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Ed Bickert Transcription- Wave
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Paul Desmond’s Pure Desmond is highly ranked when considering my all time favourite jazz recording. The CD featuring Desmond, Ed Bickert, Ron Carter and Connie Kay to my mind epitomises the essence of jazz. The session exudes a joyful spirit, the shared willingness of all players to remain ever present and the collective ability to listen on the deepest and most profound level.
The story has it that Jim Hall was unavailable for the gig and consequently recommended the understated Canadian chord maestro - Ed Bickert. It is claimed that this reckoning of kindred spirits propelled Desmond out of his then existing doldrums and provided him with a renewed sense of creativity. Both players share an uncanny musical empathy and aim to serve the music at all time.
Ed Bickert’s solo on Jobim’s classic Wave is a treasure trove of harmonic material that could well keep one occupied for years to come. As a study for jazz guitar it is unparalleled. In transcribing Bickert, one calls to mind the work of the great impressionist artists – scrutinising a work from close proximity simply reveals a brushstroke here and there, or a daub of this or that color. It is only upon taking a few steps back that one beholds the spectacular vista. And so it is with Bickert.
A brief analysis:
• Rootless voicing (18,40)
• Triads (9,25,35,43)
• Guide tones (5-8)
• Chromatic parallel structures (9,32)
• 4th harmony (17,23,37)
• Diminished scale harmony (9,16,34)
• Pentatonic (10-12)
• Voice leading (12, 25-28)
• Sequences (25 - 30)
• Motivic development (33-36)
• Reference to melody (20,40)
Finally, I recommend purchasing a copy of the song (or CD) and using this transcription in conjunction with the recording. Ultimately, this is the best way to internalise the music, acquiring a true sense of subtlety and nuance that can’t be translated onto the page.