Something that caught my attention recently was the familiar chord progression, i - bVII - bVI - V (Cmin-Bb7-Ab7-G7, in C), known as the "Andalusian Cadence".
This progression is reported to have its origins in the Flamenco music of Andalucia, the region of southern Spain where Flamenco culture was born.
The Andalusian Cadence has long become a staple in many forms of music around the world, including Pop & Jazz.
One obvious example that quickly comes to mind is the Ray Charles classic "Hit the Road, Jack!", and there are literally thousands more.
Another popular example from the Jazz repertoire is pianist Horace Silver's classic "Song for my Father", which is the focus of this post.
This progression is reported to have its origins in the Flamenco music of Andalucia, the region of southern Spain where Flamenco culture was born.
The Andalusian Cadence has long become a staple in many forms of music around the world, including Pop & Jazz.
One obvious example that quickly comes to mind is the Ray Charles classic "Hit the Road, Jack!", and there are literally thousands more.
Another popular example from the Jazz repertoire is pianist Horace Silver's classic "Song for my Father", which is the focus of this post.
"Ahh, that's-a-my-boy!"
"Song for my Father" is the best known, and most performed and recorded of Silver's many great tunes. He explained that it was partly inspired by his quintet's trip to Brazil in the early 1960's.
"We got the Brazilian rhythm for this tune from that trip, and the melodic line was inspired by some very old Cape Verdean Portuguese folk music."
The Cape Verdean Island's are located in the Atlantic Ocean some 350 miles west of Senegal, in West Africa. It was colonized by the Portuguese and was the birth place of Horace's father, John. Young Horace learned this, and other melodies, from hearing his father play them at informal gatherings at home while growing up in Connecticut.
As the title indicates, he eventually wrote and recorded "Song for my Father" as a dedication to his "old man".
The premise of the exercise sequences presented here follows a series of posts featuring the practical usage of Triad Pairs in constructing a melodic line.
In this case, the triad pairs are derived from each of the 4 chords of the Andalusian Cadence, on which "Song for my Father" is based.
The Triad Pairs used in these sequences, with their derivative scales and scale degrees, are as shown below.
"Song for my Father" has a 24-bar, AAB song form and is in the key of F minor.
8 bar A-section with repeat.
Measures #1 & #2 - F min7 (i) = F min & Eb Maj triads = i & bVII of F min (Aeolian or Dorian)
The choice between Aeolian or Dorian minor modes is not an important factor when using the i & bVII triad pair, since the 6th degree of each, which determines the quality of either mode, is not present.
Measures #3 & #4 - Eb13 (bVII) = Db Maj & Eb Maj triads = IV & V of Ab Major
Measure #5 - Db7 (bVI) = Db Maj & B Maj triads = V & IV of Gb Major
Measure #6 - C7alt (V7) = Gb Maj & E Aug triads = IV & biii of Db Melodic Minor
Measure #7 - same as measures #1 & #2.
Measure #8 - tonic resolution & turnaround
The Major triads formed on the IV & V degrees of the Major Scale is probably the best known Triad Pair and usually the first learned (e.g. F & G, in C). It creates a strong Mixolydian sound, and is commonplace within certain aspects of Afro-Cuban musical tradition (aka Salsa).
The triads formed on the biii (Augmented) & IV (Major) degrees of the Melodic Minor scale create a
most interesting and colorful sound. In this example, over a C7alt chord, the triads E+ & Gb Maj (derived from Db Melodic Minor) create the root-3-b7 of C7 (C-E-Bb), plus extensions b5-b9-b13 (Gb-Db-Ab). This sound creates a fair degree of tension, which adds flavor to a dominant 7th chord.
The ascending melodic sequence in bars #1 thru #7 of Ex.1 is comprised of continuously ascending triad inversions, starting on root, 3rd and / or 5th of each triad within the pair.
R-5-R-3 (F min), 3-R-3-5 (Eb Maj) | 3-(R-3-)5 (F min), 5-3-5-R Eb Maj |
()5-R-3 (Db Maj), R-5-R-3 (Eb Maj) | 3-1-3-5 (Db Maj), 3-1-3-5 (Eb Maj) |
(5-)3-5-R (Db Maj), R-5-R-3 (B Maj) | 5-()R-3-5 (Gb Maj), +5-3-R-p.t. (E Aug) |
5-3-1 (F min) 5-()- 3-1 (Eb Maj) | F min & C7alt turnaround |
Notice how, in almost all cases, each triad resolves into the next by either a half or whole step.
Ex. 1 - Eight bar A-Section with repeat.
"We got the Brazilian rhythm for this tune from that trip, and the melodic line was inspired by some very old Cape Verdean Portuguese folk music."
The Cape Verdean Island's are located in the Atlantic Ocean some 350 miles west of Senegal, in West Africa. It was colonized by the Portuguese and was the birth place of Horace's father, John. Young Horace learned this, and other melodies, from hearing his father play them at informal gatherings at home while growing up in Connecticut.
As the title indicates, he eventually wrote and recorded "Song for my Father" as a dedication to his "old man".
The premise of the exercise sequences presented here follows a series of posts featuring the practical usage of Triad Pairs in constructing a melodic line.
In this case, the triad pairs are derived from each of the 4 chords of the Andalusian Cadence, on which "Song for my Father" is based.
The Triad Pairs used in these sequences, with their derivative scales and scale degrees, are as shown below.
"Song for my Father" has a 24-bar, AAB song form and is in the key of F minor.
8 bar A-section with repeat.
