Help - Improv on Night in Tunisia

[L_Totti]

I'm not a Jazz player (even though I'm a huge Jazz fan), but my blues/jam band decided to play A Night in Tunisia and I'm having problems improvising over it. The progression is (in Cm):
Db7 | Cm7 | Db7 | Cm7 | Db7 | Cm7 | Dm7b5 G7 | Cm7

I'm having problems because of the Db7 (Sub V), as I'm not used to this kind of harmony. What scales can I use over it? How can I improve my playing over this kind of harmony?


Thanks.

[bako]

Db Eb F G Ab Bb Cb

[swampguide]

To keep things simple, C minor pentatonic with an added blue note (Gb) will work over this progression. If you're playing this at a fast enough tempo, just treating the Db7 as a G7 will sound OK. If you want to try and play exactly over the Db7, try using Db7 arpeggios (i.e. chord tones) to start. This approach means you only need to know C minor pentatonic (which you probably already know) and Db7 arpeggios.

[M-ster]

Originally Posted by bako

Db Eb F G Ab Bb Cb

bako's response is perhaps the most succinct possible answer to your question, L.

Essentially, in all the bars that aren't C-, you can use Ab melodic minor, which is the collection of notes that bako provided.

[JonnyPac]

The Cm's are commonly played as Cm6 type "tonic minor" chords. Often the b7th is omitted in place of the M6 (this makes it sound more like a tonic instead of a chord in transit). C Dorian (favoring the 6th), C Melodic Minor, and/or Cm6/9 hexatonic outlines (C D Eb F G A) work really well.

The Db9#11 is a tritone sub for the V7 G7ALT; Ab Melodic Minor is the parent scale in either case. Db Lydian Dominant is the exact name for the pitch collection.

PS this chord progression is usually played as Eb7#11 Dm6 (up one step from the key you are working on). Transpose if need be.

Good luck!

[L_Totti]

Thanks guys.

Fist , we're playing it in Cm because Dm is too high for our vocalist.
I'm using the Ab melodic minor , but I'm having better results with the Cm + the blue note and the Db7 arpeggio like Swampguide suggested. Mixing these with some notes of the Ab melodic minor is also really nice. I guess I'll eventually learn how to use the Ab melodic minor , just need to get used to use it.

I'll see what will happen in tomorrow's rehearsal.
Thanks a lot.

[Richard-H]

I was taught this tune as //:Eb9 Dm+7://Em7b5 A7/Dm /.

On guitar I voiced the Dm+7 as an Aaug and left it to the bass player to play the root D.

This gives it a nice spacey feel.

The Sax player that taught this too me could blow over this great. I couldn't figure out how to improv off of it to save my life.

[aniss1001]

The most natural / inside sound to me would be a Db lydian b7 scale. That is the 4th mode of melodic minor. It's just a mixolydian with a raised 4th. But of course you can interpret the Db chord in different ways....