Seth  Carper  2014  

 

Kenny  Garrett’s  Solo  on  “XYZ”  

From  Standard  of  Language  

On  his  2003  Warner  Bros.  release  Standard  of  Language,  Kenny  Garrett  

proves  that  playing  firery  post-­‐‑bop  lines  and  making  beautiful  melodies  need  not  be  

mutually  exclusive.    Garrett  exemplifies  this  on  his  composition  “XYZ.”    The  chord  

changes  rely  heavily  on  minor  sonorities,  but  include  a  few  brighter  major  seventh  

chords  to  break  up  the  darker  sounds.    Likewise,  Garrett  sings  out    

 

Pentatonic  Material  

Garrett  makes  ample  use  of  pentatonic  scales  throughout  this  solo.    Some  

passages  contain  obvious  choices  such  as  mm.  35-­‐‑37  and  59-­‐‑61,  using  A  minor  

pentatonic  over  an  Am7  chord.      

Fig.  2:  mm.  35-­‐‑37,  59-­‐‑61  

   

   

There  are  some  less  direct  associations  with  Garrett’s  pentatonic  

superimpositions.    For  example,  over  the  Ebmaj7(#11)  Garrett  favors  using  the  F  

Alto Saxophone

C minor Emphasis on b5

Amin7q=240 1

2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9

Gmin7

C7b9

10 11 12 13

FŒ„Š7(#11)

14 15 16 17

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

F Pentatonic

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

18 19 20 21

Dmin Eb/D DminEb/D

Emphasis on #1122 23 24 25

Dmin Eb/D Dmin Eb/D

26 27 28 29

Amin7 2

30 31 32 33

Dmin Pentatonic

Amin7

Amin Pentatonic34 35 36 37

XYZ

Kenny GarrettKenny Garrett's Solo from Standard of Language

0:55

3

Gmin7

C Pentatonic38 39 40 41

FŒ„Š7(#11)

42 43 44 45

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

Dmin Pentatonic

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

46 47 48 49

Dmin Eb/D DminEb/D

50 51 52 53

Dmin

Dalt. scale

Eb/D DminEb/D

54 55 56 57

Amin7

Amin Pentatonic

Amin7

58 59 60 61

62 63 64 65Gmin7

66 67 68 69

FŒ„Š7(#11)

70 71 72 73

motive from m.25

3

3

3 3

3 3

Alto Saxophone

2

major  and  D  minor  pentatonic  scales,  both  of  which  emphasize  the  upper  extensions  

of  the  chord  quality.    The  chord  immediately  following  the  Ebmaj7(#11)  is  a  Dmin7,  

so  the  use  of  the  D  minor  pentatonic  strengthens  the  modal  flavor  of  the  solo  with  

the  common  tones.      

Fig.  3:  F  major  &  D  minor  pentatonic  over  Ebmaj7(#11)  

  mm.  19-­‐‑21    F  

   

  mm.  47-­‐‑49  D  

   

  mm.  75-­‐‑76  F  

 

  mm.  102-­‐‑105  D  

 

In  mm.  41-­‐‑42  and  96-­‐‑100  Garrett  uses  the  C  pentatonic  scale  as  common  

tone  material  between  the  Gmin7  and  Fmaj7(#11),  again  adding  to  the  modal  sound  

of  the  solo.  

Alto Saxophone

C minor Emphasis on b5

Amin7q=240 1

2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9

Gmin7

C7b9

10 11 12 13

FŒ„Š7(#11)

14 15 16 17

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

F Pentatonic

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

18 19 20 21

Dmin Eb/D DminEb/D

Emphasis on #1122 23 24 25

Dmin Eb/D Dmin Eb/D

26 27 28 29

Amin7 2

30 31 32 33

Dmin Pentatonic

Amin7

Amin Pentatonic34 35 36 37

XYZ

Kenny GarrettKenny Garrett's Solo from Standard of Language

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3

Gmin7

C Pentatonic38 39 40 41

FŒ„Š7(#11)

