Jazz Lines Publications Presents there s a boat dats leavin soon or new ork As recorded b the miles davis/gil evans orchestra Arranged b gil evans reared b dlan canterbur, rob dubo, and jere sultano ull score rom the original manuscrit jl-7557 Music and Lrics b George Gershwin, DuBose and Doroth Heward and Ira Gershwin Coright 1935 (Renewed) GEORGE GERSHWIN MUSIC, IRA GERSHWIN MUSIC and DuBOSE and DOROTHY HEYWARD MEMORIAL FUND All Rights Administered b WB MUSIC CORP. GERSHWIN and GEORGE GERSHWIN are registered trademarks o Gershwin Enterrises. IRA GERSHWIN is a Trademark o GERSHWIN ENTERPRISES PORGY AND BESS is a Registered Trademark o PORGY AND BESS ENTERPRISES. This Arrangement 2016 GEORGE GERSHWIN MUSIC, IRA GERSHWIN MUSIC and DuBOSE and DOROTHY HEYWARD MEMORIAL FUND All Rights Reserved Used b Permission o ALFRED MUSIC PUBLISHING CO., INC. Logos, Grahics, and Laout Coright 2016 The Jazz Lines Foundation Inc. This Arrangement Has Been Authorized b the Estate o Gil Evans Published b the Jazz Lines Foundation Inc., a Not-or-Proit Jazz Research Organization Dedicated to Preserving and Promoting America s Musical Heritage. The Jazz Lines Foundation Inc. PO Box 1236 Saratoga Srings NY 12866 USA
gil evans series there s a boat dats leavin soon or new ork (1958) Background: George Gershwin s olk oera Porg and Bess has now achieved classic status as one o the inest oeras ever comosed, and one o the most ambitious theater works created b an American. Charleston, South Carolina native DuBose Heward s novel Porg was ublished in 1925 and told the stor o Porg, a criled, imoverished Arican-American beggar, and Bess, the troubled woman who he alls in love with. It was such a success that Heward and his wie Doroth adated the work or the stage in 1927. The resulting la Porg was also a major success on Broadwa, and Heward was soon considering adating it into a musical. Gershwin read Porg in 1926 and corresonded with Heward suggesting that the collaborate on bringing a new oeratic adatation o the work to the stage. Gershwin s ver heav schedule did not allow this to haen or ears; he had been considering writing an oera or some time, and during this eriod he received a commission rom the Metroolitan Oera. Porg was the stor he wanted to use, but the racial situation at the time made using Arican-American actors imossible at the Metroolitan Oera. He considered other works, but ultimatel decided that Porg was the ideal vehicle or what he hoed to achieve. There was other interest in Porg, as Jerome Kern roosed writing the score with Al Jolson laing the lead, but nothing ultimatel came o this. Finall, an agreement was reached with the Theater Guild in 1933 or a olk oera based on Porg with an all Arican-American cast. George Gershwin sent time on an island near Heward s hometown o Charleston (where the stor was based) and he and Ira Gershwin began working with Heward. Their collaboration was an amicable and ruitul one, but it took nearl two ears or what was to become Porg and Bess to be created. Heward wrote the libretto and contributed lrics, with Ira Gershwin ultimatel inalizing man o them; Stehen Sondheim has written that the lrics are the inest ever written or the American musical theater. The comlete version o the oera is ver long, and Gershwin was hilosohical about much o his music being cut, believing that one da the ull work would be resented in an oera house. Porg and Bess ultimatel oened in the all o 1935 at the Alvin Theater in New York and its initial run was something o a disaointment, with its 124 erormances receiving decidedl mixed reviews and less-than-hoed-or inancial success. Man loved the score and the roduction, while others such as comoser/critic Virgil Thomson and Duke Ellington criticized the work (although there is some evidence that Ellington ma not have actuall written what was ublished under his name, as he raised Gershwin in his autobiograh and eventuall recorded some o the songs rom Porg and Bess). Still, the work began to irml root itsel in the American consciousness, with Summertime soon becoming an American oular music and jazz standard, and other songs rom the work were erormed and recorded as well. But Gershwin did not live to see the work achieve ultimate success, tragicall ding in 1937 rom a brain tumor. There were revivals o the la in the earl 1940s with more cuts, and these were much more successul. Over the next decade, there were erormances literall all over the world, but b the mid-1950s, Porg and Bess began to all into a decline, surel due in art to the Civil Rights battles that were growing, and a lanned roduction was ultimatel unable to occur in its hometown o Charleston. Later in the 1950s, a major Hollwood roduction o a movie based on the work was lanned, and this resulted in a new revival o interest in Porg and Bess in the musical communit. The 1959 movie did win awards, but ultimatel was neither a inancial nor a critical success. The next decade and a hal were not kind to Porg and Bess, as it seemed out o ste with the turbulent and raidl-changing times. It was the 1976 Houston Grand Oera roduction which revived the work and ultimatel was resonsible or it eventuall taking its rightul lace in American cultural histor. The Houston roduction was the irst roessional erormance o the entire oera, with all o the revious cuts restored, allowing the work to be seen and heard recisel in the orm in which it was originall intended. The recetion led to roductions at Radio Cit Music Hall and even inall at the Metroolitan Oera House. There have since been man more roductions o Porg and Bess, as well as recordings o the score and its various songs. The deictions o Arican-Americans led to much controvers over the decades, but toda Porg and Bess has reached a lace o being a nearl universall beloved American Classic. It had a ostage stam issued in its honor and has been named the oicial oera o the state o South Carolina. Nearl everone knows the song Summertime. It is erormed all over the world, and its music - like so man other classic works - is timeless; it sounds as resh, relevant, vibrant, and beautiul toda as it must have sounded when George Gershwin irst heard it in his head.
