JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 94) - Star Eyes

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Hmm - it appears I'm putting up #94. I suggest Star Eyes, a jazz classic written by Gene de Paul. For those who don't know him by name, you all know his work. He wrote I'll Remember April, You Don't Know What Love Is, and Teach Me Tonight.



There are several backing tracks on YT. Here's a simple lead sheet for those who need it:

[kris]

Star Eyes it's a very good choice for jam.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Star Eyes it's a very good choice for jam.

Thanks! I'll try to post a track myself when I get home from my weekly Sunday afternoon gig.

[John A.]

I should be able to get to this today. FYI, most recordings and backing tracks are in Eb, so be prepared to transpose if you’re using this chart.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I should be able to get to this today. FYI, most recordings and backing tracks are in Eb, so be prepared to transpose if you’re using this chart.

[kris]

In the 6th bar of part A, in my opinion it should be Gm7b5 C7alt.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

In the 6th bar of part A, in my opinion it should be Gm7b5 C7alt.

That seems a bit granular for the VJ, Kris. Here’s what I think is the original, in which that bar seems to be based on a C 13. The first chord is an inversion with a #11, followed by embellishment with a few sharped or flatted extensions. You can figure out what you think the chords are if you’re so inclined:

[kris]

I checked this bar with Aebersold version - he simplified it to Gm7b5 and C7#9....it fits nicely with the melody.

[setemupjoe]

That seems a bit granular for the VJ, Kris. Here’s what I think is the original, in which that bar seems to be based on a C 13. The first chord is an inversion with a #11, followed by embellishment with a few sharped or flatted extensions. You can figure out what you think the chords are if you’re so inclined:

According to this piano sheet, bar 6 is D9 F#9 E9(#11) Eb7 resolving to an Fma13 in the next bar.

Pretty cool chord movement but practically speaking, Gmi7(b5) C7(b9) are the most commonly played changes for that bar. The b5 and b9 are used to accommodate the Db note in the melody.

Also let’s not forget the cool intro/outro Charlie Parker used. If you’re playing this tune on a gig most people would play the classic intro.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

According to this piano sheet, bar 6 is D9 F#9 E9(#11) Eb7 resolving to an Fma13 in the next bar.

Pretty cool chord movement but practically speaking, Gmi7(b5) C7(b9) are the most commonly played changes for that bar. The b5 and b9 are used to accommodate the Db note in the melody.

Also let’s not forget the cool intro/outro Charlie Parker used. If you’re playing this tune on a gig most people would play the classic intro.

Those also fit the notes. The first beat is obviously also a straight D9, but I see and hear it here as a C 13 #11 inversion: D F# Anat C E . The other 3 are also accurately described by your simpler arranging of the notes. But when I hear or play it, I get the feel of resolution from a C based 6th bar to an F in the 7th that's embellished by the passing extension changes within the C 13 framework. There's no technical difference between us - it's just the way we hear and conceptualize it.

[ragman1]

The Eb melody notes I have for bar 6 are

- - Db C Bb C Db Eb

That's minor.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

The Eb melody notes I have for bar 6 are

- - Db C Bb C Db Eb

That's minor.

In this bar of this tune, the flats are all extensions on the basic C7 that resolves into the F on beat 1 of bar 7. The Db is a flat 9, the Eb is a sharp 9, and the sequence Bb C Db Eb is melodically only “minor” in isolation. It’s a pair of altered 9ths in the context of this flowing melody. What determines its nature is how it sounds. Bars 6 and 7 are just an elegant resolution of a 7th into the major 7th a fourth higher (a simple VI-II transition here).

[kris]

Either way ... the melody doesn't match Gm7.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Either way ... the melody doesn't match Gm7.

I think a Gm7 works OK as the first beat in bar 6, since there's no melody note on beat 1. If you sustain a Gm7 through the second beat, the Db C eighth notes of the 2nd beat are the #11 and 11.

