Kenny burrell transcription professional#

The tune selection and arrangements bear the prominent influence of Chamber’s then employer Miles Davis. Four of the album’s tracks (“Yesterdays” “Chasing’ The Bird” “The Theme” and “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To”) were recorded in single takes, with “Confessin’” and “Chamber Mates” and our featured “Dear Old Stockholm” requiring second takes. As they were both involved the Detroit jazz scene, and around the same age (Chambers was born in 1935), we can assume they had played together before these sessions.īass On Top was recorded on Jat the renowned Van Gelder Studio in New Jersey, preceding release in October that year. Between 19 Chambers and Burrell recorded together 6 times (Cook & Morton, pg184, 1992) including on both their respective Blue Note debuts: Introducing Kenny Burrell (1956) and Whims of Chambers (1957). A year later, he was a side-man on the album from which this solo on “Dear Old Stockholm” appears. If a typist hears a word, he can type it if any instrumentalist hears a phrase, he should be able to play it.” (Berle, pg66, 1981)Īfter Alfred Lyons heard him play, Burrell was signed to Blue Note where he released Introducing Kenny Burrell (1956) with Paul Chambers on bass. Perhaps this influenced Burrell’s assertion that “ instrumentalist should try to do as a good typist does.

There is no Elements by Paul Hindemith, therefore I assume this refers to Elementary Training for Musicians (1946), an exhaustive textbook with an emphasis on rhythm and an entire section devoted to dictation and this could reasonably have been the textbook during Burrell’s tenure. While over a decade later, Philip Hanson noted that “the Theory course uses Hindemith’s Elements as a text.” (Hanson, pg10, 1968). (Burrell, 2014)īurrell studied theory and composition at Wayne State University and while a student there recorded with Dizzy Gillespie (1951) and released a single as a leader (“Rose of Tangier” with “Ground Round” released through Fortune, a Detroit label.) Upon graduating, he replaced Herb Ellis in The Oscar Peterson Trio which led him to New York City, where he settled permanently and worked as a studio and Broadway musician, while pursuing his jazz career.īurrell has never, as far I am aware, discussed the content of his studies or its effect on

Alongside his city mates, he was diligent in assimilating the latest developments in jazz (including bebop, which will be discussed later) through transcription and analysis, making Detroit players capable of sharing the bandstand with New York based players such as Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. (Brit, 1984, pg27) He was a founding member and president of The New World Music Society (Harris, 2014). (Burrell, 1993)ĭetroit housed a vibrant jazz scene of which Burrell was a key player.

Kenny burrell transcription professional#

His brother Billy, a professional bass player who stayed in Detroit to raise a family (Harris, 1978, pg6) was his primary influence but guitarists Charlie Christian, Oscar Moore and T-Bone Walker are also cited as impactful players.

Please note these are notated at guitar pitch, one octave higher than it sounds.īurrell was born in Detroit on July 31 st 1931 into a musical family. Beginning with a biography of Burrell up to the year of the recording session, I then explore his guitar sound and technique before examining the solo.Īll solos have been transcribed by the author. This article presents an analysis of guitarist Kenny Burrell’s solo on “Dear Old Stockholm” from Paul Chamber’s 1957 recording Bass On Top.