Chapter 6
Melody
Throughout this chapter we will examine and analyze some of the basic
techniques, improvisational materials, and typical devices that characterize Wes
Montgomery’s improvised line. One of the fundamental tenets of style analysis includes
the study of melody in large dimensions. The possibility that an improvised fragment may
depend or derive to some extent from pre-existent material, such as a scale or a theme
from another composition, is a fundamental concern of style analysis and jazz
improvisation in particular.1 Many of Montgomery’s recurring melodic patterns issue
from select scales and scalar fragments. To attain a certain level of stylistic understanding
it is important to determine how Wes used these scales in the course of an improvisation.
Blues Scale, Tetrachords & Cells
It has already been demonstrated that Wes’ penchant for the blues is displayed and
manifested clearly in both his improvisational and compositional work.2 Countless solos
attest to the pervasive employment of the blues scale, blues tetrachords, blues riffs, and
blue notes, which in essence, constitute an integral and significant part of the
Montgomerian style.3 Wes does not commonly use a blues scale in its entirety when
improvising, but rather employs fragmented motives and riffs that derive from the scale.
Moreover, when the melody is considered in its large dimension- that is, across entire
1
Jan LaRue, Guidelines for Style Analysis. (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1970), 70. In his
widely-used jazz styles and analysis form, Professor David Baker also includes a section on scale
preferences. The Jazz Style of John Coltrane. (Miami: Studio 224, CPP/Belwin, Inc., 1980), 34.
Reno De Stefano, “The Blues in Wes Montgomery’s Compositional and Improvisational
Style” (M.A. thesis, Université de Montréal, 1990). An article version of this thesis has
been published by IAJE Publications, 1994, 36-54.
2
David Baker, “Wes Montgomery’s ‘Naptown Blues’ Solo Transcription,” Downbeat, Vol.39 no.15, Sept.
(1972), 43. Baker also acknowledges that Wes Montgomery, with his personal sound and unique technique
“was the objectification of all those things for which the blues stands. His ability to transform even the most
trite or pedestrian composition by drawing on his blues roots mark him as one of the great jazz players of all
time.”
3
2
sections of the form- we begin to notice interesting stylistic dispositions that pertain to the
blues scale.
Ex.1 Mean to Me (last A m.25-32)
Mean to Me is a standard tune in the jazz repertoire based on the common AABA
thirty-two measure formal structure. Montgomery’s improvisation is limited to one chorus
and it is specifically the last eight measures of the solo (example 1, last A) that are
relevant to our discussion. In measures 25-26 Montgomery improvises a blues-type
motive that is reiterated at measures 27-28 and developed at measures 29-32. This skillful
and seemingly impromptu motivic development gives the listener the impression that Wes
3
is not actually thinking in terms of scales, or even using a select scale for that matter.
However, in this entire last A section, unlike preceding sections of the solo, Montgomery
improvises using exclusively notes from the Ab blues scale (Ab, B, (c) Db, D, Eb Gb). As
pre-existent material, this blues scale creates opportunities at the same time that it
imposes restraints and limitations.4 The distinctive “bluesy” and “earthy” sound produced
by the different combinations of notes from the blues scale presents an opportunity for
varied sonority. The fact that it is extremely difficult to outline this busy harmonic
background (Mean to Me) with a six-note blues scale is an evident limitation. LaRue
suggests that “the degree to which a composer,” or in our case an improviser, “responds to
these opportunities may reflect in a revealing manner the traits of his melodic character.”5
The ingenious manner in which Montgomery extemporaneously manipulates these blues
scale fragments and coherently develops them through extension, verifiably illustrates the
degree of melodic inventiveness of which he was capable.
Consideration of the blues scale in middle dimensions is important in melodic
analysis, since it is in these dimensions that we recognize tunes and themes- “one of our
most immediate and definable musical responses.”6 Both example 2a (Movin’ Along ) and
2b (Bock to Bock ) illustrate one of Montgomery’s most favored blues phrases appearing
in numerous improvisations. This phrase is built on the Eb blues scale (root, b3, 4, b5, 5,
b7- Eb, Gb Ab, A, Bb, Db) and comprises three disparate cells that may also exist
separately in solos. The different cells a, b, and c are frequently employed randomly but
coherently throughout the improvised line, and are often combined in different
permutations.
Ex.2a Movin’ Along (m.18-19)
4
LaRue, op.cit., 70.
Ibid.
6 Ibid., 75.
5
4
Ex.2b Bock to Bock (chorus 3, m.4-5)
Blues Tetrachords
The blues scale as used in jazz really divides into two identical tetrachords that are
kept quite disjunct, that is to say, one or the other is used but generally not both.7 One of
the most common blues tetrachord employed by Wes is the b-cell illustrated in example
2a and example 3. This blues cell (or fragment) is constructed using the lower tetrachord
of the scale, starting on the flatted fifth (b5) degree and systematically moving downwards
to the root. Accordingly, there appears to be a natural tendency for the flatted fifth to
descend downwards to the root through the fourth and third degree of the blues scale. This
occurs frequently because the dominant and tonic are the actual magnetic poles of the blue
notes.8 The transcriptions further demonstrate that Montgomery often slurs the first three
notes of this prevalent descending tetrachord.
7
Winthrop Sargeant, Jazz, Hot and Hybrid, 3rd ed. (New York) Da Capo Press, Inc., 1975), 173-175.
Sargeant adds that the late blues singer Bessie Smith, whose improvisations characterized the black vocal
style in its purest form, also made extensive use of single tetrachordal groupings.
