Derrick James
Alto Sax Solo on
All Blues

About

Derrick James's alto saxophone solo is the second of two solos on this swing rendition of Miles Davis's "All Blues" from Alexis Cole's 2021 album Sky Blossom. Following Cole's two-chorus vocal improvisation, James matches her with two choruses of his own over the 12-bar blues form in C at 142 BPM. The slightly increased tempo reflects the natural energy accumulation that occurs during a jazz performance. James's alto sax brings a different timbral quality to the modal blues framework, contrasting with Cole's preceding vocal exploration of the same harmonic territory.