Nardis

[Ian Thumwood]

About two years ago I caught concert of a duo between Marc Copeland and John Abercrombie and in intorudcing the number the guitarist explained that he was told the tune was named after Miles Davis' doctor. This prompted him to do a really funny impersonation of a what he imagined a person called Nardis might sound like. I am a massive fan of Abercrombie's guitar playing (and Ralph Towner for that matter) but never realised that he also has a very dry sense of humour. Immediately afterwards I twigged that the names was actually spelt backwards ad therefore must have been named after a Dr Sidran. This makes more sense.

[eighthobstruction]

"Roy Plomey (Desert Island Discs) audibly blushed when he thought Brigitte Bardot’s luxury item –‘A Piness’ – was too rude to broadcast - but it was, she’s insisted in her thick French accent, ‘what we whole world needs most – ’appiness!’ BBC retrospective.

Salute Brigitte! So, not Ken Dodd then...

BN.

.........Bluesy turns on a sixpence, and smashes it into the net....

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

About two years ago I caught concert of a duo between Marc Copeland and John Abercrombie and in intorudcing the number the guitarist explained that he was told the tune was named after Miles Davis' doctor. This prompted him to do a really funny impersonation of a what he imagined a person called Nardis might sound like. I am a massive fan of Abercrombie's guitar playing (and Ralph Towner for that matter) but never realised that he also has a very dry sense of humour. Immediately afterwards I twigged that the names was actually spelt backwards ad therefore must have been named after a Dr Sidran. This makes more sense.

Ben Sidran used to jokingly say that Miles definitely named the tune after him "in appreciation". As a kind of put-on to gullible audiences. I once wondered whether the Sid Ran was a more Sids Ahead thing. Symphony Sid anyone. I now think the US fashion house or Ian's doctor suggestion more plausible.

On an unrelated "what does it mean" thing, I've heard a few suggestions for Jimmy Heath's "CTA", none of them printable on a family jazzboard.

BN

[Ian Thumwood]

Bluesnik

Having read Jimmy Heath's auto-biography, I was intrigued by "CTA" and the explanation is really straight forward as the letters are simply the initials of a former girl friend. Heath explained that she died of an over-dose whilst he was incarnated. I sometimes play this tune with my friends and , from memory, think that it is a contra-fact on "Sweet Georgia Brown. " (I.e. similar to Miles' "Dig", Lloyd's "Sweet Georgia Bright" and Kenny Dorham's "Windmill.")

[Jazzrook]

Thanks Bluesnik, S_A & MarkG for other versions of 'Nardis'. Have become quite obsessed with the tune and feel a JRR coming on!
It's a mystery why Miles never recorded it.

Here's the version by Joe Henderson:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxK5CH3UMxQ

Happy Xmas to all boredees.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Thanks Bluesnik, S_A & MarkG for other versions of 'Nardis'. Have become quite obsessed with the tune and feel a JRR coming on!
It's a mystery why Miles never recorded it.

Here's the version by Joe Henderson:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxK5CH3UMxQ

Happy Xmas to all boredees.

And to you. It would make a good JRR thing. And many thanks for linking to Joe's version. Louis Hayes's time on that is so wonderful. Years ago I saw LH with McCoy Tyner's trio and he was just blazing. I was with the drummer from Eddie and the Hot Rods (now there's a name drop!) and he said, "I just want to fkg give up now." Much underrated.

Happy new year to all.

BN.

[Serial_Apologist]

Yep - this seems as good a place to wish a happy Christmas etc to all... swingers?



Well you know what I mean!

[Jazzrook]

I've never found out the meaning of Coltrane's 1958 'E.F.F.P.H.'
Probably missing something obvious.
It's a Wilbur Harden composition which might explain the 'H'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=334Y_jHarHQ

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

I've never found out the meaning of Coltrane's 1958 'E.F.F.P.H.'
Probably missing something obvious.

Not in the key of "F" is it?! Effffffff...just a thought.

There's a great story of Ben Webster playing with a pick up group including a young Billy Higgins on the West Coast. A nervous Higgins decided to play with brushes to not get in Webster' s way. Immediately Ben glared at him and said "sticks Kid, play sticks". Same thing on all numbers throughout the set and after it was over Billy H said to Webster, " Don't you like my brush playing Mr Webster?" Ben said, "Ain't that kid, your Shhssss Shhssss Shhssss was covering up my Fffffffff Fffffffff Fffffffffs". (Ben's "air" sounds).

BN.

[Serial_Apologist]

Not in the key of "F" is it?! Effffffff...just a thought.

There's a great story of Ben Webster playing with a pick up group including a young Billy Higgins on the West Coast. A nervous Higgins decided to play with brushes to not get in Webster' s way. Immediately Ben glared at him and said "sticks Kid, play sticks". Same thing on all numbers throughout the set and after it was over Billy H said to Webster, " Don't you like my brush playing Mr Webster?" Ben said, "Ain't that kid, your Shhssss Shhssss Shhssss was covering up my Fffffffff Fffffffff Fffffffffs". (Ben's "air" sounds).

BN.

That reminds me vaguely of the sound of brushes in Bossa numbers being described as someone scrubbing a floor!

[Jazzrook]

Just discovered this lengthy version of 'Nardis' by the late trio of Bill Evans with Marc Johnson(bass) & Joe La Barbera(drums):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhPsnYh58vo

[Jazzrook]

Eddie Gomez with Jeremy Steig:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THTbXxAjkXo

[Jazzrook]

Here's Chet Baker's version of 'Nardis' from his 1985 album 'Candy' recorded in Stockholm with pianist Michel Graillier & bassist Jean Louis Rassinfosse:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf3Hp8az9jw

JR

[Ian Thumwood]

After listening to the John Abercrombie version of "Nardis" this week, I had a look at the lead sheet from the old Real Book last night and I think that there is something wrong with the chords. The theme is based on the scale EFG# ABC D#E but the opening chords are listed as:-

E min / F maj (Passing E maj) / B7 / C maj / A mi / F ma / E maj / E min in the three A sections.

The bridge is :-

A min / F makj / A mi / F maj / D mi / G7 / C maj / F maj

It sounds like an over-simplification or someone tyring to pin chords to a scale. The B7 in particular sounds wrong and I think the E maj is a bit of a fudge to make the G# in the scale work.

Is anyone able to assist please?

[Tenor Freak]

After listening to the John Abercrombie version of "Nardis" this week, I had a look at the lead sheet from the old Real Book last night and I think that there is something wrong with the chords.

Likewise with all the other tunes in the Real Book...