8 André Hodeir, Jazz: Its Evolution and Essence, trans. David Noakes (New York: Grove Press, 1956), 155.
5
Ex.3 Blue Roz (m.18 & m.25)
Ex.4 Cariba (m.5-6)
The first four notes of the a-cell9 in example 2a often appear in the form of an
upper blues tetrachord in the solos. This type of tetrachord (ex.4) comprises the root,
flatted third, fourth, fifth of the blues scale, usually occurs in an ascending manner at the
beginning of phrases, and is often preceded by rests. When employed in descending
motion it is commonly interpolated with other melodic materials.10 It is quite common for
Montgomery to repeat these cells intact and create propulsive riff figures.
Ex.5 Cariba (m.41-42)
For entire a-cells refer to Movin’ Along m.29; Mean to Me m.31; in retrograde: Movin’ Along m.20;
Cariba m.42 Mean to Me m.31, etc.
10 Refer to Movin’ Along, last beat of m.30.
9
6
The c-cell illustrated in example 2a, is used extensively as basic thematic material
and is a principal element of Montgomery’s blues vocabulary.11 This cell (ex.5) is
characterized by the minor third interval which is usually played with a glissando from the
first note to the second. It is precisely this minor third interval (“blue third”) and the
accented glissando that imbue this cell with its distinctly bluesy quality.12 The second note
of the cell is always the highest pitch of the phrase and is usually accented or
characterized by a longer rhythmic value. Example 5 illustrates a phrase with another
permutation of the c-cell followed by the a-cell in retrograde.
Ex.6 Blue n’ Boogie (fourth chorus, m.1-8)
Refer to Cariba m.21, 63-65; Pretty Blue m.35, 42; Ninth chorus (first six measures) of Blue n’ Boogie,
the c-cell is used as principal thematic material. In the twelfth chorus, it is used in retrograde as a reiterated
riff figure. It is not uncommon to find widespread use of these cells in compositions based on the blues form,
or in other tunes with simple harmonic backgrounds. Such forms enable Montgomery to manipulate the
diverse permutations of blues cells and tetrachords more freely without being preoccupied by complex chord
changes.
12 Paul Oliver, Max Harrison, and William Bolcom, The New Grove: Gospel, Blues and Jazz (New York:
W.W. Norton & Company, 1986), 72-73. The blues is strongly associated with guitar playing, and its
inflections and shadings, such as grace notes and glissandos, are achieved easily on this instrument.
11
7
Analyses of numerous improvisations evidence that the call-and-response
technique is a pervasive component of Wes Montgomery’s style.13 He employs this
technique in much the same way when composing various blues themes.14 Two basic
forms of the call-and-response pattern can be found in Montgomery’s music. The first and
most prevalent type occurs when the call is stated in double-stops (usually in thirds) and
the response in single-note lines (ex.6). In the second type, the call is stated in octaves and
the response in block chords.15 Wes will often create the illusion of two soloists by
playing the pattern in two different textures as in example 6 (the use of thirds plus a single
line), or in different registers of the instrument.16 The complete motive resulting from the
Gunther Schuller, Early Jazz: It’s Roots and Musical Development (New York: Oxford University Press,
Inc. 1968), 27. This technique, common to much jazz and African music, is perpetuated primarily in the
blues and to some extent in spirituals.
14 De Stefano, op. cit.
15 Montgomery’s solo on Naptown Blues (Verve V/V6-8714) demonstrates these various techniques.
However, it was not included in the transcriptions because it was recorded in 1965 after the demise of
Riverside. See Sokolow for full transcription.
16 De Stefano, op. cit.
13
8
merging of the call-and-response pattern in measures one and two to form one recurring
musical statement, is often referred to as a riff.17 It can be argued that within this riff there
is a call-and-response pattern.18
Throughout the first eight measures of example 6 Wes exclusively employs notes
of the F blues scale (F, Ab, Bb, B, C, Eb) to create the riff. When the melodic content of
the riff pattern is analyzed in small dimensions, we soon notice that the call embodies the
aforementioned c-cell (minor third interval) and the response comprises the b-cell
(descending tetrachord). Most of Montgomery’s call-and-response patterns are built
around the blues scale and its tetrachords, and occur most frequently in blues-type tunes.
The blues scale and its various constituents such as tetrachords and cells are often used in
conjunction with other idiomatic blues devices (such as the call-and-response pattern) to
shape and develop the improvised line.
The Riff
Montgomery’s penchant for the use of riff patterns stems from his profound
affinity for the blues idiom. The riff came to the fore in the early 1930’s in the Southwest
tradition of orchestral jazz, where the influence of rural blues musicians was exceptionally
strong.19 According to Schuller, the Southwest is guitar country and blues country, “the
Texas blues tradition particularly being one of the oldest indigenous traditions and
probably much older than the New Orleans idiom that is generally thought to be the
primary fountainhead of jazz.”20 Montgomery’s principal mentor, Charlie Christian,
brought the Southwestern blues into modern jazz, was one of the greatest riff-tune
J. Bradford Robinson, “Riff” in The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, ed. Barry Kernfeld, 2 vols. (New
York: MacMillan Press Limited, 1988), 2:379. The riff is defined as a short melodic ostinato, usually two or
four bars long, which may either be repeated intact (strict riff) or varied to accommodate an underlying
harmonic pattern. The riff is thought to derive from the repetitive call-and-response patterns of West African
music, and appeared prominently in black-American music from the earliest times.
18 Schuller, op. cit., 28.
19 Robinson, op. cit.
20 Gunther Schuller, The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz, 1930-1945 (New York: Oxford University
Press, 1989), 563.
