> In Duke's magnificent tune, I always felt that the 4th and 5th
>measures lacked something in the chord progression. The original basic
>chords are meas.4: Two beats A7(b9), and two of Dmi, leading to Dmi7 and
>G7+5 in meas.5, resolving to C in meas. 6.
First, regarding the target point: New Real Book (vol. 3) gives m. 5-6 as
| Dm7, G7-G#dim | Am7, D13 |
rather than the G7 | C6 you are looking at. That might suggest a different
solution.
> This results in a static bass
>>line (Dmin/D to Dmin7/D), and a subsequent dull build to the strong new
>>statement in meas. 5, which contrasts with the chromaticism of the first 4
>>measures.
Dull for the bass player, perhaps. :-) As a pianist, I find the D11
voicing at the beginning of m. 5 very colorful. Your suggested Em7 IMO robs
this juncture of its piquant dissonance.
Perhaps Duke felt that the static bass at that point gave just exactly the
right "breath" to a dizzyingly chromatic sequence.
Still, it's a good question, and I'd like to hear other possibilities for
this point, also.
--Fathom Hummingbear > 8-) >
** Not anti-hawk, just pro-sparrow. **