Solar (composition)
"Solar" (/ˈsoʊlər/ or /soʊˈlɑːr/[citation needed]) is a composition written by Chuck Wayne and later recorded and copyrighted with small alterations by Miles Davis. It first appeared on Davis's 1954 album Miles Davis Quintet and is considered a modern jazz standard.
Chord structure
[edit]The commonly accepted chord structure for this piece[1] is:
| CmMaj7 | % | Cm7 or Gm7 | Gm7 : C7 |
| FMaj7 | % | Fm7 | B♭7 |
| E♭Maj7 | E♭m7 : A♭7 | D♭Maj7 | Dm7♭5 : G7 |
Recordings and popularity
[edit]The first released recording of the piece appeared on Davis's album Miles Davis Quintet in 1954;[citation needed] and then appeared on his album Walkin'.[2] It was the only time that he recorded the piece.[2] Probably the best-known version is on pianist Bill Evans's trio album Sunday at the Village Vanguard from 1961.[2] The composition is popular with educators and learners, partly because the structure is "both rich and succinct".[2]
Authorship
[edit]The composition was copyrighted by Prestige Music Co. in Davis's name in 1963.[3][4] However, some musicians and others believed that it had been written by Wayne,[3][5] with some making the assertion in print.[6][7] Proof of the suspicions appeared later: in 2012, a Library of Congress archivist revealed that material donated by Wayne's wife the previous year included an unreleased recording of the guitarist playing the tune at a jam session in 1946.[8][9] Then, it was known by the title "Sonny", after trumpeter Sonny Berman, who also played at the session.[3][8] Wayne is believed to have written "Sonny" when he was part of Woody Herman's band in 1946.[7]
The melodies of "Sonny" and "Solar" are the same.[8] Davis altered the opening, major chord of Wayne's composition by making it minor.[5] Davis died in 1991; the first two measures of the composition adorn his tombstone.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ New Real Book Volume 1. Petalnuma, California: Sher Music. 1988.
- ^ a b c d Gioia, Ted (2012). The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire. New York City: Oxford University Press. pp. 377–378. ISBN 978-0-19-993739-4.
- ^ a b c Myers, Marc (July 5, 2012). "'Solar' Wasn't by Miles Davis". jazzwax.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2016.
- ^ Porter, Lewis (May 31, 2023). "Miles Davis Did Not Exactly "Steal" Tunes, 1: Record Labels, Publishers, and "Solar"". Retrieved September 13, 2023.
- ^ a b Iverson, Ethan (July 6, 2012). "Credit Where It's Due". dothemath. Archived from the original on April 2, 2016.
- ^ Voce, Steve (August 1, 1997). "Obituary: Chuck Wayne". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ a b DeVeaux, Scott (2002). "Wayne, Chuck [Jagelka, Charles]". Grove Music Online. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.J476600.
- ^ a b c d Meyer, Robinson (June 9, 2010). "The Time Miles Davis Stole (or Borrowed) a Song – and How It Ended Up on His Tombstone". The Atlantic. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ Appelbaum, Larry (3 July 2012). "Chuck Wayne, Sonny & Solar". In the Muse: Performing Arts Blog, Library of Congress. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
