The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    In Jazz Guitar Today there's an article on Jazz Blues changes. One variation he calls the "Lewis Changes".

    I'm not asking anything about the changes themselves. I'm just asking about the name. Has anybody ever heard of the "Lewis Changes"? If so who was Lewis? I can't find anything about this.

    Here's a link to the article. The Lewis Changes and the Bird Blues – A Chuck Anderson Lesson - Jazz Guitar Today

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  3. #2

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    I think Vince Lewis has material in Jazz guitar today.... or maybe spelling thing.
    the changes are basic. Not many just play basic changes

  4. #3

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    I saw that article too and was thinking "Lewis changes? That's a new one on me!" Glad you asked the question here, Jack E Blue.

  5. #4

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    John Lewis, MJQ.

    Danny W.

  6. #5

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    That would also be my guess, but it's only a guess. Never heard of it before. I pulled out some of my old MJQ LPs yesterday. I had forgotten how good they were.

  7. #6

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    Yea John Lewis makes sense , worked with Parker, blues for Alice...Which are Parker changes... (but some how I would have though... the pianist would have come up with the changes).
    What’s your source for the John Lewis reference...
    is the Fmaj7 G-7 / A-7 Ab-7 two bars the reference Was there a tune of his?
    And...yea those were cool years, great player/ composer.

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Reg
    Yea John Lewis makes sense , worked with Parker, blues for Alice...Which are Parker changes... (but some how I would have though... the pianist would have come up with the changes).
    What’s your source for the John Lewis reference...
    is the Fmaj7 G-7 / A-7 Ab-7 two bars the reference Was there a tune of his?
    And...yea those were cool years, great player/ composer.
    It is John Lewis. I learned this by going back to a previous article in the same series by Chuck Anderson. ("Characteristics of the Blues") In it, Anderson writes:
    In blues. the I7 and IV7 are considered Full Diatonic – not to the key but to the blues. For variety, writers have substituted a maj7 for a 7 in order to achieve variety. The composer credited with this is John Lewis. The chord move is called the Lewis Changes. It occurs at bar 7 where you would normally have a C7 (I). The progression is Cmaj7(2 beats), Dm7(2 beats), Em7(2 beats), A7(2 beats), Dm7 (4 beats),G7( 4 beats) etc. Many variations in the evolution of jazz blues have been used throughout the years.

  9. #8
    Thanks for all the responses. My question is answered. Apparently "Lewis Changes" is not a term in common usage. I'm talking about the term "Lewis Changes," not the progression itself.

    I hate to keep referencing the Mickey Baker book, but he does use the Imaj7 in bar 7 several times and this exact progression at least once. I now understand where it came from.

  10. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Reg
    Yea John Lewis makes sense , worked with Parker, blues for Alice...Which are Parker changes... (but some how I would have though... the pianist would have come up with the changes).
    What’s your source for the John Lewis reference...
    is the Fmaj7 G-7 / A-7 Ab-7 two bars the reference Was there a tune of his?
    And...yea those were cool years, great player/ composer.
    I just took a well-educated guess.

    Danny W.

  11. #10

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    (but some how I would have though... the pianist would have come up with the changes).
    John Lewis was a piano player.

  12. #11

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    Yea I’m aware of Lewis...Well educated musician, was trying to hint that Lewis probably came up with Parker blues changes also.
    Im old and never heard term Lewis changes. Usually there is a tune which picks up as being the reference for the label.
    Imaj7 for I chord is pretty common back in the swing and even into the bop years
    All good, great to learn new labels

  13. #12

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    I apparently misunderstood your meaning, which I sort of suspected in the first place. Your writing style, with all the ellipses, seems to sometimes make it difficult for me to understand everything you're saying. Perhaps I'm a little slow...

  14. #13

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    If ' Lewis changes ' is referring to bar 7 Imaj IImin IIImin bIIImin , isn't that Stormy Monday changes ? That's what I used to call it .

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by sgosnell
    I apparently misunderstood your meaning, which I sort of suspected in the first place. Your writing style, with all the ellipses, seems to sometimes make it difficult for me to understand everything you're saying. Perhaps I'm a little slow...
    Lol... no your normal, Hell exceptional.... I always have way too many concepts going on all the time,
    and need a proof reader, not to mention I tend to think everyone knows everything
    like being able to play anything anywhere on the guitar anytime... I’m also old, I grew up with approach that you needed too actually figure things out yourself. Anyway sorry for misunderstandings

  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pycroft
    If ' Lewis changes ' is referring to bar 7 Imaj IImin IIImin bIIImin , isn't that Stormy Monday changes ? That's what I used to call it .
    Yes... that’s why I was looking for the reference of the label
    even though Stormy? What’s date of tune

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by MarkRhodes
    It is John Lewis. I learned this by going back to a previous article in the same series by Chuck Anderson. ("Characteristics of the Blues") In it, Anderson writes:
    In blues. the I7 and IV7 are considered Full Diatonic – not to the key but to the blues. For variety, writers have substituted a maj7 for a 7 in order to achieve variety. The composer credited with this is John Lewis. The chord move is called the Lewis Changes. It occurs at bar 7 where you would normally have a C7 (I). The progression is Cmaj7(2 beats), Dm7(2 beats), Em7(2 beats), A7(2 beats), Dm7 (4 beats),G7( 4 beats) etc. Many variations in the evolution of jazz blues have been used throughout the years.
    Ha theory books, bless them.

    But good to know the Stormy Monday turnaround had another name.

  18. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by Reg
    Yes... that’s why I was looking for the reference of the label
    even though Stormy? What’s date of tune
    Well , I've just consulted Professor Google ...T-Bone Walker's original recording was 1947 but doesn't use those changes . It became a feature of the song after Bobby Bland's version in 1961 .

    But I bet it's much older than that .

  19. #18

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    I've always called it the Stormy Monday changes.

  20. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
    I've always called it the Stormy Monday changes.
    That's because you're just a young whipper-snapper. That Lewis Changes stuff is for the old guys.

  21. #20

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    I'm getting older every day

  22. #21

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    I think the John Lewis changes have been superseded by the Waitrose cadence which is surely derived from the Sears Roebuck bridge .

  23. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pycroft
    I think the John Lewis changes have been superseded by the Waitrose cadence which is surely derived from the Sears Roebuck bridge .
    Oldster! It’s all Amazon Prime changes now.

  24. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by pcjazz
    Oldster! It’s all Amazon Prime changes now.
    Isn't that a drone?

  25. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pycroft
    I think the John Lewis changes have been superseded by the Waitrose cadence which is surely derived from the Sears Roebuck bridge .
    It's just the Amazon bridge now

  26. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by pcjazz
    Oldster! It’s all Amazon Prime changes now.
    Godammit, always check the thread. I'm leaving my post up though, as a sign of shame.