Some questions about Misty.

[brent.h]

1. Do people ever play this in Ab like the original 1954 recording?

2. In that same recording, Errol Garner seems to play vi-9 (Fmin9) and II13 (B13) in both bars 21-22 of the B section, which sounds kinda simple and nice to my ears. Is it ok to play these changes instead of the #iv-7, VII7, vi-7, II7 in later versions of this tune?

[ragman1]

Is it ok

Okay by who? There's no authority, you know. It's your decision.

Presumably you mean this version. It's in Ab and, compared to the Real Book and Ralph Patt's Vanilla Book site, he's doing a lot more than just the bars you're talking about.

It does look like he's playing Fm-Bb7 instead of Dm7 - G7/Bb7 (or rather the others are playing something different to him) but whether you think it sounds better is completely up to you. It's a free world :-)

Another version of those two bars is Dm7/G7 - Fm7/Bb7. And you don't have to do that start-stop thing he does either, that's also up to you.

[Mick-7]

1. Do people ever play this in Ab like the original 1954 recording?

2. In that same recording, Errol Garner seems to play vi-9 (Fmin9) and II13 (B13) in both bars 21-22 of the B section, which sounds kinda simple and nice to my ears. Is it ok to play these changes instead of the #iv-7, VII7, vi-7, II7 in later versions of this tune?

I'm not sure which measures you mean - before the last two bars of the B section?

[Tal_175]

1. Do people ever play this in Ab like the original 1954 recording?

2. In that same recording, Errol Garner seems to play vi-9 (Fmin9) and II13 (B13) in both bars 21-22 of the B section, which sounds kinda simple and nice to my ears. Is it ok to play these changes instead of the #iv-7, VII7, vi-7, II7 in later versions of this tune?

Yes, you can substitute back door with ii V (to iii). In fact, the "later" version uses both back door and ii V. You can repeat either instead. They are all just different ways of playing diatonic cycle of 4's. Those four bars are just a turnaround to I (last two being iii-VI-ii-V).

[AllanAllen]

It's been my experience that people generally play things in the Real Book keys, unless there is a singer, playing things in all keys helps build your ear and also prepare for a singer who calls Autumn Leaves in Dminor.

Bar 22 seems like a turnaround, and turnarounds are fluid, you can swap those changes in the B section and the song should get along just fine. Especially after the head.

That's what I would do anyway.

[mr. beaumont]

It's been my experience that people generally play things in the Real Book keys, unless there is a singer, playing things in all keys helps build your ear and also prepare for a singer who calls Autumn Leaves in Dminor.

Bar 22 seems like a turnaround, and turnarounds are fluid, you can swap those changes in the B section and the song should get along just fine. Especially after the head.

That's what I would do anyway.

This post has inspired a thread idea...which common songs are usually called in keys DIFFERENT from the Real Book. Could be a good resource for those starting out...

[ragman1]

Bar 22 seems like a turnaround

Not sure. The next two bars, 23 and 24, are definitely the turnaround to the last A section: Gm7b5/C7 - Fm7b5/Bb7 - EbM7. I'm not sure the D7/F7 is part of that.

[AllanAllen]

This post has inspired a thread idea...which common songs are usually called in keys DIFFERENT from the Real Book. Could be a good resource for those starting out...

Yeah, that's a great gateway or stepping stone to 12 key practice. First step is Autumn Leaves in E-, then swap it to G- for the Cannonball/Miles/Pro-Jazz Session version. Ipanema in Db. I've got plenty of recommendations on this. Benny Goodman's Small Groups almost never play in the RB keys.

[AllanAllen]

Not sure. The next two bars, 23 and 24, are definitely the turnaround to the last A section: Gm7b5/C7 - Fm7b5/Bb7 - EbM7. I'm not sure the D7/F7 is part of that.

iReal changes key of Ab has |D-7 |G7 Bb7 |Cm7b5 F7 |Bb-7 Eb7| the fact that yours and my changes don't match is more evidence to me that we are talking about turnarounds.

So that G7 Bb7 has a turnaround sound to me when I play it. You know me, I'm not educated on all the right terms for this.

Like, I knew D- and F- could be interchanged, but I couldn't remember why, luckily Tal_175 came in with the backdoor dominant analysis.

[ragman1]

iReal changes key of Ab has |D-7 |G7 Bb7 |Cm7b5 F7 |Bb-7 Eb7| the fact that yours and my changes don't match is more evidence to me that we are talking about turnarounds.

So that G7 Bb7 has a turnaround sound to me when I play it. You know me, I'm not educated on all the right terms for this.

Like, I knew D- and F- could be interchanged, but I couldn't remember why, luckily Tal_175 came in with the backdoor dominant analysis.

Minor 3rds: G to Bb, D to F. And you can go up one more Bb to Db, F to Ab. Based on diminished triads. So if you have a G7 you could play Dm, Fm or Abm over it, Abm being the alt scale.

This one I know :-)

[Mick-7]

o.k., I see now which measures you're referring to.... mystery solved.

The last bar before the 2 bar turn-around is VIm7 > II7, which leads > V7, etc., so all that Garner has done is repeat those chords for two bars - that bar (which you called #22) and the previous one (#21).

There is a repeating melodic phrase in the two bars, so most musicians (not named Erroll Garner) like to harmonize the two differently, that is: (a) Hope-less-ly I'm (Lost), and (b) That's Why I'm (Fol-low-ing).

Actually, at the end of the tune (last time through the B section) those two measures are: VIm7 / II7-V7) so he's really just playing the same chords both time around - what a lazy fellow!

[brent.h]

The last bar before the 2 bar turn-around is VIm7 > II7, which leads > V7, etc., so all that Garner has done is repeat those chords for two bars - that bar (which you called #22) and the previous one (#21).

Sorry for the late reply, but yes, that's the one!

I prefer that repetition and not having more chords like the one in the Real Book or Johnny Matthis' version. It simplifies things and leaves more space for a soloist, I think.

[pingu]

Not sure. The next two bars, 23 and 24, are definitely the turnaround to the last A section: Gm7b5/C7 - Fm7b5/Bb7 - EbM7. I'm not sure the D7/F7 is part of that.

at the risk of starting something ….

Ragman would you mind writing
these bars like this ?

|Gm7b5 C7 | Fm7b5. Bb7| EbM7

I think it would be clearer

because the slash /
and the -
have other uses already

thanks man