Jump to content

Bolivia (Walton song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Man sitting in front of a piano.
Picture of Cedar Walton in 2001, the composer of Bolivia.

"Bolivia" is a jazz standard written by American jazz pianist Cedar Walton.[1][2][3] It is regarded as his best-known composition.[4]

Background

[edit]

Bolivia was first recorded on Eastern Rebellion's self-titled album released in 1976 with Cedar Walton on piano, George Coleman on tenor saxophone, Sam Jones on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums.

Musical composition

[edit]
Music notation for Bolivia by Cedar Walton. The "A" section is played over a G7(13).
First four bars of Bolivia by Cedar Walton.

Bolivia is composed in G major and typically played in an Afro-Cuban style.

The song contains a bass ostinato[5] that is repeated throughout the first 16 bars of the song. The first 16 bars are entirely based upon a G7(13) chord.

The B section—or the final 16 bars—contains the following form. After the B-section, the song repeats with the same bass ostinato.

B Section
EΔ7 A13(7) DΔ7 A7
GΔ7 F♯7 (♯9) B-7 C7 (♯11)
B-7 B-7/A A-75 G-7 C7
FΔ7 B7 B♭Δ7 A7

Notable recordings

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Yardley, William (2013-08-21). "Cedar Walton, Pianist and Composer, Dies at 79". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  2. ^ Kelsey, Chris. "Cedar Walton: Biography". www.bluenote.com. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  3. ^ Schroeder, David (Spring 2017). "Cedar Walton: Being at the Right Place at the Right Time". IAJRC Journal. Vol. 50, no. 1. pp. 33–35. ISSN 0098-9487. ProQuest 1900335571. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  4. ^ Skinner, Katherine Lee (2017). Cedar Walton: An Analytical Study of His Improvisational Style Through Selected Transcriptions (DA dissertation). University of Northern Colorado. ProQuest 1908925142.
  5. ^ Lesche, Stephen (2004). "Artist Study: The Compositional Style of Jazz Guitarist Nathen Page". The Osprey Journal of Ideas and Inquiry. IV.
  6. ^ Record, The Jazz (15 December 2021). "TJR Song of the Day: Eastern Rebellion "Bolivia"". The Jazz Record - Explorations Into Vintage Jazz Vinyl. Retrieved 2022-06-02.