Monday, November 8, 2010

The terms "verse" and "chorus" don't have the same meaning in jazz as they do in rock. In rock, the chorus is a repeated big moment, which often makes use of the title in the lyric, and which usually contains the most memorable and energetic melody (i.e. the hook). The verse is a repeated section that leads to the chorus, and the bridge is a section that usually appears just once (but sometimes more), and is neither the verse nor the chorus. In jazz, via the broadway tradition, a verse is a written introduction with lyrics that permits a connection from a conversation to full-blown singing. The chorus is the main body of the song, often repeated many times for the purpose of improvisation. The term "refrain" is a synonym for chorus, by the way, and you can hear a reference to that term, and to the verse, in Cole Porter's "De-Lovely", where the chorus (or refrain, if you prefer) starts with the lyric, "The night is young...". Here's a link to Sarah Vaughan's version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PREOtMaDvI&feature=related
OK, now I'd like to return to yesterday's subject, Chet Baker: As a singer, he was among the most poignant interpreters of a lyric, and as a trumpeter, he displayed a deeper respect for the words of songs than do most improvisers. One of the ways that this is evident is in the fact that his recorded versions of standards would often include the verse, rather than a short intro and statement of the melody before repeated choruses of soloing. In this version of Gershwin's "But Not for Me", the opening trumpet melody is actually the verse of the song, which very few jazz musicians would have included. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_f_mMJAezM.

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