Freedom Jazz Dance on Clinesmith--funky 60s Jazz

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 21 Jul 2012 5:29 pm

...and 8 of them are rests!

It has taken me quite a while to figure out how best to play Freedom Jazz Dance--I would guess I've made at least 10 attempts over the last year, but finally after spending a few nights tweaking the arrangement and settling on a tuning (C13), I think I've got it.

Here are the toughest 16 bars I've ever played on steel. I play the chords on steel (Clinesmith) as well: Freedom Jazz Dance

Here is the extended version with some improvisation: Freedom Jazz Dance with solo

Eddie Harris is one of my all-time music heroes. I stumbled onto his Mighty Like A Rose and Exodus To Jazz LPs in my grandfather's collection and immediately fell in love with his tone and soulful playing, as well as Joe Diorio's great guitar playing. Eddie came from Chicago and was an incredibly interesting guy. I have had his Intervallistic Concept book for many years and have gotten so much from it.

I intend on making a full recording of the tune, but just wanted to show off the head. If anyone would ever ask me "Why do you want to play this?", I would have to say because I love this music more than anything. It may not be what people are accustomed to hearing, but I play steel and it's what I want to play.

Stephen Watson · Post by **Stephen Watson** » 21 Jul 2012 6:04 pm

Ha! Nice work there.

60's bass child here first became aware of it from Brian Auger's "Oblivion "Express".

Bass part killed me, can't imagine the lead.

Tony Lombardo · Post by **Tony Lombardo** » 22 Jul 2012 2:05 am

Mike, that's beautiful. Your recent takes of Real Book jazz pieces are (to me) the best stuff you've posted so far. "Freedom Jazz Dance" may end up being your best of your best.

Sincerely
Tony L.

Jerry Gleason · Post by **Jerry Gleason** » 22 Jul 2012 2:30 am

That's great, Mike. You really captured that laid back, funky '60's groove. Interestingly, though it's most commonly played the way you did it, the Eddie Harris version I have, from "The In Sound", doesn't have those two bar rests on the first two lines, the whole tune just takes up eight bars. New Real Book 2 has one with a whole bass part written out, but I don't know where that comes from.

I'm looking forward to hearing what you come up with. Like the funky tone, too.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 22 Jul 2012 5:18 am

Jerry, I dig that early version of FJD by Eddie. I have to think it was Miles who standardized the extra measures in the tune. Even Eddie played it that way on subsequent recordings.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 22 Jul 2012 2:42 pm

Here is an extended version with some improvisation. Using my Moogerfooger Lowpass Filter here:

http://soundcloud.com/ionahoopii/freedom-jazz-dance2