Hi! During Jazz Band this semester, I have been working on “Scrapple from the Apple.” My instructor wants me to learn this piece so I can grow in my improvisation. The first two measures follow a ii–V chord structure, a very common chord structure in jazz. This means that when I’m soloing and come across a ii–V chord, I can play the first two bars of “Scrapple from the Apple’s” melody to get started! With that, let’s jump into this piece.
Composed by Charlie Parker in 1947, “Scrapple from the Apple” is a bebop contrafact of Thomas “Fats” Waller’s “Honeysuckle Rose” This Being a contrafact means that Parker borrowed the chord changes from “Honeysuckle Rose” and wrote his own melody over it. For example, the chord changes over the first four bars of both pieces are G-7 – C7 – G-7 – C7, but the melodies are different.
An interesting fact about this piece my Jazz Band teacher told me is that Parker plays the melody slightly differently in his first and second performances. This is because jazz has less emphasis on exact notes. Jazz began as an oral (or maybe aural?) tradition, so performers didn’t play a melody the same every time. In fact, the sheet music we have today is more like an estimate of how pieces were commonly played. Parker’s modifying of the melody in his second performance is a reminder of jazz history.
Parker’s performance begins with a brief piano introduction before the melody is established by the saxophones. This is followed by an eight-bar saxophone solo mostly consisting of quick runs up and down the scale before the melody returns and the form concludes and the solos begin. We hear another, longer saxophone that is a bit more melodic than the first. A trumpet, piano, and drum solo follow before the melody returns and the piece concludes.
In my own Jazz Band, learning and playing “Scrapple from the Apple” has been an interesting experience. The melody is very quick, making it incredibly difficult (but very rewarding) to play on the bass. I’ve learned quite a bit about playing jazz by learning it, such as bebop scales (adding an extra note to a scale to avoid playing off the beat). I also learned that when I encounter a chord change, I can land on the 3 or 5 of the chord, not just the 1. For example, if I come across a C chord, I can play a C, E, or G depending on the context of what I am playing.
Overall, “Scrapple for the Apple” has been pushing me to be a better jazz musician. It is also fun to play and listen to! Next blog, we’ll probably listen to “Triste” or “Easy Living,” so stay tuned.
Thanks for reading!
– Lauren Raimbault, Social Media Editor and Blogger
Lauren Raimbault – Social Media Editor, Prose Editor & Blogger: Lauren is a Lewis University Senior studying English with a concentration in General Writing. She also mentors her peers at the university’s Writing Center. In addition to her academic pursuits, Lauren has played the violin since 2011 and currently serves as Concertmaster for the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra. She also recently began learning bass guitar and plays in her university’s jazz band. When not writing or practicing, she enjoys reading thrillers and fantasy novels, crocheting, and playing video games.