In 1966, pianist Bill Evans and guitarist Jim Hall recorded a duo
album titled Intermodulation. I chose to analyze Evan’s solo on the Cole
Porter tune, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.” The song’s harmony presents
the improviser with many ii-V-I opportunities in the key of Eb. The
majority of the song consists of the simple four-measure progression: Fm7-Bb7-EbMaj7.
In the fourth bar, Evans and Hall insert a minor ii-V7, Gm7(b5)-C7(b9),
to get back to Fm7. While this inclusion is typical in bebop, Porter’s
original harmony seems to only mention C7 (and sometimes just Cm7).
The measure
numbers I refer to do not match specific measures from the recording. They exist as they do because my
transcription of Evan's solo is part of a larger transcription that involves
Hall's solo. In addition, the chord
names refer to the basic harmony. Hall
uses inversions and many passing chords while accompanying Evans. I chose not to include these in my analysis,
as it is the equivalent of comparing a solo with every note of a walking bass
line. Such microscopic examination is
not necessary for this analysis. The
form of the songs appears to be ABCD.
All sections are 16 measures long, with the exception of C being only 8
bars. The second section begins similar
to A, but there are enough melodic and harmonic variations that I believe it warrants
a separate designation.
Evan’s improvisation starts on the last two measures of the preceding chorus, and actually starts on the same note Hall ends with: G. In these two bars Evans repeats the same rhythmic figure: a triplet on count one followed by six eighth-notes. Starting on the third, he outlines an ascending EbMaj9 chord, and uses the 7th and 9th degrees to enclose the root. This allows for a smooth transition in arpeggiating the Maj7 chord an octave higher. The next measure involves stepwise motion instead, and in a mostly descending direction. While there is no harmony underneath, Evans implies a C7(b9) in the last two counts, thus tonicizing the iim7 chord.
Evans starts the top of his chorus with basic chord tones. Over the Fm7 he emphasizes the downbeats. In simple contrast, he reverts to all offbeats during the EbMaj7. In measure 60, Evans again outlines an EbMaj7 chord (starting on the D) over the Gm7(b5). He finishes the arpeggio on count three with another D. This seemingly conflicts with a C7(b9) harmony, so Evans cleverly lowers the high note down a half step (Db) and raises the lower note up a half step. The result can be viewed as a “double enclosure” to the target note C, the fifth of Fm7 in the next measure. The D-Bb is a diatonic enclosure, while the Db-B is a chromatic one.
Diatonic and chromatic enclosures are prevalent in Evan’s solo, as evidenced in just the first six measures. Two-note enclosures of a chord tone usually exist in two varieties. The most common one involves a diatonic note above followed by a half-step below the target pitch. Not including the ones previously mentioned, these enclosures are seen in measures 66, 67, 74, 77, 79, 80, 93, 100, 103, 100, 110 and 111. Measure 82 is just slightly different due to the target pitch being a whole step above the lower enclosing note. Measure 84 is also very similar, but the upper neighbor tone is a non-diatonic half-step above its target. Evan also utilizes the reverse: circle the target pitch from a half-step below first, and then from a diatonic step above. This is heard in measure 76, 83, and at the end of 103. My so-called double enclosure occurs again at the end of measure 65, and is a distinct component of a motivic sequence in measures 86 and 87 (including the grace notes). There are a few examples of three-note enclosures that involve one note from above or below, followed by two chromatic notes from the opposite direction. Measures 81 features two chromatic notes from above, and bar 99 has two chromatic notes from below. These different types of enclosures showcase a multitude of ways in which Evans approaches chord tones.
Evan’s improvisation starts on the last two measures of the preceding chorus, and actually starts on the same note Hall ends with: G. In these two bars Evans repeats the same rhythmic figure: a triplet on count one followed by six eighth-notes. Starting on the third, he outlines an ascending EbMaj9 chord, and uses the 7th and 9th degrees to enclose the root. This allows for a smooth transition in arpeggiating the Maj7 chord an octave higher. The next measure involves stepwise motion instead, and in a mostly descending direction. While there is no harmony underneath, Evans implies a C7(b9) in the last two counts, thus tonicizing the iim7 chord.
Evans starts the top of his chorus with basic chord tones. Over the Fm7 he emphasizes the downbeats. In simple contrast, he reverts to all offbeats during the EbMaj7. In measure 60, Evans again outlines an EbMaj7 chord (starting on the D) over the Gm7(b5). He finishes the arpeggio on count three with another D. This seemingly conflicts with a C7(b9) harmony, so Evans cleverly lowers the high note down a half step (Db) and raises the lower note up a half step. The result can be viewed as a “double enclosure” to the target note C, the fifth of Fm7 in the next measure. The D-Bb is a diatonic enclosure, while the Db-B is a chromatic one.
