Re: But Beautiful
reed ( (no email) )
Tue, 08 Jul 1997 17:25:32 -0700
At 12:02 PM 7/8/97 -0500, you wrote:
> Hi, looking at a recent post on `back-door dominants' brought up a
>question regarding J van Heusen's tune `But Beautiful,` the first six bars
>of which are(excluding the pickup)
> Gma7 | Bm7b5 E7#9 | Am9 | C#m7b5 // F#7b9 |
> Gma7 | Bm7b5 / E7sus E7 | Am9 | Am9 |
>(Sher vol 1). While transposing this on the fly at the keyboard I ran
>across an interesting substitution which I'd like to hear opinions on.
>I'll return to the original key for the example.
>
> Measure 4 is a ii-v leading to B minor, and Gmaj 7 is a typical sub for
>Bm7. Another way to get to Gma7 is via the back-door F9, and one could
>prepare F7 with a Cm7. The F#7b9 at the end of measure 4 is then a
>passing tone with the following result:
> Gma7 | Bm7b5 E7#9 | Am9 | Cm7 / F9 F#7b9 |
> Bm7 C9 | Bm7b5 / E7sus E7 | Am9 | Am9 |
>The C9 in measure 5 is for color.
>
> Of course, I actually got the sub as the result of a `mistake` at the
>keyboard, but after thinking about it, it seemed a logical, though somewhat
>unusual, substitution. My keyboard teacher at the time hated it, said it
>was just simply wrong. However, I when I hear it, it sounds different and
>interesting. Any thoughts out there in jazz harmony land?
>
The cm7/F9 sounds wrong to me too. Also the Am9 in measures 7 and 8
should be A7.
The Bm7 in bar 5 sounds wrong to me too.
What I use is:
Gma7 C7 | Bm7b5 E7 | Am7 | C#m7b5 F7 |
Gma7 | Bm7b5 E7 | A7 | Em7 A7 |
...............
the C9 could work in measure 5 but I wouldnt use the Bm7 as the
first chord.
of course, this is just an opinion. People make all kinds of changes
work with the right voicings, rhtyhm, etc.
reed
> Bob Donnelly
>
>
>
>
>
>
Reed Kotler
reed@justjazz.com
http://www.justjazz.com