CHAPTER I The II-V-I Progression and Its Variations CHAPTER 2 II-V-I in Transient Modulations CHAPTER 3 General Modulations CHAPTER 4 Beginnings CHAPTER 5 Classic Bridges CHAPTER 6 Chords In Symmetry CHAPTER 7 Other Progression Cells CHAPTER 8 More Recent Traits THE LIST - a list of songs, discussed in the text ROADMAPS
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The II-V-I Progression and its Variations ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
II-V-I IN MAJOR II-V-I IN MINOR II - #II° - III IV - #IV° - I TRI-TONE SUBSTITUTION BACK DOOR PROGRESSION COLTRANE MATRIX EXTENSIONS OF II-V-I CONFIRMATION SEQUENCE BEBOP TURNAROUND
Of all the progression cells taken up in this book, none is even remotely as prevalent as the II-V-I progression. Although contemporary jazz compositions have been moving away from it for quite some time, the II-V-I remains the basic unit of tonal organization of the jazz, popular, Broadway, standard, and bossa nova tunes that comprise much of the jazz musician's repertoire. And those tune-types are still the common denominator for jazz musicians today, even in the many countries other than the U.S. in which jazz music is performed. However complex the harmonic traits of modern jazz may become, those tune-types will still form an essential part of the jazz repertoire, and they are heavily- laden with IIV-I's. Lest the reader surmise that the II-V-I progression was invented by the composers who wrote the tunes that comprise the jazz repertoire, understand that the foundations were laid several centuries ago by European Classical composers, who very frequently used the progression cell and its variations, though in slightly different ways than it appears in the jazz and pop tunes of this century. It was at the core of what musical analysts refer to as "tonic-dominant harmony," a harmonic system which stresses the use of "key centers" (represented by tonic, or simply I chords) that were prepared/preceded and supported by "dominant seventh chords" (V7), and the latter were often preceded by chords of the "subdominant function" (IV or II). The classical analyst generally labels this progression cell as ii6 - V7 - I (small case Roman Numeral on the II chord indicates a minor chord and 6 indicates first inversion of that chord, which was the usual form). The jazz analyst usually omits the use of small case Roman Numerals, owing to the rather high frequency of chords which are altered from the structure that is formed naturally within a diatonic system.
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For example: ??
??
??
?? ??
a chord built on the second degree of a major scale (as in d - f - a of a C major scale) is a minor chord, yet in tunes used by jazz musicians that chord often appears as a D7 (a dominant seventh structure on II), for a variety of reasons that are unnecessary to discuss at this point. An even more significant example is the chord that is naturally formed on the sixth (VI) degree of a major scale, which is a minor chord (or minor seventh chord), as in A C E (G) of the C major scale. Yet the VI chord in jazz tunes appears far more often as a dominant seventh chord (VI7) than as a minor seventh chord (VIm7). The IV chord is major, when formed naturally within a key, but it frequently appears as a minor chord, as in the "back door progression" that will be discussed later in this chapter. Altered Roman Numerals (bIII, #IV, bII, #II, etc.) are even more freelystructured, depending upon the needed function of the moment. Finally there is the problem created by, say, a half-diminished seventh chord, which is neither major nor minor, hence a classical analyst's ii7 designation for a IIø, even with supplementary markings could be confusing.
For all the foregoing reasons, only large case Roman Numerals will be used in this book, whether the chord is major, minor, augmented, or diminished, and whether the chord's root is within the scale of the key or an altered scale-tone. Nearly all tunes used by jazz musicians are "tonal" (as opposed to "atonal"); that is, there will be at least one "key center" in each tune . Often there will be several key centers within the overall length of a given tune. The first requirement of a key center is the existence of a chord which can function as I (tonic). Though a wide variety of chord-types could serve as I, such as the dominant seventh structure found in most blues progressions (I7), or the Im7 in BLUE BOSSA, the most obvious and common forms of the I chord are the major seventh and major sixth chords ( in a major key), and the minor-major seventh and minor sixth chords ( in a minor key) . Whether in a major or minor key, the second requirement is a chord which functions as a V (dominant) to the tonic. Though we will explore other possibilities later in the chapter, the most common choice is the V7 chord (dominant seventh struc ture). The third likely chord function to be used in establishing a key center (though not always present) is the IIm7 (subdominant function) or a common substitute, such as a IV major seventh chord (in a major key), or IIm7b5 or IVm (in a minor key). Variations and substitutions notwithstanding, the classic IIm7 - V7 - I ( in major) and the IIm7b5 - V7 - I- (in minor) prevail for an astounding 63-95% of the time in tunes which outline or establish key centers!
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The II-V-I Progression in Major The IIm7 - V7 - I progression is formed by three chords that are all diatonic to the key center (that is, they are naturally- formed in accordance with the key signature of I), the three chord roots are consecutive in the cycle, and move in a forward (clockwise) direction within the cycle. Figure 1-A C G
F
D
Bb
A
Eb E
Ab B
Db F# Bb
Cyclic motion of this sort is very common in most forms of tonal music, including classical music, where its use can be traced back for at least three centuries. Identifying this 3-chord segment of the cycle, when viewing part of a lettered chord progression of a tune, is one of the two "tests" needed to determine the existence of a IIV-I cell. The other aspect to be examined are the chord-types of each of the three chords. So if we see three consecutive chord roots that agree with a 3- letter segment of the cycle (in a forward direction, and the chord-types are minor seventh, dominant seventh, and major seventh respectively, then we can be certain that we are viewing a II-V-I progression in a major key. It was stated earlier that the II-V-I progression satisfies the requirements for establishing a key center. In jazz and pop music, this statement can be extended to include nearly every modulation to a new key center within a given tune's length. In other words, the II-V-I is frequently used as the modulating apparatus itself!
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The II-V-I Progression in Minor Approximately 25% of the tunes in the jazz musician's repertoire are in a minor key. Add to this the high incidence of tunes that are chiefly in major, but which modulate to one or more minor keys within their overall length (especially at the "bridge" or "B section"), it is easy to see why we cannot afford to overlook aspects found in the minor mode. Though the II-V-I progression in a minor key is used in much the same way as it is in a major key, especially with regard to establishing the key center(s), the structures of the individual chords are quite different and more complex. We could relate those differences by discussing the nature of the tonic minor scale (or scales would be more accurate) from which all three chords are derived, as was done with the major version of the cell. However, it is less confusing to simply discuss the chord structures themselves. First of all, since many songs will include both major and minor key segments, there is the need to prepare the listener/player for the change of mode, so that the hearer can sense the impending change even before the tonic (I) chord arrives. We can surmise, in the case of II-V-I in major, that the fact that all three of the chords derive their notes from the major scale of the I chord, that the ear is prepared to hear the approaching I major chord even before it arrives, during the closely- related II and V chords. To prepare the sound of a minor key center, we need chord-types for the II and V that will already be hinting at the minor I chord that is to follow. ??
And so we generally find that the II chord will be a half-diminished seventh chord (m7b5), instead of the IIm7 that was used in major. The half-diminished seventh chord only differs from the minor seventh structure by one note, that being a fifth that is lowered one half-step. In fact, as pointed out in the Introduction of this book, an alternate symbol for the half-diminished chord is the minor seventh with a lowered fifth (b5). If we relate that b5 of the IIm7b5 chord to the key center, we find it to be the lowered sixth (b6) of the key, a note that is found in two of the tonic minor scales (harmonic and natural minors). Hence the half-diminished form of the II chord prepares the ear to anticipate an approaching minor key center. Furthermore, the most common substitute for a IIm7b5 is a IVm (or IVm6) chord, which has the same note for its third of the chord as the IIm7b5 has for its fifth. In fact, the IVm6 is spelled with exactly the same notes as the IIm7b5 of the same minor key (example: an Fm6, which is IV of C minor, is spelled F, Ab, C, and D, and a Dm7b5, which is II of C minor, is spelled D, F, Ab, and C). ?? The V chord could prepare a I minor chord by simply adding a lowered ninth (b9), which is also the b6 of the key center. The more complete, common, and effective structure for the V chord, however, is a dominant seventh with a raised fifth ( + 5 ) and a raised ninth ( +9), sometimes referred to as the "altered dominant." A b9 in place of the +9 is equally effective (they can even co-exist in the same
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chord), still including the +5 as well, but the +9 is the most commonly- used form of the ninth in an altered dominant. We already know that the b9 helps to prepare a minor I chord, and the +5 causes the sounding of the same note that will be the lowered third of the I chord, which is a great preparation for a minor key. But what about the seemingly preferred +9? Why should that note foretell the sound of an impending minor I chord? After all, if the V chord was a G chord (V of C), the +9 would be an A#, which is an enharmonic spelling for Bb. Wouldn't the presence of an equivalent for Bb reduce the powerful effect of the "leading tone" (B natural) that is already in the V chord as its third, and which propels the chord toward a logical resolution to I? There are several answers to this, all worth presenting at this time: ??
First of all (staying in C minor for the moment), Bb does exist in the "natural minor scale" on C. ?? Secondly, the "leading tone" (B natural) is still present, as the third of the G7 chord. ?? Thirdly, the inclusion of Bb (A#) gives the V chord the illusion of being minor, offering a sort of poetic support to the minor I chord. ?? Finally, the "altered dominant" chord is, by nature of its sound, a very dramatic, almost "bluesy" chord, enhancing the usually-desired intent of composers to employ minor keys for dramatic effect. So the common form of the II-V-I progression in minor is: IIm7b5 - V7alt -
Im(maj7) Despite the fact the chord structures for the II and V, in major and minor keys, are primarily used to prepare the listener for the expected form of I (major or minor), songwriters sometimes like to surprise us, by using a I chord we didn't expect. In nearly all of such cases, the composer will set us up to hear a minor form of I (by preceding it with IIm7b5 and V7alt), but surprise us with a I major instead. Examples of this delightful sort of deception are in: ?? ?? ?? ??
EVERYTHING HAPPENS TO ME (measure B5), PENSATIVA (m.13), WHAT'S NEW (m.7 and B7) and FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE (m.1).
This almost never happens in reverse, where a composer precedes a minor tonic with the major forms of II and V (m7 and 7, respectively). The prototypical forms of the II-V-I progression, in major and minor, are so commonplace in the tunes played by jazz musicians that it is very difficult to locate tunes which don't contain at least one II-V-I progression, even among contemporary tunes, and most tunes have many occurrences of that cell. For this reason it would be pointless, and perhaps impossible, to list all the tunes which have at least one II-V-I progression.
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Variation 1: IIm7 - #II°7 - IIIm7 (or I) This peculiar, yet popular, progression cell substitutes a #II°7 for the V7, and sometimes a IIIm7 for the tonic major chord (I). The latter is easier to understand, as a IIIm7 has at least two notes in common with the I chord, hence it has always been regarded as a logical substitution. The #II°7, on the other hand, has little or nothing in common with the V7. In fact, the third of the #II chord is the major seventh of the V chord, which is a virtual anachronism to a dominant function. It only works because the #II functions as a "leading tone chord" of III (or VII°7 of III, as a classical theorist would put it). Since VII° has long been considered as a substitute for V7, when going to I, the door is open to precede any object chord with a diminished chord whose root is a half-step below the root of the object chord (in this case, the object chord is IIIm7). When the I chord is used instead of III, it is usually in first inversion, so that its bass note (not its root) is the same as the root of the III chord, causing the #II to become a leading tone chord (or VII) of the third of the object chord. The reader might find it hard to believe that this variation would resemble the prototypical II-V-I discussed earlier. But consider that it has been used so often in tune progressions and in arrangements that even improvisers will consciously and unconsciously play the variation against a sounded II-V-I progression! The two phrases shown in Figure 1B have appeared in numerous jazz recordings, each time against the conventional II-V-I. The first one has been played by many players over the years, whereas as the second example was invented by John Coltrane and then adopted by his many followers/imitators. Figure 1B
(sometimes No. 2 is used with a 2-bar duration of I maj7) The likely historical source for the IIm7 - #II°7 - IIIm7 (or I) progression is the solo piano style of the 20's and 30's, in which self-accompanying pianists frequently used the progression in the left hand, usually voiced in tenth intervals. The cell generally happened at times when the given chord was a relatively long duration (4 beats or more) of a tonic major chord. Since the music of that time was pretty lively, a sustained chord in the left hand would inhibit the needed pulse- like effect, hence pianists would expand, say a one- measure duration of a tonic chord, into quarter- note durations by playing I - IIm7 - #II°7 - IIIm7
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(or I in first inversion) with the left hand. This practice was particularly noticeable in performances by Art Tatum and by the countless admirers/imitators who followed him. An even more expanded version of the progression was used by George Gershwin in LIZA, where the first three and one-half measures use a five-chord progression, in halfnote durations (in a fast alla breve tempo), that is I - #I°7 - IIm7 - #II°7 - I (in first inversion). That same progression also forms the first three and one-half measures of Eubie Blake's MEMORIES OF YOU. Unamplified rhythm guitarists, like the legendary Freddy Green in the Count Basie Orchestra of the 30's and 40's, also needed to transform long durations of a given chord into quarter- note durations to support the pulse, and so they also were given to using the progression under discussion (and others as well). In all of the foregoing examples, whether II - #II - III, I - II - #II - III, or I - #I - II - #II III, the progressions result in a bass-note motion that rises by step and/or half-step, creating a strong feeling of climbing and a growing intensity. The excerpt shown in Figure 1-C is a classic tune that exemplifies the use of the harmonic device we are studying. It occurs in the fifth measure, tonicizing the IIIm chord in the key of F (Am7). It is interesting to note that, before we encounter the device of mm.5-7, a regular II-V-I has already occurred in mm.1-3. If we listen closely to the tune, or if we play the progression on piano, the two cells can be heard to function in the same way, though they don't sound identical. As is the case with all the harmonic traits studied in this book, it is essential to learn the appearance and sound of each, and to be able to distinguish between the basic form of a trait and its common variations. Figure 1-C (bossa nova)
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The following tunes use the IIm7 - #II° - IIIm7 (or I in first inversion) progression: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Ain't Misbehavin' (m.3) Got Rhythm (m.2) Ill Wind (B1 and B5) In The Wee Small Hours (m.S) Like Someone In Love (m.3) Liza (m.2) Memories of You (m.2) Once I Loved (m.5) Rain Check (m.1) Tiny Capers (m.4)
Variation 2: IV - #IV° - I When compared, theoretically and aurally, it becomes clear that Variation 2 is only slightly different from Variation 1. Looking at Figure 1-D, we see that the first chord of each is a subdominant function, either IIm7 or IV major, and the two chords have long been considered to be substitutes for one another. Similarly, the #II° and #IV° chords are closely related, being part of the same diminished scale that forms both. The I chord that completes the cell differs only with respect to the bass note, Variation 1 being in first inversion (3rd in the bass) and Variation 2 in second inversion (5th in the bass). Each has an alternate chord form for the third chord that has the same bass note as its counterpart. Figure 1-D Variation 1: IIm7 #II° I (3rd in bass) or IIIm7 Example: Dm7 D#° C/E or Em7 Variation 2: IV Example: F
#IV° I (5th in bass) or V7 F#° C/G or G7
Sometimes the IV chord of Variation 2 has a dominant seventh structure , rather than major, as in Duke Ellington's IN A MELLOW TONE (m.25), Clifford Brown's TINY CAPERS (B1), and in many blues progressions (m.6). Also, many of the arrangements for the Count Basie Orchestra (and others of a similar style), as well as many of Basie's improvised piano introductions, use Variation 2 with a dominant structure on the IV chord. Tunes which use Variation 2 would include: ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Blues (m.6) Doxy (m 9) In A Mellow Tone (m.25) Rhythm Changes (m.5) St. Thomas (m.13)
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?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Scrapple From The Apple (m.5) Someday My Prince Will Come (m.27) Tiny Capers (B1) Tricotism (m.5) You Go To My Head (m.9)
Variation 3: Tri-Tone Substitution By definition, "tri-tone substitution" is the practice of replacing a V7 with a dominant seventh chord whose root is a tri-tone interval away (bII7), a harmonic trait which has been common in jazz circles since the early 40's (the incubation period for the bebop style). On the surface it would seem that two chords with roots that are a tri-tone apart would have little in common and therefore difficult to justify, theoretically. After all, the roots in question are on exact opposite sides of the cycle of fifths, 180° removed from one another, and seven key signatures apart! However, there are several very compelling reasons for the success of tri- tone substitution: 1. the second most common root motion to cyclic motion is descending chromaticism, in this case bII to I. 2. the third and seventh of a dominant seventh are considered to be, functionally anyway, the two most important notes of the chord, and dominant seventh chords that are a tritone apart share the same thirds and sevenths , though the names are reversed. 3. the remaining notes of the G chord, G and D, are equivalent to the +4 and b9 of the Db chord, and the remaining notes of the Db chord, Db and Ab, likewise function as the +4 and b9 of the G chord, therefore the two chords could even be played simultaneously without loss offunction; and 4. if one of the two chords is altered (using a +5 and a b9 and/or +9) and the other is left unaltered (but with a +4, which is not really considered to be an alteration), the composer/improviser would use the same scale for both chords (see Figure 1-E) !
