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We are all grateful, I'm sure, for the casual home videos and live events being produced by artists and shared on Youtube, Facebook, Vimeo, etc. I think I have a backlog of things to watch... I can hardly keep up! Good problem to have.
With the permission of the artist, I'm posting my transcription of the verse and first solo chorus of Stompin' at the Savoy by Chris Whiteman. The rhythmic notation on some block chords has been left out. That is, I may have simply written half or whole note chords - check out the video to get the rhythmic pattern Chris uses.
PDF attached below. I used Guitar Pro 6 to make the file, so if anyone wants the .gpx for additional editing just let me know.
Extra credit if you spot one of the Barry Harris 54321 licks in the solo!
Here's what I hear:
Here's what it really sounds like:
Last edited by Michael Neverisky; 04-13-2020 at 05:35 AM.
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04-12-2020 10:02 PM
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Hi Michael, you have nailed the solo IMHO, I also worked on this tune ( Chris arrangement as well ), but the solo I still need to figure out....intro I steal from Jonathan Stout i think...
Last edited by DjangoBG; 04-13-2020 at 08:43 AM.
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... and I'll steal if from you! Nicely done.
Originally Posted by DjangoBG
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Nice work, Michael! Love the sound of your Tele.
Thanks for the pdf.
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Chris doesn't blow his horn enough so to speak but like many full time musicians his gig money has hit the skids. If you would like to support him, please purchase his arrangements via his website or support him on Patreon. I'm not affiliated with Chris, just a happy customer.
Christopher Whiteman is creating Jazz Guitar Performance Videos and Instructional Material | PatreonLast edited by rob taft; 04-14-2020 at 09:01 PM.
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Chris Whiteman is a very valuable resource for learning jazz guitar, and a valuable resource for anyone working on the repertoire. Very tasteful solos and chord melodies. I really enjoy his videos, and agree with Rob Taft about supporting him.
But I don't understand why he plays the melody to Stompin' at the Savoy wrong, every time. The song can be thought of as kind of a call and answer:
The call: "Sa-voy!"
The answer: "The home of sweet ro-mance."
Call: "Sa-voy!"
answer: "It wins you at a glance."
Call: "Sa-voy!"
Answer: "Gives hap-py feet a chance... To dance!"
All three calls are always exactly the same melody, the second note a minor third up from the first. In the key of Db, that would be F-A. I have no idea why Chris goes down to the tonic (F-D) when it comes around the second time. Any ideas?
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Artistic license?
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You are correct. That is not the original melody, but I heard Bucky Pizzarelli play the melody statement like that at a concert many years ago and I thought it sounded cool. Aesthetically I thought it added a nice balance moving down to the Db. I understand that purists will not be happy. I have no other reason than I liked the way it sounded. Originally Posted by Ukena
Thank for listening and all of the kind words.
Chris
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Thanks for the explanation, Chris – I suspected that you might have heard a version with that particular melody, and preferred it.
I actually find your (and Bucky's) version unbalanced, but that's just me. I come to jazz guitar from the experience of a jazz singer, and I find singing the line that way kind of uninteresting. It's not as jarring on the guitar, though; I actually had to listen a few times to make sure I had heard it right.
And I thoroughly enjoy your performance on this tune, and on the many others on your channel. Thank you for taking the time and putting in the effort to make them available!
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Great job Michael. Nice playing.
And Chris Whiteman : it just occurred to me that that I've liked and admired every single arrangement he's ever posted. All of them.
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With a bit of practice.
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Very nice ! Good job Michael.
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FWIW I usually play the first chord (Ab13) as an Ab13b9 with A ? (or more correctly Bbb) in the bass. And the same again on the 2nd 'call'. A bit more flavour - I think I got it from Jim Hall but not sure now Originally Posted by Ukena
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Gonna resurrect this thread from the dead to agree and add a bit. Originally Posted by rob taft
I don't even know how the gods of the algorithms led me to Chris's videos, but they are a breath of fresh air in the sea of infotainment guitar videos. They're brief and to the point while being good visual and audio quality. He also has a pleasant demeanor that doesn't make me think he's trying to sell me a Pinto.
And his PDF's all list intervals over the notes, which are a godsend to poor readers like myself who actually think about things by interval and chord tone (he does offer the notation and tab too though) and mostly use notation for rhythmic info.
I'm relatively new to playing jazz guitar (did bass for a while before, so I know some stuff that hasn't made it to the fretboard with that stupid B string yet.) and I know enough to know he is offering the fundamentals in a legit way.
Some people seem to want to learn complex stuff and then strip it down, but I prefer to learn more stripped down foundational stuff and complicate it myself, which it seems, thus far, is what Chris is offering.
His only flaw is he isn't charging enough on Patreon for this stuff.
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I really liked your performance of this piece and your sound on the telecaster! thanks for sharing! Originally Posted by Michael Neverisky
... the question is a bit off topic (sorry). Do you play with a classical guitar support, but on the right foot? I have been thinking about something like this for a long time (since I mostly work on a Telecaster). How do you feel about this playing position?
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I do and I like it! Originally Posted by Kmatuhin
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Nice work. I learned the Joe Pass version a while ago. Dirk also has a great arrangement of the tune on the website that's closer (IMO) to the Joe Pass version:
Stompin' At The Savoy (Jazz Guitar Chord Melody)
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Lovely playing as always Michael. Love your tele too
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