Corea's "La Fiesta" & Coltrane's "Ole"
marcdavis4
the music of Chick Corea. One of my favorite records was the Hancock/Corea
acoustic duo. And one of my favorite numbers was "La Fiesta."
Recently, I got a copy of John Coltrane's "Ole Coltrane." When I heard the
very first song -- "Ole" -- I just about fell out of my chair. My reaction:
"That's La Fiesta!" I played it over and over and over. Sure enough, it's
the same theme, albeit performed in a very different way.
So what's the connection? Does anyone know? Obviously Coltrane's verson came
first. Did Corea consciously do a take-off on the old Coltrane song? Or are
they both based on the same old Spanish theme? Is it just coincidence? It
seems unlikely.
Marc
Steve Solomon
came first. Did Corea consciously do a take-off on the old Coltrane
song? Or are they both based on the same old Spanish theme? Is it just
coincidence? It seems unlikely.
Marc
For a incredible intense and passionate play, you may want to check out
Pharoah Sanders take from his album, "Heart Is A Melody" ( from 1982).
Steve
Jack Lefton
"marcdavis4" <marcd...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:ticAb.44948$yM6.21717@lakeread06...
> Back in the '70s, when I was in college, I fell in love with jazz through
> the music of Chick Corea. One of my favorite records was the Hancock/Corea
> acoustic duo. And one of my favorite numbers was "La Fiesta."
>
> Recently, I got a copy of John Coltrane's "Ole Coltrane." When I heard the
> very first song -- "Ole" -- I just about fell out of my chair. My
reaction:
> "That's La Fiesta!" I played it over and over and over. Sure enough, it's
> the same theme, albeit performed in a very different way.
>
the Miles led recording of "Some Day my Prince Will Come", recorded a couple
of month's earlier, virtually identical to the melody of "La Fiesta". Corea
had to have copied it from this.
Michael Fitzgerald
wrote:
>Recently, I got a copy of John Coltrane's "Ole Coltrane." When I heard the
>very first song -- "Ole" -- I just about fell out of my chair. My reaction:
>"That's La Fiesta!" I played it over and over and over. Sure enough, it's
>the same theme, albeit performed in a very different way.
>
>So what's the connection? Does anyone know? Obviously Coltrane's verson came
>first. Did Corea consciously do a take-off on the old Coltrane song? Or are
>they both based on the same old Spanish theme? Is it just coincidence? It
>seems unlikely.
From Lewis Porter's Coltrane bio, p. 212:
Coltrane's interests had led him to Spanish music - thus the title
[Ole] - which may be another legacy of Sketches of Spain. Like "India"
and Davis's "Saeta," "Ole" was based on a genuine folk source, a song
known as "Venga Vallejo" or as "El Vito."
and footnote:
This song was well known so Coltrane might have heard it from several
sources; the Weavers used to sing it - it's on their Carnegie Hall
concert album of 1955 - among other groups. An arrangement by Fernando
Obradors shows up in classical vocal recitals - more recently Elly
Ameling recorded it on an LP (Philips 412-216-1, from 1983). This is
not related, however, to "El Viti," which was in Duke Ellington's
repertory in 1966 and has been attributed either to Ellington or to
Gerald Wilson.
==========
Obviously Corea has a longstanding love of Spanish music, the
introduction to his "Spain" is from the Rodrigo "Concierto de
Aranjuez" and he announced it as such in early Return To Forever
concerts. (Of course the Concierto also has the Sketches of Spain
link.)
Regarding "La Fiesta," the "Venga Vallejo" connection is only in the A
section and while the harmonic structure is identical (and is just
typical Spanish flamenco - 3 major triads), the actual melody isn't
the same. I could easily see Corea borrowing the "feel" of the
original and creating his own variations on it, like introducing that
4 against 6 polyrhythm.
As mentioned, the B section with its modulation from E to A major and
very different approach to harmony is related to that beautiful
opening phrase by Coltrane on "Someday My Prince Will Come" (I think I
recall reading Corea acknowledge this somewhere). And just to be
perfectly clear, the "Someday My Prince Will Come" solo phrase has
absolutely nothing to do with "Ole" other than they were both played
by Coltrane in the spring of 1961.
In creating "La Fiesta," Corea hooked up the B section to the A
section with his use of the similar ornaments and that same 4 against
6 thing. It's a clever composition and "La Fiesta" is really its own
tune with a variety of antecedents, as opposed to just a simple copy
of one thing.
Mike
fitz...@eclipse.net
http://www.eclipse.net/~fitzgera - Gigi Gryce book - ARSC award winner!
http://www.JazzDiscography.com
Pat Buzby
> Obviously Corea has a longstanding love of Spanish music, the
> introduction to his "Spain" is from the Rodrigo "Concierto de
> Aranjuez" and he announced it as such in early Return To Forever
> concerts.
I read somewhere that Rodrigo or his estate sued.
Pat Buzby
Chicago, IL
Michael Fitzgerald
wrote:
Could well be - on the 2-CD issue of Light as a Feather the credit for
"Spain" reads "Chick Corea-Joaquin Rodrigo" - on the original LP back
cover (reproduced in the set) it just says "Music: Chick Corea"
I doubt it was anything intentionally evil - could be the label didn't
ask, or that someone figured it was public domain.