April in Paris Arrangement - Weird Chords on Score

[Mick-7]

Why it’s written the way it is is confusing.

The chord symbols represent exactly what the entire horn ensemble is playing, which is kind of absurd - and the piano player sits most of it out, guess he only wanted to offend the guitarist.

[AllanAllen]

They really don’t like us do they.

[ragman1]

I think if it was me I'd just play the top triad and the root note of the bottom chord. It's impossible to play most polychords properly.

So Eb over Db7: 9x888x

Db over B7: 7x666x

B over A7: x0987x

resolves nicely to BbM7: 6x776x

[setemupjoe]

Why would they only do it at the end?

Wouldn’t the whole chart note the horn extensions if what you’re proposing is correct?

I’m not proposing anything. I’m telling you how polychords are notated. It’s not my opinion, it’s fact. The reason why it’s not written elsewhere is because he’s not using polychords anywhere else.

[ragman1]

Allan -

It's all here. It's very short.

Polychords

[AllanAllen]

I’m not proposing anything. I’m telling you how polychords are notated. It’s not my opinion, it’s fact. The reason why it’s not written elsewhere is because he’s not using polychords anywhere else.

I appreciate you all walking me through it.

[Mick-7]

Allan -

It's all here. It's very short.

Polychords

The distinction they made in that essay between a slash chord written with a horizontal line vs a forward slash is notable, e.g., E/A (A triad with E bass note), vs E|A (E triad over A triad, with that line being horizontal rather than vertical). If writers actually followed it, much of the confusion re: slash chords would vanish.