Every Jazz Musician knows what a Fake-book is. We've all played songs based on lead-sheets, where the chords are just an approximation of what really is going on in the song's progression. Although Jazz harmony is very similar to Traditional Tonal Harmony, it is also packed with functions borrowed from modes other than the standard source... Continue Reading →
Here's a song by Billy Strayhorn that I've always loved and never fully analyzed until writing The Jazz Standards Progressions Book. I've been fascinated by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn compositions since the first time I heard an Ellington album, about thirty years ago. Since then I greatly enjoyed their rich harmonies, rhythmic vocabulary and... Continue Reading →
Here's a musical concept nobody taught me at school. While analyzing 1000+ jazz tunes for The Jazz Standards Progressions Book, I noticed a great number of songs in major keys tonicize the IV degree at the beginning of the bridge. It's usually preceded by the V/IV, landing on the IV at the beginning of the... Continue Reading →
In the process of writing The Jazz Standards Progressions Book Series I realized the need to express a very common harmonic event with a new symbol. So far we had solid and dotted arrows and brackets to express II-V relationships and their resolutions. However there isn't any symbol to show a Major 7th chord that... Continue Reading →
Since the release of The Jazz Standards Progressions Book where I analyzed 1000+ songs I have been asked many times for a list of essential jazz standards. I do not want to promote uniformity in repertoire nor do I believe in programatic lists. Jazz is a personal intuitive journey. What I do believe in is finding... Continue Reading →
Key: F major Form: 32 Bars - A (8), B(8), A'(16) Full Harmonic Analysis with functions, chord-scales and arrows & brackets: Source: The Jazz Standards Progressions Book Volume 1
Key: Ab major Form: 36 Bars - A (8), A'(8), B(8), A''(12) Full Harmonic Analysis with functions, chord-scales and arrows & brackets: Source: The Jazz Standards Progressions Book Volume 1
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