Impressions (Stanley Turrentine and McCoy Tyner versions)

Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), George Benson (guitar), Butch Cornell (organ), Ron Carter (bass), Billy Kaye (drums) and Richard “Pablo” Landrum (congas). From de album Sugar (1970).

This simple theme, a modal composition with a single chord change consisting of a semitone elevation on the bridge, has a long lineage. The most common belief is that “Impressions” is a John Coltrane variant of Miles Davis’ “So What”, recorded on the trumpeter’s album Kind of Blue in 1959. Coltrane participated in this work and his “Impressions” follows the same harmonic structure as Davis’ theme. But “So What” owes a debt to “Pavanne”, by Ahmad Jamal, recorded in 1955, where you can hear guitarist Ray Crawford play the melody that Coltrane would use in “Impressions”. However, “Pavanne” is based, in turn, on Morton Gould’s American Symphonette No. 2 of 1939, which includes an almost identical interlude to the Coltrane’ theme.

Coltrane’s conception of modal improvisation was different from that of Davis, who restricted the choice of notes to those included in the corresponding mode, while Coltrane superimposed scales and melodic concepts on static harmonies. A very different atmosphere pervades both musical pieces: “So What” is conceived on the purity of a melodic music without excesses, while “Impressions” shows Coltrane raising elaborate superstructures on the simplest foundations and his commitment to push to the tonal limits of the piece... and beyond.

The group exposes the theme more calmly than Coltrane’s original, but still maintains its energy. Then Turrentine comes in with a hint of swing that gives his solo a particular character. He is skillful and versatile with coherent and convincing phrases. Cornell follows him with a naughty and playful melodic line, and Turrentine and Hubbard play a riff to do a few rounds of call and response. Cornell continues to play, but now in an overwhelming way. Next comes Hubbard with an unhurried speech in which he introduces acrobatics while Turrentine accompanies him below. After that, Benson enters with an inspired and enthusiastic solo with dizzying phrases while Turrentine and Hubbard make a sound mattress underneath. To close, the group re-exposes the theme, although Turrentine keeps playing for a while fading out.

Michael Brecker (tenor sax), McCoy Tyner (piano), Avery Sharpe (bass), Aaron Scott (drums) and Valtinho Anastacio (congas, persussion). From the album Infinity (1995).