One Note Samba

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 07-15-2010, 06:45 PM

Still on a Jobim kick! Care to join me?

How do you like to improvise over the beginning to "One Note Samba"?

Like the name says, The melody starts out with just an F note -- I'd like riff on the F, but still play more that just F! The progression starts off:

| Dm7 | Db7 | Cm7 | B7b5 | Dm7 | Db7 | Cm7 | B7b5 |

Some options:

Over Dm7:

* D dorian
* Bb major (D phyrgian) -- after all, the piece is in Bb

Over Db7:

* Db mixo (just following the changes)
* Db lydian dominant
* G mixo (b5 sub)
* G altered (same notes as Db lydian dominant)

Over Cm7:

* C dorian

Over B7b5:

* B lydian dominant (B7#11)
* B whole tone
* F mixo (b5 sub)
* F altered (same notes as B lydian dominant)

**jeffstritt** · 07-15-2010, 06:59 PM

Well, the way that I have always looked at that tune, is that it is 2 ii-Vs a whole step apart. There is just a tritone sub in there...

D-7 G7 C-7 F7

D-7 Db7 C-7 B7#11

The tritone on the B7 give you the lydian dominant vibe. Lyd Dominant on a B7 is the same as F Altered.

**Aristotle** · 07-15-2010, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

Some options:

Over Dm7:

* D dorian
* Bb major (D phyrgian) -- after all, the piece is in Bb

Over Db7:

* Db mixo (just following the changes)
* Db lydian dominant
* G mixo (b5 sub)
* G altered (same notes as Db lydian dominant)

Scale, scale, scale.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 07-15-2010, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by Aristotle

Scale, scale, scale.

13th chord?

**Tom Karol** · 07-15-2010, 09:18 PM

I just think of it in Bb Major:
| Dm7 | Db7 | Cm7 | B7b5 | Dm7 | Db7 | Cm7 | Cb7b5 |
ii7 (which is also iii7 in Bb - a weak tonic substitution)-(sub)V7 of ii, ii7-(sub)V7b5 of I.
Well, it was clear in my head before I started typing it!

By the way, check out another Jobim tune, "Someone To Light Up My Life." (Don't recall the Portugese title.) Gorgeous!

**patskywriter** · 07-15-2010, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by Tom Karol

... By the way, check out another Jobim tune, "Someone To Light Up My Life." (Don't recall the Portuguese title.) Gorgeous!

it's called "se todos fossem iguais a você" in portuguese, and yes, it's a beautiful song.

**randalljazz** · 07-16-2010, 05:10 AM

iii-VI7-ii-V7...hmmm...vaguely familiar...

**richb2** · 07-18-2010, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

Still on a Jobim kick! Care to join me?

How do you like to improvise over the beginning to "One Note Samba"?

Like the name says, The melody starts out with just an F note -- I'd like riff on the F, but still play more that just F! The progression starts off:

| Dm7 | Db7 | Cm7 | B7b5 | Dm7 | Db7 | Cm7 | B7b5 |

Some options:

Over Dm7:

* D dorian
* Bb major (D phyrgian) -- after all, the piece is in Bb

Over Db7:

* Db mixo (just following the changes)
* Db lydian dominant
* G mixo (b5 sub)
* G altered (same notes as Db lydian dominant)

Over Cm7:

* C dorian

Over B7b5:

* B lydian dominant (B7#11)
* B whole tone
* F mixo (b5 sub)
* F altered (same notes as B lydian dominant)

Hey buddy. I am on that same Jobim kick. I have been alternating which one I am working on, but right now I have been sticking with A Felicidade. The way I have been doing it is this (after playing only for 2 weeks what can you expect?).

Over a maj7 I am playing ther maj7 arp along with the major scale at the 5th. Over m7 I am playing a major 7th 3 steps up from the key of the m7. I will sometimes throw in the major scale up a 5th, just like above. Over 7b5 I am playing a 7B5 arp. Over dim chords I play a diminished scale, either in the key or up or down 3 steps.

