A Samba Named Nancy
This samba is for my wife, Nancy. I wrote it to express her warmth, caring, and how she is a wonderful dancer. Recorded by Jason Shapiro, tenor saxophone; E. Shawn Qaissaunee, guitar; Brian Howell, bass; and Skip Rohrich, drums.
I think of the piece as being fairly straightforward; however, it has some surprises. The AB form is unusual in how the A part is 15 measures and the B part is 22. While the music is mostly in 4/4, there are two places where a measure or two of 3/4 is used to shake things up. Harmonically, there is a mix of conventional II-V chord changes, parallel harmony, and symmetrical harmony. The melody has a floating quality, and the sustained notes give the rhythm section a space for fills.
I think of the piece as being fairly straightforward; however, it has some surprises. The AB form is unusual in how the A part is 15 measures and the B part is 22. While the music is mostly in 4/4, there are two places where a measure or two of 3/4 is used to shake things up. Harmonically, there is a mix of conventional II-V chord changes, parallel harmony, and symmetrical harmony. The melody has a floating quality, and the sustained notes give the rhythm section a space for fills.
