Transcription and Analysis of Selected Trombone Solos from J. J
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
University of Miami Scholarly Repository Open Access Dissertations Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2009-12-16 Transcription and Analysis of Selected Trombone Solos from J. J. Johnson's 1964 Recording Proof Positive Rodney Allen Lancaster University of Miami, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarlyrepository.miami.edu/oa_dissertations Recommended Citation Lancaster, Rodney Allen, "Transcription and Analysis of Selected Trombone Solos from J. J. Johnson's 1964 Recording Proof Positive" (2009). Open Access Dissertations. Paper 332. This Open access is brought to you for free and open access by the Electronic Theses and Dissertations at Scholarly Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Open Access Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI TRANSCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF SELECTED TROMBONE SOLOS FROM J. J. JOHNSON’S 1964 RECORDING PROOF POSITIVE By Rodney Allen Lancaster A DOCTORAL ESSAY Submitted to the Faculty of the University of Miami in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts Coral Gables, Florida December 2009 ©2009 Rodney Allen Lancaster All Rights Reserved UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI A doctoral essay submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts TRANSCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF SELECTED TROMBONE SOLOS FROM J. J. JOHNSON’S 1964 RECORDING PROOF POSITIVE Rodney Allen Lancaster Approved: ________________ _________________ John Olah, M.M Terri A. Scandura, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Tuba Dean of the Graduate School ________________ _________________ Dante Luciani, M.M. Paul Wilson, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Jazz Brass Professor of Music Theory ________________ Lawrence Lapin, M.M. Professor of Studio Music and Jazz LANCASTER, RODNEY ALLEN (D.M.A., Jazz Performance) Transcription and Analysis of Selected Trombone Solos (December 2009) from J. J. Johnson’s 1964 Recording Proof Positive. Abstract of a doctoral essay at the University of Miami. Doctoral essay supervised by Professor Dante Luciani. No. of pages in text. (116) The purposes of the essay are to transcribe and analyze selected solos from the 1964 J. J. Johnson recording, Proof Positive as well as to increase the amount of analytical literature on J. J. Johnson presently obtainable for study by jazz trombonists. J. J. Johnson will further be affirmed as a jazz musician worthy of doctoral level study. Selected solos from the 1964 J. J. Johnson recording Proof Positive will be transcribed and analyzed in depth using a method of analysis incorporating improvisational devices identified by the author. A brief biography of J. J. Johnson is presented along with a review of jazz trombone history in order to provide perspective. A review of related literature will be provided as well. The study will be limited to those solos that meet a selection criterion. The specific solos that were selected met the standard of containing a substantial number of Johnson’s characteristic improvisational devices. Melody, harmony, rhythm, and stylistic inflection within each solo are discussed in detail and musical examples from the improvisations are cited to provide emphasis. The 1964 J. J. Johnson recording, Proof Positive was chosen for transcription and analysis due to its historical significance as a seminal recording and for the fact that only “Stella by Starlight” has been published. The remaining trombone solos have not yet been readily made available for study. DEDICATION This doctoral essay is dedicated to my son, Bobby Lancaster. You are a constant source of inspiration to me. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I first must thank my parents, Robert and Dorothy Lancaster for their unwavering support of all aspects of my creative life over the years. Thanks also to Aya Makino Lancaster and Bobby Lancaster for their loving encouragement day in and out. Thank you to Whit Sidener and Dante Luciani, for encouraging me to pursue the Doctor of Musical Arts degree and providing their ongoing support. Thank you to the members of my committee, for all of their time and efforts. Special thanks to Dr. Rachel Lebon for her confidence in me and my writing. To David Baker for the time he spent with me talking about his dear friend, J. J. Johnson. I am grateful. I would also like to thank all of the great musicians whom I had the chance to play with and conduct while in residence at the University of Miami. Thanks to the wonderful University of Miami faculty as well. Special thanks to Don Coffman, whom I greatly admire for his bass playing and knowledge of jazz history; Doug Bickel, who taught me to simplify my style by asking me to transcribe myself; Dante Luciani, who is simply one of the finest jazz trombonists. I would like to thank my past teachers for sharing their knowledge with me. They include: Pat Keller, Rodger Cody, Bernard Schneider, Don Jacoby, Neil Slater, Jim Riggs, Vern Kagerice, John Osborne, Jack Gale, John Mosca, John Marcellus, David Waters, Jeff Thomas, David Taylor, Charles Campbell, and Dante Luciani. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES .............................................................................. vii Chapter 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................ 2 Need for the Study ........................................................................................... 4 Method ............................................................................................................. 5 Transcription Procedure ................................................................................... 5 2. Review of Related Literature ........................................................................... 7 Solo Selection Process ..................................................................................... 12 3. An Introduction to Jazz Trombone History ..................................................... 13 4. Biographical Information ................................................................................. 29 5. Idiomatic devices ............................................................................................. 36 Scoop.......................................................................................................... 37 Fall off ........................................................................................................ 37 Attack ......................................................................................................... 37 Vibrato ....................................................................................................... 38 6. “Stella by Starlight” ......................................................................................... 39 7. “Lullaby of Jazzland” ...................................................................................... 53 8. “Minor Blues” .................................................................................................. 64 9. Primary Influences ........................................................................................... 82 10. Comments on the Improvisational Techniques ................................................ 85 Antecedent and Consequent melodic relationships ................................... 85 Sequence and Repetition ............................................................................ 85 Rhythmic devices ....................................................................................... 86 Pervasive rhythm ....................................................................................... 87 v Melody ....................................................................................................... 89 Scale choices .............................................................................................. 90 Final Statement ...................................................................................................... 92 BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................. 94 Improvisational Devices Defined .......................................................................... 97 Appendix .............................................................................................................. 101 “Stella by Starlight” ................................................................................... 102 “Lullaby of Jazzland” ................................................................................ 107 “Minor Blues” ............................................................................................ 110 vi LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES Example Page 6.1. J. J. Johnson, “Stella by Starlight” improvisation, mm. 39 – 40 ............. 39 6.2. J. J. Johnson, “Stella by Starlight” melody, mm. 9 – 16 .......................... 40 6.3. J. J. Johnson, “Stella by Starlight” improvisation, mm. 41 – 48 ............. 40 6.4. J. J. Johnson, “Stella by Starlight” improvisation, mm. 44 – 45 ............. 41 6.5. J. J. Johnson, “Stella by Starlight” improvisation, mm. 47 ..................... 41 6.6. J. J. Johnson, “Stella by Starlight” improvisation, mm. 48 – 51 ............. 42 6.7. J. J. Johnson, “Stella by Starlight” melody, mm. 41 – 43 ........................ 43 6.8. J. J. Johnson, “Stella by