Over a dominant, I play the arps of any of the chords that are harmonized to the melodic minor scale of that key. Over a m7b5 I am playing that arp.

Over a minor chord I use a dorian.

This is what I have picked up so far. As you can tell, I don't do the "modes thing", too much.

**lkmuller** · 07-19-2010, 06:04 AM

I just treat it as a III-VIalt-II-Valt.

**rlemos** · 07-19-2010, 12:58 PM

How do you like to improvise over the beginning to "One Note Samba"?

Like the name says, The melody starts out with just an F note -- I'd like riff on the F, but still play more that just F! The progression starts off:

| Dm7 | Db7 | Cm7 | B7b5 | Dm7 | Db7 | Cm7 | B7b5 |

Hello BDLH,

My favorite versions of this great tune are by Howard Roberts and Barney Kessel. Kessel's version is on one of the first jazz albums I ever purchased, "Contempory Latin Rhythms". His solo on One Note Samba is one of the first I ever learned. It had everything for me--swing, accessible, playable. I played it note-for-note for many years at gigs. It took me years to figure out what he was doing. What I finally "got" was that he is able to play blues scales over standard progressions like III-VI-II-V (IIIm7-bIII7-IIm7-bII7). What is really cool for me is the way he will mix chord scales with blues scales to get those lines that grab your attention. He also shows that you don't need to have monster chops to sound melodic.

Anyway, below is a link with an excerpt that covers the beginning of his solo. It still sounds great to me. Hope it gives you some ideas. Ron

Contemporary Latin Rhythm by Barney Kessel - Download Contemporary Latin Rhythm on iTunes

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 07-21-2010, 02:34 PM

Sounds interesting but that link crashed Firefox!

**rlemos** · 07-21-2010, 05:00 PM

Hi, I just tried it and it also bombed my Firefox 1/4 tries. Never happened before. In any event, if the direct link below does not work, the workaround (if you are still interested) is to go to the iTunes store:

Apple - iTunes - Everything you need to be entertained.

and do a search for "contemporary latin rhythms"

One Note Samba should appear in middle-right of page under iTunes Results.

Hope this helps.

Ron

**shrd11** · 11-01-2010, 09:46 AM

I think of arps and superimposition rather than scales...
d-=
d-7,d-6,d-b5,d-6b5, Bb maj, Bb7, FMaj,FMaj/-
Db7=keeping in mind that 7ths can take b5s/#5s and b9s/#9s
Db7,G7, AbMaj/-,Bb7, Bb-7,Bb-6, Eb7
etc...
it gets long and complicated, so I'll just stop there.
The key is figuring out with your ears the connctions and when to play them...or....not play them....
cheers
shrd11

**jayx123** · 11-01-2010, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by Tom Karol

I just think of it in Bb Major:
| Dm7 | Db7 | Cm7 | B7b5 | Dm7 | Db7 | Cm7 | Cb7b5 |
ii7 (which is also iii7 in Bb - a weak tonic substitution)-(sub)V7 of ii, ii7-(sub)V7b5 of I.
Well, it was clear in my head before I started typing it!

By the way, check out another Jobim tune, "Someone To Light Up My Life." (Don't recall the Portugese title.) Gorgeous!

I also see the whole thing in Bb major (but this is because i play by key center, but I'm in the process of implementing arps/guide tones so will probably change my view on this some time in the future)

**backliner** · 11-01-2010, 04:28 PM

I think Howard Roberts had the definitive arrangement when it comes to playing the head to "One Note Samba."

**wizard3739** · 11-01-2010, 05:10 PM

Howard really nailed that tune with his style of single line.

wiz

**shrd11** · 11-02-2010, 05:46 AM

yeah, I hear people play it all in Bb. I don't prefer to hear it that way. If I listen to key centers, I hear a clear ii V to Cminor and a not so clear ii V in Bb but ending (and beginning) on d- as the weak tonic sub...not so surprising......
I have also been hearing an Ab minor arp in the A section resolving to the d-. Depending how you voice lead the whole ection it sounds really nice.
cheers
ill check out the Howard Roberts version....