Re: [Harp-L] II V I

["John Kerkhoven" <solo_danswer@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

To add another question to the mix, for diatonic players who wish to dip
their toes into jazz waters, what is the best way to go?

-- for the major patterns, it sounds like a country-tuned harp would be the
way to go
-- it also sounds like straight harp is good too

It may be better to ask the question two ways -- whether or not you can
overblow with some ease. I can, but would like to hear opinions on this
either way.

Here's another spin on the jazz question:

Dave Therault's The Deb. Cminor on an Ab harp. (Someone correct me if I am
wrong.) No overblows or overdraws. What are the chord changes on this tune?
Is this a II V I?

John



> There are two kinds of II V I's, major and minor.  In a major pattern
> in the key of C, the II would be a D minor 7, the V would be a G7 and
> the I would be a C major 7.  The most appropriate scale over the II
> would be a D dorian scale (otherwise thought of as a mode of C major),
> the most appropriate scale for the G7 would be G mixolydian (otherwise
> thought of as G major) and the most appropriate scale for the Cmaj7
> would be C major.  That means you could play the C major scale over
> all the bars of that pattern.
>
> In Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me by Ellington/Russell, found on
> page 107 of The Real Book Volume II Second edition, The first chord is
> Gmaj7.  This does not look like a II V I, but the very last bar of the
> tune is split into chords played for two beats.  The chords are A-7
> and D7, The II and V of G.  When song returns to the beginning of the
> tune it completes the II V I.
>
> The next chords in the tunes second bar (two beats each) are D-7 and
> G7.  The next bar is Cmaj7.  That is a II V I in C.  So the first (and
> last bar) of the song is G major and the second and third bar is C
> major.  At the second ending of the A section moving into the B
> section there is a II V I in Eb.  There are other examples in the song
> that you can locate now that you hopefully get the idea.
>
> I see major II V I's EVERYWHERE and not just in jazz.
>
> The other II V I is minor and it is what we have been discussing.  I
> am new to really exploring this idea and do not have a tune right off
> of my head.  I just searched thru the real book and found lots of
> examples that were close to this pattern with slight alterations in
> the chord but after 10 minutes awake without coffee, I am done
> researching.  Tag, anyone?
> Michael Rubin
> Michaelrubinharmonica.com
>
> On 1/9/10, Mick Zaklan <mzaklan@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >   You know, for years I've been hearing about how essential it is to
know
> > how to play this chord progression.  That it encompasses many jazz tunes
and
> > standards.  But everytime I ask a musician to name an actual freaking
tune
> > that follows this progression, all I get are vague answers.  "Oh, there
are
> > many tunes" or "you've heard it a million times" or "you'll know it when
you
> > hear it".  Or "you've probably played it before, you just didn't realize
> > it".  I'm beginning to believe that it's a hoax.
> >   If I pick up a C harp and attempt to string a few bars together
playing
> > in the keys of D, G, and C, it makes absolutely no sense to me.  I can't
> > imagine what sequence these chords or keys would be organized into and
what
> > sort of popular, well-known melody would fit over it.
> >   So, somebody please give me a straight answer.  Name a tune.  Because
I'm
> > telling you, I've asked around about this and I'm tired of hearing "oh,
that
> > progression is all over the place".
> >
> > Mick Zaklan
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