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Figure I-E the B lydian-augmented scale Applied to: B
G7alt. (+5,+9) 3
Db7 unalt. (+4) 7
C# D#
+4 +5
root 9
E#(F) Fx(G) G#
7 root b9
+34 5+4 135
A#
+9
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(remember that it is necessary to apply enharmonic spellings) * The same as the notes of Ab ascending melodic minor, Db lydian dominant, G diminished whole tone and F locrian #2, in the event that one of these is more familiar to the reader. reversing the process... the F lydian-augmented scale Applied to:
G7 unalt.
Db7 alt.
F G A
7 root 9
3 +4 +5
B C#
3 +4
7 root
D E
5 13
b9 +9
Tri-tone substitutions might appear in different aspects of jazz performance. That is, it is sometimes a part of the given progression to the tune (put there by the composer), as in the last measure of the 1st ending of Wayne Shorter's VIRGO. Other times it is part of a planned reharmonization of a tune, especially a standard tune (where the substitution is chosen by the arranger or the performer). And still other times, tritone substitution is incorporated spontaneously, at the discretion of an improviser, a "comping" keyboardist, or a bassist. It is generally known that a IIm7 can be placed before a V7 (sharing its duration), even when the given progression only supplies the V chord. For example, the bridge of I GOT RHYTHM (in the key of Bb) begins with a 2-bar duration of D7, but most performers will transform those two measures into one bar of A-7 and one of D7. In this case, the D chord isn't even a V function (in Bb), but it nevertheless works, hence the principle can be applied to any dominant seventh.
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This being the case, a composer or performer will sometimes apply the principle to tritone substitution, so that a Db7 that is substituting for a G7 could become Abm7 - Db7. This is a relatively mild variation though it does impact the use of tri-tone substitution somewhat. For example, if the tri-tone II-V occurs over (or instead of) the regular II-V, the chord and scale spellings for the II chords will be in very sharp contrast with each other, not having the sort of amelioration and duality found on the V chords (as in Figure l- E). Also, when the given melody to the tune is being sounded, it is necessary to see if the melody notes that happen over the regular II-V will also work over the tri-tone II-V. Sometimes they will, but it should be considered. If, on the other hand, a tri-tone II-V-Is used in place of the regular V cho rd's duration only (as opposed to the total duration of both the regular II and V chords), the trait usually works very well. The tri-tone II does have one scale note (the seventh of the chord/scale) that conflicts with the regular V chord, functioning as an unwanted major seventh of the regular V chord. Nevertheless, the tri-tone II has been used against the regular V7 frequently, and for quite some time, by major jazz artists, Charlie Parker and John Coltrane , for example. Tri-tone substitutions, in either the tri-tone II-V or simply the tri-tone V use, can replace the regular II-V or follow it, so that both the tri-tone and regular V or II-V are used. In the case of the latter, the duration normally given to the regular change(s) is usually split into smaller fragments to accommodate the presence of the tri-tone change(s). For example: a four beat duration of a G7 (in the key of C) would become 2 beats, followed by 2 beats of Db7. A 2-beat duration of Dm7, followed by a 2-beat duration of G7 would become: 1-beat durations of D-7, G7, Abm7 and Db7, respectively. Also, it is not necessary to use the same form for both the regular and tri-tone "keys." Sometimes we see a regular II, followed by the tri-tone II and V, omitting the regular V before the tri-tone substitution. It's interesting to note that when both the regular and tri- tone versions are used, the regular always precedes the tri-tone . Despite the profusion of verbiage and examples used here to define, explain, and illustrate tri-tone substitution, remember that the most important aspect of all this is that you be able to aurally cognize its presence in a progression, and in that regard, it is much easier to hear it than to explain it. It sounds logical, smooth, even familiar to most musicians, and reviewing the point made in Figure 1-E, that both the regular V7alt. and the tri- tone V7unalt. use exactly the same scale, it should be clearly understood that hearing tri-tone substitution is no more difficult to hear than an altered V7, and most students learn to hear the altered dominant rather quickly. There are "irregular" uses of tri-tone substitution, also. In Roberto Menescal's MY LITTLE BOAT (O BARQUINHO), we find the progression, G - C#m7 - F#7 - F - Bm7 - E7 - Eb - Am7 - D7 (to Bm7, which is IIIm7 of G). What we have is a tune that modulates down in whole-steps (keys of G, F, and Eb), approaching F by way of tri-tone substitution, instead of a C7, then approaching the key
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of Eb by the same means. Retaining the symmetry, Eb is followed by Am7, which conveniently brings us back to the starting key of G, though Menescal chooses to then substitute B-7 for the more obvious choice of G major. When we hear the tune for the first time, unaware that it will modulate down in whole steps in a 3-key sequence, it is difficult to anticipate where the first tri-tone substitution will take us, perhaps to B major, since the second and third chord of the progression could be II and V of that key, so the resolution to F major comes as a surprise. Michele Le grand's A MAN AND A WOMAN has exactly the same "irregular", sequential use of tri- tone substitution. Four more examples of irregular uses of tri-tone substitution occur in Clare Fischer's PENSATIVA. The piece begins with five measures of Gb major chords (the key center), alternating with G7 chords, with the Gb chords placed in mm. 1, 3 and 5, and the G7 chords appearing in mm.2 and 4. This has the effect of strongly establishing Gb as the key. The G7 chords are tritone substitutions for Db7 (V). In the sixth measure an Eb7 is used, presumably (to the unwary listener) functioning as a VI7 in the key of Gb, which would have been a logical, time-honored move at that point, usually going on to a II chord. However, the so-called VI7 chord resolves down a half-step to D major! In other words the Eb7 chord is being used as bII7 of D major, which makes it a tri-tone substitution for A7 (V of D). The significance of Fischer's use of the Eb7 (in the key of Gb) going to D major is that he has taken a principle that normally involves a substitute for a V7 and has expanded the principle to a dominant seventh chord other than V, which opens doors to still other possibilities. Going on, he follows the D major chord with a G chord (simulating the common progression cell of I to IV), but G is also bII of Gb, providing an easy path back to the original key, which, in a sense, is what Fischer does, except that the Gb chord becomes a I minor chord. But what is pertinent to our discussion here is that the G chord provides yet another twist to tri- tone substitution, since it is deceptively-placed to initially sound like IV of D, but becomes bII of Gb. The fourth example occurs at the end of the bridge, where a Dm7 - G7 cell leads us back to Gb major for the final A section. The innovative twist here, however, is that the bridge modulates first to the key of C major, then to A major, so that when the Dm7 and G7 chords appear at the end of the segment in A major, we're not at all sure whether those chords are functioning as a "back door progression" in A (IVm7 - bVII7, a trait to be discussed a little later in this chapter), or signaling a return to C major (as a II-V), or as a tri- tone substitution leading back to Gb (which is the case). Anyone wishing to seriously study, hear, and practice tri- tone substitution should investigate the playalong, SOME OF THE THINGS I AM, found in Volume 16 (TURNAROUNDS AND CYCLES) of Aebersold's A NEW APPROACH TO JAZZ IMPROVISATION. The progression is a contrafact of ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE, to which Aebersold has added eleven tri-tone substitutions, making it the most thoroughgoing study of
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tritone substitution in existence! The fact that it is a play-along provides the student with the best possible opportunity to hear and practice the trait. Tunes which use Variation 3 (tri-tone substitution) include: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
A Man And A Woman (mm.3 &7) Angela (B3 &B7) I Can't Get Started (m.4) Bolivia (B4 &B14) Little Dancer (m.8 & B2) Bonnie's Blue (mm.4 &6) Mr. Broadway (m.19) The Chase (B8) Nutville (m.11) Clockwise (m.11) O Barquinho (mm.3 &7) Delores (mm.6 &24) Pensativa (mm.2, 4, 6, 8, &B15) Early Autumn (mm.2 &4) Sail Away (mm.10 &47) Ecaroh (m.4) Satin Doll (m.6) E.S.P (m 31) Saudade (mm.3 &11) Fantasy In D (mm.6 &12) Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (m.3) Four On Six (m.8) Some Of The Things I Am (mm.3, 4, 6, 11, 12, 14, 18, 22, 27, 28, &34) Gibraltar (B2) The Girl From Ipanema (mm.6 &8) Virgo (mm.8 &16) West Coast Blues (m.4)
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Variation 4: The Back Door Progression The "back door progression," in the present, is a cell made up of IVm7 and bVII7 chords, leading to I. Historically, it began as a bVII7 only, most often appearing as a brief turnaround (more on that later in the chapter) at the end of a tune's section, usually as I - bVII7 - I. The approach to I by way of a dominant seventh whose root is a whole-step below the tonic is probably the source of the name, back door. At least as early as the bebop era, the IVm7 was added to the b7VII chord, providing a quasi II function before the dominant seventh chord, in the same manner as was encountered earlier in this chapter. The back door progression generally functions in one of three ways: 1. as a substitute for the II-V progression (or just the V); 2. as a means of returning to the original key center after a brief modulation to IV major; and 3. as a free-standing cell, usually sandwiched between two I chords. When pondering the question as to why a back door progression should work as a substitute for the II-V (or simply the V chord), remember the well-established precedent of hearing the bVII as a turnaround chord in songs of an earlier period, as it trained our ears to accept the sound of bVII leading to I. There are melodic justifications, also. One of the most common phrase-endings for a melody is the formula of b7, b6, 5 (numbers related to the key center, not the individual chords), as shown in Figure 1-F. Note that this common melodic phrase-ending can be harmonized several different ways with equal effectiveness, one of which is the back door. In other words, the harmonication of a common melodic phrase-ending also helps in establishing the tradition of hearing a back door progression lead to I. Figure 1-F
When the back door is used as a substitute for the V chord only, the II chord usually precedes the back door, creating a harmonic formula of: IIm7 - IVm7 - bVII7 - I By far the most common use of the back door progression is its use after a IV major chord. A very high percentage of tunes contain at least one modulation to a key a perfect fourth above the original key center, or simply to IV.
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That modulation is so common that it is almost pointless to use a modulation symbol (i.e., showing a modulation from C to F by using the symbol F: ). In the great majority of tunes that modulate to IV, the tenure of the key of IV is extremely brief, returning to the orginal key center within one or two measures. The brevity of the stay in IV and its probable return to I points to a need for an efficient means to weaken the IV chord shortly after its arrival and a render quick, safe passage back to I. Both needs are accommodated by the back door progression. The IVm7 instantly weakens the previous IV major chord and the bVII7, through established traditional practice, provides an acceptable precedent for the I chord. Unconsciously, the ear of even the casual listener is drawn to anticipate the return to I as soon as the IV minor chord is sounded. A much- less common use of the back door progression is its use as a free-standing cell, in which it is not following IV major, not really being used as a substitute for II-V, and seemingly disconnected from the chords that exist before and after its use. Nevertheless, some trace of the logic behind the more common uses of the back door is usually present, though obscure. Examples of free-standing back doors exist in the following tunes: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Ladybird (m.3) Half-Nelson (m.3) Yardbird Suite (m.2) Somebody Loves Me (mm.2 &4) Poor Butterfly (m.1) Godchild (m.4) I Never Knew (m.2) Moments Notice (m.4) How High The Moon/Ornithology (m.28) Speak Low (m.9) Joy Spring (mm. 4&12) Lush Life (m.17 The Song Is You (m.13) Valse Hot (m.10) I Get A Kick Out Of You (m.9) For Heaven's Sake (m.5) I'm Old Fashioned (m.26) September In The Rain (m.5) Desafinado (m.26) Too Marvelous For Words (m.30) My Romance (m.28) Rosetta (m.2)
(be advised that some of the tunes on the 3 lists of progressions contain more than one type of back door)
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Tunes which use the back door progression as a substitute for V or II-V: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Days Of Wine And Roses (m.7) Groovin' High (m.30) I Should Care (m.8) The Shadow Of Your Smile (m.26) Tenderly (m.6) Georgia On My Mind (m.4) The Christmas Song (m.5) On Green Dolphin Street (m.28) Four (m.7) I Gave You Violets For Your Furs (m.3) My Old Flame (m.4) Darn That Dream (m.6) Embraceable You (m.6) Over The Rainbow (m.6) Summer Samba/So Nice (m.7) Strollin' (m.28) I Fall In Love Too Easily (m.15) Stardust (m.4) Soon (m.7) When Sunny Gets Blue (m.2) Fools Rush In (m.26) It Could Happen To You (m.10) But Beautiful (m.28)
The following tunes use the back door as a means of leaving IV major to return to I: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Donna Lee/lndiana (m.10) I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face (m.9) Long Ago And Far Away (m.28) My Ideal (m.26) My Shining Hour (m.21) Time After Time (m.24) Will You Still Be Mine (B3) Little Dancer (m.11) Mean To Me (m.4) I Hadn't Anyone Til You (m.26) Easy Living (m.4) Freight Train (m.6) It Might As Well Be Spring (m.36) Meditation (m.11 &B3) Moon River (m.12) My Romance (m.9) Don't Get Around Much Anymore (B2) I Thought About You (m.10) It Could Happen To You (m.6) Mood Indigo (m.12) Out Of Nowhere (m.28) Just The Way You Are (m.10)
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?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Cherokee (m.7) Stella By Starlight (m.8) The Night Has a Thousand Eyes (m.12) How Long Has This Been Going On (m.4) Blues ForAlice (m.6) Moonglow (m.2) Lil Darlin' (m.10) I Got It Bad (B3) Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me (m.4) Just Friends (m.3) I Remember You (m.6) Ray's Idea (m.6) You've Changed (B2) Good Bait (m.6) Street Dreams (m.10) But Not For Me (m.10) Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea (m.6) In A Mellow Tone (m.10) Little Girl Blue (m.6) Misty (m.4) My Foolish Heart (m.12) My Secret Love (B8) One Note Samba (m.12) Polka Dots And Moonbeams (m.5) Tangerine (m.26) There Will Never Be Another You (m.10) Wave (m.6) Unforgettable (m.10) If I Had You (m.4) A Foggy Day (m.12) All The Things You Are (m.30) How About You (m.10) I Gave You Violets For Your Furs (m.26)
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Variation 5: The Coltrane Matrix Seldom are we able to credit a single individual with the invention of an innovative formula for a chord progression. Ordinarily such things evolve slowly through the compositions of many composers over an extended period of time. The Coltrane Matrix, however, came about very suddenly and involved the creative genius of a single musician John Coltrane . Even when an individual does invent a new organizational method for some aspect of music, it almost never survives to become a new, widely-accepted tradition. But the Coltrane Matrix is being studied, practiced, performed, and incorporated into new compositions by musicians all over the world. Furthermore, having survived for nearly forty years, it is safe to say that it has withstood the test of time! Its origin is an interesting story. Coltrane was a musician whose life definitely evolved in clearly discernable periods, each with its own thrust. ??
