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      Chart #2 Mentor's Prose from: Further Ado
 

This is a lead sheet style chart of a composition entitled "Mentor's Prose". It is featured on the CD Further Ado. (BN# 7243 8 56543 2 9) The verticle structures are typical "Jazz style" voicings. It was inspired by tenor saxophonist Von Freeman's extremely personal style of ballad playing. Von calls tunes at this tempo "drinking songs". Named such as a dedication to the last patron sitting at the bar in the listening establishment that one may be performing in or for the state or condition one must be in to interpret such a tempo effectively. Use your imagination. I prefer to simulate that particular condition (intoxication) by laying back behind the beat, engaging in an exageration of dynamics, and a deliberate elongation of the strong pulse elements.

Effective performance of a song at this tempo ranks among the highest in degrees of difficulty for any musician at any level. It is common during a musician's developmental stages to succumb to the temptation of playing everything fast in practice and application. At fast tempos, tonal character, colorization, shadings, melodic voice leading ETC.. are, in many instances, the least of considerations. Special attention should be given to the aforementioned elements in order to convincingly represent oneself on a composition of this type.

From Art Forum