17
9
inventors, and popularized the riff-tune idea in the Benny Goodman sextet.21 It is highly
probable then, that Montgomery absorbed not only Christian’s blues-inflected linear
conception of soloing, but also some of his fundamental riff ideas. Riff ideas can be found
abundantly in Wes’ themes, improvisations, as well as in his comping patterns.22
Ex.7 Blue n’ Boogie (eighth chorus, m.1-8)
It is not uncommon for Montgomery to improvise a single riff pattern throughout
an entire chorus and then move to a different riff in the subsequent chorus. The riffs
appear to be short main ideas that are usually not developed, simply reiterated. In twelve-
Ibid., 563-570. At the time of the Benny Goodman sextet Charlie Christian could apparently “conceive
such riffs by the hundreds.” The riff was an exciting and still a relatively fresh idea in jazz. However,
Schuller contends that the riff-tune idea was eventually “increasingly abused, or at least over-used by that
group. It eventually became an end in itself, losing its original function and its freshness, and assuming
finally a robot-like routinization.”
22 Comping is an abbreviated term regularly employed in the jazz lingo that is synonymous with
“accompanying.” It is most frequently applied to the harmonic backgrounds of piano or guitar.
21
10
bar blues forms such as Blue n’ Boogie (ex.7), Montgomery will often reiterate the riff for
the first eight measures and supplement the remaining four measures with new contrasting
melodic material. This is clearly evidenced in the eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth
improvised choruses of Blue n’ Boogie. Montgomery’s riff patterns are based on blues
tetrachords, blues cells, and their various combinations and permutations. Example 7
demonstrates that these riff ideas are usually extremely simple in character and are
reiterated so as to generate a swinging momentum throughout the chorus. In the last four
measures of this particular chorus Montgomery contrasts the riff pattern by repeating the
pitch, Ab, with an eighth-note rhythm.
The Pentatonic Scale
Wes Montgomery employs the pentatonic scale in his improvisations, but never
across entire sections or sub-sections of the form as he did with the blues scale. It is
employed sparingly, usually as a short phrase or motive, and for only two to three
measures at a time. Wes’ improvisations reveal that he superimposed the scale at different
points on a chord, using in effect, the different modes of the scale.23 Since in jazz there is
more than one pentatonic scale available when improvising on chords, each pentatonic
scale will offer a different coloring of the chord.24 By superimposing a pentatonic scale on
a select scale degree, Montgomery is able to highlight certain chord tones for a particular
musical effect, contrasting with his previously improvised material.
In Pretty Blue (ex.8) Wes uses Fb pentatonic scale (Fb, Gb, Ab, Cb, Db) extending
over both the Db7 and Gb7 harmonic backgrounds. On Db7 he plays the root, fifth,
eleventh and raised ninth (#9)- a pentatonic scale built on the raised ninth (#9) of the
23
Some of these analyzed solos are not from the Riverside sessions: Montgomeryland Funk (Pacific Jazz
CDP 7 94475 2); D-Natural Blues “Monterey Blues” (Fantasy 8052), m.42. In Here’s That Rainy Day
(Verve 8625) Montgomery employs the pentatonic scale built on the fifth of major seventh chords four
times. A total of seven pentatonic scales are employed throughout the 34-measure chorus (m.2, 5, 6, 13, 14,
17, 34).
24 Mark E. Boling, The Jazz Theory Workbook, ed. Jerry Coker, 2nd ed. (Rottenburg N, W. Germany:
Advance Music, 1993), 54.
11
chord.25 Over the Gb7 he plays the root, fifth, seventh (the ninth is not used), and eleventh
of the chord- a pentatonic built on the seventh degree of the chord. This single pentatonic
scale (Fb) is played and heard intelligibly as a complete musical phrase over the two
chords. However, on a deeper analytical level we can appreciate that its superimposition
on both harmonic backgrounds (Db7, Gb7) offers unique resulting notes because of its
relation to the root of the chords.
Ex.8 Pretty Blue (m.51-53)
Diminished Scale
The diminished scale, sometimes referred to as the octatonic scale, is an eight-note
scale constructed in alternating whole steps and half steps.26 As was the case with the
pentatonic scale, the diminished scale is employed sporadically and usually occurs within
a larger musical phrase, but never across entire sub-sections of the form. The complete
scale is always played in descending motion by Montgomery and its compass does not
exceed two measures.27 Wes naturally utilizes the scale to maximum effect with dominant
Dan Haerle, The Jazz Language (Lebanon, IN: Studio 224, 1980), 42. Haerle’s chart lists several
applications of the pentatonic scale to different families of chords.
26 Boling, op. cit., 51. Because the diminished scale is symmetrically constructed, only three diminished
scales exist. The scale may either begin with a half step or a whole step depending on its application.
27 Refer to S.O.S. (RLP-9434) m.6, 38; Au Privave (RLP 355) m.22; D-Natural Blues “Monterey Blues”
(Fantasy 8052) m.13; Klactoveedsedstene m.58, West Coast Blues 2nd chorus m.19-20. (Jazzland OJC-146)
25
12
seventh chords because the scale’s pitches will provide the root, 3, 5, b7, b9, #9, #11, and
13. However, there are instances where he will use it on minor chords as well to
momentarily generate harmonic tension.28
Ex.9a God Bless The Child (bridge, m.8)
In examples 9a and 9b Wes improvises the same diminished scale comprising a
distinctive four-note pattern. This type of diminished pattern is a prevalent element
occurring in a great number of jazz musicians’ solos and also appears to be an essential
constituent of Wes’ vocabulary.29 Not only does Montgomery use the identical scale and
pattern in these examples, but also slurs and articulates the pitches in a similar manner in
both instances.
Ex.9b The Way You Look Tonight (2nd chorus, bridge m.13-14)
28
This is evidenced on another version of Four on Six (Affinity AFF 13- recorded live in Paris, March 27,
1965). In the second chorus m.11-12, Wes improvises a diminished scale over the Gm7 harmonic
background. The scale is not usually a good choice for minor chords, however, Montgomery resolves the
tension immediately in the following measures by using more appropriate pitches.
