“Cool-Trane,” from Portraits in Jazz, by Valerie Capers
“Cool-Trane” is a two page work inspired by John Coltrane and the title is a play on words on his name. This piece is the most difficult and most dissonant piece in the collection, and a performer needs to be familiar with Coltrane’s work in order to understand the complexities and quotes made directly from his pieces. The melodic line is similar to that played on a sax, and is made up of two-measure phrases. It is suggested for the player to memorize the physical feel of each new two-bar phrase, so that every phrase is individualized and somewhat separate. The conclusion of this piece (bars 17-20) consists of a quote from Coltrane’s blues piece “Cousin Mary” and must be carefully emulated in his style.
Portraits of Jazz by Valerie Capers is a collection of 12 early intermediate to intermediate jazz style pieces published in 1976 by Aztec Diaz-Tec 800, and Oxford University Press in 1992. These pieces are inspired by or dedicated to a particular jazz musician or singer
Valerie Capers was born in 1935, and was introduced to music through her father’s ties to Fats Waller (American Jazz Pianist), and her brother’s performances in the Mongo Santamaria Band. She received her early education at the New York Institute for the Education of the Blind and graduated from the Juilliard School of Music, with Bachelors and Masters degrees. Capers brings a wide scope of pianistic styles and concepts to her playing, drawing from jazz idols and keyboard masters alike.
Source
Performance by David Reid.