Diatonic and chromatic enclosures are prevalent in Evan’s solo, as evidenced in just the first six measures. Two-note enclosures of a chord tone usually exist in two varieties. The most common one involves a diatonic note above followed by a half-step below the target pitch. Not including the ones previously mentioned, these enclosures are seen in measures 66, 67, 74, 77, 79, 80, 93, 100, 103, 100, 110 and 111. Measure 82 is just slightly different due to the target pitch being a whole step above the lower enclosing note. Measure 84 is also very similar, but the upper neighbor tone is a non-diatonic half-step above its target. Evan also utilizes the reverse: circle the target pitch from a half-step below first, and then from a diatonic step above. This is heard in measure 76, 83, and at the end of 103. My so-called double enclosure occurs again at the end of measure 65, and is a distinct component of a motivic sequence in measures 86 and 87 (including the grace notes). There are a few examples of three-note enclosures that involve one note from above or below, followed by two chromatic notes from the opposite direction. Measures 81 features two chromatic notes from above, and bar 99 has two chromatic notes from below. These different types of enclosures showcase a multitude of ways in which Evans approaches chord tones.
Another aspect I
observe in Evan's solo is the seemingly simple manner in which he uses
arpeggios. It is common for him to begin
an arpeggio a step below a chord tone, as in measure 65. Sometimes this is a result of an enclosure,
but not always. In the case of bar 65,
he lands back on his initial note an octave higher after ascending a tertian-based
arpeggio (G-Ab-C-Eb-G). This extends the
Fm7 harmony to include the 9th. Another
example looks at how he approaches a half-diminished ii chord in bar 77. Evans begins a half-step below the
flatted-fifth degree (Cb), and then through an enclosure, approaches the
flatted-third degree by another half-step below. Both of these neighbor tones are played on
the downbeat, which shifts the melodic rhythm of chord tones to the offbeats. It is worth noticing that Evans ends his solo
in a similar fashion to how he began it.
Measure 111 has the same EbMaj9 arpeggio that begins on the third degree
with a triplet rhythm.
In analyzing
bebop-style solos, it is sometimes difficult to determine when superimposition
is being used. Case in point is measure
69. Besides the first count (notes Ab
and C), the remainder of the bar features a simple Eb triad. While one can argue that Evans superimposes
Eb over Fm, the three notes in question also represent tertian-based diatonic
extensions of an Fm7 chord (F-Ab-C-Eb-G-Bb). Thus, I do know view such melodic placement
as superimposition. On the other hand, a
great example of such is seen in bar 78.
Over a Bb7 harmony, Evans slyly descends down a Cb (or B) minor
triad. The pitches of this chord, B-D-F#
(for ease of spelling), create an altered sound utilizing the b9 (Cb/B) and #5
or b13 (F#/Gb). These notes stem from
the B (or Cb) melodic minor scale, which provides all the alterations for a Bb
dominant chord.
There are two other instances of Evans imposing chords that
do not relate to chordal extensions. The
second half of measure 100 has a fully diminished arpeggio, but one that does
not exactly relate to C7. The notes
Gb-A-C-Eb create a Co7 sonority, but the harmony is clearly dominant 7. One view is that these notes come from a C
half-whole diminished scale (C-Db-Eb-E-F#-G-A-Bb), which is
another scale that contains altered degrees.
Another way to view this diminished arpeggio is that Evans is thinking
of a dominant 7 chord with a b9. There
are only four possibilities: D7(b9), F7(b9), Ab7(b9), B7(b9). Since Evans resolves the high Eb down to D,
only the D7 and F7 make sense due to their anticipated V7-I resolutions: D7 - G
or Gm and F7 - Bb. The other example of
superimposition is a short-lived Gb triad during an Fm7 to Bb7 move in measures
109-110. Given the next two notes are F
and C, it appears Evans is approaching a Bb9 chord by a half-step above.
Lastly, chromaticism is a major
component in Evans' solo. The key is
that his chromatic runs end on important pitches, which allows for the melodic
line to feel finished. Most of the time
it is consonant chord or neighbor tones.
During his dazzling 16th-note run in measures 107-108, Evans starts on C
and lands a half step higher on Db. That
ending note is the b9 to the C7 harmony, a fitting landing that still requires
a more settling resolution.
You can view my transcription by CLICKING HERE.
