The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

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    Recently, Kenny Burrell's Asphalt Canyon Blues caught my attention -- hard. But not quite my ears. I can't figure out the chord progression. Have any of you ever picked this tune out? Would you care to share... Thanks!

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  3. #2

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    Only because I love the sound of KB's D'A through a Dearmond 1100, I figured out the changes to this tune:
    Em7 A13/Em7 A13/ Em7 A13/ Em7 Bb13/ A7 / Am7 D13b9/ GMaj7 / Db7#9 / Cmaj7 Bm11/ C7/Bb bass


    B7+5/ Em7 A13/ Em7 A13/
    ll
    Bridge:
    Am7 / D13+11 / GMaj7 / C13 / F#m7-5 / B7 / Em9 / Bb13 /

    Am7 / D13b9 / Gmaj7 /Db7#9 / C7 / C13 / F#m7b5 / B7+5 / Back to the top

  4. #3

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    Oh -- You're the man sgcim! Thanks a million! Now I can jam along properly in my COVD19-induced solitude.

    For those interested, here's two versions of the song. The first with Grover Washington from 1985; the second one from the original 1969 LP Asphalt Canyon Suite. Both are excellent takes.




  5. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by archtopeddy
    Oh -- You're the man sgcim! Thanks a million! Now I can jam along properly in my COVD19-induced solitude.

    For those interested, here's two versions of the song. The first with Grover Washington from 1985; the second one from the original 1969 LP Asphalt Canyon Suite. Both are excellent takes.



    I copied it from the Asphalt Canyon Suite album, much hipper changes. You can only do so much on guitar. KB plays a C/B on the Grover Washington one. I don't know why he stopped using the D'A w/ DeArmond pick up. I emailed him once about it, and he never got back to me.

  6. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by sgcim
    I copied it from the Asphalt Canyon Suite album, much hipper changes... I don't know why he stopped using the D'A w/ DeArmond pick up.
    Agree. I like to guitar tone on the Asphalt Canyon Suite album as well. Also, the arrangement. Both, very hip late-60s sound and feel. Again, thanks for your help.

  7. #6

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    both cuts are so tasty...love GW melodic twists and turns..his opening notes almost sound flute like.. to me Kenny is playing some of his best lines on this take..

    while the chords differ on the takes...the melodic playing implies the same movement..

    I would love to be in the studio to hear what these guys said to each other after the final take...

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by wolflen
    both cuts are so tasty...love GW melodic twists and turns..his opening notes almost sound flute like.. to me Kenny is playing some of his best lines on this take...
    Also, hats off to Ron Carter's opening bass lines. The rest of the lineup with Jack DeJohnette and Ralph MacDonald ain't no schnooz either.
    Last edited by archtopeddy; 08-20-2020 at 01:59 AM.

  9. #8

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    Ahhhhhh....... That's the sort of extended Blues formats that KB was just THE Master of.... the tempo, the mood, his choice of voicings - all make for such beautiful music which is timeless and healing. Thanks for posting this, I had forgotten about these takes !

  10. #9

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    Damn - what a great tune and interpretation by KB. Great chord transcription sgcim!

    I took a lesson from him while growing up in Detroit at a funky music store, Capitol Music, on Grand River. Gave me enough in one hour to study for the next year. Didn't hold anything back. Very gracious and amazingly talented and sometimes underrated player. Secret of his tone was in his fingers (and in his head). Picked up my old Harmony Rocket and it sounded as good as the 175 he was using for teaching.

    Very sad to hear to that he may have fallen on hard times.