Instrumentation |
Piano |
Scored for |
Solo |
Type of score |
For a single performer |
Publisher |
Creating Music Joy LLC |
Difficulty |
Difficult |
Duration |
0'55 |
Program Notes: My influences in writing "Ode To Uncle Freddie." Professors Ramsey and Christopherson (Berklee School of Music Jazz Piano Improvisation Class, Fall 2019) taught me the harmonic and rhythmic progressions for Jazz music and improvisation. I also grew up hearing my father playing Jazz in his home office. However, my mother played only Classical and Christian music.
On January 25, 2020, I played 3 Jazz selections in a Woodbridge Music Club concert with my friends, Matt Butterfield, on electric guitar, and Jim Eisenhower, on clarinet. This was the first time I've ever played Jazz in a concert, or ever! Although it was a rough week of rehearsing, it turned out well, by the grace of God.
Frederick L. Robinson, February 20, 1901 – April 11, 1984, (aka Uncle Freddie) was my paternal grandfather's brother. “He learned to play the trombone as a teenager and studied music in Ohio before moving to Chicago, where he played in Carroll Dickerson's orchestra. Robinson played on Louis Armstrong's Hot Five recordings and continued working with both Dickerson and Armstrong until late 1929 when he took a position in Edgar Hayes's band. In the 1930s he worked extensively as a sideman, with Marion Hardy, Don Redman, Benny Carter, Charlie Turner, Fletcher Henderson, and Fats Waller. In 1939-1940 he was in Andy Kirk's band and played later in the 1940s with George James, Cab Calloway, and Sy Oliver. Early in the 1950s, he worked with Noble Sissle.”*Taken from Wikipedia.
My Grandfather asked me as I was about to attend Biola University as a freshman Piano Performance major, "When are you going to learn how to play Jazz, Grace?" I looked back at him and answered, "I don't know, Grandpa." So, in a sense, this is an ode to my father, Nate Robinson, who listened to Jazz music in our home, to my Grandfather, Nathaniel Robinson who also loved to listen to Jazz, and to my Uncle Freddie, who was a great Jazz player!
I used Mode 4 in parallel succession of chords. I used the B whole tone pentatonic scale, the E whole tone pentatonic scale, and the D# pentatonic scale.
It is in ABA form. The hand extensions may make it a challenge to play. The Finale mp3 plays it at a faster tempo than yours truly.
So, here it is...Ode to Uncle Freddie!