Bill Reichenbach’s solo on “Flight Plan”

by Antonio J. García

ITAJ Associate Jazz Editor

Bill Reichenbach’s solo on “Flight Plan,” a samba co-written with Larry Williams (from Bill’s album SPECIAL EDITION on the Nothing But Bills label) offers jazz euphonium at its best: beautiful tone, rhythmic and melodic inventiveness, and a sense of joy throughout its two choruses.

Harmonies

Looking at the chord symbols offered on the transcription, the tune offers contemporary harmonies that, courtesy of chord-inversions, provide a rising bass line in the 16-measure A sections under the melody in this AABC form. Most of those A-section inversions (i.e., the chord’s third or other tone played in the bass rather than the root) are also preserved under Bill’s solo, though not always.

At the B section (letters C and G) the chord progressions are more cycle-of-fifths-based, with a bit of descending chromatic planing, followed by an only eight-bar C section (at letters D and H) of two chromatic suspended-dominant chords, the latter of which drops a fifth at the following A section to return to an F bass.

Themes

Rhythm is the ultimate theme; and Reichenbach’s two-note rhythmic theme of m. 3 is alluded to in the opening rhythm of m. 5. This is not an accident: the rhythm of m. 5 is identical to the rhythmic theme of the tune itself at mm. 6 and 10 of the A-sections of the melody and also at the start of the bridge’s melody at mm. 33, 36, and 44 (the equivalent of letter C of Bill’s solo). Clearly Bill feels the melody’s rhythmic “hook” as he creates his solo, and that pattern appears in the other soloists’ improvisations later in the track as well.

References to that idea are then felt in mm. 11, 45, 75, 84, inverted in m. 33, 41, 57, 81, 89, and in 101 (where it leads to a series of legato sequences), also expanded in the open-fifth falls in mm. 13-14, and thus echoed in the related falls in mm. 109, 111, and 112. Even the start and stop of the four-note passages in mm. 105 and 107—descending over the span of a dotted quarter note—reference the two-note theme of m. 3: Bill has not forgotten by the end of his solo how he began it.

In retrospect, then check out mm. 1-9 of this solo: it begins with the span of a dotted-quarter (three eighths), followed by an eighth-rest but then an eighth-note; then dotted-quarter to eighth, dotted-quarter to eighth, the span of a dotted-quarter, then in m. 5 another span of dotted-quarter; at the end of m. 6 the span of an eighth plus dotted-quarter three times (and implied a fourth with the closing fall); and m. 9 begins with the span of a dotted-quarter. That’s ten rhythmic references to this idea in nine measures—far too often to be discounted. It’s a large part of why the phrases “hang together.” In addition, the two-note rhythmic theme of m. 2 alone is referenced in mm. 11, perhaps mm. 41-42, and in its many relatives (especially mm. 75-76).

Bill soloing on bass trombone with the U.S. Army Blues at the Eastern Trombone Workshop. photo credit: courtesy Bill Reichenbach

Turning to pitch, the repeated pitches of mm. 6-8 are echoed in mm. 15-18, 19-21, 29, 33, 41, 48, 53, 56, 58, 65, 66 into 67, 70, and in other, more subtle references. One could propose that the two-pitch comments in mm. 106 and 108 are also references—simply changing pitch—to this two-note theme as the solo approaches its close. (Those in mind, then are the last two notes of mm. 96 and 104 rhythmically staggered so as to draw attention to them as part of this theme?) Just prior to the final double-bar, m. 112’s notes gently disguise the presence of three quarter-note C’s as preparation for the pitch F as the solo ends—the only time the two-note theme stretches into three notes.

Is the above menu of repeated-pitch areas simply a coincidence of which I am making too much? Not if you listen past the solos on the track, which lead to a drum solo punctuated repeatedly by pairs of a same, accented pitch. And then, following the recap of the tune, the track ends with a coda offering a briefer drum solo, again punctuated by pitch-pairs; the track even ends with two repeated pitches! How is such architecture not to influence a fine soloist on this tune?

Bill’s articulations are precise without being overbearing: his chosen short notes are fat yet cleanly separated from their neighbors, and his occasional short falls are quick but offer contrast to the surrounding notes that are cleanly ended. The long-short combinations of m. 12 become their own theme and are echoed in mm. 48, 52, 55, 63, 64, 68, 69, 73, 86, 104, 106, 108, 110, and 112—and in reversed (short-long) order in mm. 53, 56, and 70. The gliss-effect of the runs in mm. 15-17 emerges similarly in the closing figures of mm. 109 and 111.

The many uses of repeated rhythms and pitches listed above are contrasted by Reichenbach’s fleet-fingered eighth-note runs that emerge with increasing intensity from letter D onward, peppered at times with sixteenth or triplet ornaments. These runs bring balance to a solo that otherwise would weigh too heavily on shorter themes. As another example of balance, Bill contrasts his many short, upbeat notes and brisk runs with a new entry in m. 101: a bar-long sustained, syncopated measure that stands out against all others, signaling the peak of his runs and the following return to shorter phrases to complete his solo with references to its beginning ideas.

