Sidney Bechet
WAY DOWN YONDER IN NEW ORLEANS
Sidney’s 1945 solo on Way Down Yonder is an excellent example of how melodic reference can structure improvisation…
Sidney quotes the melody periodically through his one chorus solo. In bar 5 he plays it verbatim before embellishing in bar 6:
Bechet returns to the melody on the second A to establish the form, but this time loosely:
Recorded in 1945, Bechet’s advanced harmonic vocabulary is on display as well. His use of the major 7 passing tone to flat 7 over the F7 is more commonly associated with dominant 7th scales of the bebop era years later.
In bar 17 Bechet implies a D-7 bebop scale over the G7, using the major 7th (C#) as a passing tone from D to C. The phrase ultimately resolves on beat 2 of bar 18 with a G9 arpeggio.
DIG DEEPER
Click below to learn this phrase in all keys:.
Bechet’s genius is on full display in this short solo, capturing the vocabulary of traditional jazz while touching upon language later expanded during the bebop era. As with any transcription listen and play along to the original recording to capture all the nuance. Bechet’s tone and phrasing is legendary.