Bolivia (Walton song)

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

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

Music notation for Bolivia by Cedar Walton. The "A" section is played over a G7(13).
First four bars of Bolivia by Cedar Walton.
First four bars of Cedar Walton's Bolivia
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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
E♭Δ7 A13(7) DΔ7 A♭7
GΔ7 F♯7 (♯9) B-7 C7 (♯11)
B-7 B-7/A A♭-7♭5 G-7 C7
FΔ7 B7 B♭Δ7 A7

Notable recordings

References

  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.