In the late bebop era, one of Trane's debuts was as a featured soloist on Dizzy Gillespie's recording of THE CHAMP (by Gillespie), where he was a bluesy, honking, emotionally-charged player. ?? A few years later (about 1956), Trane made a series of recordings with the Miles Davis quintet and sextet, in which his solos were marked by considerable double-time playing, thorough realizations of all harmonic substance available within the framework of the tunes selected by Davis, and in general, a very high degree of technical virtuosity. This period is often referred to as his "changerunning period," and it culminated (with his own group) in tunes like GIANT STEPS, COUNTDOWN, and 26-2, all of which were based upon the progression we now know as the Coltrane Matrix. ?? Having taken change-running and exploratory chord substitutions as far as he (or anyone) could, he suddenly abandoned those activities and turned his focus to the harmonic opposite of change-running, namely modal vehicles, which became his next developmental period, culminating in recordings like ALABAMA, MY FAVORITE THINGS, and the masterful and inspired album, A LOVE SUPREME. ?? His subsequent, and last, period found him experimenting with a whole host of new musical directions, to include free form, ethnic and international musics, new instruments, new group instrumentation, duets with drummer Rashied Ali, spiritually- inspired music etc., all the while stretching the techniques and nuances of his instrument. Trane's contributions to music go far beyond those listed here. A more thorough list appears in David Baker's book, John Coltrane, from his "Giants of Jazz" series. The Coltrane Matrix was actually a product of his earlier "change-running" period, and some have put forth the theory that it was originally inspired by the bridge of HAVE YOU MET MlSS JONES (a standard tune). The Matrix is a symmetrical arrangement of key centers that descend (by modulations) in major third intervals, as in the keys of C, Ab, E, and C. Note that the keys symmetrically divide the octave into three equal parts, so that it 19
comes out even at the octave (C down to C). When V7's precede each of the three keys, it becomes a seven-chord progression: Cmaj7 Eb7 Abmaj7 B7 Emaj7 G7 Cmaj7 C: Imaj7 Ab: V7 Ima7 E: V7 Imaj7 C: V7 Imaj7 At this point in our study, the reader should understand that the above progression has other options, such as using II functions in place of each of the V chords, or using both the II and the V (if chord-duration time permits!). With this in mind, let's compare the Matrix with the bridge of MISS JONES. Note that even the melody of GIANT STEPS fits the bridge of this standard. Figure 1-G
Coltrane used his matrix in a variety of ways. On an informal, spontaneous level, he could play the seven-chord matrix, giving the first six chords two-beat durations and a four-beat duration to the last one, using it over any II-V-I progression that lasted four measures in all (and there are many of those!). ??
Bear in mind that when the matrix is used over a II-V-I progression, the first chord of the matrix is changed to become the same II chord as the regular changes. The remaining six chords remain the same as the ones originally presented earlier.
Sometimes the matrix was built into a reharmonisation of, say a standard tune like BODY AND SOUL or BUT NOT FOR ME, which meant that the pianist and bassist were also using those changes in the accompaniment. At other times, though, Trane would superimpose the matrix over the regular changes without reinforcement from the rhythm section. This requires a certain degree of courage, tenacity, presence of mind, and the ability to hear the matrix independently of what is being played in the accompaniment. One of the challenges is that II-V-I changes (over a four- measure duration) causes the I chord to arrive at the third measure and be retained for the fourth measure as well. When one plays the matrix over a four-bar II-V-I progression, the I chord of the matrix doesn't arrive until the fourth measure , causing the matrix player a reasonable amount of discomfort when he/she hears the accompaniment arrive at I in the third measure, perhaps resulting in the player imagining that he/she has erred somewhere, since there are still three more matrix chords to be played. 20
When Trane used the matrix in his compositions, we see other variations. For example, GIANT STEPS uses the matrix twice in the first eight measures, but each is shortened to five chords. In other words, he stops the matrix two chords before it returns to the starting key (see Figure 1-H). Figure 1-H
In COUNTDOWN, which is a contrafactual Trane tune that is based on Miles Davis ' TUNE-UP, the entire seven-chord matrix, starting on a II chord is used for each of the first three 4- measures of the 16-bar tune, which modulates downward in whole-steps (the "downstep progression," to be taken up in Chapter 2) every four measures. Coltrane also wrote a contrafactual tune that is based upon CONFIRMATION, called 26-2. This time Trane ignores the exact nature of the A section progression of CONFIRMATION, which uses a significantly common chord sequence called the "Confirmation Sequence" (taken up later in this chapter). But Trane does structure 26-2, despite the matrices, so that it starts from the same chord as CONFIRMATION and matches up with each "goal" of the CONFIRMATION progression, such as the modulation to IV in the fourth and fifth bars, the II dominant seventh chord in the seventh bar, and the I chord in the last bar before the bridge. At the bridge, CONFIRMATION modulates to IV, by way of its IImV, which consumes the first four bars, so 26-2 makes the same modulation to IV, but via a shortened version of the matrix. The second half of both bridges are the same, providing, a resting place for 26-2, since the matrix is not used there. In the event that the reader is wondering why an improvising soloist would use the matrix at times when the accompaniment is not, consider that it creates a format for "outside playing" (adding tension and chromaticism to the solo) that is logicallystructured and begins and ends in a consonant manner. In time it is likely that the Coltrane Matrix will also begin to be used in minor, by using minor- major seventh chords in place of the major sevenths, and altered dominants in place of the unaltered dominants. The seven-chord matrix would then become, for example, Cm(maj7) - Eb7alt. - Abm B7alt - Em - G7alt - Cm(maj7). In minor, the progression is even more dramatic, mysterious, harmonically- intriguing, and symmetrical than it is in major. The chord-types are stronger, the key contrasts more stunning, and the scalar
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applications (for the improviser) more uniform. With respect to the latter, the entire progression could be accomodated by a single triad (a B, Eb, or G augmented triad) or by a single scale (a B, Eb, or G augmented scale). The major version of the matrix doesn't have these unities. For the improviser, the minor version is more challenging (if the single triad or single scale shortcuts are not taken) and ultimately creates a more melodic, lyrical result. In major, most players, even Trane, have been forced to use a higher percentage of mechanistic content in their solos, owing to the short chord durations, the quick and incessant modulations to remote keys, and the tempos. The minor version also has the problems of short duration chords, the modulations, and perhaps the tempos (the more- interesting sound in minor will likely result in using slower tempos), but there are no easy solutions, like the digital patterns and changerunning when played in major. For example, the major seventh of a minor chord is more crucial to its sound than the major seventh is to a major seventh chord, to say nothing of the ninths and elevenths that are also more effective on minor chords. Also, an altered dominant is so much more colorful ( +4, +5, b9, and +9) than the unaltered dominant, that realizations such as the 1-2-3-5 digital pattern are neither possible nor aesthetically pleasing. The potential for the Coltrane Matrix in minor is currently being explored by several composers/improvisers, at both faculty and student levels, at the University of Tennessee, already producing fruitful results. The following tunes use the Coltrane Matrix (or show its influence): ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Giant Steps Countdown 26-2 Dear John Do You Hear The Voices El Toro Coltrane Blues (and don't forget to investigate) Have You Met Miss Jones
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Variation 6: Extensions of the II-V-I Progression (in major) There can be but a single tonic (I) chord in a given key center. However, what precedes the I chord (the II and V chords) has a number of interesting variations. For example, we know that tri- tone substitution makes possible a cell of IIm7 - bII7 - I. We also know that sometimes the minor form of II (m7b5) is used in a major key. Though it has not yet been discussed, sometimes the II chord appears as a dominant seventh chord. Using various combinations of the foregoing, we already have six mathematically possible versions of the II-V-I progression! If we substitute a IIIm7 for the I chord, we increase the possibilities to twelve. By substituting #II° or bVII7 for the V chord, or IVm7 or bVIm7 for the II chord (borrowing from the "back door" and "tri-tone substitution"), the possibilities increase again. And then there is the Coltrane Matrix and partial matrices (such as IIm7 - bIII7 - bVI V7 - I). The use of IIIm7 as a substitute for I, opens a very large door to yet more possibilities, mostly relating to the extension of the II-V-I progression. Figure 1-I shows two cycles of fifths, one of which is the more familiar (in letters, with 12 entries), and the other being a diatonic cycle (one-key approach, instead of chromatic) in Roman Numerals, with seven entries. With regard to the latter, note that the intervals between the numerals are not all the same, the distance from IV to VII being a tri-tone interval, as it is between the fourth and seventh degrees of a major
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Figure 1-I Lettered Cycle: C G
F
D
Bb
A
Eb E
Ab B
Db F#/Gb
Roman Numeral Cycle (diatonic): I V
IV
II
VII VI
III
Looking at the cycle of Roman Numerals, we see that II-V and I are adjacent and progress in a foward direction, as described at the beginning of this chapter. However, III and II are not adjacent, separated by the VI chord. This explains, in part, why a IIIm7 is so often followed by a dominant seventh or minor seventh chord on VI, causing the progression to flow smoothly on to the II chord. So if a IIIm7 is used as a substitute for I, it is very likely that the next chord will be a VI chord, leading to II. This helps to explain why statistical studies have shown that the IIIm7 and VI7 chords are the fourth and fifth most populous chord functions in the jazz-pop repertoire, just behind the II, V, and I chords. Actually, there are more VI7's than IIIm7's, owing to the number of times that I moves to VI7, then to II. The sixth most- frequently occurring chord function is the VI minor seventh chord. In any event, the expanded cell of Roman Numerals, III-VI-II-V-I, remains faithful to the cycle, and as a group, is the most common five-chord cell in the repertoire, used in ongoing progressions, as turnarounds, ending tags, and as introductory progressions, (especially for standards). The number of tunes which use this progression is so great as to nullify any attempt to provide the reader with a list, being only slightly less common than the basic II-V-I progression. However, if the reader wishes to hear the progression in a continuous, repetitive manner, so that it is thoroughly assimilated, play and/or listen to Clare Fischer's MORNING. A slightly different, not as common a progression as the III-VI-II-V-I progression of the foregoing paragraph, is the progression VIm7 - IIm7 - V7 - I. Though this cell uses the last four numerals as they were given in the first progression
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(so that it begins on VI instead of III), it also differs with respect to the chord-type of VI, being a minor seventh, rather than a dominant seventh (which makes it completely diatonic). Another distinction between the two progressions is their usual placement within a progression. The first progression could occur anywhere, as an introduction, as the beginning of the tune, as a turnaround, as a tag, etc., whereas the VI-II-V-I progression is nearly always placed at the beginning of a tune's progression. When a I is added to the beginning of the cell (just before the VI, omitting the I chord at the end) it becomes a more common progression that is also used for introductions, turnarounds, and tags. Tunes which use Variation 6 (VIm7 - IIm7 - V7 - I) include: ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
All The Things You Are (m.1) How My Heart Sings (m.2) Fly Me To The Moon/ln Other Words (m.1) I Hear A Rhapsody (m.1) Quickie (m.1)
Tunes which use Variation 6, but begin on I: ?? ?? ??
Emily (m.1) I Can't Get Started (m.1) (and many others)
Another mild variation on the III-VI-II-V-I sequence substitutes a bIII° for the VI7 chord, so that the progression becomes IIIm7 - bIII° - IIm7 - V7 - I. That cell is used in: ?? ?? ?? ??
All The Things You Are (m.31) Body And Soul (m.4, but doesn't quite reach I) Out Of Nowhere (m.29) Night And Day (m.11)
Returning to the Roman Numeral cycle in Figure 1-I, some tunes will extend the cycle even further by using VII-III-VI-II-V-I. Usually the VII is an altered dominant seventh and preceded by a I chord, as in I VII7alt. - IIIm7(or ø) - VI7 - IIm7 - V7 - I. Though the VII chord is the only one shown here to be an altered dominant, it should be understood that any of the dominant sevenths in the progression could be altered, at the discretion of composers, arrangers, keyboardists, and even improvising soloists. The dominant seventh on VII, for example is nearly always altered, in common practice. It is interesting to note, in this regard, that certain dominant seventh chords within a key's seven potential chord roots are frequently altered, and others are almost never altered.
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?? ?? ??
Dominant seventh chords on V, VI, and VII are very often altered, whereas IV is almost never altered. III is generally only altered if the chord is heading toward a VI minor chord (relative minor of I), and ?? II is seldom altered unless the tune is in a minor key or the tune has a bluesy flavor. ?? I, of course, is only an altered dominant seventh if the tune is very blues- like (at that point, anyway) or being used as V of IV. ?? The altered Roman Numerals (bII, bIII, bV, bVI, and bVII) are seldom altered dominants. The latter point helps to explain why, in chromatically descending dominant sevenths, the chord-types usually alternate between unaltered and altered, as in C7 - B7alt. - Bb7 - A7alt. - Ab7 - G7alt., etc. In such progressions the first chord, if it is I, is often a major chord, then becoming dominant sevenths (altered and unaltered) for the remainder of the pattern. In Dan Haerle's MAGIC MORNING, for example (play-along available in VOLUME 4 of Aebersold's series), the first four chords are E (major seventh), Eb7alt., D7, and Db7alt. Extending the Roman Numeral cycle even further, a number of well-known tunes begin a phrase with a harmonic sequence whose first chord root is bV (or #IV), proceeding around the cycle to VII-III-VI-II-VI. Looking at the Roman Numeral cycle in Figure 1-I, we don't see an altered numeral on IV or V, only their diatonic form. However, as pointed out earlier, the interval between IV and VII is a tri-tone interval, which is not consistent with the distances between all other numerals, hence the root of IV must be raised to become a #IV chord, so that it will lead gracefully to VII. So now the extension has become: #IVm7(or m7b5) - VII7 - IIIm7 - VI7 - IIm7 - V7 - Imaj7 or in lettered symbols (in the key of C): F#m7(or m7b5) - B7 - Em7 - A7 - Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7 The foregoing progression is found in the following tunes: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Woody n' You/Algo Bueno (m.1) Little Dancer (m.1) I'll Keep Loving You (m.1) I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face (m.5) Airegin (m.30) Ceora (m.13) Mayreh/All God's Chillun (m.9) Moments Notice (m.8) In The Wee Small Hours (m.7) Moon River (m.14) Stablemates (m.8) Stella By Starlight (m.25, using ø on #IV, III, and II) Strollin' (m.8) This I Dig Of You (m.26)
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?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (m.4) Soul Eyes (m.26) Our Love Is Here To Stay (m.8) My Romance (m.27) Yes And No (B 1)
It was pointed out earlier that even the II-V-I has many variables, if we include tri-tone substitution, back door, #II° substitutes, Coltrane Matrix, halfdiminished or dominant seventh structures on II, and so on. The more the progression is expanded backward through the cycle to include more chords, like #IV, VII, III, and VI, the more possibilities there are for slight permutations here and there. A progression that begins on #IV has a long way to go to reach I, the variables could come into play at any point in that long "road back," and some progressions don't even make it all the way back to I! We have reached the point in our expansions and permutations where it would be better for the reader to recognize, analyze, categorize, and assimilate the next list of tunes, rather than having the authors continue subdividing what's left into even smaller pigeonholes. Each of the following has a segment that begins on #IV, but the subsequent chords of the cell will vary slightly from the presented models, as well as the other tunes on the list. ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Days Of Wine And Roses Tour de force Del Sasser I'm Getting Sentimental Over You Speak No Evil Tenderly That's All Time After Time Emily I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You Night And Day Stranger In Paradise When Sunny Gets Blue I Thought About You I Should Care YoungAnd Foolish Georgia
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Variation 7 The Confirmation Sequence The "Confirmation Sequence" derives its name from the Charlie Parker composition of the same name. It wasn't the first occurrence of the progression, having existed in several standard tunes before it was used in CONFIRMATION, but the latter seemed to be the tune most responsible for the popularity of the sequence. The progressions that formed Variation 7 (expansion of the II-V-I ) all began further back in the cycle, working their way back to I. The Confirmation sequence generally begins on I and works its way to the object chord (or key) of IV. It also uses descending II-V's as a path, like those in Variation 6, but this time ending on IV7 (or major). The progression is: I - VIIm7b5 - III7 - VIm7 - II7 - Vm7 - I7 - IV7 (or IVmajor) Or in lettered symbols (in C): C - Bm7b5 - E7 - Am7 - D7 - Gm7 - C7 - F7 (or Fmajor) Sometimes the VII chord is a minor seventh chord, instead of half-diminished, but the latter seems to be the preferred forn. After reaching the IV chord, the progression usually works it way on down to I, but that segment is not the topic of our discussion. The progression shown above usually consumes five measures, but sometimes the durations are twice as long, so that it consumes nine measures (the IV either begins a new four- measure phrase or a new eight- measure phrase, hence the odd numbers). Tunes which use the Confirmation Sequence sound as though they're modulating to the relative minor, and indeed they do (by way of the nature of the second, third, and fourth chords of the cell), but then the progression continues unabatedly until the IV chord is reached. Tunes which use the Confirmation Sequence are: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Confirmation There'll Never Be Another You Bluesette Blues For Alice Freight Train Doujie
(note the preponderance of blues tunes)
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Variation 8 - The Bebop Turnaround A "turnaround" (an alternate term is "turnback") is a brief progression cell, usually two measures in length, containing four chords, that transpires at the end of a section, and is headed for a repeat of that section or a repeat of the entire tune (as in another chorus). Its purposes are to avoid a harmonic lull that might be created by an extended duration of a tonic chord, and to prepare the listener for a repeat. It generally perpetuates the harmonic motion, sometimes in interesting ways, and keeps the listener from feeling that the tune, or the performance of it, is over. Turnarounds have been around for a long time. The following are examples of early turnarounds: I I
V7 V7
I
I bVII7
bVII7 VII7
I I
I I I
VI7 VI7 VI7
IIm7 II7 bVI7
V7 V7 V7
IIIm7
VI7
II7
V7
The "bebop turnaround" came into being in the 40's, and was a sort of precursor of the Coltrane Matrix of about fifteen years later, as you will see. The Roman Numeral sequence of the bebop turnaround is I (or III) - bIII - bVI - bII. Had the last chord (bII) been a V, it would have been the same as the truncated Coltrane Matrix, used by Trane on a number of occasions. The chordtypes of the bebop turnaround are somewhat variable. ?? ?? ??
