The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    Fun fact, my Gibson 175 used to belong to Gerry Rafferty (he had just sold a lot of his guitars to the shop where I bought it in 1982). I recently trawled through his videos on youtube to see if I could find it, and I think he is playing it here:


  4. #3

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    Yeah right, Graham. Next thing you know you'll be claiming you watched Jim Mullen's guitar for him at a gig, and had drinks with Dick Morrissey at the Bull's head!
    Sorry, I couldn't resist, mate...

  5. #4

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    It’s my only claim to fame, I have to make the most of it!

  6. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by grahambop
    It’s my only claim to fame, I have to make the most of it!
    Aw, c'mon Graham. In 1970 I actually carried the keyboards into Pye Studios for the making of 'In the Summertime' (Mungo Jerry ). Now there's history for you!!!

    David

  7. #6

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    Now I can reveal my claim to musical history.

    I was the inspiration for Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain.

    it was really hard keeping it secret all these years, especially considering the size of my, uh, ego.

  8. #7

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    Great lyrics in that song.

    I found myself gravitating to the line about "Just one more year and then you'll be happy..." Ha, ha, that year just does not seem to ever get here so I have learned to make due with the present.

  9. #8

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    The lacquer on my 175 has always had a cloudy and worn patch, which is now flaking off, just where Gerry was putting his right arm in that video. I blame his sweaty armpits!

    Songs That Changed Music: "Baker Street" (Gerry Rafferty)-ebbffff9-1831-4867-b8b0-4018e06cc6bd-jpeg

  10. #9

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    Music That Changed Songs...Chuck Berry - Delaney Bramlett

  11. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
    Now I can reveal my claim to musical history.

    I was the inspiration for Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain.

    it was really hard keeping it secret all these years, especially considering the size of my, uh, ego.
    Neat, compact and keep's us all from wondering!!

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by blackcat
    Aw, c'mon Graham. In 1970 I actually carried the keyboards into Pye Studios for the making of 'In the Summertime' (Mungo Jerry ). Now there's history for you!!!

    David
    was that you on sandpaper blocks too?

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by wintermoon
    was that you on sandpaper blocks too?
    No, but I did give guidance on where to hit the cowbell.

  14. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by grahambop
    The lacquer on my 175 has always had a cloudy and worn patch, which is now flaking off, just where Gerry was putting his right arm in that video. I blame his sweaty armpits!

    Songs That Changed Music: "Baker Street" (Gerry Rafferty)-ebbffff9-1831-4867-b8b0-4018e06cc6bd-jpeg
    Should be some stonking DNA in there Graham, proving beyond all doubt the provenance!

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by blackcat
    Should be some stonking DNA in there Graham, proving beyond all doubt the provenance!
    lol, yeah if I was a hard-core Rafferty fan I would hang it on the wall and turn it into a shrine!

    Not knocking Gerry mind you, Baker Street is a great song.

    I think I will have to do something about that flaky lacquer though...

  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by blackcat
    Aw, c'mon Graham. In 1970 I actually carried the keyboards into Pye Studios for the making of 'In the Summertime' (Mungo Jerry ). Now there's history for you!!!

    David
    Talk about oneupmanship: I play quite often with the bassist who played on 'In The Summertime'.

  17. #16

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    Did Baker Street really change music? Does it have influence and imitators? It seems to me more the end of seventies AOR than the beginning of anything.

  18. #17

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    I will have to watch the video to find out I guess. The song was incredibly popular when I was in high school—maybe THE most popular song of the year. Slick and well produced.

    My only criticism is that it keeps you waiting…waiting…waiting for a real long solo break. It was sort of like heavy petting…enjoyable, but leaves you wanting more. (And man I was the expert on that back in the day.)

    Maybe that was the end of solos in songs? Seems like we went from Sultans of Swing (also released 1978) to Don’t Bring Me Down in a millisecond.

  19. #18

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    I remember telling my tenor sax friend, "you've got a few years to make things happen for you, your sound is it right now." That was then.

  20. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by bleakanddivine
    Talk about oneupmanship: I play quite often with the bassist who played on 'In The Summertime'.
    That'd be Mike Cole as I remember it. Executive Producer Barry Murray and Musical Director my late, good friend Mike McNaught who had an illustrious career ranging from forming the London Jazz Four (resident at Ronnie Scott's) to putting the strings on Harry Nielsen's last album. Long time ago. The keyboard player on 'In the Summertime' was Colin Earl who later went on to form the King-Earl Boogie Band.

    Innocent days/times.

  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by Woody Sound
    I remember telling my tenor sax friend, "you've got a few years to make things happen for you, your sound is it right now." That was then.
    £27 was all they paid Raph Ravenscroft apparently. Anthemic.

  22. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
    Maybe that was the end of solos in songs? Seems like we went from Sultans of Swing (also released 1978) to Don’t Bring Me Down in a millisecond.
    Funny you should mention "Don't Bring Me Down." Heard a video interview with Jeff Lynne the other day and he talked about making that. Said he drove the rest of the band nuts. Recorded six pianos thinking it would make it sound bigger. Didn't know then what he knows now: they are all tuned perfectly so playing two or three or ten makes no additional impact. "It sounds exactly the same as it did five hours ago!"

    He also said that when he plays Madison Square Garden, Bruce Willis is always there and they sing "Bruce!" and point at him. The actual word used is a German greeting pronounced groots (or something like that). He just needed a sound to fill that hole and used that word. He didn't even know what it meant at the time.

    He said the drum track for that song came from another song (but he didn't say what the other song was.)

    It's a dumb lyric but a fun song.
    Fun is underrated.

  23. #22

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    Hugh Burns played the solo on that one. Excellent jazz guitarist.

  24. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by Christian Miller
    Hugh Burns played the solo on that one. Excellent jazz guitarist.
    ”Hugh played the solo on Baker Street?”

    ”No, I didn’t play it, Burns did.”

    “Yes that’s what I said.”

    ”No you didn’t, you said I played it.”

    ”No, it was Hugh.”

    Ahem.

    It was a very good solo and as I said it was very well produced song, but the solo was so short! We had such great, expressive guitar solos in the 70’s from Steely Dan, Dire Straits, Pink Floyd, and then they seemed to shrink and shrink to the point there were hardly any solos in the 80’s in mainstream rock, just little peeps and pips here and there.

    Look at what Clapton used to play, then look at Wonderful Tonight. I think he throws in one little riff, but that’s it. From supposedly the greatest guitarist in the world.

    And of course love the sax on Baker Street, it makes the song. (Reminiscent of INXS What You Need.) But why isn’t there a proper sax solo, ala Us and Them? Or Carole King’s Jazzman?

    I guess my point is there is a decent melody and lyrics and good musicianship, but IMO need more instrumental oomph. That was missing element in the 80’s, with some notable exceptions like Stevie Ray Vaughn.
    Last edited by Doctor Jeff; 07-18-2021 at 06:04 PM.

  25. #24

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    Speaking of nicely composed pop guitar solos, how about "Shadows in the Moonlight?"


  26. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff

    It was a very good solo and as I said it was very well produced song, but the solo was so short! solos... they seemed to shrink and shrink to the point there were hardly any solos in the 80’s in mainstream rock, just little peeps and pips here and there.
    I seem to remember that the story behind that is that radio stations tended to fade out songs as soon as the solo came around, so solos were either avoided or placed at the end of a song if you wanted it on the radio.