I I7 IV iv-/#ivo lines

In this class we will focus on what the greats in the masterclass played in bars 5- 6 of the Rhythm Changes
progression. By looking at the musical extracts like this way we will be able to perceive commonalities and arrive
at a deeper understanding of how the Jazz giants navigated these specific chords.

Ex1. Louis Armstrong. It is notable to point out that all the notes Armstrong played are diatonic to the Major scale.
and as well relate perfectly to the underlying chords !

.̇B b6 B b7 Eb
œ Gœb
E b- Bb
Bb
œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ˙ œ.
Ab
œ œ œ
F

? b 4 œ
G F

b 4 Œ œ Ó.
3

Ex2. The line Jerry Jerome played is so perfect it is almost as if it was composed beforehand. There is just one non
diatonic note, the b7th in the first bar. Overall Jerry seems to be playing "locally", tracing and highlighting the harmony

Bb Eb E b- Bb
œ œ.
Bb b
œ ‰ œ œ bœ œ
Ab Gb œ œ œ œ
œ œ œœœ œ ˙
B F7

œ
G

? bb ‰ œ œ œ J Ó
3

Ex3. Jerry Jerome. In this second example we can see and hear clearly that Jerry is highlighting the moving harmony
with his notes. Again this line is so perfect it might have been prepared beforehand.

Bb Eb E b-
Bb Bb b
Ab
œ œ œ Gb
? bb œ œ ‰ œ b œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ b œ œ œ b œ n œ œ œ œ œ ˙
G F7 B

Ex4. Ben Webster. This line highlights the harmony in a beautiful, text book way. Notice as well in the penultimate
bar, the #4 degree which suggests the II7 chord (V7 of V). This is truly masterful.

Bb B b7 Eb E b- Bb Bb

? b b Œ œ œ b œ œ ‰ œ œ. œ œ œ bœ nœ nœ œ œ œ œ nœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ
F7

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 Ex5. Ben Webster. It is incredible to think that this line was played in 1940, some 2 years before Charlie Parker burst in to the
Jazz scene in 1942 as it contains so much Bebop language. The question for us is the following: is this the first example of Bebop?

F -7 B b7 Eb
o
E 7 Bb F7 A Bb

? b œ #œ nœ nœ bœ j
b œ bœ œ œ œ œ bœ Ó œœ
nœ œ
J
œ œ œ
J œ œ œ. œ Ó

Ex6. Oscar Peterson. This is an impeccable line that perfectly traces and embellishes the Chord changes.

B b7 Eb E b- Bb Bb

? bb œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ b œ œ n œ b œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ
F7

œ œ œ œ œ Œ
3

Ex7. Oscar Peterson. Again, the way Oscar navigates the chord changes is astounding. This line is so perfect it is hard to
believe that it was not written beforehand.

œ œ
B b7
# œ œ œ n œ Eb
œ E b- Bb Bb

? bb œ œ b œ œ œ œ bœ nœ bœ œ nœ bœ œ œ œ
F7

œ
#œ œ œ œ Ó.
3 3

Ex 8. Charlie Parker. This is a tremendous, beautiful example of Voice leading. Notice the first and last 5 notes are the same!

œ œ #œ œ œ bœ œ
B b7 Eb
œ œ Eœb- œB b œ # œ ˙
? bb œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ

Ex 9. Charlie Parker - this line is very similar to the previous example 5 that Ben Webster played in 1940. Indeed, the
first 9 notes are identical! Could it be that Charlie Parker heard Ben Webster and copied him?

B b6
B b7
Eb
o Bb

j bœ œ œ œ bœ œ nœ
E 7

? bb ‰ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ
œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ
3

œ
3

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 Ex 10. Charlie Parker - it is cool the way Charlie starts the phrase on the Bluesy b7. Over the IV chord he superimposes a vi-7 chord.
As well, over the iv- chord he superimposes a biimaj7 chord. And in the last bar Charlie plays one of his "pet" licks that we saw in example 8.

B b7 Eb E b- B b6

? b bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ bœ
b œ œ œ #œ ˙

Ex 11. Charlie Parker. This is another gem! In the first bar Charlie outlines the relative ii-7 of the I7 chord. Then he descends via an
augmented triad. Over the iv minor chord he highlights a iv-7 chord. The last phrase is really interesting the way Charlie features the
Major 7th and resolves finally on to the Major 6th.

B b7 Eb E b- Bb

? b
b œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ Ó.
œ bœ bœ œ œ
œ
3

Ex 12. Miles Davis. In sharp contrast to Charlie Parker, Miles Davis eschews any kind of Bebop. All the notes are diatonic to the Major scale.
This is really something for us to ponder on. Was Davis deliberately avoiding chromatic notes, so as break with Bebop?

