The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    John A strikes again :-)

    JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 72) - Bemsha Swing-denzil-best-forum-jpg

    (We've had pictures of Monk before so here's one of his co-composer, Denzil Best. 'Bemsha' comes from 'Bimshire', a nickname for Barbados where Best's family originated)
    Last edited by ragman1; 12-12-2022 at 12:08 AM.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    What changes everyone using? Seems to be a lot of variation, and given it's Monk, I guess that's no surprise. Not looking for anything definitive, just curious.

    For example, just looking at the opening few bars, IReal Pro's default 1300 jazz tunes has C A7 Ab7 Db7. Another chart I found has CM7 A-7 AbM7 Db7.

  4. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by wzpgsr
    What changes everyone using? Seems to be a lot of variation, and given it's Monk, I guess that's no surprise. Not looking for anything definitive, just curious.

    For example, just looking at the opening few bars, IReal Pro's default 1300 jazz tunes has C A7 Ab7 Db7. Another chart I found has CM7 A-7 AbM7 Db7.

    The ones in iReal sound right to me (I also have a chart with the A-7, and that sounds wrong with the melody to me). In my usual oversimplification approach, I think of the first 8 bars as rhythm changes with funky subs and basically play rhythm changes ideas spiced up with my attempts at Monkisms, then play something bluesy in the F section, then come back to RC for the last 4. I don't try to hit every chord every time in my melody ideas; I try to play melody ideas with some internal coherence. When Comping, I do try to be more explicit about the changes, though. I'll try to make that clear when I have a chance to record my take.

  5. #4

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    I've got charts of the two versions as well but, listening to all (that I can find) of Monk's recordings and performances, the first chord doesn't change in the first bar.

    It may go from CM7 to Am but a change from C to A7 would be very noticeable as the C becomes a C#. I don't hear that happening. It might on other peoples' recordings but not with Monk's.

  6. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by wzpgsr
    What changes everyone using? Seems to be a lot of variation, and given it's Monk, I guess that's no surprise. Not looking for anything definitive, just curious.

    For example, just looking at the opening few bars, IReal Pro's default 1300 jazz tunes has C A7 Ab7 Db7. Another chart I found has CM7 A-7 AbM7 Db7.
    The Real Book has

    Cmaj7 Am7 Abmaj7 Db7(b5)


    so that's what I will use I think

  7. #6

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    I'm not even sure they change from CM7 to Am7. But certainly not A7, you'd hear that change clearly. Which is not to say some players don't use it, of course. It's not illegal.

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by John A.
    I also have a chart with the A-7, and that sounds wrong with the melody to me
    It’s Monk, John - just play C and C# together and consider it an inside inversion of A7#9. Sounding wrong is right

  9. #8

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    It's possible for the A to be a suitable change for the bass, but Monk doesn't play there. Monk isn't an outline all the changes guy.

  10. #9

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    This is from the Thelonius Monk fake book transcribed by Steve Cardenas.
    JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 72) - Bemsha Swing-image-jpg
    Attached Images Attached Images JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 72) - Bemsha Swing-dff0e4ed-02a9-4ffb-9f23-808635f98765-jpg 
    Last edited by mastodonovan; 05-28-2022 at 12:55 PM.

  11. #10

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    Is there a better way to post photos?

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by mastodonovan
    Is there a better way to post photos?
    Save the image onto your computer. Then see the letter A at the top of the posting box? In the section below the 3rd icon along is for posting your image here.

    It will also post from an internet link (URL) but if it's on your computer you can control the size by resizing it in Paint. You can also rotate the image and crop it.

    The other icons in that section do different things, you can experiment.

    None of this is as tricky as it sounds.

  13. #12

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    Like this.

    JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 72) - Bemsha Swing-aaaa-jpg

  14. #13

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    You're probably wondering why your first photo didn't delete. There are reasons

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by ragman1
    Save the image onto your computer. Then see the letter A at the top of the posting box? In the section below the 3rd icon along is for posting your image here.

    It will also post from an internet link (URL) but if it's on your computer you can control the size by resizing it in Paint. You can also rotate the image and crop it.

    The other icons in that section do different things, you can experiment.

    None of this is as tricky as it sounds.
    thats the icon i used maybe its just not working the same way as you described because im on an iphone?
    sorry for the shitty picture but i hope the sheet helps I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Monks music.

  16. #15

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    I don’t know if it’s just me on my old iPad, or what, but none of the images in this thread are displaying correctly for me. I also tried posting a page from the Monk fake-book using the usual ‘upload picture icon’ method, but it just showed as a line of text i.e. ‘filename.jpg’ type of thing.

    Anyway, I can confirm that the changes shown in the Ireal app are essentially the same as those in the Thelonious Monk fake-book.

  17. #16

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    OK - somebody has to break the ice. Thankfully, no one has ever called this tune while I was on the stand - after playing it a few times today, I honestly don't like it very much. This is nothing new, since I disliked at least half of the tunes I ever played at weddings etc. But I do love a challenge. So to make it more interesting for me, I tried to think like Monk might have thought if he played the guitar (which made my brain hurt).



    The YT backing tracks for this one are all over the place in tempo, instrumental ensemble, feel etc. But I couldn't get into any of them. Weirdly, this one has a bit of the Catwalk feel. If I can dream up a cooler vibe for it, I'll lay down a backing track and try again.

  18. #17

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    I struggled with making this interesting. Found myself noodling around half the time

    Once again used jjazzlab to generate the backing. I actually enjoy this part of the process a lot.

    Recorded, again, via my 3 watt Nux amp, this time using some delay.





  19. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by mastodonovan
    thats the icon i used maybe its just not working the same way as you described because im on an iphone?
    sorry for the shitty picture but i hope the sheet helps I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Monks music.
    Ah, I don't know about phones, sorry.

  20. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by grahambop
    it just showed as a line of text i.e. ‘filename.jpg’ type of thing.
    That happened to me a couple of times too, which it hasn't before. I refreshed the page, made sure the attachment was deleted, and tried again. It worked in the end. Shouldn't be happening, though. It might be see Dirk time.

  21. #20

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    Here's one of mine as a test.

    JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 72) - Bemsha Swing-bemsha-swing-jpg

  22. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
    OK - somebody has to break the ice. Thankfully, no one has ever called this tune while I was on the stand - after playing it a few times today, I honestly don't like it very much. This is nothing new, since I disliked at least half of the tunes I ever played at weddings etc. But I do love a challenge. So to make it more interesting for me, I tried to think like Monk might have thought if he played the guitar (which made my brain hurt).



    The YT backing tracks for this one are all over the place in tempo, instrumental ensemble, feel etc. But I couldn't get into any of them. Weirdly, this one has a bit of the Catwalk feel. If I can dream up a cooler vibe for it, I'll lay down a backing track and try again.
    Sounds like a kinder, gentle Marc Ribot. I like it!

  23. #22

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    OK, test failed, I'll tell Dirk about it.

    Can anyone see a lead sheet in that test post?

    Edit:

    Now I can see the lead sheet. Before it was just a line of text. Refreshing the page seems to do something. Not good, though.

  24. #23

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    JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 72) - Bemsha Swing-bemsha-swing-jpg
    These changes work for me.
    I haven't been participating, but still enjoy checking out what you guys are doing.
    Geo

  25. #24

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    I see your lead sheet posted okay. That's good.

    Here's something. Sorry about the quality. The use of initials in the title is, of course, entirely coincidental :-)


  26. #25

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    Here we go. See what I mean about rhythm changes?