1.On bar 1 the Real book Volume 1 shows "Eb-/D /Db"
Am I correct in assuming this is an Eb minor chord with a seventh, D, in the bass for the first two beats and a flat seventh, Db for the next two beats?
2.In bar 6 there is a chord that says Ab7b5. Am I correct that this is not an Abm7b5 chord? Is this is a new type chord (to me), 1, 3, 5b, 7b? Ab C D Gb?
3. In the 7th bar of the B section, or bar 23, there are two chords, Db9 and Cb9. This is not a D and a C a chord with a flat 9th on top, these are standard ninth chords with Db and Cb as their roots?
4. If the Cb9 chord in bar 23 really signifies a B9 chord, why did they write it as Cb9, especially considering there are other chords with a B root in the song? Thanks!
Great subject Michael. Life would be so much more boring without Monk.
I'm early into theory as well as learning this song but have had some early success in piecing the song together by ear with a Bb harp and am really enjoying the beginning stages of learning this brilliant composition.
It comes out really, really nice on harp and runs you through some unusual riffs while exploiting some of the more beautiful bends made possible by harmonica. As simple and slow as the thing seemed to me at first, some of the twists and permutations in the music are a challenge for me to pick up on, play well, and remember. I've had to tab some of it out for myself and I'm not sure that my tabs are not "wrong" in places. No mind, it's really a ball trying to learn this tune.
I look forward to having the knowledge some day to be able to understand music theory at the level to which your questions pertain. That would be cool.
If you or anyone else here should feel inclined, I sure hope that you would consider posting a vid of yourself playing this classic and great composition. Thanks.
Last Edited by on Dec 22, 2011 2:20 PM
there are many versions of this song, and harmonizations. sometimes fake/realbooks can be tricky to read it.
1. I would go for Ebm, Ebm/D, Ebm/Db, Ebm/Db. one beat on each. 1234.
2. Some people go to Gbmaj7 here, what is the first your book says? Ebm7? If that is, Ab7 is logic afterwards. otherwise as well. tbe b5 add on, notationwise, it hard to find exact arguments of why to use. same sounds as #11, but b5 makes the person shading chords "not" playing a fifth at all, which they might have used if it said to be a Ab7#11. The notes you write is right.
3. yes in Gb major / Eb minor, Cb is a natural note, B is not. (sounds the same...) Other places, did they write F#m7 before? then its feels better to write B9 afterwards. to make it a 2-5.
hope that helps! Best, FJ ---------- http://www.filipjers.com
Last Edited by on Dec 22, 2011 2:45 PM
This a really tough song to tackle bro...as a jazz saxophonist for over 20 yrs I can say, this song is one of my all time fans and also most difficult.
the chords notated as Ebmin, Ebmin/D, Ebmin/Db are to reflect what most bass players would play(like the original recording)...the notes on the bottom are what to be played in the left hand by the piano...the bar in question is primarily Ebmin.
I will talk Modally about number 2. The mode to play over any min7b5 is Locrian. you are correct in the notes 1 - b3 - b5 - b7. the locrian scale formula is 1, ?2, ?3, 4, ?5, ?6, ?7 if you are in the training key of C major, it's a scale that starts on B and ends on B played with the key signature of C.
3. you are correct they are Dominant 9 chords. the formula is 1-3-7-9
4. The Cb7 chord is kinda hard to explain but it has to do with Chord substitutions and giving the piano and bass options...Cmin7b5 can be used as a sub and has three notes in common with Cb7b9 and F7 has two notes in common with Cb7 (three with Cb7b5) so the tonality is related. They can be considered substitutions for each other. Pianist like options.
we are starting to get into some high level stuff.....
absorb and respond..... ---------- JB http://www.facebook.com/jbharmonica jbustillos@gmail.com
Sorry....I believe it's supposed to be a Ab7...I would also go with Filip's analysis too....but now we are getting into Tritone Substitutions! ---------- JB http://www.facebook.com/jbharmonica jbustillos@gmail.com
there is a brief false key change in the "A" section to the subdominant of Ab. The modulation, which provides some very nice descending guide-tones, is Bm7-E7-Bbm7-Eb7.
The “B” section is based on a vi7(b5) -II7 -V7 progression which uses a tri-tone substitution for the II7, allowing the bass line to descend chromatically. This repeats twice and then continues on down. The progression we might expect to hear would be a ii7 -V7 -I in Gb major ---------- JB http://www.facebook.com/jbharmonica jbustillos@gmail.com
#2 It "has" to be an Ab7. If it would have been a Abm7b5, it would have followed by a dominant, Db7. Called IIm7b5-V7, Or it could have been used as a chromatic descending thing, like Abm7b5-Gm7,Gb7-Fm7, or so, but then we are in another key. Its called the #IVm7b5. The song "Night and Day" uses this.
I thought more about b5 instead of #11, b7 really makes it sound more like "wholetone" instead of mixolydian #11/lydian dominant. And what I know, Monk loved wholetone.. If the chord is notated #11 - you "should" play the notes under it, to be clear. Ab-Eb-Gb-Bb-D, But mostly people leave out the fifth, because its sounds "old". A fifth is the most stable intervall, and talking that one away really add tension to the game.
JB is right about the tritone sub on the Cb7. The lines starts on Eb7-Db7-Cb7 and then Bb7 - back to Ebm. Eb-Db-Cb = also wholetone.. The Db7 is also "odd", but its called the tritone-dominant to the VI chord. Logical it would go to Cm7 or C7, lead by a G7-but here tritone sub-so Db7, but Monks genius takes places and take away that "known" feeling.
Some music is made out of theory and some on just that it sounds cool.
Best,F
---------- http://www.filipjers.com
Last Edited by on Dec 23, 2011 2:42 AM
So much of the real book changes are harmonies that are in the mind of the editor...there is more than one way to look at the voicings, hence the different opinions on the changes.
do what the editors did - refer to the original and use your ears to decide what harmonic titles work for you - at your level.
remember, most chords are defined by major or minor 3rds and dominant or major 7ths, or sometimes a maj 6th instead of a 7th. a few chords leave out the 3rd in favor of a 4th. any extensions beyond this are colors ---------- The Iceman
Last Edited by on Dec 23, 2011 8:03 AM
