Links and a Nine-bar Rest

 

Amazing where internet links can take you. 

Bob Lieder’s comment on yesterday’s post took me to a Wikipedia discussion on asterisks, which led to tuple, a term used in math and computer programming, and from there to tuplet, which is used in musical notation.

The discussion of tuplets reminded me of an almost-forgotten story I first heard when working at KQUE in Houston back in the 60’s.

When I first heard the tale, the hero was Doc Severinsen, but it could just as easily have been Harry James, Dizzy Gillespie or Winton Marsalis.  The story  had to do with a famous jazz trumpeter who performed as a guest soloist with the Houston Symphony. 

I don’t remember the name of the piece, but it doesn’t really matter; it could have been anything from Flight of the Bumblebee to Capriccio Italien. The virtuoso brought the house down with an amazing ten minute solo that involved triple-tonguing almost every note.

After the performance a local debutante, the daughter of an oil millionaire, offered the musician a thousand dollars to take her home and play her like he had played his trumpet.  He accepted, and an hour or so later they were in bed.

Just as the song and the lady seemed to be reaching a climax, he stopped.

“Oh God,” she screamed. “Don’t stop now!”

“Got to.” he replied.  “I’ve got a nine-bar rest.”

“Fake it!” she yelled.  “You’re a jazz man, IMPROVISE!”