DESCRIPTION:
Shyness and Firmness - Analysis
This track begins with a double bass solo introduction. In just a few seconds the maestro Paolo Ghetti catapults us to lofty musical heights, where you can admire a panorama that will blow you away due to its artistic style, its sound, and the way it manages to say so much with so little.
In a live context the double bass would probably play the first eight measures solo, but here the drums start immediately. Another idea to experiment with is playing around with the tempo in the first eight (or sixteen) measures, only starting to play a tempo at letter A (the theme). At letters A and B the horn section plays the first part of the theme, with the phrases split in a fun way between reeds and brass. For this first section I tried to create a flow of notes using the ride cymbal and hi-hat: a straight eighth note broken ride cymbal pattern (quite a mouthful!) As the double bass and piano have a predominantly rhythmic role in this arrangement, I allowed myself to move away a little from the standard rules for accompanying a jazz waltz. At letter C the piece takes a new direction for various reasons: the meter changes to 4/4, the brass and reeds play in harmony but following the same rhythm; and the piano and double bass abandon their ostinato rhythm to launch into a mad section in three. The drums support this change, playing very energetically in three. Letters D-E repeat the first part of the theme, but here the drums dominate the section, playing even eighths with a slightly Latinish mood, making use of the bell of the cymbal, rim shots and the toms. F to I is left open for solos. The scene is set by Simone Lamaida on sax, who passes the (glowing) baton onto Luca Pecchia on guitar. At letters J and K the arranger's creativity takes the listener by surprise, with a truly breathtaking special. Here the drums kick off a funky groove with a backbeat on the third beat, whilst the double bass and piano continue to play the ostinato rhythm from the start of the track. This creates a very interesting rhythmic tension, above which Morganti's special takes flight. The theme comes back in at letter L following the section in 4/4, before ending with the last 16 measures in 3/4 at letters M-N, where the sabor latino (similar to the Argentine rhythms) in the drums anticipates the arrival of the coda. This coda is very interesting (read: unusual/original): it begins with four measures of drum solo, with an accelerando. At letter O the drums invade the band's playing with a frenetic 8-measure phrase, before a subito piano passage at letter P, with a crescendo to the seventh measure.

If you like, you can listen to the quartet’s version of this track here (with its Italian title: Timidezza e Decisione):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPysTWBtHno
Laura Avanzolini: vocals
Filippo Fucili: guitar
Lorenzo De Angeli: electric bass
Lorenzo Ghetti Alessandri: drums