29 David Baker, How To Play Bebop vol.1 (Van Nuys, CA: Alfred Publishing Company, Inc., 1987), 45.
Baker includes this particular diminished pattern as one of the twenty-six most employed “Public Domain
Diminished Patterns” of Bebop.
13
Lydian Dominant Motif
The lydian dominant scale is a commonly employed scale in jazz and corresponds
to the fourth mode of the melodic minor scale.30 Montgomery often utilizes an
idiosyncratic motif (ex.10a, 10b) built on this particular mode. This lydian dominant motif
has a distinctive and unique character which makes it audibly discernible even in uptempo improvisations.
Ex.10a Freddie The Freeloader (m.25-27)
The motif illustrated in example 10a comprises all of the pitches in the Bb lydian
dominant scale (Bb C D E F G Ab), and three of the functionally more important notes of
the mode are emphasized by Wes; the root-Bb, the seventh-Ab, and the sharp eleventhE.31 In effect, these are the select pitches that imbue this motif with its distinct “lydiant
dominant” quality.
Ex.10b The Trick Bag (m.9)
Boling, op. cit., 47. As used in jazz improvisation, the term “melodic minor” refers to the ascending form
of the scale. Unlike the traditional melodic minor, the ascending melodic minor (1 2 b3 4 5 6 7), sometimes
called Real Melodic Minor or Jazz Melodic Minor, does not have a different descending form.
31 Blue n’ Boogie 2nd chorus m.5-6, Wes employs the same three notes on a Bb7 chord.
30
14
Montgomery often plays this same motif on a minor seventh chord which is a
transposition of the fourth mode (lydian dominant) to its root. Hence, the mode in
example 10b corresponds to the ascending G melodic minor scale.32
Developmental Techniques & Procedures
Barry Kernfeld separates the different improvisatory procedures used by jazz
musicians
into
three
distinct
categories:
Paraphrase,
motivic,
and
formulaic
improvisation.33 In actuality, a player may use several or all of the techniques in the
course of a single improvised solo, frequently overlapping the three types. In the
following section we will examine Montgomery’s individual use of these techniques.
Paraphrase improvisation also called melodic paraphrase, consists of the
embellishment or ornamentation of the melody of a theme, or some portion of it. Wes’
utilization of the paraphrase procedure does not only comprise a few ornamental
flourishes, but is a highly skillful reworking of the original melody through the
manipulation of specific musical elements. His ability to transform and enhance existing
melodies in such a way as to make even the most pedestrian theme come alive, is inferred
by Norman Mongan’s statement:
His reading of Monk’s “Round Midnight” immediately became part of jazz history
as one of the greatest interpretations of the tune (listen to those arpeggiated triplets
towards the end of his solo!). An old war-horse, “Besame Mucho,” was given a
complete facelift by Wes’ 3/4 treatment; the statement of the melody is a lesson in
itself.34
32
Ibid., 47. Boling illustrates the placement of the modes of the melodic minor scale within five chord
types.
33 Barry Kernfeld, “Improvisation” in The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, ed. Barry Kernfeld, 2 vols. (New
York: MacMillan Press Limited, 1988), 1:556.
34 Norman Mongan, The History of The Guitar in Jazz (New York: Oak Publications, 1983), 163.
15
An aural analysis of diverse paraphrased themes has evidenced that Montgomery
fundamentally exploits six elements when developing his most inventive paraphrase
improvisations:35
(1) The Blues Tinge: Blue notes, blues tetrachords or cells are added to select segments of
the original melody, imbuing it with a distinctive and contrasting “blue” quality.
(2) New Scalar Material: Diatonic and chromatic scalar material unrelated to the original
theme is appended in melodically static areas. This scalar material is used to fill in rests or
to contrast repeated pitches of the theme. Passing tones, neighbor notes, escape tones, and
disparate nonharmonic tones, as well as formulaic patterns,36 are also appended to the
original theme. Frequently, brief non-thematic flourishes are ingeniously interpolated into
the phrases.
(3) Rhythmic Transformation: Wes repeatedly infused paraphrased melodies with
excitement by varying original rhythms and by augmenting the rhythmic density and
momentum. Formerly held pitches or periods of rests are filled in by reiterated rhythmic
patterns, or by a continuous swinging eighth-note pulse. He also employs implied
rhythmic groupings creating interesting ambiguities of phrasing previously lacking from
the original theme.37 Other improvisations are characterized by an incredibly regenerated
swing feel, slightly enhanced by notes placed ahead or behind the beat.38
(4) Undulating Melodic Contours: Montgomery carefully manipulates the aforementioned
scalar and rhythmic devices in such a manner as to produce more pronounced undulating
35
Some excellent samples of paraphrase improvisation displaying the six basic elements include: Round
Midnight, Yesterdays (RLP-1156), Besame Mucho (RLP-9459), Summertime (CDP7 94475 2), If You Could
See Me Now (Verve 68633), and The Way You Look Tonight (RLP 9494).
36 Repertoire of melodic formulas and licks common to jazz musicians.
37 For implied rhythmic groupings refer to Montgomery’s improvisation on the opening of If You Could See
Me Now from Smokin’ at the Half Note album (1965, Verve 68633). Lewis Porter has transcribed these
opening measures in The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, 2:125.
38 Refer to Besame Mucho.
16
contours and melodic appeal in paraphrase solos without, however, sacrificing
recognizability. He improvises contrapuntal melodic lines yielding undulating contours
where single repeated pitches originally occurred.
