SOTM SOTM October 2024 - Strasbourg/St. Denis

sax panther

sax panther

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Hi everyone

I’ve been asked to host the SOTM this time, so for October we’ve got Strasbourg St. Denis by Roy Hargrove.

There are lead sheets for Bb and Eb in here, along with a backing track made in Ireal pro (intro, 2x A section, 1x B section then 8 times round for improv). Feel free to use your own backing tracks though if you have them.

Dave Pollack has a much nicer backing track available from the link on his youtube video about this tune, which is worth a watch for tips on how to approach it -
View: https://youtu.be/DWcsGkGGH0g?feature=shared


And here it is from Roy Hargrove:
View: https://youtu.be/XM83V4BD1Bw?feature=shared


Looking forward to listening to your contributions – I’ll be posting one too.
 
mrblackbat said:
Great choice! Roy died for too soon.

I made a recording of this earlier in the year; will do a new one this month though:-
View: https://youtu.be/kguOdur6RhY

You'll probably recognise the backing from Dave's; I'm a member of his Saxophone Success Community, and this was a song of the month there a while back.
Click to expand...
What a great start, thanks for posting! Nice pacing on the improv, chilled start and then building up the energy - something I'm trying to work on. Loved the bit near the end where you pop out the low notes on beat 2.

For the mic comparison - I preferred the Samar.
 
Acan_9526 said:
https://soundcloud.com/alex-nyman-759436259%2Fstrasbourg
View: https://soundcloud.com/alex-nyman-759436259/strasbourg?si=3097c192ee424e928964cef11870878b&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing


Here’s my take on this one. I’ve used alto sax going through a formant filter plus au natural.

If you don’t like fx on sax now is the time to step away.

Many thanks for listening if you have time.

Alex
Click to expand...
That sounds great Alex - I loved the jazzy run at 2:30ish, I replayed that bit several times. If my altissimo was as clean as yours I'd be playing up there all the time, so congratulations on the restraint you show to use it sparingly - it's a treat when it appears! Thanks for posting.
 
Acan_9526 said:
Here’s my take on this one….

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5/4 with a few harmonic changes.

Many thanks for listening if you have time 😎

Alex
Click to expand...

sax panther said:
That sounds great Alex - I loved the jazzy run at 2:30ish, I replayed that bit several times. If my altissimo was as clean as yours I'd be playing up there all the time, so congratulations on the restraint you show to use it sparingly - it's a treat when it appears! Thanks for posting.
Click to expand...
That run at 2:30 also caught my ear, I think partially because the solo had been building, but largely soulful and inside until then, and the that line just hits you with both the increase in speed to double time and the side stepping. Will slow it down and transcribe a little later.

For the effects, whilst it's not my cup of tea, the blend in the head where the natural sax sounds comes through is very nice, and I also like how you can still hear your soulful phrasing in the section at the end, those little swells and so on really come through.

Had a few abortive attempts at this, to this backing. Need to listen to more songs in the style, I'm just not getting it at all. Had something similar with Cold Duck Time recently as well.

@Aleeas going to ask who your choice players to listen and transcribe from in this genre; with some of the phrasing I hear snippets of Grover Washington Jr from say Winelight, but really curious who you like to listen to?
 
Ok I think this is it (Bb transposition, was learning it on tenor.... long way off the pace yet!). The really outside bit is that C#min13 pattern over the Cm7 and Dm7. Sounds very very cool!

Screenshot 2024-10-07 at 15.27.36.jpg
 
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Acan_9526 said:
Nice work Matt 😎
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It's a great line to pick out and try and shed! Be a while for that one yet for me!

Though the transcription side is getting quicker and easier; working on Benny Golson's solo on Killer Joe with the Jazztet today, easy tempo and nothing crazy going on, and I'm finding I'm not needing to slow everything down as much.
 
mrblackbat said:
That run at 2:30 also caught my ear, I think partially because the solo had been building, but largely soulful and inside until then, and the that line just hits you with both the increase in speed to double time and the side stepping. Will slow it down and transcribe a little later.

For the effects, whilst it's not my cup of tea, the blend in the head where the natural sax sounds comes through is very nice, and I also like how you can still hear your soulful phrasing in the section at the end, those little swells and so on really come through.

Had a few abortive attempts at this, to this backing. Need to listen to more songs in the style, I'm just not getting it at all. Had something similar with Cold Duck Time recently as well.

@Aleeas going to ask who your choice players to listen and transcribe from in this genre; with some of the phrasing I hear snippets of Grover Washington Jr from say Winelight, but really curious who you like to listen to?
Click to expand...
I just noticed this reply and I’m thinking it might have been intended for me(?) @aleeas? 🤣 and if so I would have to say I’ve listened to very little of Grover. In terms of listening over the last 10 years I’d also have to say I’ve not listened to much. So I guess what you’re hearing is mostly me. However if I had to suggest players to listen to in this style my first would be Garrett. His strong definitive and melodic lines and his rhythmic style make for a great framework from which to work. Less so Sanborn and the other guys in that vein. As much as I like his playing I’ve only ever taken a few things from it.

Now if @aleeas has a different idea maybe they could interject 😊
 
Hah auto correct doing it's thing there! Oops.

Kenny is certainly on regular rotation for me, and I hear it in your playing in the type of line above, for sure.

I've not listened to much Sanborn or Grover either, just had popped some Grover on last night hand was struck by the swells in his phrasing and how they sounded similar. But also aware that a ) it can be a bit annoying when people say you sound just like x even when they're a great player and b) I frequently get told I sound like guys I've barely listened to ( see above, I should take it as a compliment, but I usually just think perhaps someone wasn't listening properly....
 
mrblackbat said:
Hah auto correct doing it's thing there! Oops.

Kenny is certainly on regular rotation for me, and I hear it in your playing in the type of line above, for sure.

I've not listened to much Sanborn or Grover either, just had popped some Grover on last night hand was struck by the swells in his phrasing and how they sounded similar. But also aware that a ) it can be a bit annoying when people say you sound just like x even when they're a great player and b) I frequently get told I sound like guys I've barely listened to ( see above, I should take it as a compliment, but I usually just think perhaps someone wasn't listening properly....
Click to expand...
Yes the ‘you sound like….’ has followed me for many years. Right back to the 80’s with Sonny Rollins of all people being one of the said comparisons 😳 and I think that’s often because whoever is commenting only knows a few names and that’s one of them. All you can do is say thank you and move on. I’ve got no issue being compared to other players as I’m sure it’s mostly well intentioned and tbh my playing is indicative of my listening/influence history as it is with everyone else. I like the Killer Joe transcript idea and getting some of those lines down for you. Looking forward to hearing them appearing in a different show soon😎
 
Acan_9526 said:
I like the Killer Joe transcript idea and getting some of those lines down for you. Looking forward to hearing them appearing in a different show soon
Click to expand...
There are some bits I definitely want to pull out from there, and then hopefully they'll creep in to my general playing.

I really like both lines Benny starts on the Bb of the C7, so going to be taking those through the 12 keys.
 
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