru. It is the oldest known civilization in the Americas and one of the six sites where civilization separately originated in the ancient world

    ReplyDelete
  17. online counselingqnet


    Somerset is a county in South West England. The county town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county. The ceremonial county of Somerset borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-wes

    ReplyDelete
  18. Arcadia Home CareConstruction Accident Attorney New York City



    The show's premise originated with Paul Attanasio, while David Shore, who is credited as creator, was primarily responsible for the conception of the title character. It is largely filmed in Century City. House often clashes with his fellow physicians, including his own diagnostic team, because many of his hypotheses about patients' illnesses are based on subtle or controversial insights

    ReplyDelete
  19. Real estate naples floridaDAN CORNER

    The anthropomorphic mouse has evolved from being simply a character in animated cartoons and comic strips to become one of the most recognizable symbols in the world. Mickey is currently the main character in the Disney Channel's Disney Junior series "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse". Mickey is the leader of The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, with help from Minny Mouse, Donald Duck, and other friendly friends of his.

    ReplyDelete
  20. mobile phonesHandy Akkus


    Her public duties were restricted to uncontroversial involvement in charitable work. On the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, Albert Edward became King-Emperor as Edward VII, with Alexandra as Queen-Empress consort. From Edward's death in 1910 until her own death, she was the Queen Mother, being a queen and the mother of the reigning monarch, George V. She greatly distrusted her nephew, German Emperor Wilhelm II and supported her son during World War I.

    ReplyDelete
  21. compare travel insuranceporcelain marker boards

    One pagoda is making a huge difference, providing shelter and education for children who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity.

    ReplyDelete
  22. text freeit repair


    A finalist in the 2003 Clemenger Contemporary Art Award, Kumentje won the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award in 2008. Her work was shown in the major Indigenous art exhibition Papunya Tula: Genesis and Genius, at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Working in synthetic polymer on linen or canvas

    ReplyDelete
  23. cursos guionOptoma HD projector


    In order to ensure the safety for students, communal officials have recently arranged communal houses as classes for 46 students from grades 1 to 2. The move has helped reduce the number of absences, he noted.

    ReplyDelete
  24. register domain namesCash Back Credit Cards


    It doesn't make sense
    That you should have a broken heart
    If I were the only one
    I'd never let you fall apart
    You're the kind of woman
    That needs a man with lots of cash
    With a stack of major credit cards

    ReplyDelete
  25. Boston Physical Therapyauto véhicule automobile

    After a quick tour of the girls’ tent, which was slightly smaller than the boys’, though without the smell of cats, Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off across the campsite with the kettle and saucepans.

    ReplyDelete
  26. hair again by john kelby

    Kitchen Accessories


    Gillingham F.C. is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium. In the 2008–09 season, the club was promoted to Football League One after victory over Shrewsbury Town in the League Two play-off final; however, they were relegated back into the basement division the following season. The club was founded in 1893 and joined the Football League in 1920. They were voted out of the league in favour of Ipswich Town at the end of the 1937–38 season, but returned to it 12 years later after it was expanded from 88 to 92 clubs.

    ReplyDelete
  27. free resume analysisamplifiers


    Zeus was the child of Cronus and Rhea, and the youngest of his siblings. In most traditions he was married to Hera, although, at the oracle of Dodona, his consort was Dione: according to the Iliad, he is the father of Aphrodite by Dione.He is known for his erotic escapades. These resulted in many godly and heroic offspring, including Athena, Apollo and Artemis, Hermes

    ReplyDelete
  28. Ergo carrier organicevening dresses


    The show's premise originated with Paul Attanasio, while David Shore, who is credited as creator, was primarily responsible for the conception of the title character. It is largely filmed in Century City. House often clashes with his fellow physicians, including his own diagnostic team, because many of his hypotheses about patients' illnesses are based on subtle or controversial insights

    ReplyDelete
  29. Buick AC Compressorroofing Portland OR


    "Doomsday" is the thirteenth and final episode in the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on 8 July 2006 and is the conclusion of a two-part story; the first part, "Army of Ghosts", was broadcast on 1 July 2006

