Jazz Lines Publications Good Bait - Dameron/Basie/Sultanof - Jazz Ensemble - Gr. Medium Difficult

Composers: Tadd Dameron, Count Basie
Arranger: Tadd Dameron
Editor: Jeffrey Sultanof
Format: Score and Parts
Instrumentation: Jazz Ensemble
Style: Swing
Level: Medium Difficult

(From the notes by Jeffrey Sultanof)

Background:
Tadd Dameron was one of the most influential composer/arrangers in American music. Born in 1917, he wrote for bands led by Jimmie Lunceford, Count Basie, Billy Eckstine (many original compositions later performed by the Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra were originally written for Eckstine), Ted Heath and Tommy Dorsey. He also arranged for Sarah Vaughan, Pearl Bailey and the underrated Kay Penton. Dameron led various groups for live gigs and recordings, and the musicians he played with constituted a who's who of jazz. At one time or another his ensembles included Fats Navarro, Freddie Webster, Charlie Rouse, Kenny Clarke, Kai Winding, Wardell Gray, J.J. Johnson, Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis, Kenny Dorham, John Coltrane and Clifford Brown.

Unfortunately Dameron was institutionalized in Kentucky for drug possession from 1958 through 1961. While still in prison, he contributed several arrangements to a Blue Mitchell album on Riverside Records, and when he was released, Riverside wanted him to make an album of his own. The Magic Touch was the result, and this resulted in various composing and arranging assignments, most notably for Benny Goodman, who commissioned several scores from Dameron for his 1962 big band that made an historic tour of the Soviet Union.

The Music:
Good Bait had originally been written for Count Basie, and was copyrighted in 1944. Dameron also arranged the tune for the Billy Eckstine Orchestra, and when that ensemble folded, Dizzy Gillespie added the setting to his book, playing it frequently. Basie began playing it in 1948 after Gillespie popularized it.

In 1962, publisher Bregman, Vocco & Conn asked Dameron to arrange this for big band publication, as well as other titles that he'd composed over the years that they owned. This version of Good Bait includes the unison brass line after the instrumental solos. All of the BVC publications had numerous errors in pitch, rhythm and transposition. This publication of Good Bait has been newly edited and corrected.

Notes to the Conductor:
Even though the Gillespie RCA Victor performance is well-known, in my opinion it is a little fast, perhaps the natural result of playing the piece very often and wanting to make it more exciting. If you can find it, the 1948 Salle Pleyel concert recording has an excellent tempo. Good Bait should sound relaxed, with careful attention to dynamics. There are several soft dissonances in the writing, and I assure the band director that the notes have been double-checked for accuracy.

The sound sample has been provided courtesy of the Manhattan School of Music's Concert Jazz Band, conducted by Justin DiCioccio.