The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

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    I guess I have heard Herb Ellis play is numerous times and never gave it a thought. I don't call it a standard as such it is not obscure but not played much. Well the Dutch Bopper post a video of himself playing this and I decided to look it up and learn the tune. It makes a great chord melody and I have added it to the play list. Lost of nice movement and generally not hard to learn. All these years and still finding tunes I should have played long ago more.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by deacon Mark
    I guess I have heard Herb Ellis play is numerous times and never gave it a thought. I don't call it a standard as such it is not obscure but not played much. Well the Dutch Bopper post a video of himself playing this and I decided to look it up and learn the tune. It makes a great chord melody and I have added it to the play list. Lost of nice movement and generally not hard to learn. All these years and still finding tunes I should have played long ago more.
    And this Wednesday (8/4/2021) is Herb’s 100th birthday!

  4. #3

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    A few versions of Herb playing the tune. We'll start with Ella singing it (to Herb's accompaniment), as that really fixes the melody in one's mind.








  5. #4

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    Bill Evans kinda made it a standard. That's how I learned it long before I even knew who Herb Ellis was. He played it at the historic run at the Vanguard

  6. #5

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    Interesting that Herb plays it in Db, while Bill Evans plays it in C and that's the version I
    heard first like many other players.
    The only lead sheet I've come across in in one of the Sher New Real Book series and it's in C too.
    On a search of YouTube I found one clip of Herb playing Detour Ahead in C, I wonder how he first
    conceived it.
    As said earlier it makes a wonderful vehicle for chord/melody on guitar.
    I've done an arrangement of it that I love playing ....it's in C

  7. #6
    I have it in C and it makes for better chord melody can use the open E and A strings for some pedal tones. Just a very melodic tune that lays well on the guitar. Not done enough for sure.

  8. #7
    joelf Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by deacon Mark
    I guess I have heard Herb Ellis play is numerous times and never gave it a thought. I don't call it a standard as such it is not obscure but not played much. Well the Dutch Bopper post a video of himself playing this and I decided to look it up and learn the tune. It makes a great chord melody and I have added it to the play list. Lost of nice movement and generally not hard to learn. All these years and still finding tunes I should have played long ago more.
    It's known and loved by singers: Billie recorded it and pianist Chris Anderson sang it on his Love Locked Out solo CD.

    Also instrumentally: Bill Evans made it popular; Ralph Lalama plays it. I'm sure Art Farmer played it at some point.

    So, yes, it's not obscure...