    ReplyDelete
  30. seo article writingBoston Web Designer

    Alexander of Lincoln was a medieval English Bishop of Lincoln. He was the nephew of Roger of Salisbury, a Bishop of Salisbury and Chancellor of England under King Henry I, and was also related to Nigel, Bishop of Ely. Unlike his relatives, he held no office in the government before his appointment as Bishop of Lincoln in 1123

    ReplyDelete
  31. rolex replicasvaporizers


    Phil Hartman (1948–1998) was a Canadian-born American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and graphic artist. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Hartman and his family immigrated to the United States when he was ten. After graduating from California State University, Northridge with a degree in graphic arts, he designed album covers for bands such as Poco and America. Hartman joined the comedy group The Groundlings in 1975 and there helped comedian Paul Reubens develop his character Pee-wee Herman. Hartman co-wrote the screenplay for the film Pee-wee's Big Adventure and made recurring appearances on Reubens' show Pee-wee's Playhouse

    ReplyDelete
  32. jack jonesbrazilian blowout

    The Norte Chico civilization was a complex Pre-Columbian society that included as many as 30 major population centers in what is now the Norte Chico region of north-central coastal Peru. It is the oldest known civilization in the Americas and one of the six sites where civilization separately originated in the ancient world

    ReplyDelete
  33. carbonfolie aanbrengenelectronic document management system

    Ribose aminooxazoline can then react with cyanoacetylene in a mild and highly efficient manner to give the alpha cytidine ribonucleotide.

    ReplyDelete
  34. cute teen fashionJewish Philanthropy


    It's marketing fluff for the first two minutes, but then it gets interesting. Girl, I'll treat you right
    And I'll never lie
    For all that it's worth
    I give good love (good love, good love, good love, good love)

    ReplyDelete
  35. modular bookcaseFunny Stories

    The Federative Republic of Brazil commonly known as Brazil is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 190 million people. It is the only Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas and the largest lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) country in the world.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Small business IT Supportcannabis vaporizers

    The Federative Republic of Brazil commonly known as Brazil is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 190 million people. It is the only Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas and the largest lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) country in the world.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Fisher Space pens

    Oceanfront homes

    Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an association football player who currently plays for FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team as a forward or winger. Considered one of the best football players of his generation, Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010. His playing style and ability have drawn comparisons to Diego Maradona, who himself declared Messi as his "successor".

    ReplyDelete
  38. Exhibition Displays

    easy diet plan

    Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an association football player who currently plays for FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team as a forward or winger. Considered one of the best football players of his generation, Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010. His playing style and ability have drawn comparisons to Diego Maradona, who himself declared Messi as his "successor".

    ReplyDelete
  39. schoolbordfolie

    lose weight healthy

    Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an association football player who currently plays for FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team as a forward or winger. Considered one of the best football players of his generation, Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010. His playing style and ability have drawn comparisons to Diego Maradona, who himself declared Messi as his "successor".

    ReplyDelete
  40. eat weight loss

    Sandals and Beaches Promo Code


    Her public duties were restricted to uncontroversial involvement in charitable work. On the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, Albert Edward became King-Emperor as Edward VII, with Alexandra as Queen-Empress consort. From Edward's death in 1910 until her own death, she was the Queen Mother, being a queen and the mother of the reigning monarch, George V. She greatly distrusted her nephew, German Emperor Wilhelm II and supported her son during World War I.

    ReplyDelete
  41. In case anyone didn't say this already,
    Bar 127, Beat 3 is C flat or B natural, (not D flat)

    ReplyDelete
  42. 3d folie

    quick way to lose weight

    Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an association football player who currently plays for FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team as a forward or winger. Considered one of the best football players of his generation, Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010. His playing style and ability have drawn comparisons to Diego Maradona, who himself declared Messi as his "successor".

    ReplyDelete
  43. Australia's Indigenous Opal

    Blogs and Artciles

    Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an association football player who currently plays for FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team as a forward or winger. Considered one of the best football players of his generation, Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010. His playing style and ability have drawn comparisons to Diego Maradona, who himself declared Messi as his "successor".

