Cry Me a River – Jazz Guitar Chord Melody

Arthur Hamilton composed Cry Me a River in 1953. The tune gained wide attention when Julie London recorded it two years later, with Barney Kessel on guitar. It has since become a jazz standard, recorded by Joe Pass, Diana Krall, and many others.

In this lesson, you will learn a chord-melody version played over a backing track.

Form: AABA (32 bars)
Key: Eb major

Most of the melody in the A-sections stays inside the Eb major scale, going to the Eb blues scale at the end of each section (bars 7, 15, and 31).

The bridge modulates to G minor, with most of the melody in the G melodic minor scale. The end of the bridge (bar 23) modulates to G major.

The chords used for the harmonisation are mostly drop-2 and drop-3 voicings.

 

Recommended Listening:

• • Julie London (with Barney Kessel) – Julie Is Her Name (1955)
  • Tony Mottola – Warm, Wild, and Wonderful (1968)
  • Bucky Pizzarelli – Green Guitar Blues (1972)
  • Joe Pass & Ella Fitzgerald – Duets in Hannover (1975)
  • Diana Krall – The Look of Love (2001)
  • Jeff Beck – Emotion & Commotion (2010)

 

 

 

Backing Track

Listen & Play-ALong

 

 

Related Lesson: Cry Me a River – Barney Kessel Intro