(5) Dramatic Devices: Dramatic musical devices such as subtle embellishments, staccatos,
glissandi, tremolos and slurs are clearly accentuated and underscored, thus giving the
paraphrased line a more expressive and unique musical character.
(6) Phrase Beginnings & Endings: Montgomery is particularly attentive to playing the key
notes and main rhythmic patterns characteristic of phrase beginnings and endings, thus
preserving a reasonable degree of recognizability of the original theme.
Motivic Improvisation
When paraphrase improvisation is not used, the focus shifts to musical fragments
and the various ways in which they are combined and manipulated in jazz improvisation.
Therefore, motivic improvisation may be defined as the building of new material through
the development of a single fragmentary musical idea.39 Schuller has accurately posited
that “the average improvisation is mostly a stringing together of unrelated ideas,” but also
keenly observes that “there is now a tendency among a number of jazz musicians to bring
thematic (or motivic) structural unity into improvisation.”40 Since its development, jazz
improvisation has become a more or less “unfettered, melodic-rhythmic extemporaneous
composing process in which the sole organizing determinant is the underlying chord
progression.”41 Montgomery’s solos unavoidably possess their share of unrelated musical
ideas. Nevertheless, we do intelligibly recognize Wes’ sense for form extending itself into
39
Kernfeld, op. cit., 556.
Gunther Schuller, “Sonny Rollins and the Challenge of Thematic Improvisation,” The Jazz Review, Vol.
1, no.1 (1958), 6.
41 Ibid.
40
17
his melodies within select portions of improvised solos, where each melodic fragment is
repeated, developed, or played in variations.42
Montgomery’s solo on Satin Doll is built for the most part, on the process of
motivic improvisation. The complete solo displays a number of motives developed
through sequence, retrograde, transposition and repetition. Satin Doll lends itself well to
the procedures of motivic development because of the numerous descending IIm7-V7
harmonic progressions inherent in both the A section and the bridge. This type of motivic
manipulation (sequence) is characteristic of Montgomery’s syntax and is mainly
detectable on ascending and descending parallel progressions of dominant seventh chords,
IIm7-V7, and their various harmonic substitutions.43 The transcriptions reveal widespread
use of motivic sequence in Wes’ solos, however, this may be due to some extent, to the
very nature of the guitar itself. Melodic patterns can be transposed instantaneously on this
instrument by retaining the original fingering and moving it up or down horizontally
across the fingerboard through select positions.
Ex.11 Satin Doll (m.1-6)
42
43
Jerry Coker, Listening to Jazz (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1978), 32.
Also refer to Airegin m.29-32; West Coast Blues m.27-32, 41-44, 62-63, 151-154, 168-174.
18
The opening measures of Wes’ solo on Satin Doll (ex.11) evidently exhibit the
motivic development of predominantly arpeggiated structures. He introduces a motive (a)
that is modified in retrograde to produce motive (b) in measure two. He duplicates this
process in measures three and four with slight modification of motive (b’) while motive
(a) is also used in measure five with a short two-note extension. Both motives (a) and (b)
are sequenced and transposed up a tone in measures three and four. These arpeggiated
motives specifically outline major seventh arpeggios which are incontestably, an
important part of Montgomery’s improvisational vocabulary.44 Moreover, the structural
unity of these opening measures is further strenghtened by the repeated use of an
invariable rhythmic motive.
Montgomery’s stature as a jazz soloist is, in part, attributed to his exceptional
ability to instantaneously create and develop incredibly coherent melodic solos. The late
44
In Satin Doll Montgomery employs other similar major seventh structures (in sequence and retrograde) at
m.13-14 and 25-30, contrasting them with more linear and chromatic block chord melodies in sequence at
m.33-37 and 41-44.
19
jazz guitarist Emily Remler was particularly attracted to this aspect of Wes’
improvisations. During her years as a student at Berklee College, she had decided she
wanted to play exactly like Montgomery and was so loyal that she rejected all other
approaches: “Not only were the legendary octave techniques incredible, but I found in his
playing a thematic, motivic, logical form in his solos.”45 This proficiency is clearly
exhibited by the seemingly effortless manner in which he produces and develops countless
disparate motives even within a single improvisation. Wes’ solo on Lolita demonstrates
his exceptional command of motivic improvisation.
This solo has been analyzed aurally and the findings have been concisely
summarized in table 15. Lolita has a formal structure of sixteen measures and, as
illustrated in the first column, Montgomery improvises on eleven choruses of the form.
The second column exposes the measures within the specific chorus where motivic
development has occurred. The third column lists fourteen main musical motives labeled
(a) through (n) with a short description, and the last column describes the principal
developmental procedures employed to transform individual motives. The fourteen
motives used in this solo are intrinsically diverse and once a motive has been stated and
briefly developed, another is introduced. Hence, this type of motivic improvisation where
distinct motives are introduced within new choruses differs significantly from
improvisations where a main motive or a thematic idea reappear at several points during a
solo.46
Table 15 illustrates that motives are usually introduced at the beginning of eightmeasure phrases within the chorus, that is, at measure one and nine. Each new chorus is
customarily delineated with varying motives developed through sequence, repetition, or
transposition. In the first five choruses Wes improvises melodic lines, and from the sixth
45
Adrian Ingram, Wes Montgomery (Gateshead: Ashley Mark Publishing Co., 1985), 65.
Lewis Porter, “John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme: Jazz Improvisation as Composition,” Journal of The
American Musicological Society, Vol. 38 (1985), 593-621. In his analysis of John Coltrane’s solo on A Love
Supreme, Porter establishes that a basic collection of pitches and a distinct cell a appear in all parts of the
suite, in their original forms, in rotated forms, and transposed.
