Autumn Leaves:
The Realbook is in the Major Key of G Major but can be considered in the overall Key of E Minor functionally.
The song consists of a number of Major and Minor II-V-I with a spot of Chromatic chords.
The first four chords: || Am7 | D7 | Gmaj7 | Cmaj7 || can be viewed as a IIm-V-I-IV in the Key of G Major.
For the next chord set: || F#m7b5 | B7 | Em | Em ||, F#m7b5 is the VII chord of G still but it sets up a Em IIm-V-I.
Then repeat :)
Moving on...
Now we run into a series of II-V-I progression and a chromatic passage to turn us around.
|| F#m7b5 | B7b9 (could be B7alt, like B7#5#9) | Em | Em || this is a IIm-V-I in E Minor
|| Am7 | D7 | Gmaj7 | Gmaj7 || this is a IIm-V-I in G Major
|| F#m7b5 | B7alt | Em7 Eb7 | Dm7 Db7 || this is a IIm-V-I in E Minor with a chromatic set of chords
which is kind of a I-VI-II-V in C Major with subs (Em7=Cmaj7, Eb7=A7, Dm7=Dm7, Db7=G7). That's one way to look at them, like back cycling from Em to Cmaj7 (using subs)...
Then we land at || Cmaj7 || which is the IV chord or G or better yet the bVI chord of Em, treat it with C Lydian for sure, or just notes from the Cmaj7 arp.
Then || B7alt | Em | Em || which is a V-I in E Minor.
Just play in Key for each of the passages, treat all the Dominant chords as V7's and play a Jazz Minor up a half-step for them, play C Lydian over the Cmaj7 chord, for the m7b5's either play Locrian from the Root or Jazz Minor up a min 3rd. That's about all that's to it.
For the Chromatic thing, try a pseudo Coltrane or Django thing (both examples are all 1/8 notes except for the last resolving note which is a whole note...
- Code: Select all
Coltrane (just mixing up 5-6-7-9 and 1-2-3-5 from each chord)
Em7 Eb7 Dm7 Db7 Cmaj7
E-----------------------6--|--5-----------------------|---------
B-----------7-----6--8-----|-----6--5-----4-----------|---------
G-----6--7-----8-----------|-----------7-----4--3-----|---------
D--9-----------------------|-----------------------6--|--5------
A--------------------------|--------------------------|---------
E--------------------------|--------------------------|---------
Django (essentially using m7 arps for Em7 and Dm7, and using diminished subs for the Dominant chords or even thought of as || Em7 Em6 | Dm7 Dm6 ||)
Em7 Edim7 Dm7 Ddim7 Cmaj7
E----------------------------------|---------------------------------|-------
B----------12--15--14--11----------|----------10--13--12--9----------|-------
G------12------------------12------|------10-----------------10------|-------
D--14--------------------------14--|--12-------------------------12--|--10---
A----------------------------------|---------------------------------|-------
E----------------------------------|---------------------------------|-------
-------------------------------------------
Try some alternate changes for Autumn Leaves.
These are in the original Key of Bb Major/G Minor:
Line 1 : || Cm7 | F7b9 | Bbmaj7 | Gm11(quartal) | Am7b5 | Adim7 Gbdim7 | Gm6 | Gm6 |
Line 2 : | Cm7 | Cdim7 | Bbmaj7 | Bb6 | Am7b5 | D7#9 D7b9 | Gm7 | Gm7 |
Line 3 : | Am7b5 | Ebdim7 | Gm7 | Gm6 | Cm7 | B7b5 | Bbmaj13 | Bbmaj13 |
Line 4 : | Am7b5 | Adim7 | Gm7 Gdim7 | Fm7 Fdim7 | Ebmaj9 | D7#5#9 D7#5b9 | Gm7 | Gm7 ||
Also try these:
Line 1 : | Cm7 | B7 | Bbmaj7 | Bb6 | Am7b5 | Ab7 | Gm7 | Gm6 |
Line 2 : | Cm7 | Cdim7 | Bbmaj7 | Bb6 | Am7b5 | D7#9 D7b9 | Gm7 Gm6 | Gm7 Gm6 |
Line 3 : | Am7b5 | Ebdim7 | Gm7 | Gm6 | Cm9 | B9b5 | Bbmaj7 | Bbmaj7 |
Line 4 : | Am7b5 | D7b9 | Gm7 C7b9 | Fm7 Bb7b9 | Ebmaj9 | Ab13 D7b9 | Gm7 | Gm7 ||
