Bill Stewarts Solo Vocabulary

BY JOHN WILLMARTH

ohn Scofields CD EnRoute is a return to jazz trio playing and a reunion with drummer Bill Stewart. The first tune on the disc,
Wee by Denzil Best, is based on rhythm changes, which is a 32 bar, AABA form (and the changes to Gershwins I Got
Rhythm). Stewart begins the tune by setting up the feel with an eight-bar introduction. After the guitar solo, bassist Steve
Swallow and Stewart trade eights and fours over the rhythm changes form. The last time through the head, Stewart solos over
the bridge, or B section of the tune.
Stewart has a wonderful solo vocabulary and orchestrates his ideas with great clarity and precision. In each solo, he fully develops these ideas, giving his playing a high degree of musicality. Once you learn the phrases, try to put your own spin on them by orchestrating them differently or varying the rhythm. The idea is that eventually you develop your own unique way of using this
vocabulary. As with any transcription, it is vital that you listen to the recording to understand the context in which the solos occurred, and the subtle nuances of rhythm and feel that cannot be expressed with written notation.

hihat w/foot bass drum

large tom

snare drum

small tom

8 bar drum intro

>

c
>
>
>
>
z z z

Trading 8s with bass

2

>

5:53

ride cym

hihat

open hihat

>
>
>

>
z

> > >

o
.

o
j

>

(j)

> >
>
>
^j

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

bass solo
8

>
>

PERCUSSIVE NOTES

^
^
^

16 FEBRUARY 2006

>
>
j>
!
!
! !



(splashed HH)
^
^
^
^
^
^

>

>
>
!
!
! !
o o o
^

> bass solo

3
3
>
>
3

bass solo
8

> 3 >
j

>
( )

o
o >
j

() ()

bass solo
4

bass solo
3

> > > >

> ^
z z z z


j
z z

zj
z z z z

^
^
^
^
^
! > >
( )

Trading 4s with bass

3

bass solo
4

>



>
>
>
>

>
j

>j

^
^ ^
^

> > >

> 3
>
> >
>
j

z z z zj z

z z z z z

^
^
^
^
^
.

>

solo over the last bridge

10

>

PERCUSSIVE NOTES

j
z

17 FEBRUARY 2006

One of Stewarts soloing devices is playing over an ostinato, which is a repeated pattern in one or more limbs. The ostinatos he
creates range from relatively simple to highly complex. In bars six and seven of solo three, for example, he uses the standard ride
pattern with hi-hat as his ostinato, while playing a melody on the snare drum. In solos five and ten, he sets up an ostinato between
the ride, hi-hat, and bass drum. Because of the even spacing of the bass drum (hitting every dotted quarter or one and a half
beats), the illusion of a slower pulse is created.
One approach to developing some independence with this idea is to think of this ostinato in 3/4 time with a simplified ride pattern.

43

..

Now work out the coordination patterns on the snare drum for A18.

A1

43 ..
A5

..

A3

A2

.. ..

.. ..

.. ..

A6

A4

..

j A8
j
j
j
.. .. ..

A7

.. ..

.. ..

Once this is comfortable, transfer the pattern into 4/4 time with the standard ride pattern.

..

..

Next, try the coordination patterns, B110, on the snare drum.

c ..
j
.

B6

.. ..
B7

.. ..

B4

B3

B2

B1

.. ..
B8

.. ..

B5

.. ..

B9

.. ..

.. ..

j
.. .. ..
B10

Because of the way this pattern lays over the barline, it is very easy to get lost within the framework of a four- or eight-bar
phrase. Try practicing the ostinato in four-bar phrases with a simple fill in the fourth bar.

PERCUSSIVE NOTES

18 FEBRUARY 2006

..

Now go back and apply the coordination patterns B110. After enough repetitions, youll start to feel the phrase lengths.

John Willmarth is a freelance percussionist in the central Kentucky area. He is Director of Percussion and Assistant Jazz Band Director at Lafayette High School and a private instructor in Lexington. In addition to performing in various freelance situations,
John is a member of the Dimartino/Osland Jazz Orchestra, the Raliegh Dailey Trio, and the Tandem Percussion Duo. John is currently teaching drumset at the University of Kentucky and is a published arranger with Drop6 Publications. John is a graduate of
the University of Kentucky with a BM in Music Education and the University of Iowa with an MA in Percussion Performance. PN

PAS INTERNATIONAL PASIC SCHOLARSHIP GRANT

The purpose of the PAS International PASIC Scholarship Grant is to provide financial assistance to a student living outside
the United States of America to attend the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) to be held in Austin,
Texas on November 811, 2006
The grant shall consist of:
1. Financial assistance up of $1,500 (US dollars).
2. One PASIC registration
3. One Hall of Fame banquet ticket
4. One year additional membership to PAS
5. PASIC T-shirt
Applicants must provide the following:
* A one-page bio or resume stating their percussion education, training, experience, and future objectives.
* Proof of full-time student status, including their latest transcript of grades.
* Student must be 18 years of age or older.
* A written statement of 500 words or less in English on What The PAS International PASIC Scholarship Grant would mean
to me.
* One letter of recommendation from a percussion-related teacher, conductor, or colleague.
All applicants must be current members of PAS. It is not required the applicant speak and understand English, however it is
recommended. A member of the International Committee will serve as a guide/mentor for the student during PASIC.
The Application form is available online at www.pas.org.
Deadline for applications is March 15, 2006. The winner will be notified in May of 2006.
The Percussive Arts Society International PASIC Scholarship Grant recipient shall be responsible for obtaining whatever passport, visa or permits from their home country and the United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) are
necessary to allow attendance to the Percussive Arts Society Convention.
Percussive Arts Society shall make reservations for and pay for a round trip airfare from a city chosen by PAS to the city that is
hosting PASIC, and a hotel room for the time the recipient is in attendance at PASIC not to exceed the sum of $1,500.00. Recipient is required to have a VISA, Master Card or other credit card acceptable to the hotel to be used to guarantee payment
of incidental charges made to the hotel room other than the room charge and applicable taxes to be paid by Percussive Arts
Society. PAS is not responsible for any changes that the airline may make to recipients itinerary.
Recipient shall be responsible for all travel to and from the airport at both the departure city and the city hosting the Convention. Also, recipient shall be responsible for all meals and incidental expenses incurred in attending the Convention. The difference between the actual costs of the airline ticket and hotel accommodations plus applicable taxes and $1,500.00 will be
paid to recipient at the Convention to offset expenses incurred while attending the Convention. Percussive Arts Society specifically disclaims any responsibility or liability to recipient for anything other than what it is agreeing to provide as part of the
scholarship grant.

PERCUSSIVE NOTES

19 FEBRUARY 2006