Gil Evans Biograh: Gil Evans sent his earliest ears traveling around Canada with his amil, as the were regularl orced to move in order to ollow the availabilit o mining jobs or his steather. In 1922 the amil settled in Berkele, and it was shortl aterward that Gil irst develoed an interest in music, insired b a Duke Ellington concert he had been brought to b a amil riend. His training began with iano lessons, but he largel taught himsel through listening to and transcribing rom his record collection. While in high school he took jobs in hotels as a ianist, and ater graduation he ormed an ensemble that would serve as the house band or the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa Beach or two ears; in 1937 the band relocated to Hollwood, where it rovided music or Bob Hoe s radio broadcasts. Through his work or Hoe, Evans was hired as an arranger or Claude Thorhill s orchestra, whom he continued to work alongside until 1948 - although with an interrution o several ears when World War II romted Evans to enlist in the arm. Ater his discharge rom the militar in 1946 Evans settled in New York. His eorts with Thornhill had gained him a solid reutation in the jazz communit, leading to his involvement in the Miles Davis nonet in 1948; with this grou he recorded the landmark album The Birth o Cool between 1949 and 1950, the album being inall released in 1953. During the irst hal o the 1950s Evans remained largel inactive, ocusing his attention on musical stud while occasionall arranging or television and radio, and or singers such as Ton Bennett and Johnn Mathis. He resumed his collaboration with Miles Davis in 1956, contributing to the ollowing ear s Miles Ahead and continuing with several more notable recordings u through the earl 1960s. His irst recordings under his own name were also made during this eriod, which would see him established as one o the leading names in the jazz world. In 1964 Evans had his irst o two children with his second wie, and or the majorit o the remainder o the 1960s he devoted himsel to raising his amil. When he became active again in 1969, his work relected the emerging music o the time, integrating electric instruments into the jazzensemble ramework. A strong interest in the music o Jimi Hendrix develoed during this time, and a record o jazz arrangements o his songs would be released in 1974 ater Hendrix s death brought an end to lans or an actual collaboration between the two. Regular touring o the States and Euroe continued throughout the 70s and 80s, with most o his recorded outut being culled rom these erormances; several ventures into ilm scoring were also made in the 1980s, including contributions to Absolute Beginners and The Color o Mone. A residenc at the New York club Sweet Basil was established in 1984, which continued until Evans death in 1988. The Music: Miles Davis and Gil Evans, one o the greatest collaborative teams in jazz histor, irst teaming in 1949 on Birth o the Cool, a jazz landmark, began to show interest in Porg and Bess in the late 1950s. Due to the success o Davis and Evans s 1957 Miles Ahead LP, Columbia Records, their label, allowed them more reedom in choosing material or uture recording sessions. Davis had been delving deel into modalit and smhonic music and ultimatel decided to take on Porg and Bess in this context. Evans s unique and considerable orchestration skills and Davis s new dedication to exerimentation with modalit led their Porg and Bess to become a landmark record in jazz histor. Joined b other like-minded collaborators such as Cannonball Adderle and Paul Chambers, Davis and Evans ultimatel created what is considered a classic o orchestral jazz. Evans knew the material ver well, and was able to use dierent musicians and instruments to ideall reresent themes in the music. Davis s uniquel beautiul and evocative sound was trul an ideal vehicle to exress the emotional imact the work conves. The created something ver new and dierent, while at the same time staing ver aithul to the intentions o its creators. Desite the overall otimistic nature o the song, There s a Boat Dats Leavin Soon For New York ultimatel serves the role o setting u the tragic ending o George and Ira Gershwin s Porg and Bess. Ater Porg is arrested or killing Bess s ormer boriend Crown while deending her, drug dealer Sortin Lie successull seduces Bess into leaving Catish Row with him to embark on an adventure to New York Cit. Notes to the Conductor: Sortin Lie s romises o un and excitement are ver accuratel relected