Sam Rocha
Acoustic Bass Solo on
Happy Jazz

About

Sam Rocha's two-chorus acoustic bass solo opens the improvisation section on this original blues by Nora Germain, serving as the first of three solos on the recording. Over the 12-bar blues form in B-flat at a comfortable 134 BPM, Rocha displays a warm tone and melodic sensibility that suits the track's unpretentious, joyful character. As the first soloist, he sets the relaxed, groove-oriented tone for the solos that follow. The medium swing tempo provides ample space for lyrical invention within the blues framework, and Rocha's two choruses establish a melodic foundation before Germain and Weatherwax take their turns.