But I usually use a C7 sus triad (low C F Bb) for beats 1-3, resolving the sus4 on the 4th beat (to C E Bb). The melody combines with the changes. The line over beats 2-4 and into bar 7 is Db C Bb C Db Eb | C . The chords are then C7 b9 sus 4 - C7 sus 4 - C7 b9 - C7 #11 | Fmaj7. [I think I accidentally put "aug" in a prior post or two when I meant sus.]

Nothing is carved in stone - play it the way you like it, especially for a "jam". I'm just finishing up my playbook for Thursday night's gig and will probably have time to lay down a track of Star Eyes before dinner.

[ragman1]

In this bar of this tune, the flats are all extensions on the basic C7 that resolves into the F on beat 1 of bar 7. The Db is a flat 9, the Eb is a sharp 9, and the sequence Bb C Db Eb is melodically only “minor” in isolation. It’s a pair of altered 9ths in the context of this flowing melody. What determines its nature is how it sounds. Bars 6 and 7 are just an elegant resolution of a 7th into the major 7th a fourth higher (a simple VI-II transition here).

I've researched it looking at transcriptions on YouTube. Sorry to be dogmatic before. I understand, it can work over Gm/C7.

Major (Gm7/C7):

Helen O'Connell in the film (Jimmy Dorsey orchestra).
Art Pepper.
Charlie Parker.
Sonny Stitt.
Pasquale Grasso.

Minor (Gm7b5/C7alt):

Bill Evans.
Barry Harris.
McCoy Tyner.

Other:

Red Garland (sensible fellow) does it Gm7/Gb7.

So... it obviously doesn't matter a hoot how the hell you play it :-)

[John A.]

Stop arguing about the changes with words. State your case by playing the tune.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

So... it obviously doesn't matter a hoot how the hell you play it :-)

I'm glad you feel that way because my wife's been calling me to dinner for the last 15 minutes, so I only had time to lay down one pass at it. I thought I'd try a Van Eps style "lap piano" version, and here it is.....

[ragman1]

Breaking news... I agree with Mr. never, major is better. It's stronger at that point. So there :-)

[kris]

Hmm - it appears I'm putting up #94. I suggest Star Eyes, a jazz classic written by Gene de Paul. For those who don't know him by name, you all know his work. He wrote I'll Remember April, You Don't Know What Love Is, and Teach Me Tonight.



There are several backing tracks on YT. Here's a simple lead sheet for those who need it:

I like these chord changes from the first post ...F key is also not a problem.
I will record it tomorow.

[kris]

I've researched it looking at transcriptions on YouTube. Sorry to be dogmatic before. I understand, it can work over Gm/C7.

Major (Gm7/C7):

Helen O'Connell in the film (Jimmy Dorsey orchestra).
Art Pepper.
Charlie Parker.
Sonny Stitt.
Pasquale Grasso.

Minor (Gm7b5/C7alt):

Bill Evans.
Barry Harris.
McCoy Tyner.

Other:

Red Garland (sensible fellow) does it Gm7/Gb7.

So... it obviously doesn't matter a hoot how the hell you play it :-)

Ch.Parker ... and here it is different ...;

[kris]

"This version was improvised from the basic chords and melody leadsheet in 'New Real Book No.3'. "
Very nice chord changes and inspiring ...:

[ragman1]

That's correct, there are two Charlie Parker transcriptions. I found one but missed the second one. One is major and one is minor (according to the transcriptions, of course). So apparently we can choose whichever one we like.

My little version isn't much but when I did the backing I first did it minor. Listening to it later I thought it didn't sound quite right, probably because it resolved to the tonic at that point, so I changed it to major... but I improved it in minor à la the melody. So I'm happy to go along with never.

By the way, the Ralph Patt vanilla version is major too.

Star Eyes

I tried to get the Chet Baker version but I was tired and lost patience. It's minor. It's in Bb. After the AbM7 it's a Gm7b5.

So does it really matter? Do both! Or do the tritone! Or just leave a big space!

[kris]

As for me It matters because I'm used to the min7b5 chord ...I played this tune a long time ago.
Just a kind of habit.

[John A.]

This tune has always given me trouble for some reason. Simple but not simple, I guess. Anyway, the "given me trouble" streak lives on ...

[John A.]

Very cool arrangement, Never.