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A. The note that follows the A is the planned<br />
resolution, G. However, the resolution has been<br />
delayed from the expected first beat to the unexpected<br />
second beat. In measure 8, Fedchock<br />
illustrates an example of anticipating harmonic<br />
change. On the fourth beat of measure 8, he plays<br />
an F that he ties over to the next measure. The F<br />
doesn’t act as a #9 of the D7 chord, but rather as<br />
an anticipation of the upcoming Gm7 chord. This<br />
anticipation is powerful because the third of one<br />
chord is moving to the seventh of another. This<br />
type of voice-leading is traditional and defines<br />
the harmony in the absence of piano and bass<br />
accompaniment.<br />
Fedchock’s most intriguing musical quality—his<br />
use of upper extensions and altered<br />
harmonics—sets him apart from other players.<br />
Examples of upper extensions, chromaticism or<br />
altered harmony occur in 22 out of the 24 measures<br />
presented here. For instance, rather than<br />
outline a standard B7 harmony in measures 2<br />
and 14, he chooses to play material that defines<br />
Bsus7, establishing a more modal sound and<br />
grounding the key center. To change the sound of<br />
the F7 from that of a tonic to an altered dominant,<br />
he combines the notes of the tritone major pen-<br />
tatonic scale with, in the first chorus, chromatic<br />
passing tones, and, in the second chorus, notes<br />
from the altered scale. This creates tension that<br />
resolves once the IV chord of B7 arrives in measures<br />
5 and 17. The symmetry of these two opening<br />
choruses isn’t coincidental, but planned. The<br />
implied modal quality of the IV chord also adds<br />
to the alteration of the standard blues harmony<br />
(a suspended chord rather than a dominant) and<br />
creates anticipation for his upcoming altered line.<br />
While conveying these complex musical<br />
ideas without piano or bass might seem a difficult<br />
task, it is a prominent feature in Fedchock’s<br />
repertoire, which draws from strong bebop roots<br />
combined with unique concepts of melody and<br />
harmony. DB<br />
eARL PhILLIPS IS A BASS TROMBONIST/COMPOSeR/<br />
ARRANGeR AND LeADeR OF The eARL PhILLIPS BIG<br />
BAND. he TeACheS MuSIC TeChNOLOGY AND DIReCTS<br />
The JAzz eNSeMBLe AT CheROkee hIGh SChOOL<br />
IN MARLTON, N.J. vISIT hIM ONLINe AT MYSPACe.COM/<br />
eARLPhILLIPSBIGBAND.<br />
JOhN FeDChOCk’S LATeST CD, LIve AT The ReD SeA<br />
JAzz FeSTIvAL (CAPRI), FeATuReS The TROMBONIST’S<br />
NY SexTeT IN CONCeRT AT The ICONIC JAzz FeSTIvAL<br />
IN eILAT, ISRAeL. vISIT FeDChOCk ONLINe AT<br />
JOhNFeDChOCk.COM.<br />
NOVEMBER 2010 DOWNBEAT 77
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