Ed Bickert (1976) [NICA'S DREAM]

From Ed Bickert’s album ‘Out of the Past’. Featuring Ed Bickert – guitar, Terry Clarke – drums, and Don Thompson – bass. Recorded January 26 of 1976 at Captain Audio Studios in Toronto, Canada. The JGC History series features specifically curated playlists to help trace the lineage of some of the most influential jazz compositions of all time. Join me on Patreon for Lead Sheets, Play-Alongs, Transcriptions, Lessons and much more: https://www.patreon.com/jazzguitarcomprehensive Some notes about the composition as found on https://www.jazzguitarcomprehensive.com/ Composer: Horace Silver Year: 1956 Origin: Introduced on the album The Jazz Messengers. Style: Usually played either straight, or a combination straight and swung. Form: A-A-B-A (64 Bars) [16-16-16-16] Typically the A sections are played straight, with the B section swung. Intro: On the first recording from The Jazz Messengers, as well as Horace Silver's later rendition from Horace-Scope, a brief 7 bar introduction is included. However, this intro is oftentimes omitted. Send-Off: On both recordings mentioned above a send-off is used to begin each solo, and is also used at the end of each solo. This arrangement tends to be included in performances. Shout Chorus: Additionally, on both recordings mentioned above a shout-chorus is included. For the first 8 bars of both 16 bar A sections the band plays a shout figure, and the remaining 8 bars are opened back up to the soloist. During the bridge the band then returns to the melody to play the head out. However, this arrangement tends to not be included in performances. Coda: A Coda can also be heard on both recordings; an additional 12 bars added to the form that concludes the performance. This coda is seldom used in practice, and instead the send-off is often used instead to finish performances. Key: Almost always performed in Bb minor. Harmony/Overview: The harmony although exceptionally original is very functional throughout. The main theme in the A sections revolve around a ImiMaj7 - bVIImiMaj7 vamp before a II - V to the relative Major. The A sections then finish with a IImi7b5 - V7 back to Imi. The bridge takes place entirely in the relative Major and begins with a V7sus pedal. It then continues with various II - V's before returning back to the main theme once again. Recordings: This composition is one of Horace Silver's most popular, and it has been recorded over 120 times to date. The first recording comes from the 1956 album The Jazz Messengers. Horace would later re-record the composition with his quintet on his 1960 album Horace-Scope at a much brighter tempo. "Nica's Dream" is one of the many compositions written for and inspired by Pannonica de Koenigswarter; a leading patron of jazz music in her time who was a scion to the Rothschild family. JGC Top Picks: Horace Silver, Horace-Scope, 1960 Oscar Peterson, Mellow Mood, 1968 Dave Liebman, Setting the Standard, 1992 Please consider supporting this channel through a donation, https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/jazzguitarc You can also support me on Patreon for much more musical content, https://www.patreon.com/jazzguitarcomprehensive Be sure to subscribe to my main channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsHefbnzId7of6XcFJWh8UQ As well as my second channel for Play-Alongs and Loops: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPZJrGlk1zNvczjpbNbyOiA The World's Premier Site for Jazz Guitar Education and Beyond https://www.jazzguitarcomprehensive.com/ DISCLAIMER: This video has been uploaded for educational purposes and is protected under fair-use. This channel will never be monetized and any ads are run solely on behalf of the rightful copyright owner. #NicasDream #HoraceSilver #EdBickert

Added 28 Mar 2026