Sat 22 jan, 15:00 uur – Three of a Kind. The album Bags Groove by Miles Davis (1954), with Rollins on tenorsax, contains three pieces by the saxophonist. Oleo, Doxy en Airegin. All three quickly achieved standard status.
On 29 June 1954 Miles Davis went into the studio with Sonny Rollins (photo), pianist Horace Silver, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Kenny Clarke. Rollins comes in with three new unfinished pieces. Davis: “He rewrote them right in the studio.” One of the pieces is Airegin. A photo of van Nigerian dancers had made a deep impression on Rollins . He dedicated his next compositions to the dancers. Airegin is Nigeria reversed.
This piece, with its asymmetric form scheme – 36 bars, divided 20 + 16 – has often been recorded by others.
Dexter Gordon recorded the piece in 1972. Title of the lp: Ca’Purange. Here it’s also the tenor and trumpet (Thad Jones) who present the theme unisono, as against the Bags Groove-version in which there is room for a piano solo by Hank Jones and a drumsolo by Louis Hayes.
Nigeria is the title of a 1962 album by guitarist Grant Green. No winds, pianist Sonny Clark solos alongside Green and drummer Art Blakey goes full bore.
Also during this hour three versions of the pieces All Too Soon and Sister Sadie.
Three of a Kind is a programme by Bert Broere.
