Cherokee (Two Pianos) - Transcription

CHEROKEE (TWO PIANOS) - TRANSCRIPTION

Jazz standard by Ray Noble.

Brilliant improvisation by pianists Olaf Polziehn and Rossano Sportiello.

This has now been transcribed by The Geometric Pianist!

See also earlier post on this piece here.

Sleigh Ride (Two Pianos) - Transcription

SLEIGH RIDE
(TWO PIANOS)

Brilliant jazz improvisation by Stanley Collins (2012) on this festive favourite. 

Original composed by Leroy Anderson (1948).

Featured in earlier blog entry here.

Recently transcribed by The Geometric Pianist!




Transcription by The Geometric Pianist (2018)
with running score.

Original Version here:

Stanley Collins (2012) - Two-Piano

An exhilarating, invigorating and refreshingly jazzy take on this classic.

Very tight two-piano chordwork and voicing. 

Exciting reharmonization and rhythmic ideas.

Melodic and temporal fidelity preserved amidst jazz complexity.

A brilliant arrangement and performance!

(comments above from earlier blog entry) 

 

NAMM

NAMM

Annual Trade Show of the National Association of Music Merchants
Wiki entry here.

 Some very impressive jam sessions on keyboards.
Featuring clips by the immensely talented Cory Henry of Snarky Puppy.





Highlight

Cory Henry and Nick Semrad - NORD (NAMM 2016)
I Don't Feel No Ways Tired
Cory Henry on Nord C2D Organ, Nick Semrad on Nord 3 Piano
Amazing two-keyboard combination.
Tight chordwork by Nick.
Exhilarating riffs by Cory.
Look out for interesting structural shifts from 3:06.

Chorinho

Chorinho

By American jazz pianist Lyle Mays.
Catchy moto perpetuo riffs
with energetic Brazilian rhythm.

Interesting chord changes.
Lots of tricky syncopation.

Lyle Mays - Piano/Jazz Quartet
By the composer himself.
Amazing technique and mastery of touch.
Very creative improvisation of riffs.

Billie's Bounce

Billie's Bounce

Jazz standard with blues progression.

Written by Charlie Parker in 1945.

Wiki entry here.

Favourite Two-Piano Arrangements/Improvisations

(this post is inspired by the amazing concert of piano duos/trios/
 at the recent Malaysian Jazz Piano Festival 2017)

Favourite Two-Piano Arrangements/Improvisations

Here are some of my favourite two-piano pieces/arrangements/improvisations. 

Some of these have been featured in previous posts. 

More Samba! (One Note Samba, I Go To Rio, Mas Que Nada)

This post is in conjunction with the Rio Olympics 2016.

(Ambigram of Rio2016 Olympics logo from 

https://twitter.com/hypergeometricx/status/765473293126111232)

In the spirit of the Rio Olympics, 
here are more catchy sambas,
in addition to the previous post on Aquarela do Brasil.

Enjoy!

Royal Garden Blues

Royal Garden Blues (1919)
Dixieland Jazz Standard
Composed by Clarence Williams and Spencer Williams

Wiki link here.

Tiger Rag

Tiger Rag
(1917)

Traditional Jazz Standard.

Wiki link here.

Sleigh Ride

Sleigh Ride

In the spirit of the Christmas season

 here's a post on this seasonal favourite.

Composed by Leroy Anderson in 1948.
Very catchy song. Nice obbligato lines.

Harmonic structure based on repeating cycle of fifths.
Allows many opportunities for reharmonisation. 
(transcription format below highlights the harmonic symmetry)

Can't Take My Eyes Off You

Can't Take My Eyes Off You

Classic oldie. Still popular today.

Very catchy. Cycle of Fifths.

Wikipedia link here.

Cherokee

Cherokee

Jazz standard by Ray Noble, published in 1938.

Pentatonic melody, with long notes.
Opens up opportunities for reharmonisation.

Second section has interesting chromatic modulation through IIm⁷-V⁷-I sequence.

(for illustration only)

'S Wonderful

'S Wonderful is a popular jazz standard by the great American composer George Gershwin (see Wikipedia entry here).

Originally written for the Broadway musical Funny Face in 1927, this song was also included in the 1951 movie An American in Paris.  Although the melody line is relatively straightforward, its layout opens up many possibilities for different chord permutations, resulting in many interesting reharmonizations.