46
20
chorus onwards he employs block chords motivically characterized by distinctive
rhythms. As displayed in the third column (Main Motives), these block chords are used
more often as rhythmic motives than melodic.
Table 15 - Lolita
Chorus
Measures
#1
m.8-12
(a) 3-note
transposition (5x)
#2
m.1-8
(b) 4 measures
sequence
m.9-12
(c) 2 measures
transposition
#3
m.1-8
(d) 4 measures
sequence
#4
m.9-10
(e) 3-note
transposition
#5
m.9-12
(f) rhythmic, 2-meas.
repetition
#6
m.1-8
(g) rhythmic, 4-meas.
repetition
#7
m.1-8
(h) 4 measures
sequence
m.9-12
(i) rhythmic, 1-meas.
repetition
m.13-16
(j) rhythmic
repetition
m.1-4
(j) rhythmic
repetition
m.9-11
(k) 4-note
repetition -extension
m.1-8
(l) 4-measures
sequence -extension
m.9-12
(m) rhythmic,1-meas.
repetition
m.13-14
(m) rhythmic
fragmented
m.1-8
(n) rhythmic, 4-meas.
repetition
m.9-11
(n) rhythmic
fragmented
--------
--------------
-------------
#8
#9
#10
#11
Main Motives
Procedures
21
The seventh chorus is the most intense motivically, comprising three disparate motives;
the first is developed in measures one through eight, the second in measures nine through
twelve, and the third in measures thirteen to sixteen. In this instance Wes promotes
structural unity and coherence by subdividing the basic sixteen-measure structure into an
eight-measure section, and two subsequent four-measure sections where the motives are
developed. In the last and conclusive chorus Wes does not develop any main motives but
uses these last sixteen measures to unwind and promote resolution.
Formulaic Improvisation47
Formulaic improvisation can be defined as the creation of new material from a
distinct body of fragmentary musical ideas.48 In this procedure many different formulas
are mixed and interpolated to form continuous melodic lines. Jazz musicians freely draw
from the repertory of formulas or “licks” they have acquired throughout their
apprenticeships to develop their solos. It has already been demonstrated that outstanding
improvisers skillfully employ large quantities of formulaic material.49 Many of these
formulas are shared by the jazz community at large and are essential components of what
is commonly referred to as the “jazz language.”50
47
This is a concept borrowed from the studies of epic poetry and Western ecclesiastical chant. The
pioneering research of Milman Parry and his student Albert B. Lord on the oral transmission of epic poetry
and formulaic analysis has been particularly important. See Milman Parry’s The Making of Homeric Verse:
The Collected Papers of Milman Parry, ed. Adam Parry (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1971) and Albert B.
Lord’s The Singer of Tales (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1960; New York: Atheneum,
1965, 1974).
48 Kernfeld, op. cit., 556.
49 Thomas Owens, “Charlie Parker: Techniques of Improvisation” (Ph.D. diss., UCLA, 1974). Owens has
identified about one hundred formulaic fragments that belong to saxophonist Charlie Parker’s central
repertory.
50 Jerry Coker and David Baker have analyzed and itemized a number of these formulas or “public domain
patterns” for improvisers in their respective books: Elements of the Jazz Language For The Developing
Improvisor, and How To Play Bebop, Vol.2 .
22
Our immediate goal is not to identify all of the possible formulas and permutations
employed by Wes, this would be far beyond the scope of this thesis. However, we want to
demonstrate that these formulas do permeate Montgomery’s solos extensively, and that
they are used synchronously with the other aforementioned types of improvisation.
Formulas may appear in the form of larger musical entities such as phrases comprising
one or two measures, or as smaller entities such as cells spanning two or three beats,
usually interpolated with other cells to form continuous melodic lines. Thus far, we have
analyzed and explained Wes’ use of several principal formulas such as the diminished
pattern (ex.9a and 9b), the lydian motif (ex.10a, 10b), the idiomatic blues phrase (ex.2a,
2b), and essentially smaller formulas such as blues tetrachords (ex.3, 4) and blues cells
(ex.5). Kernfeld has noted that the essence of formulaic improvisation is that “the
formulas do not call attention to themselves, but are artfully hidden through variation in
the improvised lines.” He also remarks that, “the challenge.....is to mold diverse fragments
into a coherent whole.”51 The ensuing examples clearly reveal how Montgomery fashions,
assembles, and permutates diverse formulaic fragments into intelligible and coherent
melodic transformations.
Measures 49-54 and 77-83 of Wes’ solo on Full House comprise three basic
formulas that are used extensively and are audibly perceivable in numerous
improvisations. The b pattern (ex.12a, 12b), usually played in descending fashion, occurs
frequently at the end of phrases, and the a pattern, one of the most employed formulas,
often appears at the very beginning of phrases. The a pattern is sometimes appended to the
b pattern, and the c pattern to the a pattern.52
Ex.12a Full House (m.49-54)
51
52
Ibid., 558.
Refer to Freddie The Freeloader m.13-14.
23
Ex.12b Full House (m.77-83)
Examples 12a and 12b illustrate the utilization of three select Montgomerian formulas and
their varied permutations within a single improvised solo. In measures 49-54, Wes plays
24
the permutations b, a, c, b, whereas in measures 77-83 he uses a, c, b, a, b’ 53 Throughout
his solos he will also alter, fragment, or extend diverse formulas, intermingling them with
additional melodic materials,54 and maintain melodic coherence.55
Continuous Motion, Tessitura, Melodic Angularity
Not all of Montgomery’s improvisations contain large numbers of perceivable
main ideas or motivic transformations as in Lolita or Full House. Instead, Wes will
frequently rely and build upon the continuity provided by “steady maintenance” of
continuous eighth-note motion in the melodic line.56 This continuous motion is especially
evident in fast tempos where jagged and acutely angular single-note lines are slurred with
greater frequency.57 The increased slurring tends to slightly blur the sound quality of the
line but on the other hand, effectively empowers Wes to acquire additional speed and
maneuverability.