Bb B b7 Eb Bb Bb

œ. œ. œ. œ.
F7

? bb œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ. Ó.
œ œ œ œ

Ex 13. Miles Davis. Again Miles is not highlighting the chord changes with his note choices. Instead he is playing "Globally" it seems...
o
œ
Bb
œ œ B b7 Eb
nœ œ œ bœ œ Bb
œ œ
Bb Bb
E 7

œœ œœ Ó œœœœœœœ ‰
r
F7

? bb J œ œ
#œ
˙ Ó

Ex 14. John Coltrane. This example is so perfect it is hard to think that it was not somehow practiced beforehand.
The line contains beautiful voiceleading and ALL the non diatonic notes relate and function coherently with the underlying chords.

B b7 Eb E b- Bb Bb
œ bœ œ œ œ ¿ œ Ó.
G7 C -7 F7

? bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ n œ œ œ
œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ

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 Ex 15. John Coltrane. Another text book line. In the first bar he highlights the b13 of the dominant chord and over the following chords
Trane almost exclusively plays chord tones.

Bb B b7 Eb E b- Bb Bb

œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ ¿ œ œ œ œ œ
F7

? bb œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ
¿ œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó
3

Ex 16. John Coltrane. This phrase is full of tremendous language. It is interesting how Trane uses the b5 as an auxiliary note on the first chord.
As well, check the simple, Soulful and muscular way Coltrane finishes the phrase.

B b7 Eb E b- Bb

? bb œ n œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ bœ œ bœ nœ œ œ
œ
Ó

Ex 17. John Coltrane. Here is another impeccable line that seems as if it was written beforehand. On the iv- chord notice the way Coltrane
traces the notes of a iv-7 chord, not iv-6. Again the ending of the phrase is noteworthy as it is so diatonic , logical and final.

œ œ œ b œ œ œ E bœ œ œ E b-7 Bb
œ
B b7
œ bœ œ bœ œ œ œ œ
? bb œ œ œ œ œ œ

Ex 18. Hank Mobley. This gorgeous line perfectly traces and highlights the non diatonic notes of the underlying harmony, leaving

o œ
no doubt of what the chords are!

nœ œ œ œ œ
Bb B b7
n œ œ œ Bb
Eb
œ
Bb
œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ nœ œ ˙
bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ
G7 E 7
C -7 F7

? bb œ Ó

Ex 19. Hank Mobley. This line starts in a very similar way to Ben Webster´s line (example 5). In bar 2 over the IV chord we see the Major Bebop
scale of the IV chord. Hank next outlines the iv- chord tones .
The last bar contains a beautiful text book Diatonic ending that features the Major 7th of the Tonic chord and key.

Bb
œ œ
B b7
b œ œ b œ œ
Eb
œ
E b- Bb Bb

? b b ‰ œJ b œ œ œ œ bœ œ bœ œ
œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
F

∑
3

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 Ex 20. Hank Mobley. Hank descends down the (Tonic) mixolydian scale in the first bar and then anticipates the notes of the IV chord
with a triplet figure. He "lands" on the beautiful 9th of the IV chord, from which he descends down ending the phrase anticipating
the minor 3rd of the iv minor chord. The last bar is reminiscent of Sidney Bechet´s "High Society"

n œB b œ œ œ B b7 œ œ œ
Eb E b- Bb

? bb œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œœœœ œ œ œ Œ
Ó ∑
3 3

Ex 21. Hank Mobley starts this phrase on the 9th of the I7 chord, then chromatically descends to the b7. In the 3rd bar he highlights the notes
of the biii minor 7. On the last chord as well he highlights the b9 and #9 of the dominant chord.

E b- D b-7
Bb B b7 Eb
bœ œ œ œ œ œ bœ bœ bœ
F7

œ bœ bœ Œ
D -7 C -7

? bb œ b œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ
œ bœ œ bœ nœ
3
Ex 22. Here Hank Mobley ascends the Dorian minor in the first bar. Instead of resolving on to the major 3rd of the IV chord, he hits the Bluesy minor third of
this IV Chord. From there he continues up chromatically to the 5th of the IV minor chord. From this 5th he descends b3, 2 to 1 of the IV minor chord.
This leads beautifully to the major 3rd of the Tonic chord. He ends the phrase with a neat diatonic phrase that embellishes the Root.

F -7 B b7 Eb E b- Bb

? bb œ œ œ # œ œ bœ nœ œ bœ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ ∑
œ œ bœ œ œ

Ex 23. Art Pepper weaves an incredible Blues tinged phrase through the chords. Notice the chromatic line in the 3rd bar that starts on the 5th
of the Tonic, then down a semi tone to the b5, then to the 4th, then down a tone to the b3rd (The previous numbers relate to the Tonic key)

o
B b6
œ
B b7
b œ n . œ. n œ. œB b
œ
Eb
n ˙ b
C. -7 . F 9+5
œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ
G 13b9

b œ
E 7

? bb œ . œ œ œ b œ n œ Œ Ó.
J
1 b5 4 b3

Ex 24. This Art Pepper phrase is identical to the previous one in the second bar. Art ends the phrase beautifully. Every note is perfection!

o
œB bœ œ B b7 Eb
b œ n œ œ n œ œ Bb
œ œ
Bb

œ bœ œ œ œ œ bœ nœ œ œ œ œ œ bœ nœ œ œ bœ nœ
E 7 F7

? bb œŒ

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 Ex 25. This Yusef Lateef phrase oozes soul and feeling. It is interesting to observe that Yusef neither highlights or references the IV minor chord
or the #IV diminished, reminding us that it is not necessary to trace and play each and every chord to sound great

Bb B b7 Eb Bb

? b œ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ
b
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ∑

Ex 26. This phrase is interesting as Yusef Lateef again does not play or reference the IV minor or #IV diminished chord in the second bar.

