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Minor ii-V-i Progression Course UPDATED
The major and minor ii-V-I progressions are the most common chord progressions in jazz. This course will show you how to derive minor ii-V-i progressions from their parent scales, how to identify them and how to recognize them in tunes.
Arpeggio + Approach Pattern = Flashy Lick
Arpeggios are a sure bet when soloing. When in doubt, you can always play an arpeggio and it will sound good. And by combining an arpeggio with an approach pattern, you can build a flashy run that falls under your hand well and can be played blazingly fast all the way up the keyboard.
Anthony Wonsey uses this technique in the solo piano intro to Just in Time (at about 0:18) from his 2004 Sharp Nine trio album Blues for Hiroshi.
Over the F7 he plays a 35b79 arpeggio and then a chromatic from below/double chromatic from above/chromatic from below combination approach pattern. From here he just repeats the pair for two more octaves.
He plays a similar lick in the A section of his solo to the tune.
To learn more about that lick as well as other improvisational techniques that he uses watch the Improvising Over Just in Time course where a chorus of his solo is analyzed to see how he uses chord tones, arpeggios, chord scales and approach patterns to build his solo.
The Altered Scale in Jazz Improvisation
The altered scale (sometimes abbreviated as "alt" in chord progressions) is a handy scale to know. It offers all of the possible alterations to the dominant seventh chord: b9, #9, #11, b5 and b13.
The alt scale is the seventh mode of the melodic minor scale. The F alt scale (above) is the seventh mode of the Gb melodic minor scale (below).
One way to learn the notes of the alt scale is to think of it as the first five notes of the h/w symmetric dominant scale and the last four of a whole tone scale.
In his solo over the changes to "In Your Own Sweet Way," from his 2004 Sunnyside release, "The Night's of Bradley's," Kirk Lightsey plays a lick that fits nicely over the F alt scale.
To see this lick in action, watch the Improvising Over In Your Own Sweet Way course.
The "Improvising Over . . ." series of courses provides insight into how to improvise over the chord changes to important tunes in the jazz repertoire. Based on a transcription of a master musician improvising over the changes to a standard jazz tune, each course describes how the soloist uses chord tones, arpeggios, chord scale passages, approach patterns and other improvisational techniques to develop their solo.
The Dave Brubeck standard, "In Your Own Sweet Way," presents a challenge to improvisors: how to solo over a progression that spans a wide range of keys at a fast tempo. It starts in G minor, moves to Bb, Gb, D, C and then Db in it's thirty-two bars.
Kirk Lightsey sheds some light on this problem in his recording of the tune on his 2004 Sunnyside release, "The Night's of Bradley's." Watch as the transcription of his solo is analyzed for the four components of melodic construction and gain insight into his improvisational concept to inform your own approach to soloing over this tune.
Parallel Minor Modal Interchange Chords
Modal interchange is the borrowing of chords from another key center. Parallel minor modal interchange chords are chords that are borrowed from the parallel minor usually in a major key context. We see this concept in action in Taylor Eigsti's introduction to his tune "Midnight After Noon" on his recording "Daylight at Midnight" as demonstrated in the course, Artist Voicings: Taylor Eigsti.
In the eighth and ninth measures he plays beautiful drop 2 voicings over F#-7 and Emaj7, two chords that are not found in C# major, the key of the tune. Listen to it at 0:24.
By borrowing these chords from the parallel minor key he is able to incorporate harmonic interest with the additional chromaticism not available with just the diatonic chords of the major key.
This is a common technique used in many tunes. Cole Porter's "Night and Day" is perhaps the most conventional example of parallel minor modal interchange chords. The tune is in C major but the first two chords, D-7b5 and G7b9, are the i-7b5 and V7b9 chords borrowed from C minor.
George Gershwin's "Embraceable You" uses these same chords too.
Tadd Dameron's "Lady Bird" borrows the iv-7 and the bVIl7 from C minor.
To learn more about these chords watch the Artist Voicings: Taylor Eigsti course. Three voicing techniques from the beautiful solo piano introduction to Taylor Eigsti's tune "Midnight After Noon" from his 2010 Concord Records release, "Daylight at Midnight," are examined in this course: a dramatic voicing without a third, an ascending major chord line cliche and rich drop 2 voicings. Learn how he uses them, the theory that makes them work and strategies for incorporating these devices into your own playing.
Check out the entire tune on Taylor Eigsti's 2010 Concord Jazz release "Daylight at Midnight."
Christmas Record Review 2023
Just six tunes on this EP, one a duet with Gregory Porter (see below) and four of them tried-and-true Christmas standards lushly and conservatively arranged and produced. Her voice is something to behold.
Christian Sands | Christmas Stories
The first four tunes on this album are going to be on heavy rotation at my house this Christmas. Fresh takes on four of the most standard Christmas standards that make you want to listen to them again and again.
Gregory Porter | Christmas Wish
He could sing computer code and it would be oustanding music. His voice transcends this big, sentimental production.
George Gee Swing Orchestra | Winter Wonderland
If the opening track doesn’t get you in the Christmas spirit nothing will. Outstanding big band jazz that just happens to be Christmas music.
