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solo Woodshed | by Shawn Purcell Peter Bernstein Subscribe DOWNBEAT.COM Peter Bernstein’s Motivic Guitar Solo On ‘Means And Ends’ The ability to “tell a story” during an improvised solo is perhaps the superlative goal for every jazz musician. It is common to hear improvisers construct solos by stringing together their hippest patterns and licks, but the larger challenge facing the jazz improviser is the development of these ideas to craft a cohesive musical statement. Jazz guitarist Peter Bernstein has mastered this art. Through the use of melodic and rhythmic repetition and development, Bernstein consistently improvises solos that are motivically unified and compositional in nature. “Means And Ends” is an up-tempo minor blues recorded on Bernstein’s 1997 album Brain Dance (Criss Cross). The guitarist’s relaxed and swinging solo on “Means And Ends” exemplifies his adroit ability to develop small amounts of melodic and rhythmic information, producing a powerful musical statement over this often-played form. The key to any story is a strong introduction. Bernstein grabs the listener’s attention in measures 1 and 2 by playing a line spanning nearly three octaves in less than two measures. He achieves this large intervallic range through the use of 7th chord and triadic arpeggios over the underlying harmony. In this example, Bernstein uses ascending Bm7 and Bm triad arpeggios over F#m7 (b5), finishing with a descending B augmented triad over B7 (#5). The first example of motivic development occurs in measure 4. Bernstein plays a line based out of E Dorian, and develops this melodic idea throughout the entire solo. In measure 40, he plays this motive again, creating a slight rhythmic variation by dropping the first note of the original motive. The measure 40 motive is played again in measure 62, however it is rhythmically displaced by one beat. In measure 72, Bernstein plays this motive again, now with a rhythmic displacement of two beats. The last example of this motive occurs in measure 81. Bernstein starts the line on the upbeat of beat 1, as in measure 40, but in this example he varies the end of the melodic line. Bernstein sets up a recurring harmonic motive by resolving to the natural-six scale degree on the Em7 in measure 13, at the end of the first chorus. He resolves to this scale degree at the end of the second, third and sixth choruses, as shown in measures 25, 37 and 73. The recurring resolution to this colorful scale degree also adds to the highly motivic quality of the solo. Furthermore, Bernstein employs the E minor pentatonic scale almost exclusively over the entire first chorus, creating a strong bluesy flavor. An example of motivic repetition, specifically melodic sequencing, occurs in the third chorus. Bernstein opens this chorus with a four-measure phrase (measures 27–30), then transposes this idea up a perfect fourth in measures 31–33, employing a slight rhythmic vari- 104 DOWNBEAT DECEMBER 2011
ation at the conclusion of the idea. Rhythmic repetition is also incorporated throughout “Means And Ends.” One example occurs in measure 22 with a syncopated rhythmic motive that lends to the swinging sound of this solo. Bernstein employs this exact motive several times, in measures 29, 49 and 85. In measure 27, he displaces this rhythmic motive by two beats, starting on beat 3, giving the line an across-the-bar feel. I encourage jazz students to seek out and investigate these elements in additional Bernstein solos, in order to develop the skills needed to “tell their own story.” DB Shawn Purcell is a guitarist, arranger and educator in the central Illinois region. Visit him online at shawnpurcell.com. DECEMBER 2011 DOWNBEAT 105
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