    ReplyDelete
  44. Virgin Experience Days Discount Codes

    Mississauga Condos

    Messi was born in Rosario, Santa Fe, to parents Jorge Horacio Messi, a factory steel worker, and Celia María Cuccittini, a part-time cleaner. His paternal family originates from the Italian city of Ancona, from which his ancestor, Angelo Messi, emigrated to Argentina in 1883. He has two older brothers named Rodrigo and Matías as well as a sister named María Sol. At the age of five, Messi started playing football for Grandoli, a local club coached by his father Jorge Messi was born in Rosario, Santa Fe, to parents Jorge Horacio Messi, a factory steel worker, and Celia María Cuccittini, a part-time cleaner. His paternal family originates from the Italian city of Ancona, from which his ancestor, Angelo Messi, emigrated to Argentina in 1883. He has two older brothers named Rodrigo and Matías as well as a sister named María Sol. At the age of five, Messi started playing football for Grandoli, a local club coached by his father Jorge

    ReplyDelete
  45. it support los angeles

    gehaltsrechner schweiz

    Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an association football player who currently plays for FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team as a forward or winger. Considered one of the best football players of his generation, Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010. His playing style and ability have drawn comparisons to Diego Maradona, who himself declared Messi as his "successor".

    ReplyDelete
  46. In the spring of 1928, Disney asked Ub Iwerks to start drawing up new character ideas. Iwerks tried sketches of various animals, such as dogs and cats, but none of these appealed to Disney. A female cow and male horse were also rejected. They would later turn up as Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horsecollar.A male frog, also rejected, would later show up in Iwerks' own Flip the Frog series. Walt Disney got the inspiration for Mickey Mouse from his old pet mouse he used to have on his farm

    Video Camera Rental Los Angeles

    tin gasoline signs

    ReplyDelete
  47. Providence is the capital of, and the most populous city in, Rhode Island, and one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the estimated third largest city in the New England region. Despite the city proper only having an estimated population of 178,042 as of 2010, it anchors the 37th largest metropolitan population in the country

    vigrx plus Reviews

    Margate Homes

    ReplyDelete
  48. The Holy Thorn Reliquary was probably created in the 1390s in Paris for John, Duke of Berry for a relic of the Crown of Thorns, and entered the British Museum in 1898. It is one of a small number of major goldsmiths' works from the extravagant world of the courts of the Valois royal family around 1400. It is in solid gold, lavishly decorated with jewels and pearls, and contains a total of 28 enamel figures

    movers nyc

    wenden

    ReplyDelete
  49. Disneyland Park is a theme park located in Anaheim, California, owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division of The Walt Disney Company. Known as Disneyland when it opened on July 18, 1955, and still colloquially known by that name, it is the only theme park to be designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. In 1998, the theme park was re-branded "Disneyland Park" to distinguish it from the larger Disneyland Resort complex
    manga

    San Antonio Apartments

    ReplyDelete
  50. weight loss plans

    Dreams Offer Codes


    The Holy Thorn Reliquary was probably created in the 1390s in Paris for John, Duke of Berry for a relic of the Crown of Thorns, and entered the British Museum in 1898. It is one of a small number of major goldsmiths' works from the extravagant world of the courts of the Valois royal family around 1400. It is in solid gold, lavishly decorated with jewels and pearls, and contains a total of 28 enamel figures

    ReplyDelete
  51. eyeglasses frames

    check a person\'s background
    I looked around to ask what happened, if somebody'd known,
    Found no one but living room as a flood.
    Running away by myself on the village road,
    Not knowing where to go but heading for my teacher
    Realizing she's the only one who could help to clear my throat,
    But this time she gave up, telling me strange things in fear.

    ReplyDelete
  52. רואה חשבון יועץ מס

    breitling navitimer world replica

    The Federative Republic of Brazil commonly known as Brazil is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 190 million people. It is the only Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas and the largest lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) country in the world.

    ReplyDelete
  53. T7

    wenden


    Providence is the capital of, and the most populous city in, Rhode Island, and one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the estimated third largest city in the New England region. Despite the city proper only having an estimated population of 178,042 as of 2010, it anchors the 37th largest metropolitan population in the country

    ReplyDelete
  54. stem cell hair

    debug



    Her public duties were restricted to uncontroversial involvement in charitable work. On the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, Albert Edward became King-Emperor as Edward VII, with Alexandra as Queen-Empress consort. From Edward's death in 1910 until her own death, she was the Queen Mother, being a queen and the mother of the reigning monarch, George V. She greatly distrusted her nephew, German Emperor Wilhelm II and supported her son during World War I.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.