She Sings in Beauty


Whatever she sings (and says)

is poetry

Each time she moves

is dance

Everything she does is magic!

As wonderful, pure, and radiant as she may be --
She knows not how many and how much she has touched the hearts of

She knows not

how much and how many she inspires and brightens

She sees not --

the radiance that emanates through (and from?) her

She knows not

how much Love and joy she has given

She knows not

how much love there is for her
But she has inspired, and is cherished and adored by so many.

She has eyes for one man only,
but Her voice belongs to all of us
-- a voice which is so beautifully connected with her heart, and her soul

She gives voice to what we cannot,

and what we yearn for.

A voice so pure,
and like no other

The greatest Musical instrument ever made!

She sings in Beauty.

Channeling so pure,

radiating so far and wide

She is a gift from Heaven

Her notes are like golden raindrops falling from above

Words fail to properly and fully express

Impressions, Reflections, and Memories

Though, one sad day,

that voice may be stilled forever -- in this world
Her singing will continue to ring throughout the heavens
reverberating in the Astral plane

The Eternal Pop (Samba-)Jazz singing goddess!
 
Lately, when I hear much of my favourite music, I hear her singing voice in there -- weaving a beautiful golden thread through the notes -- and sometimes gracefully floating on top of what the instruments are doing. Flowing, drifting, gracing ...

For example, take this chord progression that Dave Stewart (*) wrote:

'A' Major 7 , "g#" min.7 , 'C' Maj. 9 ,
'A' Maj.7 , "g#" min.7 , 'C' Maj. 7 , 'b' min. 7 , "E-flat" Maj. 9 --


'D' Maj.7 , "c#" min.7 , 'F' Maj. 7 ,
'D' Maj.7 , "c#" min.7 , 'F' Maj.7 , 'C' Maj. 9 , 'G' Maj. 9


DaveStewart_chord-sequence_Socks1973_6measures_no-key-signature.png




* Not the Dave Stewart who worked with Annie Lennox. But instead, the one who worked with Barbara Gaskin, as well as Mont Campbell, Phil Miller, Bill Bruford, and others.
 
Dave Stewart's chord sequence, there (see above) is just wonderful. And the beauty of it inspires me - along with the sound of Her voice.
But I am not sure about how exactly to voice those chords on the piano. If the piano is by itself, I want to hear the higher pitches (but my hands are only so large).

measure #4, second chord (in treble staff -- for right hand)
I notated an 'E' Major triad (as part of a "c#" min. 7 chord -- but 7th chords can be extended, to 9ths, even 11ths ; I wouldn't go beyond that to a 13th, in this case, though.)
In the next measure (#5) it appears again, in the same place -- 2nd chord:

But a possible voicing is : F#+G# + B + D# -- which can be interpreted as (right-hand by-itself) a "g#" min. 7 chord in 3rd inversion ("/F#" in bass)
-- or, collectively (in conjunction with the root pitch, in left hand - bass staff), as a "c#" minor 11 chord?

That leads to the 'F' Major -based chord.
Notice in measure #5 - the top 'A' (The right hand voices an 'a' minor triad) -- That should move downwards to 'G', which is the '9' of the 'F' Major 9 chord. But instead of the pianist's right hand reaching for that with the pinky, the smooth honey-toned singer's voice should sing that pitch, there.
That ?resolves? to 'C' Major 9 (with added '13' - 'A') (Like middle of "Festa"?)

And -- as if that isn't good enough, another chord follows: 'G' Major 7 (possibly '9'?). Wow! Raindrops from heaven.

The chord sequence (a cycle) can then start again, from the top.
After the first two chords -- 'A' Maj.7 , "g#" min.7
the third chord is 'C' Maj.9. But sometimes, I think an 'F' Maj. 7 (or 9) can work there, instead -- a substitution.
 
Here's more:
Call it -- "Suite: Lani Brown Eyes"

On this famous song, Mr. Stills didn't use drop-'D' tuning on his Martin acoustic guitar(s), so the pedal point was 'E' --
but I like to play it on the piano transposed down a whole-step to 'D' (which Stills used in other songs that he wrote around that time - 50 years ago, or so).

