August Jazz TOM: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

[Pete Martin]

The August poll winner is Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea. Arrangement is:

HEAD
2 CHORUSES
HEAD
repeat the last 2 bars twice

Music notation and Tab here


Play along mp3 here
Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea play along.mp3

Have fun!

[BluesPreacher]

I've only been exposed to this tune as a uke song a la George Harrison. Tasty arrangement! I know it on uke in a different key; this will be fun!

[Drew Egerton]

Stiernberg has a great version of this one!

[Tom Wright]

Seconding the above.

Donnie played and sang it on his "Mandoboppin!" CD. Really sweet solo chorus and of course great singing.

[Michael Neverisky]

My YouTube playlist for this tune includes a video with Don.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...PxRtMhpfUfyxb_

[des]

I've gone for the Deep Blue Sea - coda courtesy of Charles Trenet. Come on in the water's lovely!

[Michael Neverisky]

Ok, following Des' suggesting and jumping into the Deep Blue Sea!

Jazz improvisation is new to me. It's something I have aspired to for years but never found any traction with it until I picked up the mandolin. Unlike the guitar, the mandolin has a fingerboard that makes sense!

I've been living with this tune for a few weeks now. And I've been listening to Tommy Flanagan play the piano and decided that there's nothing wrong with the liberal use of the pentatonic scale... so there's a bit of that in here. The bebop ideas that Pete has been sharing with us haven't quite made it under my fingers yet... but I'm working on it.

[Lawrence Fullenkamp]

Nice take Michael!! I love your tone and even if you are learning the language you seem relaxed in your playing. Nice work!

I have been listening to a version I found by Donald Byrd. I think the reason that I liked it is because it reminded me of Clifford Brown's Joy Spring. I learned the head to Joy Spring from Don Stiernberg and had been working on soloing when I saw Jordan Ramsey's playing and transcription of Clifford's Trumpet Solo (https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...-on-Joy-Spring) a few years back now.

I heard what I thought we a couple Clifford Brown licks in Donald Byrd's solo. He also ended his solo with a Parker lick that took awhile to place. The sax player also starts his solo with the lick. When I went and listened back to the bass solo I realized it was Au Privave and the bass player quotes a different part of the song, so there is a cool continuity between the quotes in three of the soloists on the take.

[Lawrence Fullenkamp]

Taking Des's advice and diving in. Here is my submission. I was also enjoying listening to a version by Sonny Stitt Featuring Bobby Timmons (they play it in Eb). He plays what sounds to me like a little piece of Swedish Pastry in the intro, a quote from Tenor Madness, and I thought I heard that last bar of Au Privave again. I enjoyed studying the song and learning a few new things even if I couldn't put them all into practice. I do need to work on my outros, Des - I like your La Mer outro!



Thanks, Larry

[Michael Neverisky]

Ok, Larry, I'm stealing some of your licks.

I like the rhythmic variety in each of Des and Larry's takes. I found it challenging to not always simply re-use the rhythm of the original melody and change only the notes. I applaud your creativity.

Listening to the takes now, after having lived with the tune for a few weeks, I can almost see your fingers while I listen. My ear is pretty good with relative pitch, but being so familiar with the tune I can often tell what note is being played. Pretty cool!

[alexheflin]

Sorry I haven't been posting every month! I've been going through some crazy life changes and it's been hard to have the time.

I recorded this one about a year ago though and I thought it was worth sharing.



Hope you all are well.

[des]

Very, very impressive Alex!

[Michael Neverisky]

Delightful! Thanks so much, Alex.

[Michael Neverisky]

With his permission, I've posted a transcription of Alex's arrangement here.

[alexheflin]

Awesome to see that transcription! Thanks for doing it Michael!