On Oct 3, 2009, at 4:04 PM, Christopher Smith wrote:
I remember having this pointed out to me by Charles Ellison (I'm pretty sure you know him!) in my first improv class in university.
Do you see Charles there in Montreal? Please give him our best.
He was trying to show us some different ways of handling "wrong" notes, and I (with the arrogance that only an eighteen year old could possibly possess!) challenged him, in front of the class, to make a major third sound "right" on a minor chord. He did on his trumpet, without hesitation. I then said, "Oh yeah, but can you start on beat 1 and hold it, and make it sound good?" (I told you I was arrogant!) and he did, in several different ways, all brilliant. We stood there with our mouths open, then my pal beside me nudged me. "Got it?" he asked with a grin.
Takes more to hold a major third on a minor chord - that's the tough one! But even that can be made to work (much harder though). Miles plays A naturals in the background riff in Walkin' - right through the Bb7 in meas. 5-6 of the form (I know, it's the 7th, not the 3rd, but it's functioning the same way as if it were the 3rd of Fmin/Bb). Startled me at first, but it functions as a pedal note, and I hardly notice it now. As Hiro says, the groove is more important.
I work with Barry Harris from time to time (pleasure for me), and he speaks about Monk calling an Am7b5 a Cmin6/A. I never did get why this was important to Monk or to Barry, who is usually into simplifying the way one needs to think about harmony rather than making it more complex. I'm not convinced that all theory is equally useful. Some things seem like going from NY to Philly by way of Cleveland.
Chuck
I did. Christopher _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Chuck Israels 230 North Garden Terrace Bellingham, WA 98225-5836 phone (360) 671-3402 fax (360) 676-6055 www.chuckisraels.com _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