Just establish the bass (left hand) pedal point as 'D' -- maybe adding a P5th 'A' above that to make a "D5" chord or something.

and
Right hand can play a simple succession of (mostly triads) chords that ascend:

'C' Maj., 'D' Maj.,
'e' min. , 'G' Maj. and F#+A+C (as part of "D7" chord?)

Then, the vocal harmonies soar with a higher
'C' Major triad, down to 'b' min. and 'a' min.

'C' Maj. (2x) , 'a' min., 'C' Maj. (= 'a' min.7)
and --
'C' Maj.7, 'b' min. 7
like Coltrane's "Lanima"!
 
Speaking of that Coltrane composition (I know Herb and Lani like listening to Trane.) --
a similar harmonic figure is used in this wonderful Jazz composition by the late guitarist Phil Miller called "Aigrette."

The beginning minute of the piece has a nice wordless vocal melody that would be great for Ms. Hall.
I have yet to figure out all of the chord changes, but I include the last two, before the "Naima"-like _hook_.
Those two chords are: "f#" min.9 ; and C#/D-flat (dominant) 7 #9

Those two chords then lead to the "hook" (as I call it), which is very catchy and sing-able --

'E' is the pedal point in the bass, and the right hand plays minor and Major 7th chords of -- depending on how the relationships between these chords are interpreted and analysed, harmonically -- either the key of 'A' Major, or the relative 'b' dorian mode.

Then, the same idea is modulated down a whole-step -- which means:
'D' is now pedal point in the bass, and the right hand plays min. and Maj. 7th chords that are diatonic to ...
'G' Major (or the relative Dorian mode in 'A').

I suppose, the proper harmonic analysis of all that is, instead, seen more correctly in terms of Mixolydian mode, rooted on 'E', then 'D' . The modulation is back-and-forth between those two harmonic roots (tonal centres). A great example of Modal Jazz harmony.

Aigrette_hook_PhilMiller.100dpi.print.png

I notated the same basic idea in a few slightly-different ways.
The bottom line (m. 12-16) are in the lower tonal centre of 'D'.

The best recording I've heard of this is
Hatfield and the North in Paris, 1973 Sep 25th.

Just search Y.T. for "hatfield and the north paris 1973"
34m02 mark:
Youtu.be/lMuOff2dK04?t=2042
At 34:52 mark is the "Naima"-like "hook" -- God bless Phil Miller, R.I.P. More people should hear that music.
 
Here's a Beatle song that Sergio never did -- from the "White Album"
The first movement has nice Jazz chords that are easy to play on the piano -- "She's Not a Girl who Misses Much"

JL_ShesNotAGirlWhoMissesMuch_piano-accomp.png

In the third measure (at top), I do a variation on those first two chords -- by extending them (stacking an additional 3rd on top of John Lennon's chords), starting with 'a' minor 9, and ("D7" in right hand, with 'A' still in bass).
with the 'B' suspended over from the previous chord ('a' min.9). Maybe I should include an 'E' in that 2nd chord, there.

The 2nd line begins with measure #5, which features the next two chords. These are all on white keys on the piano keyboard. In m. 8 I raise the C_natural to C#, making a Major tonality ("A7" chord).
Unlike John Lennon, I want to return to the opening ('a' minor - based) chord, before I'd go into the next movement of John's song -- "I'm going down" -- which isn't notated here.

As with the previous piano arrangement idea (see above), damper (sustain) pedal can be used, as well as rubato (flowing pulse). Floating, drifting, gracing - beautifully.
 

Another sequence of chords from "Aigrette" by Phil Miller ...

PhilMiller_Aigrette_middle-chord-sequence.png


The
'C' Maj. 9 chord (with added 'A' , like: C + E + G+A+B + D) appears a bit earlier in that composition. But it also works after the "f#" minor 9 chord -- like in "Triad" by David Crosby, as well as "Who Needs the Peace Corps?" ("Phony Hippies") by Zappa.
In a (more recent) interview, Phil Miller self-deprecatingly said that he just put/threw "some Jazz chords together."
 
After the E7#9 chord (featured in the first two measures of the above excerpt from "Aigrette"),
the first two chords -- if transposed down a whole-step -- are:

Newport_in-between-variation_chord-sequence_original-key_no-bass-lines-just-roots.png

And that could go in-between what is depicted in measures #2 and 3 of ...