If the first chord is I, it will be a major seventh chord, or if it is III, it will be a minor seventh chord. The bIII chord is usually a dominant seventh chord, but some times it is a major seventh type. ?? The bVI is nearly always a major seventh, but it can be a dominant seventh. ?? The bII is most often a dominant seventh (with a +4), but sometimes it is a major seventh chord (also with a +4). The classic formula would be: I (or III-7) - bIII7 - bVI - bII7(+4). The following tunes use the bebop turnaround: ?? ?? ?? ??
Half-Nelson (m.15) Ladybird (m.15) West Coast Blues (m.11) I'll Take Romance (m.5) (and many other tunes of the bebop era, too obscure to mention)
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PRACTICE SUGGESTIONS ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Play the progression illustrations at the piano (or or guitar) until they become familiar to the ear. Play the illustrations in all keys. Locate as many of the tunes on the lists as possible and locate the traits within them. Learn to see the context in which the trait occurs. What comes before and after the occurrence of th trait? In what part of the tunes does it occur? Learn as many of the listed tunes as possible. Locate play-alongs for them; play them at the keyboard play them at jam sessions; locate recordings of them to hear etc.
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II-V-I in transient modulation ?? ??
Downstep modulations Modulations downward in half-steps
In Chapter 1 the II-V-I progression was shown as the primary means of establishing a single key center. Even the various extensions and variations of the II-V-I cell (i.e., IIIm7 - VI7 - IIm7 V7 - I, tri-tone substitution, etc. ), if not further strengthening and supporting a key center (I), were certainly not suggesting a new or different key center. Yet most songs, when viewed in their entirety, will indeed modulate to at least one other key, even if the tenure of that new key is brief. Furthermore, many tunes will modulate to several temporary or transient key centers, sometimes in well-organized "sequences" of keys, and that is the purpose of Chapter 2. A modulation to a new key is accomplished by the same means as was presented in Chapter 1 for creating a single or "home" key of a song... by way of a II-V-I progression (or one of its variants), but in a new key. When a series of short-duration key centers occurs in which all the keys (I's) are separated by the same interval (i.e., the successive keys of C, Bb, and Ab, each "new" key being a whole-step lower than the previous key), we can refer to that as "transient modulations in a symmetrical sequence." Other common modulations which are not so transient and are not organized in symmetrical sequences of keys will be taken up in Chapter 3. But having just taken up the foundational aspects of the II-V-I progression in Chapter 1, it would be easier to recognize that substance, both in print and by ear, if the first modulations taken up are in relatively transparent, symmetrical sequences. Though there are a few examples of tunes which contain symmetrical modulations that move in an ascending pattern (such as Thad Jones' CENTRAL PARK NORTH, or the bridge of Benny Carter's WHEN LIGHTS ARE LOW, where the key centers are moving upward in minor third intervals), far more examples exist in which the keys are in a descending order. Similarly, there is a small handful of tunes which contain symetrical modulations that move downward by, say, intervals of a major third between keys, such as John Coltrane 's GIANT STEPS (B down to G, then to Eb) or the standard HAVE YOU MET MISS JONES (at the bridge, Bb down to Gb, then to D), but the majority of symmetrical modulations move by minor second and major second intervals. Hence Chapter 2 will examine tunes which contain symetrical, transient modulations that move "downward by half-steps and by whole-steps." Though this book is primarily concerned with the aural recognition of harmonic traits commonly found in the tunes we play, visual and mental cognizance of those traits is also important, assisting the development of the ear by methodically introducing the ear to the challenges to be met. In Chapter 1 it was not necessary to recognize modulations visually since we were only concerned with showing how a single key center is established, along with the manner in which extensions and substitutions are formed within a single key. So, with the inevitable likelihood of modulations in most of the tunes we learn and play,
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how can we know (when viewing progressions in lettered symbols) that a modulation is taking place? It wouldn't be a problem if the progressions were rendered in Roman Numerals, as we could simply look for "modulation symbols" (i.e., C:, Ab:, F#:, etc.), indicating the adoption of a new I... but that's not the common practice of people who prepare the chord symbols for a tune's progression. Instead, the translation of lettered symbols into Roman Numerals is generally a mental process helping us to understand harmonic function and to memorize and/or transpose progressions more accurately and efficiently. Chapter 1pointed out that the chord-root sequence of the II-V-I progression key, major or minor) will always be a 3- note segment of the cycle of fifths, such as D, G, C, or Bb, Eb, Ab. Therefore the existence of a II-V-I progression, used extensively in virtually all tunes, even when modulating to a new key or keys, may be easily confirmed if: ?? ??
three consecutive chord roots match a 3- note segment of the cycle of fifths; and, if the three chord-types used are appropriate functions of II, V, and I, respectively.
For the benefit of readers who have received at least part of their training in Classical music theory, the term "modulation," as it is used here, could create some confusion. Classical composers generally approached modulations to new keys in a very deliberate, lengthy, and sometimes complicated manner, incorporating "pivot chords," "augmented sixth chords," "secondary dominants," and other traditional devices. The average tune from the genres of standard, pop and jazz is likely to have a length of approximately 32 measures, hence a lengthy, carefully-prepared modulation of the sort found in Classical music is neither appropriate nor reasonable. Instead, we generally find no more than the II and V of the new key, as modulating chords, sometimes only the V, and in a few cases neither of those chords, moving directly to the new I! Classical theorists might term such quick changes of key "temporary tonicization," but in this book they will be considered "modulations." The accelerated, fleeting sort of modulations found in jazz and pop tunes create an efficiency that allows time for several modulations, perhaps as many as 4-6 modulations. Jazz improvisers have always been attracted to tunes that contain multiple modulations (especially in the bebop era), selecting standard tunes like CHEROKEE, HOW HIGH THE MOON, and STAR EYES, and composing tunes like AFTERNOON IN PARIS, AIREGIN, and RECORDAME.
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Downstep Modulations Symmetrical modulations are most often found to ke a series of key changes, usually in a descending and symmeterical order, and generally accomplished by utilizing the II-VI progression once in each key. To refer to such modulations as transient is an understatement, as the average durations of each key is two measures, four at most. The most frequently- used interval between key centers ( I's) is descending whole- steps, sometimes referred to as "downstep modulations. The number of successive downstep modulations in a given tune will vary, from one (involving two keys) to the more common number of two (involving three keys, as shown in Fig. 2-A). Successive downstep modulations create an interesting drama of changing moods. Because it has been a part of our social and cultural ingraining, we tend to regard a major chord or a major key as happy, up-lifting, and a minor chord or key as sad, depressing. With this in mind, look at Figure 2-A, noting the intersection of the modulations, where a major chord (I) is immediately followed by a minor chord with the same root (i.e., C to Cm7). The minor seventh chords are really functioning as IIm7 of the next key, but momentarily they sound like Im of the previous key, simulating a succession of rises (I) and falls (Im), emotionally. The musical effect imitates the ups and downs of human existence... we solve a problem, only to encounter another one; we move to a great, new location, only to be forced to move again; we find love, but lose it, and so on. Fortunately, songwriters generally choose to end the sequence on a positive note! The important thing to note here, is that we eventually learn to recognize the sound of downstep modulations by noticing how it makes us feel, even at those times when the progression is not provided in a written form! This is but one of the ways we can learn to aurally recognize a segment of a tune's progression... by association (with our emotional response). Figure 2-A
Another way to aurally recognize a progression we're hearing, but not seeing, is to match the sound with the sound of a progression we do know. Again, we're using the associative principal, but this time from the perspective of "aural memory". For example, if we already know, hear, and play HOW HIGH THE MOON, then when we hear, for the first time, AFTERNOON IN PARIS, our aural memory can enable us to make the association between two tunes, both of which use the downstep progression. The fact that the two tunes are in different keys (G and C, respectively), or that their harmonic rhythms are different (MOON taking nine measures to accomplish its 3-key sequence, PARIS consuming only five measures to complete the same modulatory
33
series) is immaterial. What the ear and aural memory are matching is the downstep progression of both tunes. When the entire progressions of two tunes are found to be identical (or very nearly so), one is usually based upon the other, knowingly. The "copy-cat" (or plagaristic) version is referred to as a "contrafact." The contrafact will, of course, have a different and original melody, but the progression is the same as a tune of prior existence. Such events have sometimes taken place unknowingly, unconsciously, by habit, etc. For example, it is very unlikely that Frank Sinatra was aware, when he composed NANCY WITH THE LAUGHING FACE, that the entire A section (8 measures long, played three times in an AABA, 32- measure length) is identical to the chord progression used earlier by John Green in BODY AND SOUL, which has the same form and length as NANCY. Sinatra undoubtedly knew, performed, and probably loved Green's tune, but any allusion to the latter's tune was most likely an unconscious event. Many folk and country tunes share similar or identical progressions, partly because many of the composers are primarily singers and lyricists, rather than trained, sophisticated instrumentalists, but also because the nature of those styles is not what one would term "harmonically adventurous." Starting in the Bebop Era (ca.1945) and continuing to the present, very deliberate and conscious contrafacts have and do abound. The writing of contrafacts is considered to be a part of the learning process for young jazz musicians/composers, and the more-seasoned players/composers consider it a tribute to the composers from whom they borrow progressions (as was the case in Freddie Hubbard's contrafact of John Coltrane's GIANT STEPS, which Hubbard lovingly titled DEAR JOHN). The point of all this is that if you already know the tune from which a contrafact has sprung, your aural memory can make the association, making it unnecessary to see the written form of the progression. Often the method of confirming the correctness of an associative guess is to hear, play, sing, or whistle the melody of the original tune with its new contrafact. Therefore, if you successfully perform or hear the melody of GIANT STEPS (which you already know) against a performance of DEAR JOHN, then you can confirm that the latter is indeed a contrafact, and so you already know the progression to that contrafact. Or, if you already know HOW HIGH THE MOON, then you can not only relate the progression's downstep modulations to those of AFTERNOON IN PARIS, but also relate the entire progression of MOON to Charles Parker's ORNITHOLOGY, since the latter is contrafactual to How HIGH THE MOON. In other words, hearing the melodies and/or progressions of already-digested tunes against "new" tunes should be a regular part of the disciplines leading to aural recognition of chord progressions or segments of chord progressions. The following tunes use downstep modulation: ?? ?? ?? ??
Afternoon In Paris (m.2) Tune-Up (m.5) How High The Moon (m.3) Joy Spring (B2)
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?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Watch What Happens (B3) Recordame (m.10) Ornithology (m.3) Solar (m.7) New York State Of Mind (m.18) Bluesette (m.11) Laura (m.5) One Note Samba (B5) Cherokee (B5) Star Eyes (mm.4, 7 & B3) The Maestro (m.48) April Mist Joshua (B2) Once I Loved (mm.9 & 33)
The tune, INVITATION, was omitted from the above list, though the bridge of that tune very closely resembles downstep modulation. The problem with including it in the list owes to the nature of the resolution to I, which is not major, nor is it a minor- major seventh or a minor sixth. It is instead a minor seventh chord that is used both as a Im7, then as IIm7 of the next key. Yet the chord durations, chord sequence, and the altered dominants certainly cause it to feel like downstep modulations: Figure 2-B
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Modulations Downward In Half Steps If downstep modulations can be described as being dramatic, then modulations downward in half-steps would need to be described as very dramatic. On the surface, the two types of symmetrical modulation seem quite similar, both having key centers that are drifting downward in small intervals, and both generally not continuing beyo nd about three successive keys. But the similarities end there. The two sound very differently, we don't have the same chord root sounded between keys with the first functioning as I major and the next as II-7 (as we did in downstep modulation), hence removing the positive- negative syndrome, and more importantly, the adjacent key centers of the sequence are not nearly as close as they were in downstep modulation. For example, if the first two keys are a whole-step apart (i.e., C: to Bb:), as they are in a downstep sequence, they are only two keys apart (check their locations on the cycle of fifths), whereas if the first two keys are a half-step apart (as in C: to B:), they are at least five key signatures apart (seven if you count in the opposite directio n in the cycle)! Figure 2-C C G
F
D
Bb
A
Eb E
Ab B
Db F#/Gb
This means that modulations downward in half-steps supply more key contrast, they will constitute more of a surprise to the ears (also harder to aurally cognize at first), and the effect will be even more dramatic. When hearing modulations downward in half-steps, words like "thrilling" and "inspiring" come to mind. In the Preface, the words "glue" and "hooks" were used to describe logical substance, like the II-V-I cell, which "glues" together the chords and keys of a progression, and the more stunning events, which represent the "hooks." Both of the symmetrical modulations presented in this chapter are "hooks." Consciously or unconsciously, songwriters know this, hence the tune lists might seem surprisingly long to the reader, considering the nature of the topic. Symmetry doesn't usually equate to "thrilling" or "inspiring." Figure 2-D
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The following tunes use modulations downward in half-steps: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Airegin (m.12) Bess, O Where Is My Bess (m.18) Five Brothers (B2) Masquerade (B9) Angel Eyes (B5) Everything Happens To Me (B5) Peace (mm.3 & 5) The Summer Knows (m.14) Clockwise (m.2) Skylark (B7) Soul Eyes (m.10)
THE SUMMER KNOWS repeats the II-V-I's in each key, before going on to the next key. CLOCKWISE omits the IIm7's, resulting in a series of V7's to I's (but still modulating down in half-steps). It's important to remember that symmetrical harmonic sequences very often incorporate, in the given melody to the tune, symmetrical melodic sequences as well. Hence our efforts to spontaneously cognize the chord progression by ear (and memorize it also) are aided by tell-tale repetitions in the melody. This would be an appropriate time to review and reinforce the goal of this study, and to consider our presumed progress. Our goal is to learn to cognize chord progressions by ear. If the reader was successful assimilating the materials of Chapter 1, then he/she can now aurally recognize the II-V-I progression cell which generally occupies 2-4 measures at each occurence, and there are usually several such incidents (in the same key) within the tune's progression. If various "extensions" covered in Chapter 1 were also assimilated, the extended cell might be even longer perhaps 6-8 measures for each occurrence. The topic of Chapter 2 was symmetrical modulations, which generally consume anywhere from 5 to 14 measure each occurrence! With the average length of a tune being 32 measures, it is easy to see that reoccurrences of these cells and modulation sequences within same 8- measure phrase or within repeated phrases/sections (as would occur in an AABA or ABAB form, for example), might account for most, if not all, of total number of measures in the tune! If you can aurally recognize the II-V-I and its extensions (in major and minor), and that same cell in downstep modulations then you are prepared to cognize all of the chords in HOW HIGH THE MOON, SOLAR, PENT-UP HOUSE, and IT'S YOU OR NO ONE, plus many, many others! You will also be able to hear 75-95% of the progressions to TUNE-UP, LAURA, AUTUMN LEAVES, PEACE, EVERYTHING HAPPENS TO ME, and GONE WITH THE WIND to mention just a few. Also consider how easy it would be to memorize those progressions, because you are no longer trying to memorize individual chords. Instead, you are remembering 3-6 chord progression cells in a single thought, plus subsequent modulation sequences of those cells!
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The remaining chapters of this book will address other progression traits and tendencies that will, hopefully, fill any and all gaps that might remain. SUGGESTIONS FOR PRACTICE ??
??
?? ??
??
Go to the piano (regardless of your chosen instrument) and play the excerpts shown in this chapter slowly being sure that you're absorbing the sounds of both types of modulations.1 (also at the piano) Play through all 12 keys of both types of modulations. The one that modulates down in half-steps can be continuous, through the 12 keys, but downstep modulation will need two starting points, each covering six keys. Improvise with the downstep progression of II-V-I's on Jamey Aebersold's A New Approach To Jazz Improvisation, Vol.3. Play as many of the tunes on the lists provided for this chapter as you know (many are available on play-alongs from Aebersold's series, presently numbering about 77 volumes. Learn as many as y ou can of the ones that you don't yet know.
1
If the reader needs help with establishing a simple, but effective way to voice II-V-I progressions, refer to Jazz Keyboard For Pianists And Non-Pianists (Coker, Columbia Pictures Publications, 1983).
