Duke Ellington: Searchin

Introductory Concepts: Folk Music, Art Music, and All That Jazz
From a referential listener point of view, Duke Ellingtons Searchin provides a pleasant, calm, and
relaxed feeling. Then at times, intensity is brought by the melodies of either the saxophone, organ or
guitar. The main musical idea formed by blues chords gives the song a pleasantly calm feeling, but the
melodies of either the saxophone, guitar, or organ give the song sudden rush. Personally, the contrast
between pleasant calmness to sudden excitement reminds me of surfing. When out in the ocean waiting
for a wave, I feel relaxed while sitting out in the tranquil blue water. Then, suddenly, a crashing wave
comes and I attempt to surf with rapid carves. Duke Ellingtons Searchin expresses surfings contrast
between calmness and sudden rush.
The song begins with the guitar playing the main musical idea, supported by the bass and drums. While
the guitar plays the main blues chords, the organ plays a fast improvised riff. Then the trumpet and
saxophone simultaneously play a riff that differs from the main musical idea played by the guitar. At
times both the trumpet and saxophone will play different riffs at the same time. Eventually the
saxophone plays its own improvised melody. Then the organ takes the guitars original place of playing
the blues chords, while the guitar then provides its own improvised melody. The guitar then returns to
playing the main musical idea of blues chords, while the saxophone and organ take turns playing
melodies over the main blues chords. The song achieved variety by having several different instruments
switching between playing solos while the other instruments played the main chords. The variation
between soloing instruments made the song seem exciting rather than boring.