I know this was addressed to Reed, but I'd would respond with a no. D7
functions as a V of Gm, but I don't hear it in this case pointing out the
ii chord in Fm. I have never heard anyone use it to my memory.
In fact, if you take just an example in four-flats (Key of Ab and Fm) a
common chord that sets up the Gmin7b5 would be a Db major7 as in:
Bbm7 Eb7 Abmaj7 Dbmaj7 Gmin7b5 C7 Fm
ii V I IV ii/vi V/vi vi
Now take that back to What is this thing, plug in the Db major7 chord and
it sound just as bad or worse than the D7.
What sounds good to me is to play Cmajor7 right up to the Gmin7b5 chord
without any preparation.
Part of reharmonizing, arranging and composing is the act of asking
questions and assessing possibilities. Does this or that sound good?
Sometimes the answer is no.
_______________________________________
Bert Ligon
Director of Jazz Studies
_______________________________________
School of Music
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208
Voice: (803) 777-6565
Fax: (803) 777-2151
http://www.music.sc.edu/Departments/Jazz/
bligon@mozart.sc.edu
_______________________________________