Donna Lee

[AlanN]

Working through the great transcription of this Bird tune done by Tony W. in an old MWN, in Ab. For mandolin reference, I got Mike Marshall's fantastic playing off his Gator Strut (or is it The Duo?). Funny how the sound of a car crash comes in during the fiddle break...

[coletrickle]

It is on the Duo. Any chance you can share the transcription (as long as it is it not in violation of the rules here)? I'd love to see it!

[Jim Garber]

Same here for the transcription... or at least tell us what issue it was in.

[ralph johansson]

It is on the Duo. Any chance you can share the transcription (as long as it is it not in violation of the rules here)? I'd love to see it!

Google "Donna Lee", choose Images. But try at least at get the changes (same as Indiana) before looking!

[Spruce]

[Jim Garber]

Not that I don't mind a challenge, but has anyone tried transposing this to a different, more mandolin-friendly key? I wou;d imagine that the horn players have less problem playing it in Ab. Maybe G?

[Bruce Clausen]

Hi, Jim. I just gave it a try in G and it works fine. Problem is you'll be playing all by yourself, since almost everyone that knows the tune does it in Ab. I think if you want to play bebop, the flat keys go with the territory. You can get used to them pretty quick.

[Pete Martin]

Keep with it and you'll soon find Ab is a great key!

[Don Julin]

I heard that Jaco was asked once by interviewer, "How did you get to play like that?" He responded that he learned Donna Lee in all 12 keys. So there you have it! The secret to being a monster jazz player.

[Nick Royal]

Speaking of playing in 'hard keys' at the Classical Mandolin Convention, at a workshop by Peter
Ostroushko, he said he liked to play in a different key for a week at a time, to see what he comes up with.
Especially, he said, keys he normally didn't play in.

[Jim Garber]

I have nothing against flat keys or Ab in particular. Aside from playing with horn players, tho -- I don't know too many who would play with me -- I was just looking for a more mandolin-friendly key. Do you folks who do play this regularly in the original key play it mostly in second or third position?