The order of solos in this piece is: Gordon, Bunn, Callender, and Thompson (at end). Provide counter numbers for the beginnings
and ends of all four solos.Gordon’s solo(0:12 –0:48) is the counter number4/8in the beginning and 4/4 at end. Bunn’s solo(1:02 –1:38)is in the counter of 2/4 in the beginning to 4/4 at the end. Callender(1:51-2:27)is in the counter number of 4/4 through the end of the solo. Thompson(3:19–3:38)is in the counter number 4/4in the beginning to 2/4 at the end.2.Compare and contrast the solo styles, and describe them. Listen to how they phrase or create musical lines over the chord changes. Try to include some detail.Gordon’s solo is very soulful with the saxophone. There are different lengths and depths of the notes and therefore it is very dynamic to listen to. Bunn’s solo is a much quicker tempo. He glides over each note as if to not completely hit it. The tempo is fast and very rhythmic. There are also several different pitches. Callender’ssolo is very quick as well. There are several different notes played. We here fast, but spaced out, high-pitched notes and low pitch notes as well. After the drum solo, Thompson’s solo consisted of a very quick but powerful end to a song. It meshed what soloists portrayed in each of their respective solos.3.How many choruses does each of them take? Note: This piece is a 44-bar hybrid AABA song form in which each A section is a 12-bar blues chord progression, while the B section (the bridge) is a standard 8-bar section. The first chorus is 00:11 to 01:00.They each take about half to a full chorus each. Each of their respective solos isof different lengths.4.What is your impression of this piece? How do these bebop soloists differ from the swing soloists that you have heard? Does the bebop ensemble treat or arrange the melody
I´ve been doing some research on Blue Bikini and noticed that Callender (bass player) doesn´t have a solo at all. So maybe Blues Bikini is not the right song, although it corresponds to the 44-bar AABA song in which the A section is 12 and the B section 8 bars, which makes 3 times 12 plus 8 = 44. Dexter Gordon (Tenor Saxophone) takes two choruses in which he display a lyrical approach to the theme-melody. Then Jimmy Bunn, the pianist takes over for 1 chorus of 48 bars (!). After 24 bars (2 A´s) his solo changes in the B section and all of the sudden you hear some sparse and lingering notes. The peculiar thing is that his B section turns out to be 12 bars, followed by yet another 12 (the last A section). In the 4th chorus Gordon comes back for two A´s and Thompson (on drums) fills in the B section of 8 bars, remarkably laid-back, after which Gordon ends the tune with the last 12 bar song A section.
A remarkable song from Dexter Gordon, a remarkable Saxophone player who, as Gene Lees once wrote, lost part of his magic when he moved to Europe.
