vincent herring’s symmetrical alto saxophone solo on...

90 DOWNBEAT August 2008

Woodshed SOLOby Tyler Farr

Vincent Herring’s alto saxophonesolo on “Straight Street,” from the2001 album Simple Pleasures(HighNote), mixes hard-drivingmelodic lines, masterful techniqueand articulation, and an array ofbebop and modern approaches toimprovising. Herring demonstrateshis ability to connect short melodicideas into cohesive and symmetri-cal melodic phrases.

John Coltrane’s “StraightStreet” is in AABA form with 12-bar sections, totaling 48 bars perchorus. Herring begins the first “A”section chorus with straightforwardmelodic ideas. In measure 6 heplays an ascending eighth-note linethat distinctively outlines the domi-nant chord. In measures 10–12,Herring imposes an augmentedharmony by playing an augmenteddescending quarter-note line.

As Herring reaches the second “A” sectionof the first chorus (measure 13), he navigateswith ease through a five-measure contiguous ii-V7 progression. In measures 13–15, he uses anenclosure concept around the chord tones of thescale. Starting on the minor third of the ii7(A�min7), Herring rotates between a half-stepand whole-step pattern. He chooses notes fromthe upper extensions of the chord changes togive the lines more continuity. The upper exten-sions of the chords are usually resolved to acommon chord tone (1, 3, 5 and 7). In Herring’sphrase, the extensions are usually played on theoff beats. Because of this, he not only resolvesthe upper extensions to a common chord tone,but he also plays the common chord tones onthe strong beats of each measure. He ends thephrase seamlessly in measure 16 and 17 by tran-sitioning the line into a bebop lick that is remi-niscent of Charlie Parker.

In measure 20, Herring plays an eighth-noteline that uses the double chromatic approach.This occurs when two notes move by consecu-tive half steps to a target note. Starting on theroot of the ii7 chord (F#-7), Herring plays F#,D#, C# and C on beats one and two and B, C#,D# and F# on beats three and four. The doublechromatic approach happens on C# and C,which resolve to the target note B, the root ofthe dominant chord (B7). Herring resolves theentire phrase on the downbeat of measure 21.Herring revisits this same lick throughout hissolo (measures 44, 54 and 56), but slightly altershis approach.

Eight measures before the second chorus

(measure 42), Herring plays a blistering eighth-note phrase. Starting at the top of the horn, hegracefully weaves through the changes usingchromaticism and motivic patterns. In the lastthree measures of the same phrase, Herringagain imposes an augmented sound by playingan arpeggiated line of eighth notes and quarternotes. This creates a feeling of tension andrelease that resolves on the downbeat of the sec-ond chorus.

In measures 77–78, Herring demonstrates hisbebop-rooted influence. He quotes a melodicfragment from Dizzy Gillespie’s “Groovin’High,” and his ability to create melodicsequences gives his phrases continuity. He playsa diatonic melody in measures 36 and continuesthe melody in measure 38, playing it up awhole-step. Herring’s melody follows themotion of the harmonic progression, creating aneffective sequence. In measures 83–84, he againincorporates a melodic sequence, but approach-es it more rhythmically than melodically. Byplaying a constant stream of driving eighthnotes, his phrase has a feeling of forward motionthat creates more emphasis rhythmically thanmelodically.

The stylistic nuances in Herring’s playinghelp shape his ideas. The upper register of hissound is often accompanied with a growlingtone, giving the sound a raw and resonant quali-ty. Plus, his articulation is clean and smooth,giving his phrases clarity and style. DB

Vincent Herring’s Symmetrical AltoSaxophone Solo on ‘Straight Street’

Tyler Farr is a saxophonist and educator in theDenver area.

Vincent Herring

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