Donna Lee phrasing

[ole Jason]

I'm working this one up for a recital with a few guys and they want me to take the head the first time through with everyone else. When I learned this on my own awhile back I learned it without slurring anything. The guitarist slurs pretty much everything unless he changes strings and I'm finding it a bit awkward doing the same slurs as him. How have you guys played it with a group? We're going to take it around 240 to the quarter so the slurs may get easier as I work it up to that tempo, just wondering what you guys have done.

 

[ConU]

240 is too fast IMO,I find it does'nt "speak" at that tempo,where did Jaco do it,around 210 I think.I've played it a few times in group situations around 210-220 and tried to use as few slurs as possible when playing the head and doubling with a sax.

 

[Christopher]

It might not be a good idea to follow the guitarist's phrasing to the letter. That piece has a lot of notes, and without clean articulation of most of the notes, it'll start to sound like mud.

 

[ole Jason]

240 is too fast if you ask me too! It's not my recital though so I just do what I'm told. I'll just try it both ways. I'm playing it with no slurs as of right now, haven't had a chance to try it with the group though.

 

[ConU]

You could still mention to the group that you think it's too fast.Ensembles in the jazz world work best under a democracy,a good lesson for young players to learn.
If the group is being supervised by a teacher,it's his responsibility to correct the tempo based on his experience.
Bop tunes require precise articulation to generate a musical performance for the audience,which is the goal of the recital.
At that tempo with a group of inexperienced players it will be difficult.

 

[ole Jason]

Who said we're unexperienced?

I was just wondering what kind of experience others have had playing it with a group.