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General Modulations ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Up a major third Down a major third Up a minor third Down a minor third Up a minor second To the relative minor
In Chapter 2, modulations were addressed that are symmetrical and transient, generally achieved by using the II-V-I progression and its variations. Often, those sorts of modulations are used as a basic structural element, establishing the character of relatively long segments of the tunes in which they are found. For example, of the thirty-two measures that comprise the length of TUNE-UP, twentyfour of those measures are consumed by downstep modulations. In this chapter, modulations will be discussed which are neither symmetrical, nor, in many cases, as transient as the ones covered in Chapter 2.
Modulations Up A Major Third (as in the key of C to the key of E) Modulations to a key that is a major third higher than the "home key" (or starting key) provide intense surprise, contrast, and drama, which partially explains their frequent use among composers of musical shows and popular standards. The manner in which the modulation is handled, as well as its placement within tunes, is also worth mentioning here. In many cases the modulation is entirely abrupt; that is, the new tonic is not preceded by its II and V chords, heightening the aspect of surprise, and the placement is most often toward the end of an A section, just preceding the bridge, or close to the end of the bridge. As is the case in all of the tunes in the following list: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
All The Things You Are (mm.6 &14) Baubles, Bangles, and Beads (mm.9 &17) Gone With The Wind (M.5) How About You (m.13) I'm Old-Fashioned (m.20) If I Were A Bell (m.13) I Hadn't Anyone Til You (m.13) I Love You (m.13) Lush Life (m.7) Magic Morning (m.26) Moonlight In vermont (m.17) Rain Check (m.12) Stars Fell On Alabama (B7) Tangerine (m.13) The Touch Of Your Lips (m.13) Too Marvelous For Words (m.15) Upper Manhattan Medical Group (B 1) You Go To My Head (m.13)
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??
You Don't Know What Love Is (B5)
More examples of modulations up a major third will be given in Chapter 5 ("Classic Bridges"), where the I chord of the new key occurs at the beginning of the bridge. As a footnote to the nature of all modulations, regardless of their characteristics: ?? ?? ?? ??
prepared or sudden, transient or not, symmetrical or non-symmetrical, and any interval above or below the original key),
they too can be be aurally recognized (quickly) by the reasonably trained, experienced jazz musician. As it is with all the harmonic traits covered in this book, the methods for achieving aural recognition center around: ?? ?? ??
practicing them at the keyboard, knowingly listening to recordings of tunes which contain the traits, learning at least one tune (very well) from each of the lists provided in the book (including the learning of the melody and improvising on the chord chord progression), ?? composing original tunes which incorporate the traits, ?? and by cultivating the technique of making aural associations between traits heard on tunes you do know and those heard on tunes you don't yet know.
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Modulations Down A Major Third (as in C down to Ab) Modulations down a major third have unique cha racteristics. They most often follow a minor tonic; that is, the starting key for the phrase is in minor, then modulates to a major key that is a major third lower, as shown in Figure 3-A. Unlike the suddeness of the modulations up a major third, the new key is nearly always preceded by its II and V chords, and the duration of the new key is generally very short. Finally, the placement is most often very near the heginning of the tune or very near the end of the tune, as is evidenced by the measure numbers given for the list of tunes which follow Figure 3-A. Figure 3-A
The following tunes modulate down in major thirds, and follow the supplementary characteristics given earlier: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Autumn In New York (m.26) Autumn Leaves (m.28, though the "new" tonic is often a dominant seventh chord) Daahoud (m.2) Half Nelson (m.8, coming from a major key) Here's That Rainy Day (m.2) Ladybird (m.7, coming from a major key) Lazy Bird (m.3, coming from a major key) My Funny Valentine (m.32) Nica's Dream (m.9) Ojos De Rojo (m.3) Pensativa (m.10, comingfrom a minor key, and m.6 from major) Sunny (m 2) What's New (m.2, coming from a major key) We'll Be TogetherAgain (m.5)
More examples of modulations down a major third will be given in Chapter 5 ("Classic Bridges"), all coming from major keys, with the modulation placed at the beginning of their bridges.
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Modulations Up A Minor Third (as in C to Eb) All of the tunes in the list for this category occur in bridges, either at the beginning or end of the bridges, most of them at the beginning. As such, many of them could have been included in the list that appears for that modulation in Chapter 5 ("Classic Bridges"), were it not for the fact that the ones in Chapter 5 are limited to tunes which begin the bridge on the tonic of the new key, whereas the ones for this chapter begin the modulation at the bridge (the II and V chords of the new key, the tonic chord not arriving until about the third measure of the bridge). The reason for making this distinction is that learning to hear the modulation is a little different if, on one hand we're listening for the contrast between the "old" tonic and the "new" tonic, and on the other hand we're trying to cognize the approach (II-V) of the new key. Five of the tunes on this list ( marked with an asterisk ) don't begin the modulation until about half-way through the bridge. ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
*Autumn In New York Black *BIue Moon Chelsea Bridge Doujie Flamingo Gregory Is Here Hand In Glove I'll Remember April It's You Or No One *Joy Spring Little Dancer Love For Sale *Moments Notice My Little Brown Book One Note Samba *On Green Dolphin Street The Night Has A Thousand Eyes Wave
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Modulations Down A Minor Third (as in C to A) In the following list of tunes which modulate to a major key that is a minor third below the original key center, all of them have their modulation in the second half of the bridge, except WHEN SUNNY GETS BLUE, which begins the bridge with the new key. ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
All The Things You Are A Time For Love Barbara Del Sasser I Remember You Serenata The Party's Over When Sunny Gets Blue
Modulations Up A Minor Second (as in C to Db) All of the tunes in this group have modulations up one-half step at the beginning of the bridge, except for BLUE BOSSA, which has no bridge. ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Blue Bossa Body And Soul Joy Spring (which also has one for the second A section) Pick Yourself Up Stranger In Paradise Tricotism
Tunes That Modulate To The Relative Minor (as in C major to A minor) The relative minor could be thought of as VI minor and, at least in the classical tradition, it shares the same key signature as I. As illustrated in Chapter 1 on the "Confirmation Sequence," VIIm7b5 of the major key can function as IIm7b5 of VIm, and the III chord of the major key (normally a minor seventh chord) needs to have a raised third in order to function as a dominant seventh to VIm (V7 of VI). Modulations to the relative minor are very common, second only to modulations to IV. The fact that the relative minor shares the same key signature as the major key of a minor third higher, making for a smooth, logical modulation, is only part of the reason why modulations to VIm are so common. Another part of the logic has to do with a very prevalent tendency to use a II7 (rather than a IIm7) at the cadence point (last 2-4 bars) that occurs just before the halfway mark of an ABAB (or ABAC) form, or between the first and second A section of an AABA form (usually near the end of the first ending). Referring again to the cycle of fifths, a VIm7 prepares the sound of the approaching II7, together simulating the sound of a II-V cell. Finally, the relative minor functions as a sort of alter-ego to the major key, giving a tune a nearly-related place to "visit" that changes the mood of the tune.
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The following list is merely a sampling of the many tunes which modulate to the relative minor, generally in the last half of an A section, the last half of a B section (of an AABA form), or at the beginning of the B or C section of an ABAB or ABAC form. Many more will be listed in Chapter 5's "Classic Bridges," where the modulation to VIm is the primary feature of one genre of bridges. ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Autumn Leaves (m.5) I'm Old-Fashioned (m. 7) Indian Summer (m.9) I Should Care (m.13) Just Friends (m.11) Moon River (mm.7 & 23) On Green Dolphin Street (m.26)
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Beginnings Tunes beginning: ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
on bVI7 on I° on II7 on IV with I - IV7
A thought that has often gained expression among those who produce, direct, and perform is, "If we have a good beginning and a good ending, few people will notice what happened in between. Applied to a jazz improviser's attempt to solo on a relatively unknown tune, it means that getting off to a good start could be crucial to the overall impact, with regard to the listener's reaction as well as the level of confidence felt by the improviser. We should be interested, then, in how a tune's chord progression gets under way. A high percentage of songs begin with either the tonic chord (I) or the IIm7, which should present no problem to an improviser who is needing to aurally identify the starting place of the progression. But since composers are also interested in getting off to good start, they frequently like to stretch the imaginations of composer and listener alike, by beginning a progression with something that might be more unique, startling, dramatic, and mood-setting, as opposed to opening with utter simplicity. Most tunes do begin simply, but when they don't, it would help to become aware of some of the frequently- used models and varieties.
Tunes Which Begin With bVI7 (or bIII-7 - bVI7) If the reader finds the bVI7 to be a strange way to begin a tune, since it is not even derived from the approaching key center, remember that Beethoven was booed by his audience when he opened a symphony with a first chord of I7 (a dominant seventh chord on I, functioning as V7 of IV). They were upset because he hadn't even established the home key center before assaulting them with a chord that wasn't derived from the key signature of the opening movement. Obviously it didn't cause him to be reviled for all time. In fact, it is this sort of ingenuity and courage that has shaped our musical world, so in modern times, the appearance of an opening chord of bVI7 shouldn't jar our sensibilities. Since that chord is located a semi- tone above the V7, the progression most often plays out as bVI7 - V7 - I. If the tune begins with bIIIm7, then the sequence usually becomes bIIIm7 - bVI7 - IIm7 - V7 - I, as it is in STABLEMATES. BLUE LOU and I'LL NEVER BE THE SAME use the bVI7 - V7 cell twice before going on the the I chord. Wayne Shorter resolves the bVI - V into a I minor chord in FEE-FI-FO-FUM.
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So there are variations on the formula. Tunes which begin on bVI7 (or bIII-7) are: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Affaire d' Amour Blue Lou Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum I'll Never Be The Same Stablemates Jordu
Coltrane used an interesting variation on this concept in MOMENTS NOTICE, where he begins a semi-tone below the IIm7 and slides up to the II chord, so the progression becomes bIIm7 - bV7 - IIm7 - V7 - I (the progression reoccurs in the fifth measure, in a new key). Though not beginning on a bVI chord (or bIII), the manner of the resolution to V (or II) bears an unmistakable resemblance.
Tunes That Begin On I° To begin a progression with a diminished seventh chord is unusual in itself, let alone having the tonic as a root. The diminished seventh chord is a relatively rare chord-type (especially in recent decades). It has a somewhat nebulous function within a key (any note of the chord could be the root, since the chord is symmetrically constructed of minor third intervals), and it is most often used as a "floating sonority" with out a "home" (or as a "passing chord"). It generally has a very short duration (one or two beats), and when placed in the tonic position (on I) it becomes a veritable anachronism to function within a key! Nevertheless, two of the more prominent tunes in the jazz musician s repertoire, STELLA BY STARLIGHT and SPRING IS HERE, begin with a diminished seventh chord on the keynote. In the case of STELLA, the chord is often revised by modern jazz groups to become a #IVm7b5 chord, but the original chord (still in use in some circles) is I°7. A third well-known tune, THE SOUND OF MUSIC doesn't begin on I°, but after starting on I major, it proceeds to I° for the second chord of the progression. In both STELLA and SPRING IS HERE, the I° is followed by a I major chord. Even the given melody's application to the diminished seventh chord is unique. In all three of the aforementioned tunes, the sustained melody note on the diminished chords is the major seventh (i.e., a melody note of B against a C°7 chord), a note that is not a member of the basic chord. It is, however, very common to sustain a melody note against a diminished seventh chord that is not a chord member. In Eubie Blake's MEMORIES OF YOU, the melody notes of the second and fourth chords (diminished seventh chords on #I and #II) are a minor sixth above the root, clearly not chord members. To understand this better, we need to examine the scale that fits the diminished seventh chord, which is (appropriately) the diminished scale, beginning the scale with a wholestep (as opposed to starting with a half-step, as is done with dominant seventh chords). It is then discovered that the scale contains both the minor sixth (as in MEMORIES OF
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YOU) and major seventh (STELLA and SPRING IS HERE) intervals above the chord root. We also need to recognize the intense poignancy created by hearing those melody notes in combination with the basic chord, which is unquestionably the reason for the composers' note choices. The latter point is likely the reason why contemporary jazz composers frequently use the slash chord of, say, B/C (B major triad, usually in first inversion, over a C bass). The third and fifth of the B triad (D# and F#) are the enharmonic equivalents of the third and fifth of a C diminished triad (Eb and Gb). Though the symbol does not indicate a C° chord, the illusion is there, and the root of the B triad supplies a major seventh to the implied C° chord! So without using the "old- fashioned" diminished seventh chord with a melody note that is a major seventh above the root, the contemporary composer has nonetheless achieved the benefits of the "poignancy" by another, nearly identical means.
Tunes Which Begin With II7 Now we've really invaded Beethoven's territory, since the II7 chord (not II minor seventh) is what classical theorists would label V7 of V (the II chord, because of its structure, functions as though it were the dominant seventh chord that would lead to V) in the harmonic genre they refer to as "secondary dominants," which is the genre used by Beethoven at the beginning of the symphony mentioned earlier. Only his was V7 of IV (all classical composers used "secondary dominants," but before Beethoven it would have been unthinkable to use it at the start of a work, before the prevalent key center had been established). The II7 is so near to the structure of a minor seventh chord on II that it is difficult, sometimes, for the novice improviser to hear the distinction, yet it is important to learn to do so. Tunes which begin on II7 include: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
But Not For Me If I Were A Bell I Know That You Know In A Mellow Tone Lil' Darlin' Our Love Is Here To Stay Quiet Nights Rose Room Street Of Dreams Why Not
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Tunes That Begin On IV (major) Being the same chord-type as I, the novice may also experience difficulty hearing that a progression is beginning on IV (instead of I). The progression usually plays out as IV major, IVm7 (and/or bVII7), to I. However, in the case of IT S ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE, the IV is followed by V7 (or sometimes IV°), then to I. The list of tunes which begin with IV major include: ?? ?? ?? ??
After You've Gone It's Almost Like Being In Love Just Friends Moonglow
Tunes Beginning With I Major to IV7 Because of the close resemblance of this cell to the I7 - IV7 progression that forms the backbone of the blues, the reader might reckon that composers use it when they wish to create a bluesy feeling within a non-blues tune. Indeed this is sometimes the case, as in WILLOW WEEP FOR ME, for example. However, the cell is used at other times whe n the composer wishes to capitalize on an emotional effect afforded by its use that differs somewhat from the blues emotion. If the first chord is C major, for example, and the second chord is F7, there will be the feeling that the C major chord has now become a C minor chord (when the F7 chord is sounded). The entrance of the note, Eb, as the seventh of the F7, while all other notes of the chord (and its scale) derive from the key of C, creates the illusion of C minor. As discussed in Chapter 2, in relation to the "downstep modulation," the change from major to minor (and vice versa) one a single chord root, can be a sort of emotional roller coaster, so that even the illusion of the major-minor sequence will carry some of that emotional effect. The progression is sometimes inserted into tunes as chordal substitutions (not necessarily at the beginning of the progression), as keyboardists (especially) are prone to do with the last two beats of the third bar of BODY AND SOUL, where, in place of the given progression's I - IIm7 for the third bar, they will use I - IV7. Tunes beginning with I - IV7 include: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Broadway The Chase Ecaroh If You Could See Me Now Oh, Lady Be Good Opus 1 Summer Samba/So Nice Tenderly This Can't Be Love Undecided When Your Lover Has Gone
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??
Willow Weep For Me
Classic Bridges ?? ?? ??
Montgomery Ward Bridge Sears Roebuck Bridge Bridges That begin: o on IIIo on VIo a major third above the starting key o a minor third above the starting key o a major third below the starting key ?? Other Common Bridges Bridge is a term denoting a contrasting section of a tune. The most common synonyms for the term are "channel," "B section," or simply "the middle part." It is generally 8 measures in length, and though it most often appears only once within the tune's chorus structure (i.e., AABA or ABAC), a bridge will sometimes occur twice, as in an ABAB form. Though both the harmonic structure and the melody for a bridge is usually in very sharp contrast with the progression and melody used in the A section, some bridges will retain the musical character of the A section. The best example of the latter is Dizzy Gillespie's GOOD BAIT, in which the bridge's harmony and melody are identical to the A section, but in the key of the subdominant (IV). Another example is GET HAPPY, in which the 8- measure A section is followed by an identical 8- measure segment, also in the subdominant, in an ABCA form. The form of GET HAPPY reveals the need to make a mild distinction between a "bridge" and a "B section." Since the "B section" of GET HAPPY is identical to the A section, but in a new, nearlyrelated key, it offers no contrast to A other than the modulation to the subdominant. The subsequent C section, however, is in sharp contrast (harmonically and melodically) to both A and B. ?? ?? ??
