Drum Solo Vocalese

[JSngry]

Even by a poet?

If not, my nominee for first attempt is Msx Roach's solo on "Joy Spring". Tell me that thing can't have words put to it!

[couw]

any suggested lyrics?

[JSngry]

Not yet.

[couw]

Not yet.

"Not Yet" is a nice & versatile title, maybe you can work around it.

[JSngry]

And maybe you can work into getting an answer to the question!

Seriously, has this ever been done before? Anybody ever put words to a drum solo?

Edited November 18, 2004 by JSngry

[neveronfriday]

Seriously, has this ever been done before? Anybody ever put words to a drum solo?

Only grunting, as far as I know.

I have a bunch of recordings, but they're all the same stuff: a Thigpen tune comes to mind where the solo is accompanied by various guttural sounds ... and at times Japanese-sounding stuff ... but words? I have to check. I don't think so, and I do have quite a bit of drumming stuff.

Cheers!

[JSngry]

Thanks.

Sounds like this might be uncharted territory, eh?

[Chuck Nessa]

Oop Bop Sh'Bam!

[pryan]

Sounds like a really cool idea. I've heard drummers "sing" parts of their solos before (ie. they were kind of "scat drumming", if you know what I mean). Never heard of someone come up with lyrics to a drum solo, however.

[JSngry]

I'd think that a sympathetic rapper could do something pretty interesting with this idea. Anybody know one?

Especially with a Max thing, or something like that. The rhythm's already there, and so's the atitude. Some of those cats are true street poets and can fit words into any shape at any speed, so why not?

It's times like this I wish I had money and connections...

[mikeweil]

Gégé Telesforo from Italy, whom I featured on disc 1 of my recent BT, improvises his own vocalized drum solos, I have a live record where he even does exchanges with his drummer. That's about as close as it will get.

Jim, do it yourself - you don't need perfect vocal pitch for doing this!

But, Indian hand drummers do this in a way - singing their solos by using the mnemonic syllables used for encoding the drum patterns, and then play it on the instruement. But in jazz? Not to my knowledge, and, being a big vocalese nut, and a percussionist, I think I would have noticed.

[.:.impossible]

Maybe Rahzel the Godfather of Noize could do it. There are probably many beat boxes that could do it.

[7/4]

But, Indian hand drummers do this in a way - singing their solos by using the mnemonic syllables used for encoding the drum patterns, and then play it on the instruement.

They're called Bols.

[king ubu]

But, Indian hand drummers do this in a way - singing their solos by using the mnemonic syllables used for encoding the drum patterns, and then play it on the instruement.

They're called Bols.

There's that one cut on "Other Aspects", the Dolphy rag-bag CD on Blue Note, with an annoying (and probably, as far as I can tell, amateurish) Indian percussionist (or percussionist playing Indian handdrums). Gets on my nerves quite some.

I never actually saw any Tabla player loudly speaking all that stuff while playing in concert. Maybe now and then, as an additional means to sculpt his accompaniment.

(I attempted to play the Tabla a bit myself, in what seems like a previous life now. Still own them, though.)

ubu

[Д.Д.]

But, Indian hand drummers do this in a way - singing their solos by using the mnemonic syllables used for encoding the drum patterns, and then play it on the instruement.

They're called Bols.

There is an interesting example of bols (even if in somewhat simplified form) within a jazz (or jazz-fusion, if you will) context on Subramaniam's disc which is titled "Seventh something (wave?)" on Milestones. There two percussionists have a sort of fire-spitting "duel" using bols technique at the same time. Sounds exilirating - my favorite moment on this (not bad) CD.

[couw]

that bols stuff, is that something like this?

(the link will probably not work again; try copying the address and pasting it in the address bar)

It's from a modern day jazz recording by SFeQ, a Dutch group that did a project with some "ethnic" components added to the mix.

[Bright Moments]

how about:

"oooooooooooooooooooooooo, WIPE OUT!"

[king ubu]

that bols stuff, is that something like this?

yup, that's it.

[couw]

that bols stuff, is that something like  this?

yup, that's it.

was this too amateurish and annoying for the King as well?

[7/4]

that bols stuff, is that something like  this?

Yep. Each bol is the name of a way to hit the drum.

Edited November 19, 2004 by 7/4

[Michael Fitzgerald]

But isn't there also a set of syllables that are not related to the drum, that describe rhythms?

In the western world we sometimes use Ta = quarter note, Ti-Ti = 2 eighth notes, Ti-ri-ti-ri = 4 sixteenth notes, for example. I thought there was an analogous system in the Indian world.

Mike

[7/4]

But isn't there also a set of syllables that are not related to the drum, that describe rhythms?

There are the names of the rhythms, (i.e. teental) but I don't think we would find people using the name of the rhythm. They would be using the bols:

Edited November 19, 2004 by 7/4

[couw]

7/4, your pics won't upload. Maybe you can attach them?

[7/4]

7/4, your pics won't upload. Maybe you can attach them?

Better?

[couw]

7/4, your pics won't upload. Maybe you can attach them?

Better?

yes, thank you. I learned something today.