Bye Bye Blackbird

Bye Bye Blackbird – Analysis

If you’re thinking that playing a standard in 7/4 is both difficult and unusual, I agree with you! However, you should know that I gave the arranger clear instructions to use mixed meters. For example, one measure of 5/4 then one of 4/4, then 3 measures of 3/4, and so on, for a few choruses… Unfortunately (for me), when writing the arrangement, the arranger forgot my notes… Ah well.

This type of arrangement is a clear example of how great it is to play in 7/4 without being obliged to use even eighths. My passion for playing standards in mixed meters stems from a fun and challenging reinterpretation of Giant Steps by my friend Filippo Fucili: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxPJg1w2NKE

Next I started to explore Hank Levy’s arrangements, in particular Bop City Revisited. Finally, listening to Michele Francesconi’s arrangement of Bye Bye Blackbird made me fall in love with playing in 7/4.

A little bit of information about the piece for you: Bye Bye Blackbird, with music composed by Ray Henderson and lyrics by Mort Dixon, was played for the first time in 1926 by Gene Austin, but there have been numerous covers over the years, including one by Paul McCartney and another by Ringo Starr.^[

^{Here is a very interesting version:}

http://www.musictory.com/music/Liza+Minnelli/Bye+Bye+Blackbird

The following historic albums have payed homage to this standard:

Now back to discussing the specifics of the Rhythm of Light performance.

Pecchia’s arrangement begins with pizzicato in the string section, immediately communicating the rhythm that will underpin the track. Just as in a Cuban folk band one person has the job of playing the key pattern with two claves, here the pizzicato strings play a 2:3 clave. As the time signature is 7/4, the ‘3’ part of the clave misses the third stroke. Interestingly, several leading Cuban musicians do not divide measures into beats, but instead use the strokes of the clave.

The drums do not play for the first 20 measures at letter A, during the graceful vibraphone and guitar duet. It is worth noting that in the first part of the solo the vibraphonist produces a glockenspiel-like sound by using the reverse end of the sticks. The drums enter four measures before letter B, in a musical section that acts as a bridge between the end of the initial duet and the first theme. At letter B the horns play the “camouflage” of Bye Bye Blackbird, whilst the rhythm section plays stop-time at the end of each phrase of the theme. Note that the meter alternates three measures of 4/4 with one of 3/4; followed by one measure of 7/4, three measures of 4/4, and finally three 3/4 measures. At letter C (all in 3/4) it is interesting to listen to the way the theme is divided between the horn section and the string quartet. The 7/4 returns at letter D. Over nine measures the band plays with the dynamics in preparation for the following chorus, which features soloist Davide Ghidoni (trumpet). After a couple of choruses at letter E, the piece moves on to letter F, where the horn section supports the soloist with a “very cool” background. The interesting dotted quarter note rhythmic game at letter G is worth noting, creating an interesting shuffle feel. At measure 97, one before letter H, the piece falls silent… to pick up again with a new sound: the marimba. This acts as a trailblazer for a series of rhythmic phrases with different timbres, which as they accumulate swell into a choir-like feeling of wonderful energy and plentiful swing (in the sense of something that bounces along). At the beginning of letter H the score simply says “drum”, but in my interpretation of the arrangement I decided not to play at all for the first four measures. This way of bringing in the drums highlights and enhances the arrangement, helping to increase the intensity at the climax, in a groovy, relaxed style. From letter H there is an even eighths feel. At letter I the drums play some traded solos, each one measure long. The official theme comes back in at J, this time without stop-time in the rhythm section. The string quartet comes in at letter K (where the “B” theme is played), and plays until letter L, where a tutti crescendo leads to the conclusion. The last word is given to the strings, which end the arrangement in the same way they started.

Bye bye blackbird…. ; )