So...I first found Ben Van Gelder (BVD) through Mark Turner. I've been really digging Mark's playing for a while. I had the chance to hear him live a few years ago at the Athenaeum in La Jolla, CA. With the alto being my main axe...I often wondered want Mark would sound like on tenor (specifically his altissimo fluidity and for a lack of better words..."dry" sound). In comes Ben Van Gelder!! He's definitely not a Mark Turner clone however. In my opinion...he has a sound that is instantly recognizable. His vocabulary is unique and innovative. I set out to transcribe his solo over All The Things You Are he recorded back in 2012. In doing so...it has definitely opened my ears to a new way of improvising over the chart!
Here is my attempt…
Here are two of my favorite licks from the solo...and some of my "chicken scratch" hand-written transcription, lol!!
