So What (composition)
| "So What" | |
|---|---|
| Composition by Miles Davis from the album Kind of Blue | |
| Released | August 17, 1959 |
| Recorded | March 2, 1959 |
| Genre | Jazz |
| Length | 9:22 |
| Label | Columbia |
| Composer | Miles Davis |
| Producer | Teo Macero |
| Kind of Blue track listing | |
|
|
"So What" is the first track on the 1959 Miles Davis album Kind of Blue.
Contents |
[edit] History
"So What" is one of the best known examples of modal jazz, set in the Dorian mode and consisting of 16 bars of D Dorian, followed by eight bars of E♭ Dorian and another eight of D Dorian.[1] This AABA structure puts it in the thirty-two bar format of American popular song.
The piano-and-bass introduction for the piece was written by Gil Evans for Bill Evans (no relation) and Paul Chambers on Kind of Blue.[citation needed] An orchestrated version by Gil Evans of this introduction is later to be found on a television broadcast given by Miles' Quintet (minus Cannonball Adderley who was ill that day) and the Gil Evans Orchestra; the orchestra gave the introduction, after which the quintet played the rest of "So What".
The distinctive voicing employed by Bill Evans for the chords that interject the head, from the bottom up three perfect fourths followed by a major third, has been given the name "So What chord" by such theorists as Mark Levine.[citation needed]
While the track is taken at a very moderate tempo on Kind Of Blue, it is played at an extremely fast tempo on later live recordings by the Quintet, such as Four and More.
The same chord structure was later used by John Coltrane for his standard "Impressions".[2]
The actor Dennis Hopper, in an interview in 2008 with Men's Journal, claims that Davis named the song after intellectual conversations with Hopper, in which he would reply, "So what?" [3]
[edit] Renditions
Grant Green recorded a version on his 1961 album Sunday Mornin'.
In 1991, saxophonist Candy Dulfer covered the song from her debut album "Saxuality."[4]
In 1992, jazz guitarist Ronny Jordan covered the song on his album 'The Antidote'. [5] Jordan's cover became a standard of the early 1990s acid jazz club scene.
In 2005, Larry Coryell Trio covered the song from the album "Electric."[6]
In 2006, Christian Scott covered the song on his album "Rewind That."[citation needed]
In 1992, Jerry Garcia, David Grisman and Tony Rice performed the piece on The Pizza Tapes - Track 18 - So What
In 1992, Yorkshire Television used a short rendition as the theme for their night-time service, named "Night Shift"
In 1987, Larry Carlton opened his live album, "Last Nite" with this song.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Khan, Steve. "Miles Davis Jazz Trumpet Solo Transcription and Analysis". http://www.stevekhan.com/sowhata.htm. Retrieved 11 October 2010.
- ^ Nisenson, Eric (1995). Ascension: John Coltrane and his quest. Da Capo Press. p. 126. ISBN 0306806444.
- ^ Steven Russell (1 June 2010). "Dennis Hopper:The Interview". Men's Journal. http://www.mensjournal.com/dennis-hopper. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
- ^ "Saxuality overview". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r132182.
- ^ "The Antidote overview". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r160240.
- ^ "Electric overview". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r787871.
[edit] External links
- "So What" at jazzstandards.com
- So What - Youtube, a 1958 live recording of Miles Davis and John Coltrane performing "So What".
