After a weekend of working initially on my original music project, we wanted to spend the rest of the day recording some straight ahead tunes. We collectively decided on some tunes to play and in what keys, and worked out some quick arrangements. This is what we came up with...

Softly As In A Morning Sunrise

Intro/Guitar solo: As we finish the first head Dan begins his solo.
Bass solo: My solo, into fours with Phil.
Drum solo: Phil shares fours with Dan.

Golden Earrings

Intro/Guitar solo: Dan finishes the head and starts his improvisation.
Bass solo: I solo after Dan.

Autumn Leaves - I decided I needed to sing a tune or two so I opted for this one. I added the vocal tracks later in Alameda.

Intro/Guitar solo: I sing the end of the first head, into Dan's solo.
Scat solo: My vocal improvisation to the last head.

Polka Dots & Moonbeams

Head: Dan's interpretation of this beautiful ballad from the A section into the bridge.
Bass solo: I improvise over the A section before we take the tune out.

411 East 14th - I had been in love this composition of Dan's ever since hearing his group Be-bop And Destruction perform it.

Intro/Guitar solo: Dan takes the break out of the head into his solo.
Bass solo: I've always wanted to improvise over the changes to this tune.

Free Tune (An Improvisation) - This is possibly my favorite piece of them all. Phil suggested that we play an improvisation, Dan suggested that we at least start in a collective key, and this is what transpired. It is a complete composition with an introduction, statements of various themes, climaxes and decrescendos, and a clear conclusion. I was very happy with this collective spontaneous composition which features each player in separate instances throughout the tune. Obviously the completeness of this piece can't be portrayed here in one minute chunks, but I hope you get the idea.

Introduction: A sparse and funky beginning as we play off of each other in D minor.
Summertime: As Phil and I transition from funk to a free-bop section, Dan plays a chorus of blues at the end of which we break into the melody to Summertime.
Guitar solo: Dan continues with a couple of chorus's over Summertime changes.
Bass solo: I follow Dan with a couple of chorus's over the changes then transition back into the free-bop section with Phil.
Drum solo: We come out of the free-bop section and Phil plays a sweet solo, at the end of which we break into a reprise of 411 East 14th.
Conclusion: Dan improvises over the changes to 411 East 14th, then we collectively bring the tune to a decrescendo and conclusion.

Whistle While I Walk - I wrote the words to this blues tune in honor of my first music teacher Dr. Rod, who whistles incessantly as he roams the campus of Columbia College.

Intro/whistle: The first head and a bit of the whistle improvisation.
Bass solo: Improvisation leading into the scat solo.
Scat solo: Vocal improvisation into the last head.

Scrapple From The Apple

Intro/Guitar solo: From the top. Dan improvises over the B sections, into his solo.
Drum solo: Dan shares a couple of chorus's with Phil, at the end of which we take the head out.