Rhythm Is My Beat

Alfred Green

doi:10.5771/9781442242470

Summary

In Rhythm Is My Beat: Jazz Guitar Great Freddie Green and the Count Basie Sound, Alfred Green tells the story of his father, rhythm guitarist Freddie Green, whose guitar work served as the pulse of the Count Basie Band. A quiet but key figure in big band jazz, Freddie Green took a distinct pride in his role as Basie’s rhythm guitarist, redefining the outer limits of acoustic rhythm guitar and morphing it into an art form. So distinct was Green’s style that it would eventually give birth to notations on guitar charts that read: “Play in the style of Freddie Green.”

This American jazz icon, much like his inimitable sound, achieved stardom as a sideman, both in and out of Basie’s band. Green’s signature sound provided lift to soloists like Lester Young and vocalist Lil’ Jimmy Rushing, a reflection of Green’s sophisticated technique, that produced, in Green’s words, his “rhythm wave.” Billie Holiday, Ruby Braff, Benny Goodman, Gerry Mulligan, Teddy Wilson, Ray Charles, Judy Carmichael, Joe Williams and other recording artists all benefited from the relentless fours of the man who came to be known as Mr. Rhythm. The mystique surrounding Freddie Green’s technique is illuminated through generous commentary by insightful interviews with other musicians, guitar professionals and scholars, all of whom offer their ideas on Freddie Green’s sound. Alfred Green throughout demystifies the man behind the legend.

This work will interest jazz fans, students, and scholars; guitar enthusiasts and professionals; music historians and anyone interested not only in the history of jazz but of the African American experience in jazz.

Keywords

Search publication

Bibliographic data

Copyright year: 2015
ISBN-Print: 978-1-4422-4246-3
ISBN-Online: 978-1-4422-4247-0
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 326
Product type: Book Titles

1. Contents No access
2. Foreword No access
3. Preface No access
4. Acknowledgments No access
5. Chronology No access
CHAPTER ONE. God Said, “Let There Be Rhythm” and Freddie Green Heard the Call No access Pages 1 - 14
CHAPTER TWO. The Trail to Basie No access Pages 15 - 30
CHAPTER THREE. Finding the Groove No access Pages 31 - 54
CHAPTER FOUR. Building “The Wave” No access Pages 55 - 70
CHAPTER FIVE. On the Road No access Pages 71 - 96
CHAPTER SIX. You Don’t Screw with What Got You Here No access Pages 97 - 114
CHAPTER SEVEN. “You Don’t Have to Shout to Be Heard” No access Pages 115 - 148
CHAPTER EIGHT. Mr. Rhythm the Man No access Pages 149 - V
APPENDIX A. The Quest of Freddie Green: From Ukulele to “Mr. Rhythm” No access Pages 183 - 190
APPENDIX B. The Dynamic Chord and Muted Notes (DCMN) Analysis of Freddie Green’s Rhythm Guitar Style: What’s in a “One-Note” Chord? No access Pages 191 - 202
APPENDIX C. For the Experienced Jazz Guitarist: Freddie Green Fundamentals No access Pages 203 - 204
APPENDIX D. Favorite Chord Voicings of Freddie Green No access Pages 205 - 206
APPENDIX E. The String Height of Freddie’s Guitar and How It Shaped His Unique Style No access Pages 207 - 208
APPENDIX F. Did Freddie Green Always Play the Guitar Chart “As Written”? No access Pages 209 - 212
APPENDIX G. Improvised Jazz Counterpoint: The Stylistic Characteristics of Freddie Green’s Rhythm Guitar Playing No access Pages 213 - 216
APPENDIX H. Freddie Green’s One-Note-Chord Technique: Supporting Evidence from Other Guitarists No access Pages 217 - 228
APPENDIX I. Chapter Transcriptions No access Pages 229 - 234
APPENDIX J. The Ultimate Transcription No access Pages 235 - 238
APPENDIX K. Freddie Green Compositions No access Pages 239 - 242
APPENDIX L. Freddie Green Recordings: A Selected Discography No access Pages 243 - 256
APPENDIX M. Freddie Green on Film and Video No access Pages 257 - 260
APPENDIX N. Freddie Green’s Non-Basie Recordings No access Pages 261 - 296
Notes No access Pages 297 - 310
Bibliography No access Pages 311 - 312
Index No access Pages 313 - 324
About the Author No access Pages 325 - 326