Been waiting for this for long time!

[Giant Steps]

I've wanted to talk musician to musician for a very long time but people didn't seem to take to it very well. Now, there's a forum devoted to it!

So I think it's only appropriate in a jazz forum to start out talking about the ii-V-I. So, this thread is for anything ii-V-I.

Good Cheese,
-GS-

[Pete Souders]

as one poor soul who has been playing for a long time, and is still trying to gain fluency in ii/V's, I'll make a suggestion, and start a sort of sub-strand of this thread.
suggestion: One of the hardest things for me is negotiating those nasty "chromatic" ii/V's with any fluency whatsover, like the ones in Moment's Notice. It just occured to me that it might be a good thing to practice - alternately - the ii/V's that start off Moment's Notice (starting w the Em7 and then the next one a half step up) and Stablemates, which starts at the same place, with the next ii/V a half step DOWN! (EbM/Ab7).
the Substrand:
What are some of the best tunes on which to practice ii/V's and why (what challenges do they present)
I'll start with the above two, and then add a few:
Moment's Notice - ascending chromatic ii/V's (right at beginning, which makes it kind of convenient)
Stablemates - descending
Cherokee - in bridge - descending - in whole steps, and each extends over a longer boundary (4 bars).
will add more later

[David]

Joe Henderson's Recorda Me -- you get in some dorian modes and latin feel as well as some descending ii-V's

Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise -- don't forget about the minor ii-V's! And you can listen to Rollins to get some good ideas -- I am a piano player, not a sax player, but transcribed part of his stuff on that tune because it was just unbelievable!

[Pete Souders]

a few more tunes-
Straight Street - John Coltrane
On A Misty Night - Tad Dameron's recasting of September in the Rain with chromatic ii/V's in bridge
Benny Carter tunes are great for ii/V's, but Summer Serenade is especially so.
Have You Met Miss Jones - ii/V's in bridge, and they go down in minor 3rd's.

[Phil Kelly]

Keep in mind that a lot of Brazilian music utilizes very sophisticated harmonic practices..

Check out Ivan Lins, Jobim, Edo Lobo ..

Lobo's "Canto Triste" is based on one of the most gorgeous harmonic sequences I've ever heard ..

[David]

How about Wave? That tune is not easy to improvise on and contains some really unique harmonic sequences. Gorgeous, though!

[Pete Souders]

re 'Wave'

it's (usually at least) in the key of D, isn't it - that forces you to some places you don't usually go!

[Phil Kelly]

Originally posted by Pete Souders
re 'Wave'

it's (usually at least) in the key of D, isn't it - that forces you to some places you don't usually go!

Dont forget ..a lot of Brazilian stuff is written on guitar, hence the predilection for sharp keys ..Ivan Lins has written a lot of stuff in A, E , as well as D or G..

its good to have to woodshed in those keys .. keeps you on yer toes :D

I love the turnaround in bar 7 of Wave ..

F#13 C7 11# F# mi7 B7 9b etc ...

[David]

Yeah -- by the time I reach the chords of the bridge (and I usually do some substitutions) it's like my playing breathes a sigh of relief... :)

[Seba]

I love tritone substitutions, it's so great to solo over Abm7-Db7 and then go to Cmaj or even Dm7-G7...
Some of Shorter's tunes have them (e.g. 2nd last bar of E.S.P), a lot of Budd Powell,...