42 43 44 45

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

Dmin Pentatonic

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

46 47 48 49

Dmin Eb/D DminEb/D

50 51 52 53

Dmin

Dalt. scale

Eb/D DminEb/D

54 55 56 57

Amin7

Amin Pentatonic

Amin7

58 59 60 61

62 63 64 65Gmin7

66 67 68 69

FŒ„Š7(#11)

70 71 72 73

motive from m.25

3

3

3 3

3 3

Alto Saxophone

2

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

F Pentatonic74 75 76 77Dmin Eb/D Dmin Eb/D

78 79 80 81DminEb/D Dmin Eb/D

82 83 84 85

Amin7

86 87 88 89

90 91 92 93

G‹

C Pentatonic94 95 96 97

FŒ„Š7(#11)

98 99 100 101

ala Coltrane

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

sim.102 103 104 105

D‹ Eb/D D‹ Eb/D

106 107 108 109

3

rushed

3 3 3 3

Alto Saxophone

3

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

F Pentatonic74 75 76 77Dmin Eb/D Dmin Eb/D

78 79 80 81DminEb/D Dmin Eb/D

82 83 84 85

Amin7

86 87 88 89

90 91 92 93

G‹

C Pentatonic94 95 96 97

FŒ„Š7(#11)

98 99 100 101

ala Coltrane

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

sim.102 103 104 105

D‹ Eb/D D‹ Eb/D

106 107 108 109

3

rushed

3 3 3 3

Alto Saxophone

3

 

Fig.  4:    C  pentatonic  over  Gmin7  &  Fmaj7(#11)  

 

 

 

At  the  end  of  the  solo,  Garret  employs  a  classic  Coltrane  modal  device,  

utilizing  a  four-­‐‑note  cell  of  the  D  minor  pentatonic  scale  over  a  pedal  point  of  D  in  

the  bass.    He  begins  the  line  over  the  Ebmaj7(#11)  shown  above,  and  repeats  the  

cell  numerous  times  over  the  D  pedal,  allowing  the  upper  notes  to  produce  

overtones.  Garrett  concludes  the  riff  with  a  diatonic  pattern  descending  through  the  

D  minor  pentatonic  scale.  

Fix  5:    D  minor  pentatonic  cell  and  diatonic  pattern  

 

 

 

 

Gmin7

38 39

C Pentatonic

Gmin7 FŒ„Š7(#11)

40 41 42 43

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

Dmin Pentatonic

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

44 45 46 47 48

Dmin Eb/D DminEb/D

49 50 51 52 53

Dmin

Dalt. scale

Eb/D DminEb/D

54 55 56 57

Amin7

Amin Pentatonic

Amin7

58 59 60 61

62 63 64 65

Gmin7

66 67 68 69

3

3

3 3

Alto Saxophone

2

FŒ„Š7(#11)

70 71 72 73

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

F Pentatonic74 75 76 77

Dmin Eb/D Dmin Eb/D

78 79 80 81Dmin

Eb/D Dmin Eb/D

82 83 84 85

Amin7

86 87 88 89

90 91 92 93

G‹

94 95G‹

C Pentatonic

FŒ„Š7(#11)

96 97 98 99 100

101

3 3

3

Alto Saxophone

3

ala Coltrane

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

sim.102 103 104 105

D‹ Eb/D D‹ Eb/D

106 107 108 109D‹ Eb/D

Dmin Pentatonic

D‹

110 111 112

Eb/D A‹7

113 114 115

rushed

3 3 3 3

Alto Saxophone

4

ala Coltrane

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

sim.102 103 104 105

D‹ Eb/D D‹ Eb/D

106 107 108 109D‹

110Eb/D

Dmin Pentatonic

D‹ Eb/D

111 112 113

A‹7

114 115

rushed

3 3 3 3

Alto Saxophone

4

Motives  and  Non-­‐‑Diatonic  Pitch  Relationships  

  Kenny  Garrett  is  known  for  playing  dissonant  pitches  on  strong  beats  for  

