Double Bass John Scofield on Giant Steps

[Sam Sherry]

I used to hate playing this tune. Then I realized that this was because I didn’t know it very well and couldn’t play it well at all, and this made me look stupid whenever it got called. Later, I learned to play it to avoid looking dumb. I still don’t enjoy playing it 98 times out of 100 and inwardly roll my eyes when some sax player calls it - and it’s always a sax player (or a drummer) who calls it - but by learning to play it passably I feel like I’ve earned the right to the inward eye roll.

Giant Steps is one of a small handful of tunes which I had to memorize and continue to play based on memorization rather than internalizing. "B D G Bb Eb" just about all the way through, just about every time.

One reason that's funny is that I play it pretty often. Two weeks from now I will be debuting lyrics to a robust love song to my spouse over Giant Steps changes, and I'm still calling them out internally!

Here’s a solid bossa take with {Pat Metheny,} Larry Grenadier and Bill Stewart.

Yeah, that's what our quartet drew our performance from and that's what I wrote those love-song lyrics to.
I hope she likes it. Heck, I hope she comes to [This invalid link has been removed]!

 

[ryco]

just for fun

 

[Ed Fuqua]

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[bass player 53]

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Unfortunately, for most of the general public, this is what all jazz sounds like.

 

[bass player 53]

I played a few tunes from this album for a non- musician work colleague, and his response was “I liked it until after the melody.”

 

[damonsmith]

It is historic for the right reasons. It is an incredible exercise. It is a fantastic teaching tool for learning how to walk through a lot of changes.
Fixating on it is a misunderstanding of Coltrane's work. It is a "theoretical mid-point" between bodies of more finished work.
It was him "trying on" bringing the whole group with him on his harmonic explorations when in fact he later settled on leaving the piano and bass behind as more solid reference point to measure how far away he goes and how it resolves when he "comes back" while only bring the drummer along for the ride. This system was more musical - even though it got more out - because of the clarity.

Scofield is stating the obvious, but 100% correct that bebop & post bebop soloing is going to be more musical on 32 bar standards. Those systems are made for those forms which is they work best in that context.

 

[koricancowboy]

I used to hate playing this tune. Then I realized that this was because I didn’t know it very well and couldn’t play it well at all, and this made me look stupid whenever it got called.

Most people I’ve spoken to that $#!+ on this tune are at this point. There’s a something, something this is an important tune but it’s not good sort of statement then when pressed to play it or explain it, there’s radio silence. They haven’t studied it or have studied it very little and gave up when they couldn’t get it.

I find it akin to say studying English literature. You may not like it but if you don’t understand Finnegan’s Wake or Ulysses, you’re missing out on a very integral part of the totality of the subject.

Learning for professional engagements and learning to learn more about the language are not always synonymous. If you’re never gonna play anything beyond 1955, you’re probably good. If you’re never going to play over changes you’re probably good too. This tune really helped me understand, (and still does) how to navigate the harmonic maps contained within the canon. I don’t ever call it or really love playing it but I have some understanding of it and can navigate the waters rather than crashing into and iceberg.