song: Solitude
artist: Pasquale Grasso ft. Samara Joy
album: Pasquale plays Duke (2021)
writers: Music by Duke Ellington / Lyrics by Eddie DeLange & Irving Mills (1934)

electric archtop guitar: Pasquale Grasso
vocal: Samara Joy
upright/double bass: Ari Roland
(drums: Keith Balla)

This is a note-for-note transcription of the guitar, vocal, and bass on this amazing recording by the Pasquale Grasso Trio, featuring Samara Joy. This arrangement is probably modeled after, if not an ode to, the vocal–guitar recording by Ella Fitzgerald & Barney Kessel from her similarly titled album Ella Fitzgerald sings the Duke Ellington Song Book (1957): That original Barney Kessel arrangement introduced the basic chord progression used here and the key of G Major, which suited the voice of Ella Fitzgerald just as well as it suits that of Samara Joy. This present version is of course a major elaboration: The bass and drums free up the guitar to play incredible call-response fills and do the playful tone-painting of the lyrics. This is a masterclass for modern-day Jazz guitarists. Enjoy!

A big “Thank you!” goes out to Daniel (you know who you are!), who suggested and sponsored this transcription.