Hi there, my guitar practice notes here… jazz harmony and theory… jazz lines and other snippets of information for daily jazz guitar practice ( can probably be used for other instruments too).

Here are some chord replacement ideas I was pondering. It’s sort of first 2 bars of jazz tune ‘there is no greater love’ too. Or just Bbmaj7 and E7 ..

Jazz Theory Explanation

First chord voicing: just the notes from the original chord, but played in a more pianistic way, with a little bit of added dissonance (yes, I love Monk). Second voicing (A, Bb, F) – again, notes from the main chord (Bb maj7 chord), but added in order to voice lead. The third chord (D, G, C, G) could be another chord in a different context, with many possible names, but in this context, it’s a 6/9 chord starting from the 3rd of Bb (D). I hope that makes sense.

Second bar – again, the notes are pretty much those of the chord, but voiced in a slightly modern and non-typical way. The second chord can be thought of as a b9 chord, even though it’s really just the 5th played twice in an octave with an added b9 (E). (Everything I’m thinking/talking of is from the root Eb of course). The last chord in the second bar is pretty much a simple Eb7 without a root (the root is normally played by the bass player as i was writing this example with band sound in mind…).

Just on a side note.. Or not Entirely side-note… I will attach some jazz guitar history summary here..

A short summary of Jazz guitar history…….

Jazz guitar has a rich history that spans over a century, starting from the early 20th century. Here’s a brief overview of the history of jazz guitar that you may already know. But in case you don’t know some it it.. Here it is.

1. Early jazz guitar – In the early days of jazz, the guitar was mostly used as a rhythm instrument, providing accompaniment to the other instruments. Some early jazz guitarists include Eddie Lang, Lonnie Johnson and Django Reinhardt.
2. Swing era: In the 1930s and 1940s, jazz entered the swing era, and the guitar became a more prominent solo instrument. Swing guitarists, such as Charlie Christian and Freddie Green, popularised the use of the electric guitar in jazz.
3. Bebop and beyond – In the 1940s and 1950s, bebop emerged as a new style of jazz, with guitarists such as Wes Montgomery, Charlie Byrd, and Barney Kessel contributing to the genre. In the 1960s and 1970s, jazz fusion emerged, blending jazz with rock, funk, and other styles. Guitarists such as John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, and Larry Coryell became prominent in this era.
4. Contemporary jazz guitar: In the 1980s and beyond, jazz guitarists continued to push the boundaries of the genre, incorporating new techniques, influences, and technology. Guitarists such as Bill Frisell, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and Julian Lage are among the leading contemporary jazz guitarists.

Throughout the history of jazz guitar, the instrument has played a crucial role in the development and evolution of the genre, and continues to inspire and influence musicians to this day.

Back to guitar practice notes…

Ok.. Back to my practice ideas and notes. I have been checking Jesse van Ruller and one of my fav tracks have been Isfahan. Joe Henderson also have a great version of that tune.

Check these 2 versions.

“Isfahan” is a jazz piece credited to Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington and released on Ellington’s 1967 album The Far East Suite; Isfahan is a city in Iran. It features long-time Ellington soloist Johnny Hodges on alto saxophone. It was originally called Elf when Strayhorn^[1] composed it, months before the 1963 Ellington orchestra world tour during which the group traveled to Iran.

Here is one of the lines from one of the transcriptions I have been looking at.

Check other guitar practice posts here.