Double Bass Autumn Leaves in 3

[DrCannabass]

Got a winter recording project with my jazz trio, and we're doing some lesser known standards that haven't been over-recorded throughout the ages. But we got hung up trying to find a waltz.

So I got to thinking, how about "Autumn Leaves" in 3? I know we've done this at jam sessions before, but has anyone ever recorded and released a version of the song in 3/4 time?

 

[DrCannabass]

Should maybe move this thread to Recordings, as that is what I'm actually looking for.

 

[Carl Hillman]

Got a winter recording project with my jazz trio, and we're doing some lesser known standards that haven't been over-recorded throughout the ages. But we got hung up trying to find a waltz.

So I got to thinking, how about "Autumn Leaves" in 3? I know we've done this at jam sessions before, but has anyone ever recorded and released a version of the song in 3/4 time?

I haven't heard Autumn Leaves as a waltz, but I've played All The Things You Are in 3, and I actually like it better that way.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

We'll gloss over the juxtaposition of "lesser known standards" and "Autumn Leaves" for a moment and focus a little more on the "can't find a waltz". There are so many to choose from,
Jitterbug Waltz
Bluesette
Waltz for Debbie
Summer in Central Park
Emily
Lotus Blossom
Falling In Love With Love
Up Jumped Spring
Tenderly
Out of This World
Baubles, Bangles, and Beads
Boy, What a Night
Gary's Notebook
Valse Hot
Wildflower
Night Dreamer

i have to run out, but that's just off the top of my head....

 

[SteveC]

 

[DrCannabass]

We'll gloss over the juxtaposition of "lesser known standards" and "Autumn Leaves" for a moment and focus a little more on the "can't find a waltz". There are so many to choose from,
Jitterbug Waltz
Bluesette
Waltz for Debbie
Summer in Central Park
Emily
Lotus Blossom
Falling In Love With Love
Up Jumped Spring
Tenderly
Out of This World
Baubles, Bangles, and Beads
Boy, What a Night
Gary's Notebook
Valse Hot
Wildflower
Night Dreamer

i have to run out, but that's just off the top of my head....

Good ones! Couple of my faves in there (Bluesette, Up Jumped Spring).

I guess what we're running into is what can we play that is in the guitar player's bag. He's a big Wes-head. Also, maybe considering Autumn Leaves to be more of a touchstone since the other tunes are lesser known, but doing it with a twist

 

[DrCannabass]

Yeah, found that one, too. The arrangement is a little out there, not quite what I'm hearing in my head

 

[Wasnex]

My Favorite Things - John Coltrane [FULL VERSION] HQ - YouTube

Real Book changes:

 

[Don Hergert]

Problem with 3'ing A-L is that you have to compress everything but the last note of the measure in order to keep the harmonies right, and that makes it off-the-wall to sing. Do you have a vocalist that you have to worry about?

If not, instrumental should be fun.

 

[statsc]

A Child is Born

 

[AGCurry]

I like to do this, i.e., change time signatures. There's often an interesting way to make it work, and it can breathe new life into an exhausted standard.
As an aside, I don't like hearing "Amazing Grace" because it's done so often ... but put it in a medium-uptempo Bluegrass 2/4 and it's fresh again.

 

[Steven Ayres]

I can pretty naturally play AL in 6.

 

[CaseyVancouver]

I don’t recall ever playing AL in three.

BUT …at a trio gig (clarinet, guitar, bass) we had an attractive older lady ask, in perfect English, to sing it.
No way we were going to say no. What came next surprised everybody.

She sang it in French and had a fantastic voice. Blew everybody away with the beauty of her voice.

 

[DrCannabass]

Problem with 3'ing A-L is that you have to compress everything but the last note of the measure in order to keep the harmonies right, and that makes it off-the-wall to sing. Do you have a vocalist that you have to worry about?

If not, instrumental should be fun.

I think the melody works in 3 if the pickup notes become, " & 3 & 1". Then it's just 3 beats per chord change. I'm feeling it in the neighborhood of 200 bpm.

Feels pretty natural, and there are places to really play off the 4-over-3 rhythmic ideas, especially throwing in some ii-V's with it.

Thank goodness, no vocalist on this project. Just bass, drums, & guitar.

 

[DrCannabass]

My Favorite Things - John Coltrane [FULL VERSION] HQ - YouTube

Real Book changes:
View attachment 4483188

This one can get messy at a jam. I remember playing this on my buddies sax recital and in the dress rehearsal, his committee chair, Henry Butler (RIP), saying, "I wish I could hear one of you playing the changes!" HA!

 

[DrCannabass]

I don’t recall ever playing AL in three.

BUT …at a trio gig (clarinet, guitar, bass) we had an attractive older lady ask, in perfect English, to sing it.
No way we were going to say no. What came next surprised everybody.

She sang it in French and had a fantastic voice. Blew everybody away with the beauty of her voice.

Yes. Attractive ladies singing anything in French would captivate me completely!

 

[knirirr]

My Favorite Things - John Coltrane [FULL VERSION] HQ - YouTube

Grant Green did a nice version of that, which may appeal to the OP's guitarist:

 

[Groove Doctor]

I’m hearing a swing 3/4 with the melody phrasing….

A section syncopated
(1) & . & . & | 1


B section
2 3 | 1 2 & . . | . 2 3 | 1 [rpt]

2 3 | 1 2 &. . & | 1 . 3 | 1 . &
| Miss you most of | all . my | dar-ling

Last 2 lines syncopated as per A Section

 

[Ed Fuqua]

Good ones! Couple of my faves in there (Bluesette, Up Jumped Spring).

I guess what we're running into is what can we play that is in the guitar player's bag. He's a big Wes-head. Also, maybe considering Autumn Leaves to be more of a touchstone since the other tunes are lesser known, but doing it with a twist

And he didn’t call West Coast Blues?

 

[shwashwa]

why would you do that ?! playing in 3 is 25% more difficult than playing in 4... if you want to make it easier, you can make each measure of the tune into 2 measures of 3, essentially converting it to 6/4, which would be 50% easier.