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Dear TOTM-friends,
I'm glad to be the host for the TOTM 10/2020. Thank you so much DaveEb for hosting september with „Lullaby of Birdland". - For October I chose another absolute classic - „Girl from Ipanema" from Tom Jobim.
When I thought about this song as TOTM, I looked up the the list in the archives - and Bingo - it was never a TOTM before.
Peter told me, that it was one month in the B/I section, which really astonished me! GfI a Beginner song?
In fact, the reason I took this is, that I always shy away from playing this song, because I remember playing some really embarrassing soli in the past. The song is super popular (it seems it is the song with the second most recordings ever) and everyone is expexting this smooth and seamless Stan Getz vibe, but as we all know that's not easy to achieve, especially in the bridge.
I was always happy when I had a shaker in my hand when this song was called, and other players could search their path through the chord- and key-jungle.
But now I'd like to be able to play this at least semi-convincing on sax myself - so let's get started!
Sheets and backings can be found here, but there are many more on the internet.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/diw36tm5jvmhais/AAAsTwBaeOTZVzcuAcnrK1bDa?dl=0
Some classical and interesting versions of this song:
Adam Neely released a imo super interesting YT-Film about the history, the chords, the melody etc. His analysis of the chord progression (especially of the bridge) were deeply discussed in this thread here on SOTW:
https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showt...-Theory-Question-Re-Chords-and-their-Function.
I quote two members with their way of thinking af the chords in the middle section, that I find really helpfull:
1st: Adamk:
One way to look at it.
FMaj7 (key center), G7 (5 of 5), Gb7b5 (tritone sub), 1st ending: FMaj7, Gb7b5,
2nd ending: FMaj7, bridge: GbMaj7 ( instant modulation with old key center note in melody), B7 (implies key of E), Sequence from last 2 measures: F#min7 (IImin in E melody 3rd of E ), D7 (Implies key of G), Sequence: Gmin7 (new root), Eb7 (implies key of Ab or acts as tritone sub), Amin7, D7b9(#11) (II-V Key of G), Sequence: Gmin7, C7b9(#11) (II-V key of F, back to original key), Verse then end.
2nd: Pete Thomas:
To make things easy and I also think of chord on bar 5 as I of A (Amaj7) and on bar 9 as chord I of Bb. (Bbmaj7). This way thew whole bridge sequence makes a lot more sense in terms of functional harmony.
key centres:
Bar 1 - 4 = F# (chords I and IV7) (Ab for tenor - Eb for alto)
Bar 5 - 8 = A (chords I and IV7) (B for tenor - Gb/F# for alto)
Bar 9 - 12 = Bb (chords I and IV7) (C for tenor - G for alto)
Bar 13 - 16 = F (IIIm7 - VIm7 -IIm7 -V7) (G for tenor - D for alto)
All I need memorise is four bar sequences with I - IV7 change (like a blues). These ascend up a minor 3rd, then up a tone then cycle back into the key of the A section.
But however, the goal for all this stuff is of course to play melodic lines, that make kind of sense. Stan Getz (and Kenny G and many others - sorry to name these two in one sentence) stays - at least in his famous recording with Astrud Gilberto - near by the melody, so that's a very usefull aproach to master the B-section.
Don't be shy if you get lost in the middle and upload also your half decent or even failed tracks. I hope that we have many contributions!
I'm glad to be the host for the TOTM 10/2020. Thank you so much DaveEb for hosting september with „Lullaby of Birdland". - For October I chose another absolute classic - „Girl from Ipanema" from Tom Jobim.
When I thought about this song as TOTM, I looked up the the list in the archives - and Bingo - it was never a TOTM before.
Peter told me, that it was one month in the B/I section, which really astonished me! GfI a Beginner song?
In fact, the reason I took this is, that I always shy away from playing this song, because I remember playing some really embarrassing soli in the past. The song is super popular (it seems it is the song with the second most recordings ever) and everyone is expexting this smooth and seamless Stan Getz vibe, but as we all know that's not easy to achieve, especially in the bridge.
I was always happy when I had a shaker in my hand when this song was called, and other players could search their path through the chord- and key-jungle.
But now I'd like to be able to play this at least semi-convincing on sax myself - so let's get started!
Sheets and backings can be found here, but there are many more on the internet.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/diw36tm5jvmhais/AAAsTwBaeOTZVzcuAcnrK1bDa?dl=0
Some classical and interesting versions of this song:
Adam Neely released a imo super interesting YT-Film about the history, the chords, the melody etc. His analysis of the chord progression (especially of the bridge) were deeply discussed in this thread here on SOTW:
https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showt...-Theory-Question-Re-Chords-and-their-Function.
I quote two members with their way of thinking af the chords in the middle section, that I find really helpfull:
1st: Adamk:
One way to look at it.
FMaj7 (key center), G7 (5 of 5), Gb7b5 (tritone sub), 1st ending: FMaj7, Gb7b5,
2nd ending: FMaj7, bridge: GbMaj7 ( instant modulation with old key center note in melody), B7 (implies key of E), Sequence from last 2 measures: F#min7 (IImin in E melody 3rd of E ), D7 (Implies key of G), Sequence: Gmin7 (new root), Eb7 (implies key of Ab or acts as tritone sub), Amin7, D7b9(#11) (II-V Key of G), Sequence: Gmin7, C7b9(#11) (II-V key of F, back to original key), Verse then end.
2nd: Pete Thomas:
To make things easy and I also think of chord on bar 5 as I of A (Amaj7) and on bar 9 as chord I of Bb. (Bbmaj7). This way thew whole bridge sequence makes a lot more sense in terms of functional harmony.
key centres:
Bar 1 - 4 = F# (chords I and IV7) (Ab for tenor - Eb for alto)
Bar 5 - 8 = A (chords I and IV7) (B for tenor - Gb/F# for alto)
Bar 9 - 12 = Bb (chords I and IV7) (C for tenor - G for alto)
Bar 13 - 16 = F (IIIm7 - VIm7 -IIm7 -V7) (G for tenor - D for alto)
All I need memorise is four bar sequences with I - IV7 change (like a blues). These ascend up a minor 3rd, then up a tone then cycle back into the key of the A section.
But however, the goal for all this stuff is of course to play melodic lines, that make kind of sense. Stan Getz (and Kenny G and many others - sorry to name these two in one sentence) stays - at least in his famous recording with Astrud Gilberto - near by the melody, so that's a very usefull aproach to master the B-section.
Don't be shy if you get lost in the middle and upload also your half decent or even failed tracks. I hope that we have many contributions!
... Ipanema here!
