Blues Theory through the Barry Harris lens?

[rintincop]

For an actual example, look where the melody goes to in bar 7 of Billies Bounce by Charlie Parker - there’s an E natural on the F chord.

Ah yes, bar 8 outlining E-7 to A7 b13 b9 ....

[rintincop]

it's a scale that sounds the turnaround, not the chords he uses. standard turnaround to 2 is C, F7, Em, A7, right?

Thanks! I get it now, it's harmonic resolution thinking and it includes the iii , not necessarily the actual chord played.

Ernest Ranglin guitar with Monty Alexander blues in F :

[grahambop]

I think also that Barry is trying to get people familiar with these sounds while using as few scales as possible. So that maj7 scale is a simple/economic way of getting them to hear the important target sounds on that turnaround.

Of course when the masters play they also have loads of other ways of doing it.

[rintincop]

Charlie Parker plays I maj 7 in this spot.
I haven’t studied Wes as much, but I did hear him play I maj there too. Both sound alright. The maj7 sounds less bluesy, more melodic.

We are taking playing that when soloing, right? Most blues heads have the I7 there I believe.

It sounds like Parker is thinking (hearing) VI7 for both bars 7 and 8 or D7 b13 in chord name terms:

[rintincop]

This has been a good lesson for me, it has awakened a recognition of a nuance I had been overlooking. I recall jazz pianist Bill Bell was also fond of playing major 7th tonics sometimes on his blues. Even at the top!

[christianm77]

I tend to think:

Fmaj7 (F7) | Bb7 (Bo7) | Fmaj7 | F7 |
Bb7 | (Bo7 or Eb7) | Fmaj7 | D7b9 |
C7 | % | F7 turnaround

IV is definitely 7 - and can take the blues scale.

[christianm77]

It sounds like Parker is thinking (hearing) VI7 for both bars 7 and 8 or D7 b13 in chord name terms:

Not with you there fella - in bar 7 Parker seems to be outlining a Imaj7/6 sound (Dmaj6/7 in alto key) against the I chord. (F#m triad with an added 4th in fact)

[joe2758]

I tend to think:

Fmaj7 (F7) | Bb7 (Bo7) | Fmaj7 | F7 |
Bb7 | (Bo7 or Eb7) | Fmaj7 | D7b9 |
C7 | % | F7 turnaround

IV is definitely 7 - and can take the blues scale.

are you talking about chords, scales, or both? and blues over IV is the tonic blues scale right, not the sub dom blues?

[christianm77]

are you talking about chords, scales, or both? and blues over IV is the tonic blues scale right, not the sub dom blues?

Yes, F blues in the key of F

[don_oz]

Just gonna leave this here... Skip to 7.50 and listen to Barry play the blues.

[Tal_175]

Just gonna leave this here... Skip to 7.50 and listen to Barry play the blues.

That's as bluesy as it gets.
Obviously big part of "bluesyness" is the melodic construction and the interplay between melody and harmony. Workshop videos do not seem to get into this aspect very much but treat blues as a 12 bar bebop improvisation vehicle. Not much difference between the way blues is covered and say the way Rhythm Changes is covered with respect to building lines. Focus is more about addressing the specifics of the harmony.
Clearly Barry Harris' playing has plenty of "bluesyness", it's just not covered in the workshop package unless I missed something.

[joe2758]

in workshop #2 there's a chorus of how he actually comps blues (and rhythm changes). Also a guitar friendly version. Changed they way I comp

[Vladan]

... The use of cycles to fill that space is also just filler with harmonic reference.... the direction of camouflaging the Functional standard movement is almost the oxymoron of playing blues. Somewhat like trying to use traditional voice leading when performing Jazz ...

Something like this ...

?

[christianm77]

are you talking about chords, scales, or both? and blues over IV is the tonic blues scale right, not the sub dom blues?

Also scales

[don_oz]

More blues by Barry

[Tal_175]

More blues by Barry

His improvisation has blue notes everywhere. Certainly an example of a more conventional approach to blues. His chording sounded very bluesy to me too.
Can anybody please post an example of a less conventional (ie less bluesy) BH blues tune that was discussed earlier in this thread.

[tamirgal]

His improvisation has blue notes everywhere. Certainly an example of a more conventional approach to blues. His chording sounded very bluesy to me too.
Can anybody please post an example of a less conventional (ie less bluesy) BH blues tune that was discussed earlier in this thread.

Here are some classic Barry Harris on a blues. Not sure if it's considered too bluesy or not, but that's as Barry Harris as it gets on a blues:

There are tons of others recordings of him course...

[tamirgal]

Here's a nice chorus of Blues in C by Barry. Seem to be a phrase he worked on with students in a workshop in Rome 2016.

Love the general rhythmic displacement feel here, and the tritone line in bar 10.
Bar 7 and 8 is classic bebop lick of C major down to the third of A

[rintincop]

How would Barry Harris scale outline the first couple lines of "Fly Me To The Moon"?


|| A-7 | D-7 | G7 | C |
| F | B-7b5 | E7b9 | A-7 |

[christianm77]

Maybe C major from A to G
G7 for two bars
C major for one
C major from F to F for one
G7 to the third of E7 for two
A minor 6 dim

?

[joe2758]

i’d second Christian’s plan (except i think he meant F to E nbd)

[christianm77]

My bad. I’ve said seven Hail Marys to atone.

[joe2758]

i was trying to avoid the sarcastic remark by saying nbd and i still get it lol. whats obvious to us is t obvious to everyone. ill stay off your lawn sorry

[christianm77]

I’ve not only let you down, I’ve let myself down

[joe2758]

god you’re a prick haha