in Gil Evans arrangement right rom the start. The melod is stated b the trio o solo trumet, alto saxohone and trombone, with the rest o the ensemble roviding aroriatel excited and ubeat accomaniment throughout the melod. One o the more clever moments o this arrangement comes at measure 36, where Evans makes a reerence to an earlier movement, Gone, Gone, Gone, in the brass that serves as a send o back to the melod. A brie but owerul ensemble blast ollowed b a drum break sets u an imrovised trumet solo at measure 57, with some slightl oreboding backgrounds in the woodwinds and trumets that eventuall lead u to a bombastic brass blast eaturing some high note trumet acrobatics. Ater a brie held tone, the trumet soloist imrovises over the song s inal A section beore an ensemble shout chorus begins at measure 89. This shout is undeniabl diicult, and will require a signiicant amount o attention in order to execute roerl. The trumet soloist returns or an imrovisation on the bridge, with some more intense backgrounds that ultimatel lead u to another owerul brass blast at measure 119.Ater one inal send-o, the trio o trumet, alto saxohone and trombone resume melod duties or the inal A section. The trumet soloist resumes imrovising at measure 138 as the orchestra continues to build to a thrilling climax underneath. The inal chord, erhas keeing in mind the tragic events in Porg s lie that are to come, is jarringl ominous, and should taer o raidl to a near whiser. Dnamics in all o Evans s music is o rime imortance. Minimal miking o the lutes is recommended so that the can be heard, but the must not be louder than the brass. As has been discussed in other Jazz Lines Publications, the original arts or the Porg and Bess album are or our reed laers, one o which is an alto sax, the remainder doubling on woodwinds o all sizes and tes. Clearl Evans wanted the sound o a brass orchestra with woodwinds as color and acoustic suort; he did not conceive these settings or live erormance. In the studio, the instrumental balance was worked out so that the woodwinds sounded as Gil wished. For live erormances, some amliication is needed so that the alto lutes and bass lute are heard. Please do not over amli them; the are not meant to be as loud as the brass in ensemble assages. Doug DuBo, Dlan Canterbur, Rob DuBo, and Jere Sultano - June 2016
jl-7557 Score Solo Trumet Or Flugelhorn Woodwind 1: Alto Sax. Woodwind 2: Bass Clarinet/Alto Flute Woodwind 3: Bass Clarinet/Alto Flute Woodwind 4: Bass Clarinet/Piccolo Trumet 1 Bright Swing = 180 [1] Bass Clarinet Bass Clarinet Bass Clarinet There's a Boat dats leavin' Soon For New York recorded b miles davis Jazz lines PubLications Music and Lrics b George Gershwin, DuBose and Doroth Heward and Ira Gershwin Arranged B Gil Evans Preared b Dlan Canterbur, Rob DuBo, and Jere Sultano Trumet 2 Trumet 3 Trumet 4 Horn in F 1 Horn in F 2 Horn in F 3 Trombone 1 Trombone 2 Trombone 3 Trombone 4 Tuba Bass ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ Drum Set Hi-Hat o + + o + œ œ + sim. (4) 1 2 3 4 Coright 1935 (Renewed) GEORGE GERSHWIN MUSIC, IRA GERSHWIN MUSIC and DuBOSE and DOROTHY HEYWARD MEMORIAL FUND All Rights Administered b WB MUSIC CORP. GERSHWIN and GEORGE GERSHWIN are registered trademarks o Gershwin Enterrises. IRA GERSHWIN is a Trademark o GERSHWIN ENTERPRISES PORGY AND BESS is a Registered Trademark o PORGY AND BESS ENTERPRISES All Rights or IRA GERSHWIN MUSIC Administered b WB MUSIC CORP. This Arrangement 2016 IRA GERSHWIN MUSIC, DU BOSE AND DOROTHY HEYWARD MEMORIAL FUND and GEORGE GERSHWIN MUSIC All Rights Reserved Used b Permission o ALFRED MUSIC This Arrangement Has Been Authorized b the Estate o Gil Evans Published b the Jazz Lines Foundation Inc., a Not-or-Proit Jazz Research Organization Dedicated to Preserving and Promoting America's Musical Heritage.
Jazz lines PubLications There's a Boat dats leavin' Soon For New York Score - Page 2 jl-7557 Solo Tt. Ww. 1 (A. Sx.) Ww. 2 (Bs. Cl.) Ww. 3 (Bs. Cl.) Ww. 4 (Bs. Cl) Tt. 1 Tt. 2 m m m Tt. 3 Tt. 4 Hn. 1 Hn. 2 Hn. 3 Tbn. 1 Tbn. 2 Tbn. 3 Tbn. 4 Tuba Bs. m ~~~~~~ D. S. Ride Cm. œ œ (8) (9) 5 6 7 8 9
jl-7557 Solo Tt. [10] There's a Boat dats leavin' Soon For New York Score - Page 3 Jazz lines PubLications Ww. 1 (A. Sx.) Ww. 2 (Bs. Cl.) Ww. 3 (Bs. Cl.) Ww. 4 (Bs. Cl) Tt. 1 Tt. 2 Tt. 3 Tt. 4 Hn. 1 Hn. 2 Hn. 3 Tbn. 1 Tbn. 2 Tbn. 3 Tbn. 4 Tuba Bs. D. S. ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ o + + o + œ œ + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (4) 10 11 12 13