uncomfortably  long  durations.    In  this  solo  he  begins  with  a  strong  sustained  Eb  

over  the  initial  Am7,  emphasizing  the  b5  (or  #11)  of  the  chord.    This  could  be  a  

superimposed  C  minor  sound  or  an  extension  of  the  Eb/D  harmony  from  the  end  of  

the  previous  chorus.    He  resolves  the  Eb  by  m.  4,  but  because  of  the  strength  of  the  

sequenced  motive,  the  whole  four  measures  sound  just  like  a  natural  part  of  the  

progression.  

Fig.  6  mm.  1-­‐‑4  

     

  Another  use  of  the  #11  sound  on  a  minor  7th  chord  occurs  in  mm.  25-­‐‑28  (Fig.  

7).    Here  Garrett  begins  his  motive  on  a  G#  over  the  D  pedal  point.    He  resolves  the  

tension  up  to  an  A  in  m.  29,  transposing  the  motive  for  the  impending  Amin7.    Once  

again  the  strength  of  the  motive  carries  the  dissonance  as  Garrett  sequences  the  

idea  down  in  mm.    29-­‐‑33  (Fig.  8).    

Fig.  7:  mm.  25-­‐‑28  

 

 

 

 

Alto Saxophone

C minor Emphasis on b5

Amin7q=240 1

2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9

Gmin7

C7b9

10 11 12 13

FŒ„Š7(#11)

14 15 16 17

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

F Pentatonic

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

18 19 20 21

Dmin Eb/D DminEb/D

Emphasis on #1122 23 24 25

Dmin Eb/D Dmin Eb/D

26 27 28 29

Amin7 2

30 31 32 33

Dmin Pentatonic

Amin7

Amin Pentatonic34 35 36 37

XYZ

Kenny GarrettKenny Garrett's Solo from Standard of Language

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3

Alto Saxophone

C minor Emphasis on b5

Amin7q=240 1

2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9

Gmin7

C7b9

10 11 12 13

FŒ„Š7(#11)

14 15 16 17

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

F Pentatonic

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

18 19 20 21

Dmin Eb/D Dmin

22 23 24

Eb/D

Emphasis on #11

Dmin Eb/D Dmin

25 26 27 28

Eb/D

29

XYZ

Kenny GarrettKenny Garrett's Solo from Standard of Language

0:55

3

Fig.  8:    Resolved  tension  and  sequence  

 

 

Garrett  departs  from  the  idea  for  a  few  measures  but  returns  to  the  motive  in  a  less  

dissonant  form  in  mm.  38-­‐‑40,  and  with  a  brief  abstracted  form  in  mm.  42-­‐‑44  (Fig.  9).  

Fig.  9  

     

 

Measures  57-­‐‑58  are  an  example  of  a  classic  Kenny  Garrett  lick.    After  running  

up  a  D  altered  scale  in  mm.  54-­‐‑55,  Garrett  plays  a  descending  chromatic  scale  with  

lower  chromatic  neighbors  to  each  scale  tone,  linking  the  following  pentatonic  

pattern  with  a  bebop  lick.    

Fig.  10:  Chromatic  descent    

 

The  most  striking  use  of  a  strong  dissonant  pitch  within  a  motive  occurs  in  

mm.  83-­‐‑85.    In  the  middle  of  a  screaming  chromatic  ascent,  Garrett  lands  on  a  G#,  

again  emphasizing  the  #11  over  the  Dmin-­‐‑Eb/D  pedal.    He  resolves  to  the  A  just  

Alto Saxophone

C minor Emphasis on b5

Amin7q=240 1

2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9

Gmin7

C7b9

10 11 12 13

FŒ„Š7(#11)