So is C the "real" bridge? If B has insufficient contrast, can it be called a bridge? Should the form really be described as AA'BA? In that event, is GOOD BAIT really an AAA'A form, rather than AABA? ?? Does that mean GOOD BAIT has no "bridge"? ?? Does GET HAPPY have two bridges (B and C)? The answers to all of these questions are mostly of a subjective nature, left to an individual's personal opinion, but the fact remains that there is ample room to argue the point that the terms "bridge" and "B section" are not necessarily synonymous, though they are generally used that way.
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The tune TOPSY reveals another variation of the foregoing problem. TOPSY also uses the harmony and melody ofthe first 8- measure section (A),again placed in the subdominant at the beginning of the second 8- measure segment, but this time the tune returns to the original key after only 4 measures. So is the form of the first two 8- measure sections A B? A A'? A B/A? A A'/A?. Again, a determination would be subjective. Regardless of personal opinion, with regard to formal analysis, the fact remains that one aspect of "classic bridges" is the reiteration of the A section in the subdominant, and the list of tunes incorporating that trait should include GOOD BAIT, GET HAPPY, and TOPSY. The most common, by far, of the "classic bridges," howeve r, are the following two types: Figure 5-A
Figure 5-B
The two "classic bridges" shown in figures 5-A and 5- B are so common that musicians of the 1940's gave them nicknames, calling 5-A the "Montgomery Ward Bridge," and 5B the "Sears Roebuck Bridge!" Obviously the musicians of the day regarded each of those two types of bridges to be so common that each was tantamount to a "cliche," hence the humorous nicknames imply an "off-the-rack" mindset on the part of the composer. The terms have all but disappeared from the vocabulary of musicians, but as no new names have been invented to replace the old ones, we will exercise the right to continue using them here. Of the two bridges shown (5-A and 5-B), the most common is the "Montgomery Ward Bridge" (5-A), found in almost countless tunes in many styles. This might surprise the reader who, because of the great popularity of the I GOT RHYTHM progression (or, as it is commonly called now, "Rhythm Changes") and its long list of contrafacts (Charles Parker alone accounting for about 30 recorded contrafacts, many of which are frequently played even today). Though I GOT RHYTHM and its many contrafacts do use the "Sears Roebuck Bridge" (5-B), only a small number of other tunes use the 5-B bridge, SCRAPPLE FROM THE APPLE, ROBINS NEST, SHAKIN THE BLUES AWAY, PERDIDO and C.T.A., to mention a few, which have dissimiliar A sections to "Rhythm," but do use the "Sears Roebuck Bridge". 5-A and 5 -B have two sorts of porularity: 50
5-A is used in far more tunes, but 5-B is played more often among jazz musicians, owing to the extreme popularity of tunes which use "Rhythm Changes." The following titles are only a partial listing of jazz tunes, mostly from the bebop era, which are contrafactual of I GOT RHYTHM, including of course the
"Sears Roebuck Bridge"1 : ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Thrivin' From A Riff Celerity Crazeology Moose The Mooche Move Oleo Ow Passport An Oscar For Treadwell Red Cross Rhythm-a-ning Salt Peanuts Serpent's Tooth Steeplechase Turnpike Webb City Sonnyside 52nd Street Theme Lemon Drop Lester Leaps In Apple Honey Tuxedo Junction Love You Madly One Bass Hit Oop-Bop-Sha-Bam Ah-Leu-Cha Cottontail Dexterity Suspone Shaw Nuff
1
A very thoroughgoing list of contrafacts, including those which use "rhythm changes," can he found in David Baker's How To Play Bebop, Vo l.3 (Alfred Publishing Co.). Many of the tunes which have a
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"Montgomery Ward Bridge" are in musical styles less- favored by jazz musicians, like pop and country, for example. Even so, the number of standard and jazz tunes which use that bridge is so large as to be impractical to list here, but listed below are a few of the more obvious examples: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Satin Doll Honeysuckle Rose Mosquito Knees Marmaduke Undecided Woody'n You I'm Confessin' It Don't Mean A Thing The Things We Did Last Summer Just Squeeze Me Dewey Square On The Sunny Side Of The Street Tis Autumn September In The Rain
The "Montgomery Ward Bridge" has some very "close relatives," if we are able to be flexible, and since the object of this book is to learn to aurally recognize chord progressions, examining some of the variations could be helpful. For example, suppose a bridge is very similar to the "Montgomery Ward Bridge" except that: 1. the modulation to the subdominant appears just prior to the beginning of the bridge, so that the brid ge begins on the subdominant major chord and 2. the subdominant chord is followed by a back door progression (see Chapter l), returning briefly to I before going to the II7. Minor variations on a prototype ( in this case 5 -A) won't prevent our ears from making the connection between that prototype and a "close relative". Figure 5-C
The variation shown in 5-C is used in DON'T GET AROUND MUCH ANYMORE, ROSE ROOM, THERE'LL NEVER BE ANOTHER YOU, and IN A MELLOW TONE. It s interesting to note that DON'T GET AROUND MUCH ANYMORE is the only tune of the four listed that has an AABA form. The others all have an ABAB' structure. This may be indicative of a subtle tendency or tradition in songwriting. The the parenthesized chord symbols in 5-C indicate various options sometimes used with respect to harmonic rhythm and chord inclusion.
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Sometimes a bridge will start on I and then modulate to IV, as is the case in MY FOOLISH HEART, shown in Figure 5-D. Figure 5-D
In other cases, the modulating chords that lead to IV may be extended to encompass the first four measures of the bridge, delaying the arrival of the IV chord until the fifth measure, as found in TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS and ON A CLEAR DAY. (5E) Figure 5-E
When the composer chooses to go to a VIm before the II7, there may be modulating chords added that will lead to the VIm, as shown in 5-F. MY FOOLISH HEART and I'M GLAD THERE IS YOU utilize that variation, and the latter also uses the early modulation to IV (like 5-C but without the subsequent "back door" feature). Figure 5-F
Even if a IV major chord is followed by a #IV°7 (also covered in Chapter 1), ins tead of a back door, our ears can still catch the similarity between 5-A and the variation shown in the following figure, which appears in LADY BE GOOD. Figure 5-G
Some tunes will move from IV back to I briefly without a "back door" or a #IV°7, as is the case in BEIN' GREEN (Figure 5-H) Figure 5-H
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Yet another variation might follow the IV major with a series of descending dominants, starting in the fourth bar of the bridge, leading down to the II7 of the fifth bar. TAKE THE "A" TRAIN, among many others, has that sequence, as shown in Figure 5-
I. Figure 5-I
The object in presenting the many variations on the "Montgomery Ward Bridge" (5-A) is not to confuse the reader. The point is that minor variations should not deter us from aurally recognizing that this classic bridge has but three harmonic objectives: 1. to modulate to the subdominant (IV); 2. to arrive at a II7 chord on either the fifth or seventh measure; and 3. to end the bridge on V7, so as to be ready to return to the "home" key for the next section. Those are the three constants. Everything else is simply harmonic embellishment. Other candidates for "classic bridges," though not as common as, say, the "Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward Bridges," are sufficiently common to be considered here as such. Chapter 3 ("Modulations") introduced several of those candidates, though that chapter was chiefly concerned with modulations which occur anywhere within the tune, rather than only those which occur at the bridge. Yet a considerable percentage of the tunes listed in Chapter 3 did indeed have modulations which transpired at the bridge. Some of those commonplace modulations at the bridge were short-lived or transient, removing some of their significance as "classic bridges." Hence the following lists will include only those tunes which modulate to a particular place, at the bridge, and which remain there for approximately four measures or more. The number of tunes in each list will attest to the fact that those bridge modulations are common enough to be considered part of the "classic bridge" tradition.
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BRIDGES WHICH BEGIN ON IIIm (A minor key that is located a major third above the tune's starting key, as in C to Em) ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Don't You Know I Care I'm Getting Sentimental Over You If I HadYou I HearA Rhapsody Indiana/Donna Lee (at the second bridge m 25) I Never Knew My One And Only Love Old Man River These Foolish Things They Can't Take That Away From Me Yardbird Suite
BRIDGES WHICH BEGIN ON VIm (Relative minor of the starting key, as in C to Am) ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Embraceable You Georgia On My Mind How Long Has This Been Going On I Should Care If I Love Again Moon River My Shining Hour Nancy With The Laughing Face Time After Time
"How Long Has This Been Going On" and "Time After Time" both start on VIm, then modulate to IIIm. BRIDGES WHICH BEGIN IN A MAJOR KEY LOCATED A MAJOR THIRD ABOVE THE STARTING KEY (as in C to E) ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Once In A While Polka Dots And Moonbeams Prelude To A Kiss The Song Is You S'Wonderful Watch What Happens
The preceding list would be considerably longer if we were include those which begin the modulation at the start of the bridge, those tunes which don't modulate until the second half of the bridge, and tunes which arrive at the new key just before the bridge.
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BRIDGES WHICH BEGIN IN A MAJOR KEY LOCATED A MINOR THIRD ABOVE THE STARTING KEY (as in C to Eb) ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
China Boy Idaho My Old Flame Opus 1 Just The Way You Look Tonight When Sunny Gets Blue Long Ago And Far Away
At least 10 more commonly-played tunes could be added to the previous list if we were to include bridges which begin on the IIm7 and V7 of the new key, then resolving to I.
BRIDGES WHICH BEGIN IN A MAJOR KEY LOCATED A MAJOR THIRD BELOW THE STARTING KEY (as in C to Ab) ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Darn That Dream Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me Early Autumn Easy Living For Heaven's Sake In A Sentimental Mood I'll Keep Loving You I'll Take Romance Smoke Gets In Your Eyes The Best Thing For You Is Me OTHER COMMON BRIDGES
As startling as it might seem to the reader to learn that so many tunes modulate the same distance up or down for the bridge, it is even more surprising to learn that many bridges share the same two successive key relationships! For example the following bridge format is used in GODCHILD, BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, IF YOU COULD SEE ME NOW, PARISIENNE THOROUGHFARE, I'D DO ANYTHING FOR YOU, A PORTRAIT OF JENNY, LET IT SNOW, and LOVER! (all placed here in the starting key of C for purposes of study and comparison). Figure 5-J
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I DIDN T KNOW ABOUT YOU, TAKIN A CHANCE ON LOVE, DAAHOUD, and BROADWAY (not ON BROADWAY) all use the following format: Figure 5-K
STAR EYES has an only slightly different format from the one shown in 5-K: Figure 5-L
Another reasonably common bridge, though perhaps not a "classic," is the one which appears in A NIGHT IN TUNISIA, TOPSY, and ALONE TOGETHER, where a minor tune's bridge modulates to IVm (by way of Vm7b5 and I7alt of the original key) during the hrst four measures of the bridge, then in the second four bars the IV chord is treated as II of a new key a whole-step lower. For example, if the tune were originally in Cm (during the A section), the entire bridge would be: Gm7b5 - C7alt - Fm (in the first 4 bars) and Fm7 - Bb7 - Eb major (in mm.5, 6, & 7), then Dm7b5 and G7alt in the eighth bar to facilitate a return to Cm for the last A section. Finally, there are at least two tunes that have bridges that modulate up in minor third intervals for two or more keys. In OPUS I, the bridge abruptly (without modulating chords of II and V) starts in a new key that is a minor third higher than the key of the A section, staying in the new key for 4 bars, then shifts up another minor third to a new key (also abruptly) for 3 bars, then shifts up a semi- tone in the last measure to a V7 of the original key. In the bridge of Benny Carter's WHEN LIGHTS ARE LOW, there are three consecutive modulations up in minor third intervals, each as a II-V-I progression lasting two measures, with bars 7 & 8 being taken up with preparing to return to the original key. It is important to remember that even key relationships (i.e., modulations up or down a major or minor third, or to IIIm or VIm, etc.) and successive modulations (such as "downstep modulations," modulations down in half-steps, or those shown in 5-K and 5L) can be aurally cognized, so long as one takes the time to learn some of the tunes that use them, listen to them, play them at the piano, and learn to make associations when confronted with an unknown tune that incorporates those traits.
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Chords in Symmetry ?? ?? ?? ??
Tunes that use the Cycle of Dominant Sevenths More Tritone Substitution Tunes that use chromatically descending Dominant Sevenths Tunes that use parallel Chord Motion with other Chord Types
Up to this point in our study, we have focused primarily on chord progressions, especially ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
the II-V-I cell and its many variations and substitution principles; modulation tendencies and sequences; common bridge formulae; the various ways progressions begin; how all of this relates to formal structures, in terms of the placement of cells within a tune's subdivisions (into sections, as in A, B, etc.); ?? the sectional organizations themselves; ?? turnarounds; cadence formulae, all relating to basic elements and traditions in chord progressions. The common factor in the organization of all these things was the concept of "tonic/ dominant harmony" as it relates to key centers. That is, we were concerned with chords of the diatonic system and their corresponding chord-types, and it was easily rendered in Roman Numerals because of that system's organization. In this chapter we will examine another kind of organization and symmetry. We won't abandon the cycle of fifths and chromatic chord motion, because they are symmetrical patterns, but other symmetrical sequences will be explored as well. And all the while, we will be much less concerned with key centers and the various chord-types of the diatonic system than what was evident in the previous chapters, where we focused on the frequent alternation of major seventh, minor- major seventh, minor seventh, half-diminished seventh, unaltered dominant seventh, and altered dominant seventh chord-types within progressions. Instead, we will look at chord progression cells in which all the members are the same chord-type, moving in a symmetrical manner. The symmetry and uniformity of chord-type are sufficient to answer the need for logical organization of a different sort than what was previously presented.
The Cycle of Dominant Seventh Chords This is the simplest place to begin a study of the symmetrical motion of like chordtypes. The cycle is already very familiar to the reader, as are dominant seventh chords, and the trait is both logical and traditional. Looking first at historical precedents, Figure 6-A shows the first six measures of the chord progression to the Dixieland favorite, BASIN STREET BLUES. Note that the chords of measures 2-6 are all dominant sevenths, moving around the cycle.
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Figure 6-A
Another early example comes from the bridge of Gershwin's I GOT RHYTHM. Again we see a cycle of dominants throughout the eight- measure bridge (Figure 6-B). Figure 6-B
The placement of dominant cycles within a tune varies widely, ranging from the beginning of the tune, the bridge, even in the middle of a section. The number of chords taken from a segment of the cycle also varies. In Figures 6-A and 6-B, both were 4-chord sequences. In the mid-30's the John Kirby Trio recorded a track called "Ab to C" in which the tune begins with what the title implies, a 9-chord slice from the cycle, using dominant seventh chords, starting on Ab7 and continuing around to C! In the late 40's Charlie Parker would sometimes begin a chorus of the blues ( ! ) with a long cycle of dominants that began a semi- tone above the keynote, dove-tailing into the IV7 at the fifth measure. For example, if the blues was in F, the progression of dominant sevenths, all with 2-beat durations, would be F# - B - E - A - D - G - C - F - Bb, which is also a 9-chord segment of the cycle. In the 50's, Clifford Brown recorded JORDU, the bridge of which contains two 7-chord dominant cycles, one starting on G and the other on F, each lasting four measures. Recalling the discussion of the
Tri-tone Substitution in Chapter 1, it was said that two dominant seventh Figure 6-C Figure 6-C chords whose roots are a tri- tone apart share the same third and seventh, though the names are reversed. What was not said then, and needs to be pointed out now, is that when dominant cycles occur, of the sort that we are discussing at this time, the thirds and sevenths of the successive chords create a chromatic sequence, again with the chord member's names (3rd and 7th) being reversed with each chord (see Figure 6-C). Figure 6-C
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If this looks and sounds familiar, it is because Chapter 1 also pointed out that dominant seventh chords that descend chromatically usually altemate between the unaltered and altered varieties. In other words, if only the third and seventh of a dominant seventh chord are present, there are two potential roots, located a tri-tone apart (see Figure 6-D). It also means that there is a very close relationship between: 1. dominant sevent h chords whose roots are a tri- tone apart; 2. cycle and chromatic sequences of dominants; and 3. altered and unaltered dominants. All of this is illustrated in Figure 6-D Figure 6-D
Admittedly, this is an extremely confusing topic to understand (and equally difficult to explain), but also very important, as it solves the problems of: 1. finding good voicings and smooth voice- leadings for dominant sevenths at the keyboard; 2. knowing when tri- tone substitution can be used (and what the root choices are); 3. knowing when a progression can be changed from cycle to chromatic (or chromatic to cycle); 4. knowing when the option to alter an unaltered dominant (or "unalter" an altered dominant) would be the most effective, and the relationship between that and selecting a particular root; 5. knowing what the bassist's options are, with regard to selecting and/or implying potential chord roots that are a tri-tone apart; and 6. (for improvisers) understanding the scalar applications to tri-tone related dominants, when one is altered and the other is unaltered (they are the same). The usefulness of all this information is such that, if the reader is confused, it would be well worth re-reading (and applying) until it is completely understood and assimilated. Relating it to the discussion of dominant seventh chords in cyclic motion, all such occurences in tunes could be changed to chromatically-descending dominants, alternating (usually) between unaltered and altered structures. For example, the progression of D7 - G7 - C7 - F7, found in the bridge of I GOT 60
RHYTHM (and all contrafacts) could become D7 - Db7alt - C7 - B7alt, or Ab7alt - G7 Gb7alt - F7. Though both substitution sequences change the roots/bass notes, neither will change the progression's sense of direction and logic, nor the improviser's scale choices. It simply enhances the sound of the progression and/or provides variety to it. The following tunes contain segments which use dominant seventh chords in cyclic motion: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Ab to C I Can't Get Started A Flower Is A Love Some Thing If I Love Again All Of Me I Got Rhythm Basin Street Blues I Hadn't Anyone Till You Blood Count Isfahan Caravan Jordu Come Rain Or Come Shine Little Girl Blue Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum Misty Footprints Poor Butterfly Prelude To A Kiss Sweet Georgia Brown/Dig Sack O Woe Yesterdays There Is No Greater Love Waltz For Debbie
Dominant cycles also appear often in turnarounds (especially as III7 - VI7 - II7 - V7) and coda's/endings ( i.e. 'ROUND MIDNIGHT and Bob Dorough's recording of JOHNNY ONE-NOTE).
