Giant Steps at 330 bpm

Roland

[Mod hat on] This thread has been flagged for ad hominems. I’ve chosen not to remove any of them because the thread is a prime example of people talking across each other without understanding each other’s point of view. It illustrates that there are many ways to understand and enjoy music.

[Hat off] As I understand it Coltrane wrote Giant Steps to be challenging for the player, and for the listener. The patterns and the resolutions are there, but they are fast and relentless. Now I like a lot of jazz, but bebop never grabbed me emotionally, so I’ve never wanted to invest the time in learning Giant Steps. If I did then I’m pretty sure that I wouldn’t approach it the way that Ben Eunson has. Meredith d’Ambrosio, with Kevin Eubanks on guitar, is more my style. 

https://youtu.be/sUIZontufvs

viz

I’m just thinking again how incredibly all these giant steps players play. I can’t conceive how much time they’ve devoted to their playing. It’s real dedication! Check this chap for example:

https://youtu.be/Gna3pD2lvDg

GuyBoden

This is the Theory section of the forum, so if members wish to discuss the theory behind Coltrane's "Giant Steps", the significance of how he was influenced by Slonimsky patterns and the resulting so called "Coltrane changes", I would be more than willing to contribute. It's a pity this thread has been derailed, because "Giant Steps" was a hugely significant stage in the development of how modern Jazz moved away from Bebop.

ftumch

carlos said:

ftumch said:

carlos said:

I want a full transcription on my desk by Monday morning, class!
And yes, Ben Eunson has joined the Ibanez AZ army.

We've had a guy down the jam night once with the same approach to lead solo as this, he'd only been playing a week. I realise now he must have been a genius!

Takes guts to admit someone with a week of practice can outplay you thoroughly. Hope his career takes off.

Never said that did I?
If you like this you should check out the guy on storage hunters. He will blow your tiny mind!

Jimbro66

jdgm said:

May I direct forum ears to Roland Prince (gone now, alas) whose version has everything it should have.  Prince was from Antigua, as good on piano as he was on guitar, and played with Elvin Jones.

Of the versions of Giant Steps posted in this thread this is the one I find most interesting and most pleasurable. I think having the phrasing and textures of three quite different lead instruments backed by a solid rhythm section is why I find it so much more listenable than Ben Eunson's version. Perhaps it is unfair though to compare the two.

west

Just found this version of coltranes countdown ... flippin eck ! on bass no less ... !

jdgm

GuyBoden said:

.....It's a pity this thread has been derailed, because "Giant Steps" was a hugely significant stage in the development of how modern Jazz moved away from Bebop.

Wis'd. 

It is also said that the chord sequence of "Giant Steps" is partially inspired by the middle 8 of "Have You Met Miss Jones".

Rocker

If you want to play 'fast', learn Flight of the Bumble bee.  It was and possibly still is, the test used by the Guinness Book of Records as the standard speed test for musicians

DefaultM

west said:

Just found this version of coltranes countdown ... flippin eck ! on bass no less ... !

Christ!

west

on a bike !

tachycardia23

.

wizbit81

Mohini Dey is amazing, what a player. Waiting for some berk to say her playing is utter rubbish because they and their tiny musical mind can't pick out a basic repeated 4 or 5 note phrase to whistle. I woud refer them to every ooo ooo oooooo oo ooo pop chorus of the last 15 years to get that fix.
While we are on Countdown, I've always liked this version:

Obviously Coltrane's version is the defining one, I just like to hear Allan playing a conventional jazz tune in his own way. I remember loads of people used to say he could only play he did over his own compositions, well....that nukes that argument.