Comments on: video: Mercy, Mercy, Mercy

By: whitecraneboxing

whitecraneboxing — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 17:18:14 +0000

Ah! Sorry Rob! Thanks again!

By: 7notemode

7notemode — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 15:08:42 +0000

Mercy X 3 and Dolphin Dance are your strongest video’s. This tempo range especially suits you.

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 11:40:13 +0000

Rick is someone else.

I’ll confess, I never looked at the fakebook. For whatever reason, this was the customary key, or if we settled on a different key, played it there instead. Not for ease of playing, just I never considered what the original key was.

I don’t “normally” learn things and run them through all the keys although I’m attempting to do it more lately.

Actually, refraining from playing the minor chords is another tension-building technique. Since it involves alteration of the form, the rhythm section has to agree to it or be aware of it in advance, so it’s like an arrangement (a trivial one) more than something improvised.

By: whitecraneboxing

whitecraneboxing — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 06:09:28 +0000

Oh, one more question. You mentioned that in this vid you solo for 8 min straight over G7-C7. How come you were able to solo exclusively over the I7 – IV7 progression when the fakebook calls for different chords over in the last 7 bars? Is this what you were talking about earlier, seeing the ‘whole’ form?

By: whitecraneboxing

whitecraneboxing — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 05:59:49 +0000

Hey Rick, I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while, I noticed that you played this song in the key of G when the fake books call for it to be played in Bb. Zawinul played it with Cannonball in that key. I think you also transposed a few other of the songs I’ve seen you play on youtube to ‘unorthodox’ keys (I think you did it on green dolphin street and tunisia?).

My question, is there a reason why you choose to play in the keys that you do? Easier fingering for certain runs? More comfortable in certain keys? Prefer the tone? Do you normally tranpose every tune you play to all 12 keys and improvise over each one? I heard that Bill Evans would do that, but there are not enough hours in the day! Thanks! I also responded your comment on my blog. =)

Best!
Wes