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So What (composition)
Encyclopedia
"So What" is the first track on the 1959 Miles Davis
album Kind of Blue
.
, 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. 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
. 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 fourth
s followed by a major third
, has been given the name "So What chord
" by such theorists as Mark Levine
.
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
".
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?"
recorded a version on his 1961 album Sunday Mornin'
.
In 1991, saxophonist Candy Dulfer
covered the song from her debut album "Saxuality
."
In 1992, jazz guitarist Ronny Jordan
covered the song on his album 'The Antidote
'. 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."
In 2006, Christian Scott
covered the song on his album "Rewind That."
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.
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
album Kind of Blue
Kind of Blue
Kind of Blue is a studio album by American jazz musician Miles Davis, released August 17, 1959, on Columbia Records in the United States. Recording sessions for the album took place at Columbia's 30th Street Studio in New York City on March 2 and April 22, 1959...
.
History
"So What" is one of the best known examples of modal jazzModal jazz
Modal jazz is jazz that uses musical modes rather than chord progressions as a harmonic framework. Originating in the late 1950s and 1960s, modal jazz is characterized by Miles Davis's "Milestones" Kind of Blue and John Coltrane's classic quartet from 1960–64. Other important performers include...
, set in the Dorian mode
Dorian mode
Due to historical confusion, Dorian mode or Doric mode can refer to three very different musical modes or diatonic scales, the Greek, the medieval, and the modern.- Greek Dorian mode :...
and consisting of 16 bars of D Dorian, followed by eight bars of E Dorian and another eight of D Dorian. This AABA
Thirty-two-bar form
The thirty-two-bar form, often called AABA from the musical form or order in which its melodies occur, is common in Tin Pan Alley songs and later popular music including rock, pop and jazz...
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
Gil Evans
Gil Evans was a jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader, active in the United States...
for Bill Evans
Bill Evans
William John Evans, known as Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist. His use of impressionist harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists including: Chick Corea, Herbie...
(no relation) and Paul Chambers
Paul Chambers
Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers, Jr. was a jazz bassist. A fixture of rhythm sections during the 1950s and 1960s, his importance in the development of jazz bass can be measured not only by the length and breadth of his work in this short period but also his impeccable time, intonation, and virtuosic...
on Kind of Blue
Kind of Blue
Kind of Blue is a studio album by American jazz musician Miles Davis, released August 17, 1959, on Columbia Records in the United States. Recording sessions for the album took place at Columbia's 30th Street Studio in New York City on March 2 and April 22, 1959...
. 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
Head (music)
In its broadest sense, the head of a piece of music is its main theme, particularly in jazz, where the term takes on a more specific set of connotations. In other types of music, "head" may refer to the first or most prominent section of a song...
, from the bottom up three perfect fourth
Perfect fourth
In classical music from Western culture, a fourth is a musical interval encompassing four staff positions , and the perfect fourth is a fourth spanning five semitones. For example, the ascending interval from C to the next F is a perfect fourth, as the note F lies five semitones above C, and there...
s followed by a major third
Major third
In classical music from Western culture, a third is a musical interval encompassing three staff positions , and the major third is one of two commonly occurring thirds. It is qualified as major because it is the largest of the two: the major third spans four semitones, the minor third three...
, has been given the name "So What chord
So What chord
In jazz and jazz harmony, a So What chord is a particular 5-note chord voicing such as employed by Bill Evans in the "'amen' response figure" to the head of the tune "So What"....
" by such theorists as Mark Levine
Mark Levine
Mark Levine is the name of:* Mark Levine , jazz musician* Mark Levine , host of Mark Levine's Inside Scoop radio show, and The American Dream television show on Press TV*Mark Levine , American poet...
.
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
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
for his standard "Impressions
Impressions (composition)
"Impressions" is a jazz standard composed by John Coltrane. While Coltrane only recorded the composition once in the studio , he recorded it many times live, beginning with his 1961 engagement at the Village Vanguard...
".
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?"
Renditions
Grant GreenGrant Green
Grant Green was a jazz guitarist and composer....
recorded a version on his 1961 album Sunday Mornin'
Sunday Mornin'
Sunday Mornin' is an album by American jazz guitarist Grant Green featuring performances recorded and released on the Blue Note label in 1961...
.
In 1991, saxophonist Candy Dulfer
Candy Dulfer
Candy Dulfer is a Dutch smooth jazz alto saxophonist who began playing at the age of six. She founded her band, Funky Stuff, when she was fourteen years old. Her debut album Saxuality received a Grammy Award nomination. Dulfer has released nine studio albums, two live albums, and one compilation...
covered the song from her debut album "Saxuality
Saxuality
Saxuality is the debut album by Candy Dulfer. Dulfer was no stranger to music since she is the daughter of Hans Dulfer, a famous Dutch saxophone player...
."
In 1992, jazz guitarist Ronny Jordan
Ronny Jordan
Ronny Jordan is a guitarist at the forefront of the acid jazz movement at the end of the twentieth century. Additionally, Jordan can be included in several other jazz genres such as urban jazz, jazz funk, crossover jazz, and smooth jazz...
covered the song on his album 'The Antidote
The Antidote (Ronny Jordan album)
- Personnel :* Ronny Jordan - Vocals, guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, programming* IG Culture - Rap* Isabel Roberts - Vocals* Phillip Bent - Flute* Joe Bashorun - Piano* Adrian York - Organ* Hugo Delmirani - Organ, vibraphone* Arnie Somogyi - Double bass...
'. Jordan's cover became a standard of the early 1990s acid jazz club scene.
In 2005, Larry Coryell
Larry Coryell
Larry Coryell is an American jazz fusion guitarist.-Biography:Coryell was born in Galveston, Texas. He graduated from Richland High School, in Richland, Washington, where he played in local bands The Jailers, The Rumblers, The Royals, and The Flames. He also played with The Checkers from nearby...
Trio covered the song from the album "Electric."
In 2006, Christian Scott
Christian Scott
Christian Scott, born March 31, 1983, in New Orleans, Louisiana, is the 2010 Edison Award winner for Best International Jazz Artist and a Grammy Award-nominated jazz trumpeter, composer and producer. He has been heralded by JazzTimes magazine as "the Architect of a new commercially viable fusion"...
covered the song on his album "Rewind That."
In 1992, Jerry Garcia, David Grisman and Tony Rice performed the piece on The Pizza Tapes - Track 18 - So What
In 1992, Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
used a short rendition as the theme for their night-time service, named "Night Shift"
In 1987, Larry Carlton
Larry Carlton
Larry Carlton is an American jazz, smooth jazz, jazz fusion, pop, and rock guitarist and singer. He has divided his recording time between solo recordings and session appearances with various well-known bands...
opened his live album, "Last Nite" with this song.
External links
- "So What" at jazzstandards.com
- So What - Youtube, a 1958 live recording of Miles Davis and John ColtraneJohn ColtraneJohn William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
performing "So What".