Bb B b7 Eb Bb

œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ
? b b˙ ‰ # œJ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ ∑
b
3

Ex 27. Dexter Gordon. This is a relatively simple but really effective phrase. The b6 degree in the last bar can be thought of as belonging
to the previous bars IV minor chord, or as a b6 on the Tonic Major, that pulls heavily down to the 5th degree.

œ B bœ6 œ œ œ Bœb7 œ œ Eb
œ œ E b-
œ œ b œ
Bb

? bb bœ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ
œ ∑
3

Ex 28. Here Dexter Gordon perfectly traces the harmony. The last bar is particularly interesting for two reasons: 1) as the resolution
to the Tonic is delayed by a beat 2) The inclusion again of the b6 over the Major chord

B b7 Eb E b- Bb
Bb
B

? bb œ œ b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ œ n œ b œ ∑
œ bœ œ œ
œ

Ex 29. Dexter Gordon. Again this is line traces and highlights the chords in an impeccable way.

Eb E b- Bb Bb

? bb b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ∑
œ b œ œ œ

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 Ex30. Sonny Stitt. Check the fantastic, blues tinged way Sonny navigates these chords. In the last 2 bars he emphasises the b3 of the Tonality,
using it as an embellishment.

o
B b7 Eb Bb
#œ œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ
Bb

? b œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ
E 7 G- C -7 F7

b œ b œ œ œ œ. b œ Œ Œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ Ó.

Ex31. Sonny Stitt. Still a big emphasis on the pungent b3rd of the key. The notes in the second bar are identical to the previous example.
o
œ œ œ Bœb7 œ œ # œ œ œ œ n œ-
Bb Eb b Bb
bœ œ œ œ # œ ˙ œ ˙.
E 7 B F7

? bb œ J Œ
J

Ex32. Sonny Stitt. The first bar features one of Stitt´s pet licks. The second bar contains the same notes as the previous two examples

B b7 Eb
o Bb

? bb b œ n œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ Œ œ. œ Œ
E 7 G7 C -7 F7

j
bœ œ œ œ bœ œ. œ #œ
r
œ œ
3
3

Ex33. Sonny Stitt. Again in this example Sonny emphasises the b3rd of the key, embuing the line with Blues. Note the iv minor chord as well
this time unlike the previous #iv diminished examples

bœ œ œ.
bœ nœ œ nœ œ œ œ
B b7 Eb E b- B b6

? bb œ œ bœ nœ œ ‰ œ œ
Œ ∑

Ex34. Joe Pass. This line is so intricate and the voice leading so impeccable. It is hard to think that it was not in some way practiced beforehand.
Every chromatic note leads or resolves perfectly.

œ
B b7 E b7
b œ œ œ b œ n œ
Bb Bb

? bb œ # œ n œ œ b œ œ # œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ nœ bœ
F7

œ #œ œ Ó.

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 Ex35. Joe Pass. This is a beautiful example that features non diatonic notes in an incredible, Bluesy way.

Eb E b- Bb
B b7
œ œ
? b œ œ œ ¿ bœ œ bœ œ ‰ J #œ œ œ
œ #œ œ Œ ∑
b œ.

Ex36. Zoot Sims. The following example is literally perfect. Every non diatonic note fulfils a harmonic function.

b7 œ n œ œ
Bœ
# œ œ bœ Eb E b-6
œ bœ œ
Bb
? bb #œ œ Œ œ nœ Ó. ∑

Ex37. Sonny Rollins. This is a text book Bop line that highlights the chord changes.

œ
B b7
œ œ Eb
œ E b-
œ œ œ bœ
Bb

? bb b œ œ œ œ b œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó ∑
3

Ex38. Sonny Rollins. This is another text book line that traces the chord tones. Note, the first bar of this line is identical to the previous example.
This suggests that this "lick" was practiced by Rollins beforehand.

B b7
œ Eb
œ œ b œ œ E b-œ Bb
œ œ œ œ
? bb b œ œ œ œ b œ n œ œ œ œ
œ Ó ∑
3

You are encouraged to really take your time with these phrase.
Suggestions
1)listen to the recordings again and again
2) play the phrases on your instrument
3) sing them slowly whilst playing the chords on the keyboard
4) play them in different keys
5) write variations
6) memorise the one you like most

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