Pace

            Many solos have a peak of some sort some 85-90% of the way through—just like a good book or movie. You could say that after the preceding intensity, m. 101’s sustained upbeats (90% into his solo) leading into m. 104 provide one kind of peak, releasing with the short bursts of sequences delivered in mm. 105-108.

Mystery

Reichenbach’s final note at letter I (the top of the third chorus of the solo form of the tune) is supported by some mysterious harmony under the solo. To my ear, for two beats his F sounds rather as the root of an F major chord that would appear for the first time in the entire tune, before the chord morphs into the Db/F found at the start of each previous chorus of the tune. When asked, Bill heard the scored Db/F throughout the bar but noted an unusual sonic quality to it that may be an artifact from the combination of Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano simultaneously playing similar voicings. Regardless, it provides a bright ending to his solo, similar to the effect of a Picardy Third in a redemptive Bach chorale.

(Also see the related article "ITA 2019 President's Award Recipient: Bill Reichenbach," which includes an extensive discography.)

Antonio García’s bio appears below. Co-transcriber Tye Proffitt is a Jazz Studies Major at Virginia Commonwealth University anticipating graduation in 2021.
The recipient of multiple scholarships at VCU, he leads his own quartet in Richmond and is currently most influenced by trombonists J.J. Johnson, Urbie Green, and Bob McChesney.
He studies trombone with Prof. Ross Walter and jazz trombone with Prof. García. E-mail him at <tyeproffit99@gmail.com>.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Antonio J. García is a Professor Emeritus and former Director of Jazz Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he directed the Jazz Orchestra I; instructed Applied Jazz Trombone, Small Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Pedagogy, Music Industry, and various jazz courses; founded a B.A. Music Business Emphasis (for which he initially served as Coordinator); and directed the Greater Richmond High School Jazz Band. An alumnus of the Eastman School of Music and of Loyola University of the South, he has received commissions for jazz, symphonic, chamber, film, and solo works—instrumental and vocal—including grants from Meet The Composer, The Commission Project, The Thelonious Monk Institute, and regional arts councils. His music has aired internationally and has been performed by such artists as Sheila Jordan, Arturo Sandoval, Jim Pugh, Denis DiBlasio, James Moody, and Nick Brignola. Composition/arrangement honors include IAJE (jazz band), ASCAP (orchestral), and Billboard Magazine (pop songwriting). His works have been published by Kjos Music, Hal Leonard, Kendor Music, Doug Beach Music, ejazzlines, Walrus, UNC Jazz Press, Three-Two Music Publications, Potenza Music, and his own garciamusic.com, with five recorded on CDs by Rob Parton’s JazzTech Big Band (Sea Breeze and ROPA JAZZ). His scores for independent films have screened across the U.S. and in Italy, Macedonia, Uganda, Australia, Colombia, India, Germany, Brazil, Hong Kong, Mexico, Israel, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. He has fundraised $5.5 million in external gift pledges for the VCU Jazz Program, with hundreds of thousands of dollars already in hand.

A Bach/Selmer trombone clinician, Mr. García serves as the jazz clinician for The Conn-Selmer Institute. He has freelanced as trombonist, bass trombonist, or pianist with over 70 nationally renowned artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, George Shearing, Mel Tormé, Doc Severinsen, Louie Bellson, Dave Brubeck, and Phil Collins—and has performed at the Montreux, Nice, North Sea, Pori (Finland), New Orleans, and Chicago Jazz Festivals. He has produced recordings or broadcasts of such artists as Wynton Marsalis, Jim Pugh, Dave Taylor, Susannah McCorkle, Sir Roland Hanna, and the JazzTech Big Band and is the bass trombonist on Phil Collins’ CD “A Hot Night in Paris” (Atlantic) and DVD “Phil Collins: Finally...The First Farewell Tour” (Warner Music). An avid scat-singer, he has performed vocally with jazz bands, jazz choirs, and computer-generated sounds. He is also a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS). A New Orleans native, he also performed there with such local artists as Pete Fountain, Ronnie Kole, Irma Thomas, and Al Hirt.

Mr. García is a Research Faculty member at The University of KwaZulu-Natal (Durban, South Africa) and the Associate Jazz Editor of the International Trombone Association Journal. He has served as a Network Expert (for Improvisation Materials), President’s Advisory Council member, and Editorial Advisory Board member for the Jazz Education Network . His newest book, Jazz Improvisation: Practical Approaches to Grading (Meredith Music), explores avenues for creating structures that correspond to course objectives. His book Cutting the Changes: Jazz Improvisation via Key Centers (Kjos Music) offers musicians of all ages the opportunity to improvise over standard tunes using just their major scales. He is Co-Editor and Contributing Author of Teaching Jazz: A Course of Study (published by NAfME), authored a chapter within Rehearsing The Jazz Band and The Jazzer’s Cookbook (published by Meredith Music), and contributed to Peter Erskine and Dave Black’s The Musician's Lifeline (Alfred). Within the International Association for Jazz Education he served as Editor of the Jazz Education Journal, President of IAJE-IL, International Co-Chair for Curriculum and for Vocal/Instrumental Integration, and Chicago Host Coordinator for the 1997 Conference. He served on the Illinois Coalition for Music Education coordinating committee, worked with the Illinois and Chicago Public Schools to develop standards for multi-cultural music education, and received a curricular grant from the Council for Basic Education. He has also served as Director of IMEA’s All-State Jazz Choir and Combo and of similar ensembles outside of Illinois. He is the only individual to have directed all three genres of Illinois All-State jazz ensembles—combo, vocal jazz choir, and big band—and is the recipient of the Illinois Music Educators Association’s 2001 Distinguished Service Award.