MontCampbell_Newport_main-theme-chord-sequence_original-key_no-bass-lines-just-roots.print.png

In measure #10, maybe add any combination of 'E' and/or 'F' to that chord (B-flat + D-flat + 'G' and/or 'A').
'D' is the pedal point (harmonic root) which is sounded in the bass.
End with 'F' Major 7, which is the "III7" of dorian mode in 'd' -- maybe voiced in 2nd inversion:
C + E+F + A
 
I once conversed with a woman who listened to many of the great American Jazz singers and talked about how they used their singing voices as "instruments" -- rather than just being (thought of as) mere singers. Vocalists are just as much musicians as any instrumentalists, after all.
I feel compelled to express my feeling that maybe Lani Hall's voice was one of the greatest musical instruments ever created.​
Maybe she could sing the top line, with keyboard (piano, or organ) accompaniment (+bass / or left hand on keyboard).

MontCambell_Newport_first-J-chords_4measures_f-dorian.png

Notice the double || bar-line between measure #2, and the beginning of #3.
I essentially notated the same idea twice, with some variations.
Spot the differences!
Let me explain:
The 2nd measure (in the first pair) sounds more harmonically-"normal" (and is diatonic to the key that this passage is set in) -- the "E-flat"s have courtesy accidentals next to them, in order to emphasise the key/fundamental difference between measure #2, and its counterpart, which is m. 4. Measure 4 represents the way Mr. Campbell composed and played this (You can hear this music on the 2nd Egg album - Polite Force).
The E is actually raised (E_natural). Also, the last phrase (four 16th notes) feature somewhat different pitches - comparing m. 2 and m. 4. Also notice how the bass line -- in that last quarter note of this measure (of 13 over 16!) goes up from "B-flat" to 'C'. That matches if a raised E_natural (as opposed to E_flat) is used - as is the case with the original (represented in m. #4).

Also, I added a tenor voice to the fourth measure (bass clef staff) to represent a left hand organ line -- albeit, I added a scale-wise step B-flat when, instead, the last two 8th notes should instead be a single note of 'C' with the duration of a quarter note.


These compositional passages/excerpts could have taken Lani's music into the 1970s to a new level beyond what she ever did with the famous Brasilian pianist -- and they would have been a beautiful extension of (not departure or break from) her most famous music.
 
Maybe if the music that is notated (shown) in the previous post
is instead transposed down a whole-step --
so that the first chord is "e-flat" minor 9 (as opposed to 'f' min.9) ...


What can follow is (a previously-notated passage (see above) (that was notated in 3 over 4 time) -- that is transposed down a Major-3rd) :

MontCampbell_Newport_4-flats_main-theme_with-2nd-passage_time-sigs.rev2a.100dpi.print.png

In this latest excerpt of notation,
I attempted to use time signatures that match/represent the way the band "Egg" originally played this composition of Mont's.
But I am not sure about some of those music-editing decisions of mine.
  • For example, in measure #3 -- I am not certain about the enharmonic spelling of the pitches.
Besides, the rhythm(ic values of the notes) is choppy-sounding and probably won't "feel" right to a lot of listeners.
Or maybe not ; you tell me.


That's (one reason) why I tried a triple-metre (Jazz-Waltz) treatment (see two posts above this one).

The hemiola rhythms actually hint of Samba / Latin (Jazz) rhythms, right?

End on a "b-flat" minor 13 chord (which can be distributed between left and right hand as
two minor-7th chords: b-flat min.7 with (+) 'c' min.7 in right hand, in the octave register above.
And/or do something (improvisational) with dorian mode (in "B-flat" as tonal centre). One idea is to play a succession of adjacent diatonic minor- and Major- seventh chords (with inversions?) to that mode.
 
Even the introduction to the Polite Force album ("Newport" -- first movement, if you will) could sound good with Her voice,
if arranged/played with the right choices of ...
rhythms, "feel" , phrasing -- and definitely a different timbre from Dave Stewart's distorted Hammond organ.

Mont's composition starts out with the following 6 chords :

"g#" min. (7?) , down to 'd' min. (7?)​
Repeat that pair of chords, back-and-forth several times.

