9/23/2018 Outline • Biography of Erroll Garner A Classic from Pittsburgh • Analysis of Misty Module 7 of Music: Under the Hood John Hooker Carnegie Mellon University Osher Course September 2018 1 2 Biography Biography • Erroll Garner, 1923-1977 • Education – Pittsburgh native – Attended George Westinghouse High School • Watched his older siblings take piano lessons. • As did Billy Strayhorn and Ahmad Jamal! • Started playing age 3. • Band director • Memorized classical compositions his siblings studied. advised against lessons. • Fits stereotype of self-taught jazz composer who cannot read music. • This is actually rare. 3 4 Biography Biography • Early experience • Musical career – In Pittsburgh… – Known for prodigious memory and flawless • Played on KDKA at age 7 improvisations. • Played on Allegheny • When recording, one take was riverboats at age 11 enough. • Played with saxophonist • 1955 recording Concert by the Leroy Brown at age 14 Sea was best-selling jazz album – Moved to New York City, of the day. age 21 – His song Misty became a • Played with legendary jazz standard. Charlie Parker at age 24 – Appeared frequently on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show . Charlie Parker 5 6 1 9/23/2018 Original sheet Misty music • Originally composed for piano, 1954 Audio file – First recorded in Garner’s album Contrasts , 1955 • Popularized by Johnny Mathis – Using lyrics by Johnny Burke • Used in film Play Misty for Me , 1971 – Directed by Clint Eastwood • A jazz standard – Garner’s best known song Johnny Mathis recording Misty , 1959 7 8 Misty Audio file (Erroll Garner at piano) • What makes it work? A guess: – Classical structure • AABA form • Standard key sequence – Appealing melody – Reliance on standard jazz progression • I-vi-ii-V-I or ii-V-I • But with very interesting harmonic variations 9 10 Exposition Classic form (repeat) I V I Audio file Development Exposition v IV I IV II V I V Recapitulation I IV Exposition (repeat) I IV I V I 11 12 2 9/23/2018 Appealing Melody Audio file Db to C Jump of minor 7 th C to Bb Eb to Db D to C Naturally shaped D to C to Bb melody due to descending notes Jump of major 7 th Bb to Ab Ab to G Eb to D Jump of major 7 th to 9th in minor 7-9 chord Jump of minor 7 th to 9th in minor 7-9 chord 13 14 Audio file Audio file Harmony can be explained as a series of I-vi-ii-V-I (or ii-V-I) riffs Riff = a frequently used chord progression Ab: ii 79 V7 I6 Gb: ii 79 V79 (I) Exposition Basic jazz progression Jazzed up a bit I vi 7 ii7 V7 II6 vi 7 ii 79 V79 I6 Some say Db results from Eb: I79 vi ii 7 V7o9 (I) Eb: II 79 V67 Imaj7 modal interchange with mixolydian Major triad (I) = deceptive cadence 79 7 6 Minor 7 Ab: ii V I Gb: ii 79 V79 (I) Dominant 7 Exposition Improvisation relies on combining licks and riffs (repeat) Lick = a frequently used sequence of notes 15 16 Exposition 79 7 7 (repeat) Eb: I vi ii V I Development Ab: ii 7 V7 I6 G: ii 47 V7 i79 Ab: ii 79 V7 I6 Gb: ii 79 V79 (I) Recapitulation (I) = deceptive cadence Eb: I79 vi ii 7V7 I 17 3.