Measures #1 & #2 - F min7 (i) = F min & Eb Maj triads = i & bVII of F min (Aeolian or Dorian)
The choice between Aeolian or Dorian minor modes is not an important factor when using the i & bVII triad pair, since the 6th degree of each, which determines the quality of either mode, is not present.
Measures #3 & #4 - Eb13 (bVII) = Db Maj & Eb Maj triads = IV & V of Ab Major
Measure #5 - Db7 (bVI) = Db Maj & B Maj triads = V & IV of Gb Major
Measure #6 - C7alt (V7) = Gb Maj & E Aug triads = IV & biii of Db Melodic Minor
Measure #7 - same as measures #1 & #2.
Measure #8 - tonic resolution & turnaround
The Major triads formed on the IV & V degrees of the Major Scale is probably the best known Triad Pair and usually the first learned (e.g. F & G, in C). It creates a strong Mixolydian sound, and is commonplace within certain aspects of Afro-Cuban musical tradition (aka Salsa).
The triads formed on the biii (Augmented) & IV (Major) degrees of the Melodic Minor scale create a
most interesting and colorful sound. In this example, over a C7alt chord, the triads E+ & Gb Maj (derived from Db Melodic Minor) create the root-3-b7 of C7 (C-E-Bb), plus extensions b5-b9-b13 (Gb-Db-Ab). This sound creates a fair degree of tension, which adds flavor to a dominant 7th chord.
The ascending melodic sequence in bars #1 thru #7 of Ex.1 is comprised of continuously ascending triad inversions, starting on root, 3rd and / or 5th of each triad within the pair.
R-5-R-3 (F min), 3-R-3-5 (Eb Maj) | 3-(R-3-)5 (F min), 5-3-5-R Eb Maj |
()5-R-3 (Db Maj), R-5-R-3 (Eb Maj) | 3-1-3-5 (Db Maj), 3-1-3-5 (Eb Maj) |
(5-)3-5-R (Db Maj), R-5-R-3 (B Maj) | 5-()R-3-5 (Gb Maj), +5-3-R-p.t. (E Aug) |
5-3-1 (F min) 5-()- 3-1 (Eb Maj) | F min & C7alt turnaround |
Notice how, in almost all cases, each triad resolves into the next by either a half or whole step.
Ex. 1 - Eight bar A-Section with repeat.
Ex. 2 - Eight bar B-Section with repeat (for exercise only).
The B-Section is an 8 bar modified version of the A-section. The repeat functions only as part of the exercise and not as part of "Song for my Father's" actual AAB song form, where it doesn't repeat. It utilizes the same 4 chords of the Andalusian Cadence, juxtaposed and with different rates of change within the last 4 bars.
It should also be noted that what's important in determining the order in which each triad is expressed within each particular pair, is how it connects from the previous pair, as well as the direction and contour of the line itself.
8 bar B-section with repeat.
Measures #1 & #2 - Eb13 (bVII) = Eb Maj & Db Maj triads = IV & V of Ab Major
Measures #3 & #4 - F min7 (i) = F min & Eb Maj triads = i & bVII of F min (Dorian or Aeolian)
Measure #5 - Eb13 (bVII) & Db7 (bVI) = Eb Maj & Db Maj triads = V & IV of Ab Major
Measure #6 - C7alt (V7) = E Aug & Gb Maj triads = IV & biii of Db Melodic Minor
Measure #7 & #8 - F min11 (i) = F min & Eb Maj triads = i & bVII of F min (Aeolian or Dorian)
It should also be noted that what's important in determining the order in which each triad is expressed within each particular pair, is how it connects from the previous pair, as well as the direction and contour of the line itself.
8 bar B-section with repeat.
Measures #1 & #2 - Eb13 (bVII) = Eb Maj & Db Maj triads = IV & V of Ab Major
Measures #3 & #4 - F min7 (i) = F min & Eb Maj triads = i & bVII of F min (Dorian or Aeolian)
Measure #5 - Eb13 (bVII) & Db7 (bVI) = Eb Maj & Db Maj triads = V & IV of Ab Major
Measure #6 - C7alt (V7) = E Aug & Gb Maj triads = IV & biii of Db Melodic Minor
Measure #7 & #8 - F min11 (i) = F min & Eb Maj triads = i & bVII of F min (Aeolian or Dorian)
Listen
In the audio example presented here, an Afro-Cuban tumbao pattern in 2-3 clave is used in the bass to support the accompaniment of the above melodic sequences.
The downloadable PDF (above link) presents an additional three examples, similar to the one shown here, over both the A & B-Sections. They can be practiced in any combination.
Horace Silver stated that his original version was based on a "Bossa Nova" rhythm, as well as the Cape Verdean folk music of his father.
From Andalusia, in southern Spain, to Cape Verde to Brazil to Cuba. That's a nice little ocean cruise on these 4 basic chords.
Explore these sequences for yourself and discover where else they might take you.
B. Stern
The downloadable PDF (above link) presents an additional three examples, similar to the one shown here, over both the A & B-Sections. They can be practiced in any combination.
Horace Silver stated that his original version was based on a "Bossa Nova" rhythm, as well as the Cape Verdean folk music of his father.
From Andalusia, in southern Spain, to Cape Verde to Brazil to Cuba. That's a nice little ocean cruise on these 4 basic chords.
Explore these sequences for yourself and discover where else they might take you.
B. Stern
For an even deeper dive, the following Shortbooks™ are recommended
and available for immediate download.
Click for more info.
and available for immediate download.
Click for more info.
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