The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    I woke up early this morning (5 am) for a shift at work. The day started frosty but really heated up around noon. By the time I got on the bus at the end of the day I was too hot and tired to listen to anything lively, so I just played a bunch of ballads on my iPod. I decided right then and there that I was going to write a chord melody for Central Park West, a new one for Blue and Green, and one for Nancy with the Laughing Face.

    What are you guys' favourite ballads right now, and how come?
    Last edited by gravitas; 05-24-2009 at 10:48 PM.

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  3. #2

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    I love Blame it on My Youth, the lyrics get me every time.

    MW

  4. #3

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    A Child is Born... it's just flat out beautiful.
    Last edited by fep; 05-25-2009 at 01:11 AM. Reason: spelling

  5. #4

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    Yes the Kenny Burrell version of A Child is Born or God Bless the Child. Or Parker's My Old Flame, Embraceable and The Gypsy. Bill Frisell's What the world needs now. KB for the beatiful guitar tone, Bird foe the phrasing, and Bill F for the textures.
    Last edited by Dirk; 12-04-2019 at 08:42 AM.

  6. #5

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    neal hefti's li'l darlin, for the sly beauty of the melody.

    j. fred coots' you go to my head, for the harmonic twists around a simple theme.

    vernon duke's autumn in new york, for the perfect integration of sophisticated melody, harmony, and lyric content, which conveys a sympathetic glimpse of another place and time.

  7. #6

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    Autumn in New York is a gorgeous tune too... There's a great version of it by Jonathan Kreisberg up on Youtube


  8. #7

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    right now, i'm really enjoying playing

    september song

    you go to my head (as a slow ballad)

    alone together

    and possibly my favorite ballad, if i should lose you.

  9. #8

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    I have always liked "You Go To My Head" and "When Sunny Gets Blue" for chord melodies.

    wiz

  10. #9

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    My personal favorites are At Last, Nightingale Sang in Barkely Square, My Funny Valentine and Deep in a Dream by Helen Merrill backed up by Jim Hall.

  11. #10

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    I´m not sure if it qualifies as a ballad but it gotta be Whisper Not. Specially that version with Jim Hall and Art Farmer on their CTI realese.

    Heartbreakingly beautiful.

    I´ll add Japanese Folk Song by Thelonious Monk with the fantastic Charlie Rouse.
    Last edited by wasane; 05-26-2009 at 06:11 PM.

  12. #11

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    I'd have to say "My Romance", and "I Thought About You".

  13. #12

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    my favorite is my funny valentine

  14. #13

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    Unforgettable

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by wasane
    I´m not sure if it qualifies as a ballad but it gotta be Whisper Not. Specially that version with Jim Hall and Art Farmer on their CTI realese.
    Which CTI album is that? I've got Concierto and Commitment. Is it a Farmer album or Hall?

  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Banksia
    Which CTI album is that? I've got Concierto and Commitment. Is it a Farmer album or Hall?
    Big Blues (1978).

    I can´t recommend enough that record.

    that whole band just sounds amazing, i can say one of my all times favourite.

    Farmer, Jim Hall, Mike Mainieri (vibes), Mike Moore (amazing job on bass!) and rarely, Steve Gadd on drums.

    I have to add that this Farmer (primarly on flugelhorn) it feels a lot like Kenny Wheeler (wich we may add here as a master balladeer! // dont know if that makes sense, sorry but english it´s not my language).
    Last edited by wasane; 05-26-2009 at 09:42 PM.

  17. #16

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    Thanks wasane. I'm sure Farmer is on the Commitment album as well. Not sure if Hall picked him because he had Chet Baker do some very nice work on Concierto. Chet knows a thing or two about playing ballads, but then Farmer has a beautiful tone.

    I always thought CTI from 65-late 70s put together some amazing session bands. I think they had Cobham/Carter/Hancock on all the early Bensons.

  18. #17

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    I'd have to say My Funny Valentine, specifically the Jimmy Smith version from "Groovin' at Smalls' Paradise" with Eddie McFadden on guitar and a drummer I can't remember. I also like Clifford Brown's versions of What's New (him with strings and the vocal version with Helen Merrill). I also like Chet Baker's "You're Mine, You" with just a guitar backing him up. I wish I knew who the guitarist was.

  19. #18

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    Too Young to Go Steady
    I Can't Get Started
    Soul Eyes

  20. #19

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    Skylark, You Don't Know What Love Is and ... probably my favourite ballad is ... My One and Only Love.

  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by bkdavidson
    I'd have to say My Funny Valentine, specifically the Jimmy Smith version from "Groovin' at Smalls' Paradise" with Eddie McFadden on guitar and a drummer I can't remember. I also like Clifford Brown's versions of What's New (him with strings and the vocal version with Helen Merrill). I also like Chet Baker's "You're Mine, You" with just a guitar backing him up. I wish I knew who the guitarist was.
    kenny burrell

  22. #21

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    +1 on You Go To My Head
    Romain by Jim hall and Bill Evans
    All Across the City by Jim hall

    and to break the rule, Django done a a ballad,

  23. #22

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    round midnight!

  24. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by Luan
    round midnight!
    Hehe, I get to sight read that one on a gig today


  25. #24

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    Yeah it's a hard one.

  26. #25

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    Good news: Round Midnight got called on account of rain.

    Nobody's career was hurt in the typing of this message