Re: [Harp-L] II V I

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

A tune that comtains both major and minor ii-V-I's is Autumn Leaves.

let's put the tune in E minor (Toots likes to play it in G minor). 

The chords of the A part go

Am7 D7 GMaj7 CMaj7 F#m7b5 B7 Em

Notice how the chord roots go around the circle of fifths

Now the first three chords are ii-V-I in G Major. (Am7-D7-G)

But then they continue through the IV chord (CMaj7), the VII chord (F#m7b5). So far this is all compatible with the key of G major - all the chords are built on the notes of the G major scale.

But the next chord, B7, doesn't belong in the key of  G major. It has a D#, which is not part ofo the scale.

B7 is the V chord in the key of E, and indeed the next chord is E minor. F#m7b5 is the II chord, B7 is the V and E minor is the I chord, so we have a ii-V-i in E minor.

The entire progression viewed from E minor could be described as iv-VII-III-VI-ii-V-i.

Another place you'll find ii-V I's is at the end of the jazz-style 12-bar blues. Instead of going V-IV-I it usually goes II-V-I.

II-V-Is are built into the common "salty dog" progression, where you might go

C - A7-Dm-G7, which is I-VI7-ii-V. You can ehar this in "Heart and Soul" and "Santa Catalina" for two examples.

The progression of George Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm" is the basis for the 32-bar song form comomnly called rhythm changes, which underly a lot of jazz tunes. This incorporates the salty dog progression in the A part:

C-A7-Dm7-G7  C-A7-Dm7-G7

C - C/E - F - F#dim7 - C/G G7 C

This forms part of a AABA form, where you play the A part twice, then play a B part, then play the A aprt a ast time.  The B part would go:;

E7 E7 A7 A7 D7 D7 G7 G7

Which is like a cascading series of V-I candences, but with each new I being the V to the next chord until you arrive back at the V chord of the original key.

Sonny Rollins' Saint Thomas also uses a salty-dog progression:

C C A7A7 Dm7 G7 C (repeat)

E7 Am Dm7 G7 C C7 F Fm Dm7 G7 C

Note the use of both II-Vs and II-V-like progressions.

These are just the examples that come to mind before my morning coffee.

Winslow


Winslow Yerxa

Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5


On 1/9/10, Mick Zaklan <mzaklan@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>   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