December 11, 2019

Body And Soul.

• The evolution of the Tenor Saxophone through the study of
• “Body and Soul” Performed and recorded by:
• Coleman Hawkins , Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane”
Thesis:

Thesis: The evolution of the tenor saxophone from 1939 till

present can be documented and studied through the analysis
of transcriptions of solos and arrangements of“ Body and Soul”
by three Master tenor saxophonists, Coleman Hawkins in 1939,
Sonny Rollins in 1958 and John Coltrane in 1960.
Coltrane’s arrangement of Body and Soul.
• Body and Soul

Coltrane’s arrangement of “Body and Soul”

composed by John Green, words by Edward Heyman, Robert
Sour and Frank Eyton.
 Context:
Context John Coltrane 1923-1967

Context: After recording Giant Steps Coltrane becomes obsessed with

the harmonic sequence of the tri tonic system. He composes
originals like Countdown based on Tune up, Exotica, Satellite
based on How High the Moon, 26-2 based on Confirmation. He
also uses the tri tonic system on his arrangements of jazz
standards, like “But Not for me “and “Body and Soul”
Arrangement
The arrangement starts with a 4-bar piano introduction at
medium up swing tempo (The quarter notes equals 132) using
• Arrangement an Ab pedal point over the Eb minor sequence. The harmonic
sequence is Eb-, Eb Minor Major 7, Eb minor 7, Eb minor 6 over
Ab pedal point. Drums and bass come in measure 5.
Coltrane comes in pick-up to measure 8 playing the melody an
octave up from the original melody. This is one of Coltrane’s
signature Lyrical sound playing in the higher register of the
tenor saxophone. Coltrane alters the melody to fit the new
harmony but we can still recognize the original melody of Body
and Soul.
A Section

• The A section of the tune is 16 bars long as oppose to the 8 bars of the
original ballad. Coltrane uses the Ab pedal to change the rich harmony of
the original changes to a more open Modal sound. The Ab Pedal is used
measure 1-7, measure 6 he adds an augmented DbMaj7 and adjust the
melody to fit the chord with a A natural in the melody. Measure 8 he adds
a chromatic ii v I to the ii chord, E-7 A7 resolving to Eb-/Ab then continues
the Ab pedal measures measure 9-11 till the vii Minor 7b5 measure 12
then back to the Ab pedal measures 13-16.
• This combination of Modal Ab pedal point and harmonic reharmonization
is typical of the Coltrane sound of his quartet in 1960. The second A
measures 17 till measure 32 is the same. Coltrane uses the original ii v, E-7
A7 to the modulation to D Major on the Bridge.
•
A section

• A section
Bridge
Tri-Tonic

• Bridge
• On The bridge Coltrane improvises a variation of melody altered to
fit the reharmonization of the original changes. Clearly the harmony
dictated the melody line.
• Bridge 1:00
•
Form

• Mc Coy Tyner takes a piano solo for 61 measures, the full Chorus of the tune.
•
• Coltrane comes back in on the Bridge and plays the last A.
•
• Coltrane ends the tune on a Bb 7#5 Chord with #9 in the melody then b9 sustained over Bb7#5.
•
• Coltrane goes then is a slow rubato cadenza the last 8 bars of the form: Eb-7, C-7b5 F7b9, Eb-7
Ab7, DbMaj7.
• Then he adds in dramatic chord sequence for ending.
• DbMaj7, F Maj7, AMaj7, then two five cadences to Eb-7 Ab7 to DbMaj7, GbMaj7, F-7, Eb-7
DbMaj7 rubato.
•
• 4:44.
Influenced By Coleman Hawkins

• Coltrane took the original definitive Version of Body and Soul

recorded by Coleman Hawkins in 1939 and made it his own,
melodically, harmonically, extended the from and added an ending.
All these changes are made to fulfill his musical interests, Modal
playing and harmonic reharmonizations. Coltrane left Miles Davis
because he could not play what he heard in Miles band anymore .
Now with his quartet he could explore the Coltrane Sound!
Coltrane’s legacy

• Coltrane’s Legacy:
• Coltrane created the canon for all that came after him. One needs to
study the tradition, assimilate it in order to innovate.
• Coltrane changed the sound of tenor saxophone/ sound of jazz.
• Coltrane introduced new possibilities of reharmonization and Modal
playing.
• All of these innovations are found in his arrangement of Body and
Soul.