Re: [Harp-L] II V I

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

michael rubin wrote:
>Are you saying that during a C7, even if the rhythm player does not
>sub the actual chord with an Eb7, F#7 or A7, the melody player can jam
>using the Eb, F# and A mixolydian scale?

Basically, yes.  What this will do is introduce a lot of tension into the lines, because after all the scales are not the same, and some scale tones will be very dissonant.  

For example, related to a C7 chord, an A mixolydian scale contains the following scale tones:
A (6)
B (major 7)
C# (flat 9)
D (2)
E (3)
F# (#4)
G (5)

The third (C#-flat 9) and 6th (F#-sharp 4) notes are particularly dissonant, but frequently found in jazz lines.  

The key to using the dissonance, of course, is understanding where the dissonant tones resolve--what they point to.  As a general rule, dissonances resolve downwards.  But this rule is frequently broken.  

Regards, Richard Hunter

author, "Jazz Harp"
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