Regarding Jazz Improvisation: Practical Approaches to Grading, Darius Brubeck says, "How one grades turns out to be a contentious philosophical problem with a surprisingly wide spectrum of responses. García has produced a lucidly written, probing, analytical, and ultimately practical resource for professional jazz educators, replete with valuable ideas, advice, and copious references." Jamey Aebersold offers, "This book should be mandatory reading for all graduating music ed students." Janis Stockhouse states, "Groundbreaking. The comprehensive amount of material García has gathered from leaders in jazz education is impressive in itself. Plus, the veteran educator then presents his own synthesis of the material into a method of teaching and evaluating jazz improvisation that is fresh, practical, and inspiring!" And Dr. Ron McCurdy suggests, "This method will aid in the quality of teaching and learning of jazz improvisation worldwide."

About Cutting the Changes, saxophonist David Liebman states, “This book is perfect for the beginning to intermediate improviser who may be daunted by the multitude of chord changes found in most standard material. Here is a path through the technical chord-change jungle.” Says vocalist Sunny Wilkinson, “The concept is simple, the explanation detailed, the rewards immediate. It’s very singer-friendly.” Adds jazz-education legend Jamey Aebersold, “Tony’s wealth of jazz knowledge allows you to understand and apply his concepts without having to know a lot of theory and harmony. Cutting the Changes allows music educators to present jazz improvisation to many students who would normally be scared of trying.”

Of his jazz curricular work, Standard of Excellence states: “Antonio García has developed a series of Scope and Sequence of Instruction charts to provide a structure that will ensure academic integrity in jazz education.” Wynton Marsalis emphasizes: “Eight key categories meet the challenge of teaching what is historically an oral and aural tradition. All are important ingredients in the recipe.” The Chicago Tribune has highlighted García’s “splendid solos...virtuosity and musicianship...ingenious scoring...shrewd arrangements...exotic orchestral colors, witty riffs, and gloriously uninhibited splashes of dissonance...translucent textures and elegant voicing” and cited him as “a nationally noted jazz artist/educator...one of the most prominent young music educators in the country.” Down Beat has recognized his “knowing solo work on trombone” and “first-class writing of special interest.” The Jazz Report has written about the “talented trombonist,” and Cadence noted his “hauntingly lovely” composing as well as CD production “recommended without any qualifications whatsoever.” Phil Collins has said simply, “He can be in my band whenever he wants.” García is also the subject of an extensive interview within Bonanza: Insights and Wisdom from Professional Jazz Trombonists (Advance Music), profiled along with such artists as Bill Watrous, Mike Davis, Bill Reichenbach, Wayne Andre, John Fedchock, Conrad Herwig, Steve Turre, Jim Pugh, and Ed Neumeister.

The Secretary of the Board of The Midwest Clinic and a past Advisory Board member of the Brubeck Institute, Mr. García has adjudicated festivals and presented clinics in Canada, Europe, Australia, The Middle East, and South Africa, including creativity workshops for Motorola, Inc.’s international management executives. The partnership he created between VCU Jazz and the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music at the University of KwaZulu-Natal merited the 2013 VCU Community Engagement Award for Research. He has served as adjudicator for the International Trombone Association’s Frank Rosolino, Carl Fontana, and Rath Jazz Trombone Scholarship competitions and the Kai Winding Jazz Trombone Ensemble competition and has been asked to serve on Arts Midwest’s “Midwest Jazz Masters” panel and the Virginia Commission for the Arts “Artist Fellowship in Music Composition” panel. He was published within the inaugural edition of Jazz Education in Research and Practice and has been repeatedly published in Down Beat; JAZZed; Jazz Improv; Music, Inc.; The International Musician; The Instrumentalist; and the journals of NAfME, IAJE, ITA, American Orff-Schulwerk Association, Percussive Arts Society, Arts Midwest, Illinois Music Educators Association, and Illinois Association of School Boards. Previous to VCU, he served as Associate Professor and Coordinator of Combos at Northwestern University, where he taught jazz and integrated arts, was Jazz Coordinator for the National High School Music Institute, and for four years directed the Vocal Jazz Ensemble. Formerly the Coordinator of Jazz Studies at Northern Illinois University, he was selected by students and faculty there as the recipient of a 1992 “Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching” award and nominated as its candidate for 1992 CASE “U.S. Professor of the Year” (one of 434 nationwide). He is recipient of the VCU School of the Arts’ 2015 Faculty Award of Excellence for his teaching, research, and service and in 2021 was inducted into the Conn-Selmer Institute Hall of Fame. Visit his web site at <www.garciamusic.com>.

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