“FLY”  (“A” minor blues scale)

            I am excited about initiating new source for MP3 audio file material.  A colleague that I have been working with this past year (to help me set up the “Jammin’ with the Pros” jam session recording procedures) is a gentleman from Connecticut named Lou Ianello.  Lou is a great jazz arranger that graduated from North Texas State University, which also means he is a “ferocious” performer. During COVID he has been active writing and recording (on-line) his jazz arrangements with his friends and some fellow graduates at North Texas State.  Lou has given me permission to use his latest arrangement/recording of “Fly” for this web sites “assignment #32”.  “Fly” is an arrangement of the great Steven Miller’s Band’s song “Fly like an Eagle”.  It is a fun “funky” version, with a lot of “cool” woodwind licks adding a bit of “pizzazz” to the mix.  The performers include:

Lou Ianello – Tenor & Bari Sax + Rhythm Section Programming 

Ronnie Ward – Trumpet Parts

Jack Murray –  Sop. & Alto sax with Flute & Bass Clarinet     

Richard Allman – Electric Bass                                                                                                         

            There is a solo section in this arrangement where the “jam” session moderator can feature three or six improvisation soloists.   There are four versions of “count-off” resource recordings, that include 3 and six soloists, both with or without a “click track” to help students keep a steady beat (if needed).  There is also a version without “count-offs”, both with and without the originals professional solo performers, for reference and listening pleasure.  Finally, I pulled out and transposed a “play-along” part incorporating the melodic elements of the arrangement, when solos are not being featured.  As students are waiting for solos, they can play along with the band.  The choice is theirs (or yours).  Lou has been nice enough to grant me permission to use other arrangements and recordings of his for future www.rhythmmatersimprovisation.org projects.  These will eventually be featured on a page (that I will be adding at a later date) called “Lou’s Corner”.  Along with his recordings he will also be giving access to two books he wrote and edited while at North Texas for the professional and other saxophone enthusiasts.