The tessitura of improvisations performed at faster tempos tends to normally be
situated in a slightly higher range of the instrument.58 There are several tentative
explanations we can propose for this: a) It is somewhat easier to play fast on the higher
strings of the guitar since the gauge is smaller than on the thicker lower strings. b) Playing
on the lower strings also requires that the wrist of the left hand be more arched and the
fingers extended, thus slightly reducing motor movement swiftness during a solo. c) There
53
See also Full House : pattern b fragmented m.19-20; pattern a fragmented m.20-21, 27-28; Cariba :
pattern b m.11; pattern a m.20-21.
54 Compare m.17-19 with 53-55 in Airegin. It is the same basic formula employed on a recurring harmonic
background, with slight rhythmic alterations and melodic interpolations.
55 Robert Van Der Bliek, “Wes Montgomery: A Study of Coherence in Jazz Improvisation” (M.F.A. thesis,
York University, 1987). This study has been published in article form in Jazzforschung/Jazz Research,
vol.23 (1991). Van Der Bliek has examined some of the means by which Wes Montgomery established
coherence in his improvisations. His study comprises analyses of six solos recorded for the Riverside label
during the period 1960-62, four of which include alternate takes. Van Der Bliek’s analytical priority has
been to explore Montgomery’s specific choices with respect to connections between “main ideas,” means of
organization, and ways of dealing with particular problems or constraints in a small selection of solos. His
study, unlike ours, does not attempt to draw specific conclusions about the fundamental features of
Montgomery’s improvisational style, his idiosyncratic techniques and favorite devices.
56 Ibid., 98-100.
57 Refer to Cottontail, Airegin (m.1-56), Dearly Beloved (Boss Guitar, RLP 9459).
58 Refer to Blue n’ Boogie, Airegin.
25
is obviously more sound volume emitted by the rhythm section at faster tempos, thereby
challenging Montgomery to play in a more audible high range of the instrument.
The melodic lines’ angularity is also more pronounced in fast tempos. A
comparison of two of Wes’ transcribed improvisations (see appendix), Airegin and West
Coast Blues, clearly establishes this. Airegin is played at up-tempo with a metronomic
speed of about 310 (quarter note value), whereas West Coast Blues is performed at a
medium tempo of 152. The melodic lines in Airegin (m.1-56) are convulsive with rapid
ascents and descents transpiring within the span of one or two measures. West Coast Blues
(m.1-95) on the other hand, exhibits smoothly rising and descending undulating melodic
lines.
Highlighted Extended Intervals
One of the most prevalent and discernible Montgomerian melodic trait is the
highlighted extended interval of the ninth, eleventh, or thirteenth. As a general rule, Wes
regularly emphasizes these scale degrees on the first beat of a measure, as the top note of
an ascending arpeggio (ex.13a), or with rhythmic emphasis, (as a quarter note or eighth
note among sixteenth notes).59 The eleventh or ninth degree are highlighted on minor
seventh chords, and the ninth or thirteenth on dominant seventh chords. The b9 is also
occasionally highlighted (depending on the harmonic progression) on dominant seventh
chords (ex.13a).60 This technique is such an integral part of Wes’ musical language that it
also permeates his compositions.61
59
Fred Sokolow, Wes Montgomery (Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation, 1988), 5.
Sokolow illustrates this technique with examples which are not from the Riverside sessions: Naptown Blues
(Goin’ Out Of My Head, Verve 8642, 1965), Bumpin’ (Bumpin,’ Verve 8625, 1965), and Far Wes (Wes
Montgomery Beginnings, Blue Note BN-LA 531 H2, 1958).
60 It is sufficient to sample a single improvisation to demonstrate Montgomery’s extensive employment of
this device. In Airegin the eleventh occurs at m.21, 29, 37, 39, 43, 53, 72; the ninth occurs at m.25, 27, 55,
73, 75, 77, 101, 102, 105; the thirteenth at m.34, 62, 104; the flatted ninth at m.4, 18, 26, 32, 40, 54, 68, 90.
61 In the theme of Four on Six (after the sixteen-bar introduction), Wes highlights the ninth four consecutive
times on the first beats of measures five to eight.
26
Ex.13a Airegin (m.17-18)62
Example 13b illustrates the extensive use of this device in a particular section of a solo
improvisation. In measures 46 to 51 of Freddie The Freeloader, Wes consistently
highlights the thirteenth and the ninth of dominant seventh chords on the first beat of
every measure except, measure 48.63
Ex.13b Freddie The Freeloader (m.46-51)
Consecutive Triads in Parallel Motion
62
63
The same highlighted intervals are utilized over the Bbm7-Eb7 progression at m.53-54 and m.89-90.
The same highlighted intervals are utilized at m.34-37 over the Eb7-D7-Bb7 progression.