Chromatically Descending Dominant Sevenths Our previous discussion of cyclic dominants made it clear, hopefully, that there is a very close relatio nship between dominant sevenths in cyclic motion and those which descend chromatically, hence a further description is unnecessary. However, it should be pointed out that: 1. the frequency of occurence in tunes for both is approximately the same; 2. the tunes listed for this segment are restricted to the ones in which the composer specified chromatic dominants, as opposed to those created by chord substitution; and
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3. only tunes which use at least three consecutive, chromatically-descending dominants will be listed. Perhaps the most stunning example of this trait occurs in LOVER, in which the entire 16-measure A section is characterized by chromatic dominants. Freddie Hubbard's CRISIS is also a good example, beginning with a chain of six chromatic dominants in the first eleven bars. One of the most memorable uses of chromatically-descending dominants, also characterizing the entire A section is Duke Ellington's SOPHISTICATED LADY. The bridge of Thelonious Monk s WELL YOU NEEDN'T is a constant barrage of chromatic dominants, ascending for the first half, descending for the second half. Tunes which use chromatic dominants include: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Body And Soul Bye Bye Blackbird Crisis In A Mellow Tone JuJu Lover Let's Fall In Love Lush Life Magic Morning Midnight Waltz Moonglow Nutville Rain Check Satin Doll Sophisticated Lady Stablemates Star Eyes Stompin' At rhe Savoy There's A Small Hotel Warm Valley Well You Needn't Witch Hunt
As was the case with cyclic dominants, chromatic dominants are also used often in turnarounds. In 1st. endings, if the first chord of the repeated section is a II chord, the turnaround can be dominants on I - VII - bVII - VI. If the first chord of the repeat is I, the turnaround might be I - VI - bVI - V (last three chords are dominants. They are also used in tags, codas, and endings.
Chords (any type) In Ascending or Descending Minor Thirds From this point to the end of the chapter, we will consider as few as two or more consecutive chords of the same type, to be sufficient use of a pattern, especially if the pattern is repeated immediately with another two-chord cell moving in the same
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manner. Sometimes the pattern does continue for more than two chords. For example, considering the minor third motion presently under discussion, Woody Shaw's BEYOND ALL LIMITS has four minor seventh chords descending in minor third intervals in the last four bars of the bridge (A-7 - F#-7 - E-7 - C-7), and in his composition, IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T HEARD, the entire section for improvisation is an indefinitely- repeated sequence of major seventh (+4) chords, moving up in minor third intervals, each chord lasting eight measures. Charles Lloyd used the same sequence, also with minor seventh chords, at the end of each chorus of FOREST FLOWER (a four-chord sequence also). But there will also be two-chord groups with repetitions in a different "key," as in Joe Henderson's INNER URGE where, toward the end of each chorus, he uses two-chord cells of major sevenths, each cell having minor third motion between the two chords, and repeats the cell three times from different starting points, becoming E - Db, D - B, and C - A (note that even the first chord of each two-chord cell is placed a semi- tone above the second chord of the previous group, revealing more symmetry). The two-chord cell that follows the C - A also continues the root pattern, with Bb - G, but the chord-types are slightly different. It should also be noticed that the aforementioned composers are all relatively recent, contemporary artists, perhaps indicating a trend, as well as a harmonic technique that might contrast with the traditional II-V-I, tonic-dominant concept. The following tunes make use of this sort of parallel motion: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Beyond All Limits Forest Flower Gibraltar In Case You Haven't Heard Inner Urge The Intrepid Fox L's Bop Sky Dive
Other Varieties of Parallel Chord Motion Cycle and chromatic motion excepted, parallel motion with like chord-types is still in its formative state, hence specific patterns have not emerged (in tunes) in great numbers. Nevertheless, anticipating that those numbers could increase over the coming years, we should at least take notice of patterns which, for the present, only exist in a small handful of tunes, even one, if the composer is still very active and/or influential. ??
Minor seventh chords moving up or down in whole-steps were used in Hubbard's SKY DIVE and RED CLAY, and in Shaw's MOONTRANE and KATRINA BALLERINA. ?? Minor- major sevenths move in whole-steps in SKY DIVE and in Horace Silver s NICA'S DREAM. ?? Major sevenths (often with +4's) are used in whole-step motion in several of Henderson's compositions, to include BLACK NARCISSUS and INNER URGE, and in Lloyd's FOREST FLOWER. ?? Dominant sevenths with b9's and 13ths move in whole-steps in Kenny Wheeler's FOXY TROT.
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??
Major sevenths move down chromatically in Walter Bishop's CORAL KEYS and Hubbard's LITTLE SUNFLOWER. ?? Minor sevenths move down in major third intervals in Wayne Shorter's SPEAK NO EVIL. Finally, Horace Silver's SILVER'S SERENADE uses an interesting kind of symmetry, in that it is two-part symmetry. Two-part symmetry is the principle we apply when building diminished and augmented scales. Whereas the chromatic scale and the whole-tone are "one-part symmetry," in that all intervals in the scale are alike, the diminished scale uses the even alternation of wholesteps and half- steps, and the augmented scale has alternating augmented second intervals and half- steps. Silver's chord progression contains two-part symmetry in the first four chords of SILVER'S SERENADE, which are Em7 - Bbm7 - Am7 - Ebm7. So the motion is tri- tone interval, half-step down, then another tri- tone interval. If the motion were continued, it would use all twelve notes (as chord roots) of the chromatic scale. Jamey Aebersold has applied this variety of two-part symmetery in the chords of one of his play-alongs. Using a single chord-type, he used the sequence C - Gb - F - B - Bb - E - Eb - A - Ab D - Db - G.
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Other Progression Cells Tunes that use: ?? ?? ??
CESH C- - C-/Bb - Aø cell I - bVI7
In this chapter we will discuss three types of progressions that are essential to the harmonic vocabulary of jazz. They are quite different from any of the traits of prior chapters, for the most part anyway, and very different from each other as well.
Cesh (pronounced "kesh") The word, "CESH" is drawn from the initials of "Contrapuntal Elaboration of Static Harmony." Its meaning is simple: while a single chord is sustained ("static harmony"), one member of the chord is in motion ("contrapuntal elaboration"), moving by semi- tones, to be precise. There are four varieties of CESH, two in minor and two in major, each having one CESH in which the root itself is in motion, and one in which the fifth of the chord is in motion. An illustration of each of the four varieties is shown in Figure 7-A. There are countless ways to voice a CESH on keyboard or in an arrangement, if we consider options such as ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
spacing; doublings; placement of the moving voice within the voicing (top, bottom, middle, etc.); adding extensions (9ths, 11ths, and/or 13ths); rhythmic settings; melodic decorations on the moving voice;
and so on. The voicings in Figure 7-A have been kept very simple to insure clarity of definition. Figure 7-A
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The list of tunes for this trait is restricted to tunes in which the CESH used was the composer's intent or tunes which have nearly always been interpreted by arrangers and keyboardists to have a CESH, hence the tradition is well- ingrained. However, there are many other tunes on which arrangers and performers frequently use CESH that will not appear on the list. Once the reader has familiarized himself/herself with the sound of CESH, it will be easy to recognize when the option is seized upon in a discretionary manner by a performer. In fact, most people already know what CESH sounds like...they just haven't attached a label to it. If a performer wishes, by choice, to insert a CESH in a tune that doesn't already have one, the opportunities abound. It can be used over any long-duration minor chord, or any IImV progression (in major), and we know those to be in plentiful supply! It is often inserted by arrangers and keyboardists to heighten the emotion of pathos being expressed by the lyric and/or the sound of the progression. Even the second half of a ballad that has a "Montgomery-Ward Bridge" is a likely place, or any of the many tunes that go to VIm and/or II7 in the second half of the bridge. In the case of the first CESH shown in Figure 7-A, if it is inserted in place of a II-V cell spontaneously, and an unknowing member of the group (especially the bassist) should sound the root of the V chord, the trait will still work. It will simply sound like a V7sus4, subsequently resolving to a V7 (without a sus4). There are a variety of ways in which CESH is symbolized, but once the reader is familiar with the sound and structures, the symbols become transparent in terms of meaning/ instruction. One more qualifier for CESH needs to be mentioned. There are progressions/arrangements that use something akin to CESH, but not quite the same, especially with regard to the first CESH shown in Figure 7-A, which, by the way, is by far the most common of the four. A good example of a near-CESH appears in Michele Legrand's THE SUMMER KNOWS (Theme from the movie, summer of '42), where we see the progression F- C7/E - F-7/Eb. Since the bass note descends in half-steps, it sounds very similar to a CESH, but we can see that the 'static harmony' aspect is not really there, since there is more than one chord. The following tunes use CESH (categorized by variety): CESH in minor, with the root in motion ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
After The Loving A Taste Of Honey Besame Mucho Bittersweet Blood Count Blue Skies Bye Bye Blackbird Charade Dear Lord
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?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Feelings God Bless The Child Golden Lady In A Sentimental Mood In Walked Bud It Don't Mean A Thing It Only Takes A Moment Just In Time Masquerade Michelle More Music To Watch Girls Go By My Favorite Things My Funny Valentine Ralph's Piano Waltz 'Round Midnight Seventh Sign Summertime What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life The Way He Makes Me Fee
CESH in minor, with the fifth in motion: ?? ?? ?? ??
Israel James Bond Theme Meaning Of The Blues Memories Of You
CESH in major, with the root in motion: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Bojangles Ice Castles If Truly With A Little Help From My Friends You Are So Beautiful
CESH in major, with the fifth in motion: ?? ?? ?? ??
Brazil Idaho Lucky Southern Make Someone Happy
Other examples of CESH may be found in ?? ??
some Latin montunos, in the melodies to some bebop and blues tunes (i.e., CONFIRMATION and TENOR MADNESS), ?? and in improvisational patterns.
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C- - C-/Bb - Am7b5 This harmonic trait had to be rendered in lettered chord symbols because it has no name (yet) and because it cannot be rendered in Roman Numerals. There is a mild similarity to CESH, but they are not the same. The Am7b5 is usually functioning as II of G (major or minor). This progression appears in: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Angel Bolivia Day By Day Dolphin Dance I Fall In Love Too Easily Isn't It Romantic Little Dancer The Maestro Magic Morning On Green Dolphin Street Whisper Not
I - bVI7 (and/or bIIIm7) This progression is used in both major and minor. Many older standards used it, generally in the bVI7 version. In the bebop era, many of those standards were revived largely because they contained the bVI chord, so that beboppers could change it to one of their most- favored chords, the bIIIm7. OUT OF NOWHERE, INDIAN SUMMER, and JUST FRIENDS were among them. When the progression is in minor (Im - bVI7), it has a blues-like quality. In fact the blues scale of the Im, say Cm, with a scale of C - Eb - F - Gb - G - Bb - C, all of the notes except G also work with the Ab7 (bVI7 of Cm). Both the major and minor versions of the trait exist in some of the earliest jazz compositions (from the 20's), as some of the titles will show, yet it is still being used in present-day compositions. The following tunes are among those that use the I - bVI7 trait: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Angel Eyes Blues For Wood Cantaloupe Island Dolphin Dance Eye Of the Hurricane The Girl From Ipanema I Mean You Indian Summer Johnny Come Lately Jordu Just Friends Moanin' (Mingus', not Timmons') My Ideal
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?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Off Minor Oh, You Beautiful Doll Out Of Nowhere Out Of This World Resolution Senor Blues Spring Is Here Strollin' Toys Will You Still Be Mine
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More Recent Traits ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Polychords Slash Chords Sus4 Chords Major Sevenths with a +5 Pedal Point Repetitive Two-Chords, Chromatic Cells Sus4 to +4 Cell
The harmonic language undergoes frequent refreshings, thanks to creative musicians who are ever searching for new manners of expression. Such changes do not generally constitute a sweeping abandonment of time- honored traditions so much as they embellish and enhance those traditions. It is always difficult and risky to declare which of the newer expressions will take hold of the musical imaginations of both the creators and their audiences, thereby becoming a more permanent part of the tradition they seek to enhance. It is safer to sit back and wait for a reasonable period of time and observe subsequent outpourings, to see if the more recently created traits withstand the test of time, reappearing in numerous compositions by at least several present-day composers, and beginning to permeate the harmonic vocabulary of comping keyboardists. The more recent traits seem to center upon the general areas of chord-types and chord progressions (or chord connections). The newer chord-types are mostly "polychords" and "slash chords". Both have been around for some time, at least three or four decades, but the particular choices and manner of use by modern-day musicians are what make them items for discussion here. Figure 8-A shows the distinction between "polychords" and "slash chords" Figure 8-A
Polychords A "polychord", then, is a stacking of two (or more) chords, whereas a "slash chord" is a single chord with an assigned bass note. Polychords provide three advantages over conventional chords: 1. by selecting the appropriate upper chord (usually a triad), any desired verticle sonority may be achieved. For example, if a C7 with an added ninth, augmented eleventh, and thirteenth is needed, an upper triad of D major will provide the added notes. If only the thirteenth is desired, an A minor triad will add the thirteent h alone, as the C and E of the A minor triad already exist in the C7. If an augmented fifth and flatted ninth are needed, as in the first chord of the bridge of
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STELLA BY STARLICHT (a G7, if played in Bb) then a G# minor triad will supply those notes; 2. polychords uniquely, yet easily, organize the voicing of a chord into a very pleasing arrangement of chord members, and are easier to read quickly than conventional symbols with multiple arabic numerals attached; and 3. polychords can introduce unusual chord structures, previously thought to be illadvised or unthinkable, and cause them to sound acceptable, even desirable. For example, a musician would probably consider the use of an augmented eleventh and an augmented ninth (especially the latter) to be tantamount to musical suicide when used with a major seventh chord. Yet if a B major triad is superimposed over a C major seventh, the effect is exciting and even familiar, though the added B triad adds a D# (the augmented ninth of the C chord)! If indeed it sounds "familiar," it is likely because approximately half of the selections on the 1949-50 album, Birth Of The Cool, by Miles Davis, utilized that particular polychordal combination, especially on ending chords. It remains a popular choice of contemporary composers, arrangers, and keyboardists.1 1
A complete rendering of polychordal possibilities, along with their convenional equivalents, appears in ImprovingJazz, in Fig.17 (Coker, Simon and Schuster, 1964).