14 15 16 17

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

F Pentatonic

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

18 19 20 21

Dmin Eb/D Dmin

22 23 24

Eb/D

Emphasis on #11

Dmin Eb/D Dmin

25 26 27 28

Eb/D Amin7

29 30 31 32 33

Dmin Pentatonic

Amin7

Amin Pentatonic34 35 36 37

XYZ

Kenny GarrettKenny Garrett's Solo from Standard of Language

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3

Gmin7

C Pentatonic38 39 40

Gmin7 FŒ„Š7(#11)

41 42 43

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

Dmin Pentatonic

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

44 45 46 47 48

Dmin Eb/D DminEb/D

49 50 51 52 53

Dmin

Dalt. scale

Eb/D DminEb/D

54 55 56 57

Amin7

Amin Pentatonic

Amin7

58 59 60 61

62 63 64 65

Gmin7

66 67 68 69

3

3

3 3

Alto Saxophone

2

Gmin7

C Pentatonic38 39 40

Gmin7 FŒ„Š7(#11)

41 42 43

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

Dmin Pentatonic

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

44 45 46 47 48

Dmin Eb/D DminEb/D

49 50 51 52 53

Dmin

Dalt. scale

Eb/D DminEb/D

54 55 56 57

Amin7

Amin Pentatonic

Amin7

58 59 60 61

62 63 64 65

Gmin7

66 67 68 69

motive from m.25

3

3

3 3

Alto Saxophone

2Gmin7

C Pentatonic38 39 40

Gmin7 FŒ„Š7(#11)

41 42 43

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

Dmin Pentatonic

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

44 45 46 47 48

Dmin Eb/D DminEb/D

49 50 51 52 53

Dmin

Dalt. scale

Eb/D Dmin

Chromatic Descent

Eb/DAmin7 Bebop

54 55 56 57 58

Amin7

59 60 61

62 63 64 65

Gmin7

66 67 68 69

motive from m.25

3

3

3 3

Alto Saxophone

2

prior  to  the  chord  change,  but  with  shifting  substituted  harmonies  in  the  rhythm  

section,  Garrett’s  resolution  is  effectively  turned  into  a  dissonance.      

 

Fig.  11:    mm.  83-­‐‑85  

     

 

Rhythm  and  Solo  Arc  

Garrett’s  rhythm  is  one  of  the  most  important  aspects  of  this  solo  is  also  the  

hardest  to  accurately  notate.      He  uses  slower  rhythmic  values  to  help  pace  the  

development  of  the  solo  from  the  beginning.    He  tends  to  play  less  rhythmically  

intense  passages  over  the  first  16  bars  of  the  form,  gradually  introducing  more  

syncopation  or  harder  driving  lines  in  the  last  4-­‐‑8  measures  preceding  the  D  pedal.    

Remarkably  the  most  memorable  part  of  the  solo,  utilizes  some  of  the  most  

sustained  rhythmic  values  and  repetition  (mm.66-­‐‑97).    It  is  also  interesting  that  

these  measures  contain  the  peak  of  the  solo  arc.    This  arc  is  contrary  to  many  solos,  

rhythmically  speaking,  as  it  “slows  down”  at  the  peak.    The  fastest  rhythmic  activity  

comes  at  the  end  of  the  arc,  mm.  102-­‐‑113,  almost  spiraling  to  the  end.    The  rhythmic  

tension  and  release,  along  with  the  tessitura,  dynamics,  and  density  from  the  

rhythm  section,  help  support  the  unconventional  build.    His  ability  to  bend  the  rules  

of  pitch  and  rhythm  is  one  of  the  reasons  Kenny  Garrett  has  become  such  an  

important  voice  in  modern  jazz.    

 

FŒ„Š7(#11)

70 71 72 73

E¨Œ„Š7(#11)

F Pentatonic74 75 76 77

Dmin Eb/D Dmin Eb/D

78 79 80 81Dmin

Eb/D Dmin Eb/D

82 83 84 85

Amin7

86 87 88 89

90 91 92 93

G‹

94 95G‹

C Pentatonic

FŒ„Š7(#11)

96 97 98 99 100

101

3 3

3

Alto Saxophone

3