Children's Song #2

Another song for children... in stereo!

This song has some interesting modal qualities. Chick switches between Major, Minor, Whole Tone, and Diminished harmony in just one minute! He disguises each scale/chord by using unusual bass pedals, chord structures, and contrary motion.

It is made of of 6 distinct repeating 4 bar sections. Each section is rhythmically simliar but harmonically unique. Linking each section through rhythm allows him to be harmonically more adventureous without making the entire composition seem disjunct and random.
The bass line starts on A and moves scalularly downward as follows.

1) A x 8 bars
2) G x 8 bars
3) F# x 8 bars
4) F x 8 bars
5) E x 16 bars
6) Alternate A Major and F Major Chords x 7 Bars

Notice how every section pedals on one note for 8 bars except for the final E pedal. Chick doubles the length of the E pedal in order to extend the effectiveness of the resolution from the E (the V chord) to A (I chord).

Chick continues similar approaches throughout his Children's Songs. I find they get more complex as the number increases. Hopefully this series will provide some insight in to some unexplored areas of Chick Corea's compositions.

Although there are still some audio issues, I think the recording quality is getting better. Any sound clipping you experience should be fixed by the next video.

Thanks to Lot2Learn for his conversion help. You should subscribe to him if you haven't already. And of course, to me!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• chick
• corea
• children's
• song
• stereo
• jazz
• piano
• roland
• fp-4
• fp

[volvoxburger]

Nice playing, great sound, and useful analysis.

[tjjazzpiano]

Thanks "VVBGR." I think Chick originally wrote the first 16 of these on Rhodes. Maybe I'll put a couple back in their intended form...

[volvoxburger]

I've only ever heard them on acoustic personally. One duet album with Gary Burton stood out in my recollection as excellent.

[tjjazzpiano]

You're right, he never recorded them solo on rhodes. But he did use a rhodes to write many of these pieces. He wrote an introduction to the published sheet music that tells exactly which ones, but I can't find my copy right now. Maybe, someone will read this and let us know...

[justinsgirl12341]

this a gay song

[accurate18]

Hi tjjazzpiano, it's nice to find this on youtube so well played. I'm not a pianist myself but i study drums in a highly acclaimed music academy here in Chile where we all have to attend rigorous piano classes. I was just trying to get this song from the sheet music, but hearing it here has made it easier for me. Thank you for posting this, you helped me a lot!

[PianistaItaliano]

Hi tjjazzpiano, this is really nice, great sound and top timing.

[Lot2learn]

Very well played and terrific sound. Your articulation is excellent. As VVBGR said, thanks for the useful analysis.