27
Montgomery regularly employed a series of consecutive triads moving in parallel
motion to create an abstract “outside” sound within the melodic line. The melodic tension
created through this device is further increased by the inherent cross-rhythm (3/8 against
4/4) generated by its repeated melodic
Ex.14 Blue n’ Boogie (26th chorus, trading fours with drummer)
groupings. In example 14 Wes plays a series of four dissonant augmented triads in parallel
ascending motion over the basic Bb7 chord, producing tension and melodic intensity. This
line finds resolution and tonal stability over the diatonically more linear and contrasting
line played over F7. The brackets in example 14 show that the melodic groupings of the
ascending triads yield a 3/8 cross-rhythm over the basic continuous 4/4 pulse of the
rhythm section. Other improvisations evidence that the series of triads utilized need not be
exclusively augmented. The triads do occur less frequently in descending motion,
however, they sometimes include a mixture of major, minor, and diminished triads.64 This
technique is typically used on fast tempos or in slower tempos where Montgomery plays
in double time.65
Refer aurally to m.4-5 of the second chorus of Naptown Blues (Goin’ Out of My Head, Verve 8642). This
is an “outside” passage in which Wes plays two minor and two major arpeggios: C#minor to B major
immediately followed by a similar pattern, C minor to Bb major, and A diminished. This is all played over
the tonic F7 chord, moving to the Bb7. Similarly, a 3/8 cross-rhythm is generated over the basic 4/4 pulse.
Also refer to Four on Six (RLP 9320), m.69-71; Four on Six (Smokin’ At The Half Note, Verve 68633) first
chorus, m.9-10; If You Could See Me Now (Verve 68633), m.23.
65 For an example of this device in double time refer to If You Could See Me Now, m.1-24.
64
28
This Montgomerian device is very similar to another type of “outside playing”
called side-slipping. This concept was developed by players like John Coltrane and
Freddie Hubbard into a technique for adding tension into lines built on static harmonies of
modal compositions.66 The side-slip came into prominence in modal jazz which was
characterized by very “slow harmonic rhythm, uncommon sequence of chords, and
simply-structured harmonies.”67 The improvisers devised many patterns that moved
sequentially up or down, half a step above or below the chord, playing in deliberate
contrast with the key. According to Ingram, it seems that Montgomery was aware of, and
extremely interested in the side-slipping approach: “He had followed and absorbed the
modal experiments of trumpeter Miles Davis and John Coltrane and had learnt the art of
side-slipping, momentarily playing outside the chord changes, from saxophonist John
Coltrane.”68 Thus, it is highly probable that Wes’ use of consecutive triads in parallel
motion, was an idiosyncratic interpretation of the side-slip, since it does possess some of
its essential characteristics.69
Single-Note Triad Chord Forms
Like many jazz performers, Wes uses a large number of triadic and arpeggiated structures
in his improvised solos. The syntactical nature and employment of these structures and
their extensions have been discussed thoroughly in chapter 5. Montgomery’s single-notetriadic arpeggios are based on various chord form fingerings that are easily performed with
66
Boling, op. cit., 100.
Coker, Listening to Jazz, op. cit., 54-55. The soloists can treat each chord as though it were a scale, mode,
or a whole key area, greatly expanding on the older concept of simply producing a single, basic voicing for a
chord.
68 Ingram, op. cit., 53.
69 Coker, op. cit., 59. According to Coker the side-slip usually has at least some of the following
characteristics: 1) it generally occurs on weak or unaccented beats of measures; 2) the foreign key gone to
will be in total opposition to the given key; 3) the side-slip will usually be relatively short in duration; 4) it
returns to the original key rather quickly or; 5) it continues “slipping” indefinitely in the same direction; and
6) quite often the same melodic phrase or pattern will be used, first in the given key, then in a contrasting
key, then once again in the given key.
67
29
three fingers of the left hand (ex.15). He frequently applies major and minor triad chord
forms to play rapid triplet riffs, and eighth or sixteenth-note runs.
Ex.15
The augmented triad chord forms played in ascending or descending parallel motion,
vertically across the fingerboard, are also utilized to create the side-slipping effect (ex.14).
In his discussion of Montgomery’s solos, Fred Sokolow supports this premise:
Notice Wes’ characteristic use of triad chord forms during single-note
triplet/arpeggios (as in “Four On Six”). He plays the same ascending pair of
triplet/triads in the first and second choruses.......Here again, Wes uses triad chord
forms:70
Sokolow has also observed that Montgomery uses these triad forms to “play nearly all the
rapid-fire triplets in the single-note solos.”71 The a pattern illustrated in the
aforementioned examples 12a and 12b, comprises a triplet figure deriving from these
particular forms.
Concluding Remarks
Throughout the chapter we have attempted to codify and illustrate the use of some
of the most distinctive melodic techniques, idiosyncratic devices, and improvisational
materials, that permeate and characterize Wes Montgomery’s improvisational style. The
70
71
Fred Sokolow, op. cit., 70.
Ibid., 40.
30
selection embodies prevailing and fundamental melodic techniques employed by Wes,
however, it is not all-inclusive. The melodic traits and devices are audibly discernible on
the recordings and occur frequently, even within a single improvisation. Therefore, the
collection of techniques to be included in this section was made on the basis of recurrence
and perceptibility of melodic traits. Needless to say, this was accomplished through
extensive repeated listenings, both with and without transcriptions.
The blues was found to be one of the principal characterizing elements of Wes’
style; it is fostered melodically through extensive deployment of blues scales, tetrachords,
select cells, call-and-response patterns, blues riffs and disparate articulations.72 Although
he was self-taught and received no formal musical tutoring, Montgomery was wellattuned to and aware of other more contemporary scales and their usage. This is evidenced
by his extensive use of diminished patterns, pentatonic scales, and numerous lydiandominant-derived patterns. Wes’ acclaimed improvisational inventiveness is partly the
result of his skillful and discriminate use of the three solo procedures examined;
paraphrase, motivic, and formulaic. The transcribed examples have also demonstrated
Montgomery’s exclusively personal application of these improvisational procedures, and
the resulting effect of faster tempos on the continuous motion, tessitura, and angularity of
the melodic line. Various colorings of the melodic line are achieved through the
highlighted extended intervals and through tension building devices such as side-slipping.
72
De Stefano, IAJE Jazz Research Papers 1994, 39-41.