SOTM SOTM December 2024 - Born to Be Blue

rhysonsax

rhysonsax

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@Jeanette has asked me to choose a tune for December and host the SOTM thread. The song I have selected is "Born to Be Blue" which was written by Mel Torme and Robert Wells. It works well at a range of slow tempos from about 50bpm to 80bpm and there are some great saxophone recordings as well as vocal recordings. It is a 32 bar tune with AABA structure.

I have put together sheet music in concert pitch and for Bb and Eb transposing instruments. And those same parts will work with various backing tracks that I have made and uploaded to the same FileSharing directory: Box

The backing tracks I have provided are:
  • One at 70bpm to match Chet's recording with piano and pizzicato string samples playing the Kenny Burrell guitar line that I transcribed.
    • The structure is a SEVEN bar intro, followed by AABA head, then an 8 bar piano solo on an A section and then voice/horn back on the bridge and the final A section with the last line being repeated a few times to fade (listen to Chet)
  • One at 66bpm with a bluesy organ backing, straight into the head and just two choruses
  • One at 51bpm with piano trio RealTracks from Band in a Box, straight into the head and two choruses. The second chorus starts in double time for the AAB and then reverts to the original tempo for the final A.
  • One at 65bpm with YouTube's "Mr Sunnybass" on double bass with "RealTrack" vibraphone and drums from Band in a Box. This follows Mr Sunnybass's structure, so straight into the head, three choruses in total and the final vocal line is played three time to finish.
As always, you can use these backing tracks and lead sheets or others that you source yourselves. But don't get confused and play other songs with the same title - e.g. by The Mavericks or The Judds.

To get your creative juices flowing here are a couple of fine vocal recordings:

Chet Baker with Bobby Scott (piano) and Kenny Burrell (guitar) for company:
View: https://youtu.be/yUnjR_aXeA8?si=Z8ad-INWDzHifc2i


Joan Viskant accompanied by Derek Nash (baritone sax), Mick Bishop (piano), Geoff Gascoyne (bass), Rod Brown (drums):
View: https://youtu.be/a6BsIH3nwuM?si=kOReHFejl69tPHwN


Any questions, just post them here.

Rhys
 
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And here are some more of my favourite recordings, starting with a lovely version by Wes Montgomery (different key).

View: https://youtu.be/0ktQ5LHYZ2s?si=dk_p-bJ-9PbKC1VO


James Carter on soprano sax. This is a tone down on my chosen key:
View: https://youtu.be/2DYxsmawiWA?si=enzkBI3YJQZ3a5mu


Eddie Harris on tenor sax.
View: https://youtu.be/DdV6zlP3kyc?si=vzVYvcvv1LVRIrKu


Stan Getz on tenor with strings:
View: https://youtu.be/rgiXcEvpi8U?si=FXmnQwzL6lQ2Yp6k


Looking forward to hearing what forum members do with this tune.

Rhys
 
I love this song and am very familiar with the Chet Baker and Mel Torme version. I was eager to try this so I recorded a take. This is my first time going through the song. I fudged some lines here and there and felt like some notes were off pitch but most were okay.

btbb.wav

(file takes a minute to load)
 
Very nicely done, @rhysonsax , downloaded all your files, am looking them over now. This IMO is a good tune as the tempo is relaxing enough that it gives the newbie a chance to capture the tune, but chord progression is good for the advanced player to really have a lot of fun with it.

I particularly like both the backing version with vibraphone and the other with rhythm organ. It makes me feel like I am in corner of a small club in a small combo with people chatting and just enjoying the music. Both of these are very well done. :thumbs:
 
Great choice, @rhysonsax! for all the reasons that @ghostler gave.

It's been many years since I posted anything. Mostly due to 'personal circumstances (moving a couple of times to shared accomodation not conducive to home sax playing or recording. But this is a tune that certainly appeals to me!

Being musically 'otherwise occupied' in December, I'm only just seeing this thread (thanks to @ghostler's 'bump' yesterday). I have another gig coming up on January 4, so I'm not going to be able to meet the 31 Dec. deadline*

My guess is that December is a busy month for most people. Which might be a factor in this thread not taking off with as many responses as you'd hoped for (and IMHO deserved!)

Just a thought off the top of my head: perhaps you could discuss with @Jeanette whether it would be worthwhile extending your 'December' choice into January. Just to give people (like me) who were 'busy' in December a bit more time. TBH, your (very accessible and well-supported choice) doesn't IMHO fully explain the lack of responses.

* It's been so long since I recorded anything that I can't even find the power cord for my H4n Zoom recorder. I just hope that it wasn't one of the various 'unused' cables that I threw out some time ago 🙁. If so, I'll have to find a replacement.
 
Thankfully I see this as a courtesy versus a contest. In the past there were a few others who posted their take past the month offered, sometimes even a couple months after. (I think it perfectly acceptable if should say, look back, a bit of inspiration hits him or her, then goes back to one say even a year or two prior.)

Also it gives the creator of this event a little leeway to fit schedules, so it doesn't IMO have to be released on the very first day of the month, can even IMO be released a few days after the 1st or a few days before the first.

Even in one of those rough month situations, I would not mind a week before or after. (Sometimes due to schedules, travel, holiday, weather, family or self illness, work, family situation, emergency house or car repair, etc., the coordinator of this effort should be afforded some slack. An explanation included helps others see why.) 🙂
 
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