Busy on Thursday: Crazy Marty at Freedom Pointe in Roswell and then TAAG - Hold the AA

The same trio from Tuesday played a different place this evening: Freedom Pointe in Roswell.  This was a nice early show coinciding with Roswell's summer program Alive After 5, which occurs every third Thursday   during the spring and summer months.  Thankfully, we were inside instead of the originally slotted outdoor stage.  The low-country boil was set outside and it was a good 90 + humid degrees with full sun when we took our break.  The crowd was diverse, with families joining their older relatives for a festive party.  Martay made certain to liven it up in fast fashion.  There were a few oldies I couldn't recall playing before, but things quickly turned to the usual dance fare.

A sweet moment when a woman won an award for being a good friend to others.

Our videographer

It was over before long and I quickly packed up and began my drive to Decatur for the jazz at Java Monkey.  Forgot to mention that earlier in the day, Adrian asked me for some charts.  I obliged after tackling the front lawn, which was in desperate need of a cutting and bagging.  I ended up dropping the charts off in person, as his gig was right around the corner on Magnolia Ave.  He probably didn't even use them, but you just never know.  So at Java Monkey it was The Adrian Ash Group without Adrian!  In his place, a new face: Leirrie Valentin.  A great guy who had distinctive jazz chops and concepts that took us into Miles' Second Quintet space every so often.  Plus, he had an unusual acrylic drum kit made by Crush - it has a great look and a nice sound as well.  Also on board was William Hollifield on tenor sax, who was with us a few weeks ago.  He really shone last night.  Nice bop lines and staggering, syncopated, jagged shards of melodic development.  We played the usual stuff, as we always seem to do.  It worked out as i had my Fender Jazz for both jobs.  Understated, but I had some nice things to say at any rate.  Guy tossed in some Freedom Jazz Dance we also enjoyed playing Clifford Brown's Sandu, that most famous of E flat blues tunes.  William called Sam Rivers' Beatrice, but we weren't ready for it.  Here's a link to a chord for it: Beatrice Chord Chart.  I will try to get a more thorough one together for the future and display it, as I'm generally good like that.

William Hollifield, Guy Fenocchi, and Leirrie Valentin

Chillin' on the patio with good folks.
The patio is dog friendly, with water bowls provided.  Nice.

Time to get back to it.  William called On Green Dolphin Street.  Once again, the ol' Real Book has jeopardized the young jazzer who only refers to the print.  Granted, some do play it in the key of C (I think Chick Corea did), but most horn players follow the Miles way of life and opt for E flat.  This makes guitarists (and bassists) reach for the volume knob to turn down.  I thought I knew it better, and I do, but my mind played tricks on me.  I knew the first A section went to A flat minor (ii V I in G flat).  The 2nd A section simply does a descending pattern:

Fm              Fm/Eb           Dm7(b5)             G7(alt)
Cm             Cm/Bb           Am7(b5)            D7(alt)
Gm    C7    Fm      Bb7     Eb                      Fm      Bb7

A careful study will show a pattern in different keys.  Memory tricks, baby.  Hey, if I can type it, I should be able to play it.  Not always the case, but this is a tune everybody who plays standards should know.  Myself included.  We got through it, but it wasn't as pretty as it will be next time.

As promised, I dug into my books and came up with an acceptable chart for Beatrice - check it out!  I have the original Sam Rivers recording on his debut album, as well as Joe Henderson's from "The State of the Tenor - Live at the Village Vanguard."  Interesting trivia: Ron Carter played (and soloed) on both recordings!  He played much more confidently on the Henderson recording, and his bass is way up front in the mix, as it was a piano-less trio.  I'm really getting into it; a nice mellow tune.  I'm drawn to it, as my wife's first name used to be Beatrice (she has since taken her former middle name of Sabina) and her sister recently named their firstborn daughter Beatrice.  The name may be coming back in popular culture.  Horn players call it often, I shall be ready for next time.