Deconstructing Gonzalo

“Hip Side,” from Gonzalo Rubalcaba’s Avatar CD is a deceptively simple song. With only three chords in the entire tune (Dm7, G7, Eb7), you’d think that a soloist would run out of ideas quickly. However, Gonzalo is not your typical soloist. He has great technical and harmonic resources. He begins the solo with an economy of ideas, and builds to ever increasing density and urgency. He lets loose with some complex, circuitous lines that seem to defy the simplicity of the changes.

We’re going to take a close look at four compelling excerpts from Gonzalo’s “Hip Side” solo, and see if we can ascertain what devices he draws upon to create these melodic gems. As you can see from the examples below, Gonzalo has an arsenal of scales and modes he draws from, and can shift gears quickly to change the harmonic complexion of a given melodic line. Chances are good that he’s not thinking all these details as he plays. It’s the study of all this information that leads to the eventual freedom of expression in a master musician such as Gonzalo Rubalcaba.

Ex. 1. The blazing speed and smooth execution of the line on beats 5 and 6 of measure 35 suggests that Gonzalo may have distributed the notes between two hands. Play the first four notes with your left hand (fingering 4, 3, 2, 1), the next two notes with your right hand (fingering 1, 3), then cross your left hand over and repeat the pattern up an octave. The pattern is B major to E minor which, when played over a G7, could be Gmaj7#5 to Gmaj6. It all goes by so fast that it’s really the effect that impacts the listener, as opposed to a specific tonal reference. Measure 36 begins with the use of the G altered scale (seventh mode of the Ab melodic minor), then shifts to G Lydian dominant, and back again to the G altered scale, with some G Mixolydian tones thrown in for good measure. In all, there’s a fair amount of chromaticism with the focus on the aforementioned scales. Gonzalo also ratchets up the rhythmic interest with the introduction of nine-note groupings. Measure 37 begins with Eb Lydian dominant over an A7sus4 voicing, followed by Eb Mixolydian b6 (fifth mode of the Ab melodic minor), and into Eb Phrygian (Eb7sus4b9), ending with Eb Mixolydian.

Ex. 2. The diatonic arpeggiation beginning on beat 6 of measure 49 (which is a few bars past the solo transcription on pages 36–37) establishes a consonant sound, which is abruptly interrupted with the C# in measure 50. The C# is the #11 of the G7, but it’s the placement and intervallic relationship to the preceding and following notes that makes it stick out. Beats 1 and 2 of measure 51 are Eb Mixolydian. The b9 on beat 3 probably comes from the Eb dominant diminished scale. The major seventh in beat four seems to be part of an enclosure of the b7 of the chord. Beats 5 and 6 are basically Eb Lydian dominant with a couple of chromatic tones. Measure 52 starts with an Eb altered scale, save for the C natural, which comes from Eb Mixolydian. Beat 4 stays in Eb Mixolydian; beat 6 is a chromatic approach to the ninth.

These files correspond to the lessons and Hot Solo transcription starting on page 32 of the May ’08 issue of Keyboard. All files performed by Scott Healy.