Since its beginnings in 19th-century New Orleans, jazz has always been about reinvention. From its Dixieland roots, the genre has birthed a new style nearly every decade: the swinging big bands of the ’30s, the blazing bebop of the ’40s, the cool West Coast vibe of the ’50s, the experimental ’60s, the rock-funk fusion of the ’70s, and so on. That evolution continues today as musicians blend even more influences into their compositions and improvisations.
According to Illustrate Magazine, jazz is experiencing a resurgence due in part to the “democratizing power of streaming platforms. Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and others,” which allow adventurous listeners to engage with jazz of the past and present.
It’s also growing thanks to artists like Jesús Molina, who carry on the tradition while infusing the music with their own identity.
One of the best examples is his jaw-dropping arrangement of the jazz standard “A Night In Tunisia” by Dizzy Gillespie. Released in 2020, the song has racked up over 2.3 million views, an uncommon feat for many jazz musicians. Molina paid tribute to the legendary trumpeter and composer in the video description.
“It has been almost 27 years since the maestro John Birks ‘Dizzy’ Gillespie passed away and left one of the biggest legacies in Jazz history,” he shared at the time. “Here, playing a special tribute to one of the standards that will remain alive for new generations. ‘NIGHT IN TUNISIA 2020.'”
Molina reimagines the song in several ways. Most notably, he rewrites the standard 4/4 time signature into a dizzying 11/8, dropping an eighth note to create an odd time and lopsided groove. This immediately creates a sense of urgency, capturing the listener’s attention.
The original has a two-bar vamp between Eb7 and Dmin that serves as the intro and the majority of the A sections. Molina revoices them to more ambiguous minor 11 chords, doubling the bass line with Sam Smith on the upright. Retaining and reimagining the song’s bass line keeps its DNA – and a part of jazz history – intact.
When Dizzy Gillespie wrote “A Night in Tunisia” in 1942, he had never been to the African country. It did inspire him, though, to infuse Afro-Cuban rhythms into the fabric of American jazz. This was something new, and so was its signature bass line.
“‘A Night in Tunisia’ plays a very, very important role in being one of the first compositions to have something that’s very common today, which is a non-walking bassline,” trumpeter Jon Faddis told NPR, adding that “that simplicity is something that… non-musicians could relate to.”
It’s that same idea that lets listeners lock into Molina’s version, despite its turbulent feeling.
Of course, a good arrangement only takes a song so far: the rest relies on the performance. Molina is a force of nature on the keys as he tears through advanced lines over the complicated beat, which is held steady by Smith and drummer Roni Kaspi.
MuseScore user 126132 uploaded a transcription of the blazing performance, including Molina’s insane solo. Follow along with the score and, if you’re feeling brave, play along:
