Fire Waltz Explained

Fire Waltz
Type:Composition
Artist:Mal Waldron
Album:The Quest
Released:1961
Recorded:June 27, 1961; Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, U.S.
Genre:Jazz
Label:Prestige
Composer:Mal Waldron

"Fire Waltz" is a composition by Mal Waldron. The original version, by Waldron's sextet featuring Eric Dolphy and Booker Ervin, was recorded on June 27, 1961. It has become a jazz standard.[1]

Composition

Mal Waldron reported that he wrote the song the night before recording it.[2] "Fire Waltz" is a 16-bar composition with the form AABA.[3]

Original recording

The composition was first recorded on June 27, 1961.[4] The sextet contained Booker Ervin (tenor saxophone), Eric Dolphy (alto saxophone), Waldron (piano), Ron Carter (cello), Joe Benjamin (bass), and Charlie Persip (drums). It was released on Waldron's album The Quest.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Cadence (January 1996)
  2. Lock, Graham (1994) Chasing the Vibration: Meetings with Creative Musicians. Stride Publications. pp. 36–37.
  3. Waters, Keith & Diamond, David "Out Front: The Art of Booker Little". In Berger, Edward; Cayer, David; Martin, Henry & Morgenstern, Dan (2001) Annual Review of Jazz Studies 11, 2000–2001. Scarecrow. p. 7.
  4. Warburton, Dan "Eric Dolphy – The Quest". AllMusic. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  5. Carr, Ian; Fairweather, Digby & Priestley, Brian (2004) The Rough Guide to Jazz (3rd ed.) Rough Guides. p. 829.