Then progresses to:
'e' min.7 , to "b-flat" min. 7
and, then:
d#/"e-flat" min.7 , to 'a' min.7

and back to that initial couplet of chords:
g# min.7 and d-min.7

Those chords are all minor triads, with possible minor-7ths above the root of each chord, as well.
Notice the tri-tone harmonic interval between the root notes of each pair of chords.
 
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Here is another passage in Mont Campbell's composition:
MontCampbell_Newport_transition_B-flat-E-flat_D-flat_different-time-signatures.png

The bass lines are essentially the root pitches, with occasional '5's (Perfect-Fifths) above -- and, sometimes, octaves.
The right hand chords are notated as (just about) all root-position
triads.

Notice the D_naturals, at the ends of measures #1, and 3 (as well as in measures 2, and 4).
I am not sure if I agree with Mont's decision to use "B-flat" MAJor, as opposed to "b-flat" minor.
Try avoiding using D_natural and instead use D-flat throughout, instead.

The transition from the first two measures (with "b-flat" in the bass), to the harmonic shift to "e-flat" in bass (up a P4th) can feature the transitional chromatic pitches of 'F', and (F-flat) 'E'_natural, which leads down to "E-flat"

Notice how, in measure #4 (right-end of the first line),
the bass pitch moves from "E-flat" up a
Major-3rd to 'G'.

What if 7ths are added to each of those chords (in the right hand / treble staff)? In other words, stack an additional harmonic interval of a third above (or below??) each of those chords. Maybe invert (some of) the voicings to something other than root position, for each chord.

The 2nd line (
m #5, and 6) are in Ionian (Modal Major) -- "D-flat"
 
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After the "B-flat" Major tonality.
The chord changes to "b-flat" minor (9, to be precise).
MontCambell_Newport_transition_b-flat-min-9_septuple-metre.png

Maybe the 'F' at the top of that voicing should be an octave lower (invert down).
And I haven't bothered to carefully count what the correct metre is in that passage (and thus, what
time signature to choose when notating this).

The third measure features a transitional phrase -- ascending (scale-wise) line, starting on "A-flat" and leads to -- 'F'
'F' is at the top of "G-flat" Maj.7 (or "e-flat" min.9) which begins one of the chord sequences (see above).
That can lead into the composition passage that features the chord progression of:

"e-flat" min.9, "D-flat" Maj.9, 'c' min.11, etc.
Using that harmonic progression would involve actually transposing (harmonically off-setting) at least one of the passages in Mont's composition, in relation to the other (neighboring) passages -- by one whole-step (Major-2nd).
 
Words cannot express --
a

She is an ever-blossoming flower

Nay --
A beautiful garden
Fertile rich soil,
from which many musical flowers do bloom (and blossom)
continually revealing endless richness and secrets

There is no beauty (on this earth) more pure and perfect than her (imperfections???
* -- Nay!)

So un-assuming
and so genuine, beautifully un-pretentious

Has God ever created anyone (any woman) more wonderful?


THE Most-SelfLess and pure-hearted singing goddess (to ever grace this earth).





* I was going to use the line
(even) her mistakes are perfect(ion)

But does that even apply (to her)?
 
What makes the music,
what makes Her
so perfect, and so inspiring
(and The way in which the music (the magic) resonates so powerfully and purely)
is the lack of any ego.

She is at her best, when she simply looses herself in( to) the music.
There is no nervousness, hesitation, worry,
no ego, (nor self-consciousness) -- no expectation (no pre-conceptions)
 
Her example, her influence , her radience -- en-nobles me,
She grows my heart, and raises and purifies my consciousness.
It brings out the best (from withinside (of)) me.


Even she (so pure-hearted), herself, cannot see the beautiful crown (halo) of light that
eminates from (hovers around and above her).

Who can see it?
 
I said that words cannot express.

But, S.J. Hoover put it well:
"the way Lani changes inflections so effortlessly -from girlish cuteness to sultry jazz- is the best testament to her vocal talent...like she can affect the persona of different singers all at once"

post #29 on the _Stillness_ thread.

... and, in the previous post (post-174119), TulitaPepsi wrote:
"Lani's vocals are especially tender and haunting"

Stillness
 
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