Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire
Here’s my arrangement of a Christmas Classic titled “The Christmas Song”, but better known as “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” written by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé in 1945. Nat King Cole recorded it first in 1946.
I arranged it for Solo Jazz Guitar, in a style called Chord Melody, which aims to capture an entire song — harmony, melody and bass — in the way a classical guitarist or solo pianist does. My greatest influence in this would be Joe Pass, who was unparalleled in his freedom in this style. I spent a bit of time with him out at GIT in 1983-1984, but I wasn’t ready for what he offered yet. But, at least, I picked up the concepts from the best, and continue to learn from him even now. But there were many other great players, of course. Tal Farlow and Lenny Breau need to be mentioned also. I met Tal Farlow at a masterclass in Pittsburg in 1982 or so. He was delightful because he was not at all an intellectual player, he did what he did by feel and experience, and was hard pressed to “explain” his approach at all. He may have been the one who told me that there are really only two chords. Chords that rest, and chords the pull you. It’s also taken me a while to internalize that, and I must say, that while he paints with a wide brush here, he does express an important concept.
Lenny Breau was from another world, he could weave in artificial harmonics into a line of music like no one before or after him. You can hear artificial harmonics in my arrangement in the last four note I play. Total caveman stuff compared to Lenny Breau. He created beautiful waterfall lines mixing artificial harmonics and regular notes. I also met him in a masterclass in Pittsburgh around the same time, shortly before he died. More recently George Benson and especially Tuck Andress (from Tuck & Patti) has both modernized and kept the style alive. Tuck is very fiery and acrobatic and definitely has a very original voice.
So, thanks go to Jörg Surrey at Surrealis Sounds @ Teldex Studios, Berlin for the speedy mix and mastering, and especially my film crew: Camera and film editing by Anna Knaifel. We should all marry our film crew. Some practical advice for the young ones. ESPECIALLY if you play jazz!
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy New Year. See you on the other side!
Please also enjoy this Spotify Christmas Music Playlist I’ve created for the holidays! It’s designed to leave on for the whole day… And please don’t forget to follow me in Spotify (and YouTube) while you are there! I’d appreciate that very much.
Btw: You can now find all of my social media links in one place: The Blackbird on Linktree
Gearhead Corner
For my guitar gearhead friends, this is a simple setup. Godin 5th Ave. Guitar and Fender Hot Rod Deluxe amp feeding a Grossman Isolation Cabinet with a Celestion Greenback speaker in it. (I added the link, because it’s a small company doing quality work!) The IsoCab allows me to record at home and live in peace with my neighbors without sacrificing sound quality. Neighbors are ok, but sound quality is non-negotiable. I add a bit or reverb from TC Electronics. I am a fan of analogue guitar amping, as my friends know. I don’t mind mixing analogue & digital effects afterwards though. Modeled sounds are improving, this must be admitted, but they are not my thing. I use three mikes, the standard Shure SM57, A Royer 101 Ribbon Mike, and a Electro Voice Blue Cardinal through Focusrite Preamps to record. Sadly the latter two mikes are already discontinued. Story of my life… But with sound, what works, works! (And if it’s analogue, it works for years and years…)
Peace & Love to all.