An Introduction to America’s Music

CHAPTER 16 | JAZZ IN THE POSTWAR YEARS 401

timing section comments

0:00 chorus 1 (head) aba Without introduction, muted trumpet statement of Gershwin’s melody.

Walking bass and discreet drums; French horns play accompanimental

repeating riff, with the tuba joining in at end of b, bar 8 (0:15).

0:26 c Momentary shift to the major mode at bar 13 (0:26), with descending

chromatic line in the accompaniment. Accompanying riff resumes, now in

French horns and low fl utes (0:31).

0:35 chorus 2 aba

c

Beginning of chorus 2 blurred by continuation of instrumentation, harmony, riff,

and solo trumpet, which begins improvising in last bar of chorus 1. Solo makes

use of space, generally falling silent for each statement of the riff in the orchestra.

Sharply rising solo line at the major-mode beginning of the c section (1:02).

1:10 chorus 3 aba

c

Flutes join riff. Davis back phrases in the style of Louis Armstrong or Billie

Holiday.

Once again, the rising line at c (1:37).

1:46 chorus 4 aba

c

Riff in low fl utes and French horns. Trumpet solo increasingly impassioned.

At c section (2:13), solo begins on a high note and descends.

2:22 chorus 5

(head)

Riff on low fl utes alone. Gershwin’s melody in trumpet is altered by adding

high notes, for a musical and emotional climax.

2:57 coda Trumpet solo ends with a held note on the fourth degree of the scale, rather than

the tonic, leaving the orchestra to resolve the tune at the last moment with a

tonic chord—but with a dissonance (the second scale degree) in the fl utes.

songwriter: George Gershwin, arr. Gil Evans

date: 1958

performers: Miles Davis, trumpet; orchestra

conducted by Gil Evans. Instrumentation: solo

trumpet; two fl utes; two saxophones; three

French horns; four trumpets; four trombones;

tuba; bass; drums.

genre: cool jazz

meter: duple

form: 16-bar abac choruses

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

• distinctive timbre of Davis’s trumpet with
  Harmon mute


• introspective, soulful soloing


• colorful use of fl utes, French horns, tuba


• mild dissonance of harmonies with added
  notes

CD 3.9 Listening Guide 16.3 Summertime^ MILES DAVIS

Listen & Refl ect

1. What are some words you would use to describe Davis’s sound? In addition to the striking
   timbre of his playing, what can be said about his melodic ideas (pitch choices), rhythms,
   dynamics, and so forth?


2. Compare this music for soloist and orchestra with the small ensemble sound of Yardbird
   Suite (LG 16.2). How do the interaction between players and the role of soloing differ in
   the larger setting? Consider the role of Gil Evans as arranger.

172028_16_386-411_r3_sd.indd 401 23/01/13 10:56 AM