Slash Chords "Slash Chords" are a more recent development, most likely originating in non-jazz circles, especially classical and pop/rock styles, whenever a bass note other than the root was desired (corresponding to inverted chords, where the third, fifth, or seventh was used as a bass note). Jazz composers, however, developed slash chords into an entirely new mode of harmonic expression that is widely used in the present. Its development was first marked by using notes of the scale for bass notes, notes which often were not thirds, fifths, and sevenths, but ninths, elevenths, and thirteenths. This opened the door to using altered chord tones as bass notes, eventually leading to using even notes which were neither a chord member, a scale note, or an altered chord tone. The original version (revised since) of Ron Miller's WOOD DANCE2 used, as the second chord of the bridge, a C#m7 with a C bass! The revised version uses an E major triad with a C bass, causing the chord to sound like a C major seventh with an augmented fifth (+5),which is a milder sonority. Both versions are very enchanting, however. The point of all this is that the further development of slash chords by jazz musicians has opened up whole new vistas of verticle sonorities.3 Certain polychordal combinations and slash chords have emerged as especially popular among creative musicians. Among the favored polychords is the one discussed earlier, where a major triad is built off the major seventh of a major seventh chord (as in a B major triad over a C major seventh chord), and the adding of a major triad on the thirteenth (or sixth) of a dominant seventh chord (as in an A major triad over a C7), both shown in Figure 8-B.
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Figure 8-B
2
A play-along version of WOOD DANCE appears in The Music Of Ron Miller (Miller, Columbia Pictures Publ., 1986). 3 For a complete investigation of slash chord possibilities, refer to Modal Jazz Composition (Ron Miller, Advance Music, 1993). The polychord on the left side of Figure 8-B (A triad over C7) creates a relatively common sonority, sometimes referred to as the "diminished scale dominant," since that is the scale that perfectly expresses a dominant seventh with an altered ninth ( +9 or b9) and a natural thirteenth. Dizzy Gillespie used that sonority in many of his compositions and solos, dating back to the 1940's, so it has been around for awhile. Horace Silver began using that specific polychordal voicing in both his compositions and comping in the 50's. Nonetheless, it has since appeared in the compositions of Thelonious Monk (MONK'S MOOD), Wayne Shorter (INFANT EYES) and Herbie Hancock (DOLPHIN DANCE), and continues to be frequently used in the present. Some tunes use exceedingly long durations of the diminished scale dominant (four to nine measures), such as Woody Shaw's KATRINA BALLERINA, Shorter's WILD FLOWER, and David Baker's LE MIROIR NOIR. These tunes would be especially helpful to the reader in learning to hear the diminished scale dominant. As stated earlier, the other polychord in Figure 8-B also dates back to at least 1949, yet it continues to be in popular use today, though increasingly found as a "slash chord" (as in a B major triad over a C bass) rather than exclusively as a polychord. Examples of tunes which use that chord, either as a polychord or slash chord, are: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Lament For Booker (Hubbard) Pablo's Story (Liebman)4 Algo Bueno (Gillespie) Speak No Evil (Shorter) The Lieb (Miller) 'Round Midnight - Introduction (Monk)
4
Liebman recorded this tune for a play-along album, published by Advance Music for their Jazz Workshop Series. The pianist, Richie Beirach, seems quite taken with the polychord shown in Figure 8B, not merely using it in PABLO'S STORY, where it is part of the composition, but also in spontaneous comping and reharmonizations on other tunes on the album, the most
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striking example on the track, DAY AND NITE, where he uses that polychord in a chromatically ascending sequence for seven consecutive chords! It should interest the reader to learn that all of the specific tunes mentioned thus far are available in a play- along form, either from Aebersold (A New Approach To Jazz Improvisation, Vols. 9, 10, 11, 33, 40, 56, and 60), Jazz Workshop Series (Advance Music), Hal Crook's Creative Comping (Advance Music), or Dan Haerle's Tunes For Improvisation.
Sus 4 Turning our attention now to slash chords, by far the most popular chord-type is the dominant seventh chord with a suspended fourth, often referred to as simply a sus4 chord. It is not always symbolized as a slash chord. Figure 8-C illustrates some of the more common symbols in use at this time. Figure 8-C
The "sus 4 chord" has an interesting history. Classical composers of earlier centuries, especially J.S. Bach, frequently used what are called "4-3 suspensions" and "4-3 appogiaturas," but in either case the "dissonant" fourth always resolved to a "consonant" third. Such a resolution is not required in the jazz and pop music of today, as the sus4 is no longer regarded as a strong dissonance incapable of being indefinitely sustained. The 4-3 resolution is still used occasionally, but more often than not the fourth remains suspended for the duration of the chord. Billy Strayhorn, in one of the earliest uses of the chord, incorporated the sus4 chord twice in his highly-acclaimed composition LUSH LIFE, written in the early 30's when Strayhorn was fifteen years old! The chord-type remained relatively absent from use until Herbie Hancock's MAIDEN VOYAGE and DOLPHIN DANCE appeared shortly before 1970. MAIDEN VOYAGE was particularly stunning, in that the tune uses only four different chords, all with four- measure durations (two of them recur three times over the 32measure, AABA form). The Db-7 is the only chord that is not a sus4, and it only occurs once per chorus (see Figure 8-D).
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Figure 8-D
To be sure, the sus4 chord did appear in several places before MAIDEN VOYAGE, such as ?? ??
McCoy Tyner's PASSION DANCE, the second chord of FLAMENCO SKETCHES (from the Miles Davis album, Kind Of Blue), ?? the eight- measure interludes on the Davis recordings of DEAR OLD STOCKHOLM and IN YOUR OWN SWEET WAY, ?? and perhaps even MILESTONES, which many jazz improvisers think of as having long stretches in Gm, but there is a bass note of C, which makes it a C7 sus4 chord. Wayne Shorter and Bill Evans were also starting to use sus4 chords in their compositions around the same time, but it was the extraordinary popularity of MAIDEN VOYAGE that precipitated the sus4 chords becoming the most popular chord-type of our time. In subsequent years the sus4 chord has reappeared in more the manner of Strayhorn's LUSH LIFE as well, that is with relatively short durations of two to four beats. And composers like Ron Miller use the sus4 with considerable mobility and motion, as evidenced near the ends of the bridges of THE LIEB and NIGHT DANCER (see Figure 8-E)
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Figure 8-E
For those who might wish to focus on tunes which use longer durations of the chord, to facilitate learning to aurally recognize the sound of the sus4., all of the tunes in the following list have four or more measures of duration of the sus4 chord: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Barbara Fantasy In D Yes And No Maiden Voyage Seventh Sign Why Wait Passion Dance One Finger Snap Spidit Walkin' Up Little Dancer Train Shuffle Children Of The Night In Your Own Sweet Way (Davis version)
The historical perspective given on the sus4 chord brings up an interesting point. Why do some sonorities require so long to be discovered? Why are some discovered, then lie dormant for decades (as in Strayhorn's use of the sus4 in LUSH LIFE) and then re-emerge as an extremely popular sound? What is it that causes a sonority to suddenly burst into prominence? Does it take a widely-accepted tune (like MAIDEN VOYAGE, for example) to bring the chord-type into prominence? Then what causes them to diminish, even virtually disappear, with nearly equal swiftness? Are such chords akin to a passing fad? Do we tire of hearing them, at least whe n they are in profusion? At the turn of the twentieth century, diminished seventh chords, augmented triads, and whole-tone scales were extremely popular. By the 1950's they had virtually dropped out of sight. In the 50's and 60's, the diminished scale suddenly became popular (but applied to dominant sevenths, not diminished seventh chords), engendering countless "hip" patterns on the scale. Now the use of that scale has moderated to a much lower level.
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In the 60's the augmented scale and its chordal counterpart, the major seventh chord with an augmented fifth, began to emerge, and the popularity of that sound is still rising, its apex still in the future. The sus4 chord has reached its apex and will probably diminish somewhat over the next decade, but that's a risky guess. Other new sonorities are just beginning to attract attention, like the slash chord in which a major seventh with an augmented fifth has the seventh in the bass (as in a C major seventh with a G# for a fifth and a bass note of B), a sound that will be discussed later in this chapter. The point of all this is that chord-types and scales, in terms of their prominence, seem to have a life span, that is they seem to come and go. They won't disappear altogether, but will simply join a host of other harmonic "has beens." The extent of their prominence will vary, as will their longevity as harmonic "superstars." The lesson to be learned here is that we need to watch for new harmonic developments, learn to utilize them early, be cautious about predicting the time and durations of their novae, and be ready to moderate their use after they've passed their apexes.
Major 7 chords with a +5 Another prominent slash chord is a major triad with a bass note that is a major third interval below the root of the triad (as in an E major triad with a bass note of C). This is an alternate way to express a major seventh chord with an augmented fifth (see Figure 8-F). Figure 8-F
As stated earlier, this chord-type is still rising popularity, but already the following tunes use it: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Lost Illusion Ruth Nature's Folk Song Wood Dance Sail Away Hope Street Glass Mystery My Little Brown Book Lost Wild Flower
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Pedal Point The next slash chord, shown in Figure 8-G, is also still on the rise. It conveys a certain poignancy about it that touches the heart, hence it is often used at dramatic points within a song. It also sounds more like a chord born of "pedal point," and was used occasionally by Joni Mitchell in that manner, as in her composition of the 60's, COLD BLUE STEEL, for example. The chord often appears between two tonic major triads, so that the bass note remains on the root of the tonic chord. Figure 8-G
The slash chord shown in Figure 8-G has been used in the following compositions (more may be expected in the future): ?? ?? ?? ??
Midnight Mood Just The Way You Are (introduction) Abba Father A Child Is Born
The slash chord that is constructed as a major seventh chord with an augmented fifth, having the seventh as a bass note (discussed earlier) first came to notice in Herbie Hancock's LITTLE ONE, recorded by Miles Davis in the mid-sixties. Ron Miller was very taken with Hancock's composition, stating in his book, Modal Jazz Composition, that LITTLE ONE (and his subsequent analysis of it) forever changed his musical concepts. Miller wrote RUTH shortly thereafter, highlighting that chord-type, and subsequently used it in many other compositions. Like many of the slash chords, the bass note is usually played in octaves, similar to most examples of "pedal point" (see Figure 8-H). Figure 8-H
Because the chord shown in Figure 8-H so closely resembles a IIm7b5 with the dominant note (V) of an imaginary minor key (Im) in the bass, some conceive that 77
chord as the minor counterpart of the sus4 chord. To explain, the sus4 chord, even by virtue of some of the symbols for the chord, could be described as a combining of a IIm7 with its V (as a bass note), as in Dm7 (II) over a bass note of G (V). Its minor counterpart, then, would use a half-diminished seventh on II, instead of a minor seventh chord, but still using the dominant note in the bass. And just as the sus4 chord in major is often used as an entity, not needing to resolve to either V or I (as we found in MAIDEN VOYAGE, for example), the same is true of the chord- type shown in Figure 8-H. Though a relatively new and distinctive sound, this slash chord has already been used in the following tunes: ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Infant Eyes Ruth Angela Naima Seventh Sign Sail Away Nite Dancer Spring Song Train Shuffle Prism Wild Flower Glass Mystery Ralph's Piano Waltz Wood Dance Armando's Rhumba This Is For Albert
Although it is certainly not a new chord-type, nor is it a slash chord, the major seventh chord with an augmented fourth is worth mentioning in this chapter, not because of its structure, but because contemporary composers frequently either give it long durations or use it in parallel motion (as Ron Miller used the sus4 chords of THE LIEB and NITE DANCER, shown in Figure 8-E). Several of Joe Henderson's compositions use the major seventh (+4) extensively in this manner, as in BLACK NARCISSUS and INNER URGE. Others, like Woody Shaw and Chick Corea, like to use the chord in extended durations, with or without parallelisms. The following tunes are good examples of either extended durations or parallel uses of the major seventh chorl (+4): ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Inner Urge Loft Dance Litha Black Narcissus Wild Flower Windows The Intrepid Fox Desert Air Scotch And Water
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?? ??
Ralph's Piano Waltz In Case You Haven't Heard
Repetitive two chords/Chromatic cells Turning our attention now to chord progressions and chord connections, several tendencies can be noted. First of all, since contemporary tunes have generally moved away from cycle progressions and the II-V-I progression, as well as the short chord durations found in most standard and bebop tunes, we need to examine what seems to be replacing those traits. The sorts of chord-types discussed so far in this chapter are relatively ne w and unique, requiring longer for the hearer to assimilate the various complexities, and that helps to explain why the chord durations are generally longer than those used with more traditional chord-types. The advent of modal tunes also contributed to hoth the longer chord durations as well as the general absence of traditional concepts for chord connection. The newer chord-types don't fit so neatly into tonic-dominant concepts, and so the composer either is looking for contrast between one chord and another, or testing successive chords with the ear to arrive at a new kind of chord connection ( if it works, use it ! ) . Another tendency, probably influenced by pop and rock music, is to use considerably more repetition, often alternating evenly between two chords only. The rise in popularity of the "ostinato" or "vamp" also accounts for much of the repetition. And again, repetition also reduces the need for unusual chord-types and is lesschallenging for the hearer to assimilate. One of the tendencies, with regard to chord connection, is to follow a major seventh chord with an altered dominant (+5, +9) whose root is one half- step lower that the root of the major seventh chord (as in a C major seventh followed by a B7alt.). This is found in ?? ?? ?? ??
the last two chords of Joe Henderson's RECORDAME; the last two chords on Cedar Walton's BOLIVIA; the last two chords of the first ending of Wayne Shorter's WILD FLOWER; the last two chords of Chick Corea's FIVE HUNDRED MILES HIGH (except that he uses a minor chord instead of the major seventh); ?? the first two chords of the improvising section of SPAIN; ?? and twice in the last four bars of Walter Bishop Jr.'s CORAL KEYS. Note that five of the six tunes listed so far used the trait as the last two chords of the tune! Clare Fischer uses that sequence of chords in the thirteenth and fourteenth bars of the bridge of PENSATIVA, Walter Booker usues it as the first two chords of the improvising section of SAUDADE, and Benny Golson uses it in the third and fourth measures of STABLEMATES. Wayne Shorter's E.S.P. and Dan Haerle's SCOOTER both use that harmonic trait at the beginning of their tunes, but in a reverse order (as in B7alt. to C major seventh). With eleven entries for that trait, it is safe to say that this particular chord connection goes well beyond coincidence and can be considered to be a strong tendency.
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Of the repetitive variety of chord connection, we will discuss three significant tendencies. The first one has many variations, but they all bear a close resemblance, each moving repetitively between two chords whose roots are a half-step apart. The eight variations are shown in Figure 8-I. Figure 8-I
Using the numbers of each of the eight variations in Figure 8-I, the following lists will indicate the tunes which use those variations: 1. ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Witch Hunt El Gaucho Speak No Evil Fantasy In D Primal Prayer
?? ?? ??
Well You Needn't Pensativa Lush Life (in 2-beat durations)
?? ?? ??
Epistrophy (2-beat durations) Midnight Waltz Windows
2.
3.
4.
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?? ??
Bolivia Black Nile
?? ??
Clockwise Infant Eyes
?? ??
Little Sunflower (4-bar durations) Introspection
??
What Was (2-bar duration)
??
A Night In Tunisia
5.
6.
7.
8.
A second type of repetitive progression is shown in Figure 8-J, again alternating evenly between two chords, but this time the roots of the two chords are a whole step apart. There are two varieties, one using major sevenths for both chords, the other having dominant sevenths for both chords. Figure 8-J
The tunes which use the first progression in 8-J (1) are: ?? ?? ?? ??
Old Devil Moon The Maestro In Case You Haven't Heard (2-beat durations) Fantasy In D
The tunes which use the second progression in 8-J (2) are: ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Killer Joe Straight Life West Coast Blues On Broadway (2-beat durations) Seven Steps To Heaven (in the introduction)
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Sus4 to +4 cell The last repetitive progression trait is one which is just beginning to emerge. The only recorded example that might be relatively familiar to the reader is a tune recorded by the Brecker Brothers, called NOT ETHIOPIA. However, a few new tunes, yet unrecorded but known to the authors, use the trait. More importantly, it is beginning to permeate the comping style of many prominent keyboardists, which is a strong indication that the trait will find its way into a considerable number of compositions in the near future. Ron Miller, a composer who always seems to be on the leading edge of his craft, has already used the trait itl several compositions. Figure 8-K
Note that, unlike the repetitive progressions shown in Figures 8-I and 8-K, the roots of the two chords are the same , only changing in chord-type . The change is very subtle as well, only involving the change of one note, since both chord-types are within the same chord family (dominant sevenths). The effect, however, is especially pleasing another reason why it will most likely come into prominence. Keyboardists are beginning to utilize the trait in any tune which has sus4 chords in durations of four or more measures, such as MAIDEN VOYAGE, or eight- measure interludes on a single sus4, like the one Miles Davis added between each chorus of Brubeck's IN YOUR OWN SWEET WAY.
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