We Got Rhythm Changes!
"Who could ask for anything more?"
"Who could ask for anything more?"
Yeah... we got 'em!
"We Got Rhythm Changes!" is this months featured Shortbook™, and if there's any doubt as to its subject matter, the title itself should be clear enough.
The seminal chord changes to George Gershwin's 1930 classic "I Got Rhythm" became popular among swing era musicians of the 1930's and '40's. With creative modifications, they became iconic to the post WWII bebop era and beyond, being referred to simply as "Rhythm Changes".
Next to the 12 bar Blues, the 32 bar AABA standard American song form "Rhythm Changes" became one of the most popular (and flexible) vehicles for improvisation.
Many classic lines or "heads" were composed over "Rhythm Changes". Some of the best known are:
"We Got Rhythm Changes!" is this months featured Shortbook™, and if there's any doubt as to its subject matter, the title itself should be clear enough.
The seminal chord changes to George Gershwin's 1930 classic "I Got Rhythm" became popular among swing era musicians of the 1930's and '40's. With creative modifications, they became iconic to the post WWII bebop era and beyond, being referred to simply as "Rhythm Changes".
Next to the 12 bar Blues, the 32 bar AABA standard American song form "Rhythm Changes" became one of the most popular (and flexible) vehicles for improvisation.
Many classic lines or "heads" were composed over "Rhythm Changes". Some of the best known are:
"Oleo" (Sonny Rollins), "Rhythm-a-Ning" (Thelonious Monk), "Lester Leaps In" (Lester Young), "Oop-Bop-Sha-Bam", "Salt Peanuts", "Shaw Nuff" (John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie), "Moose the Mooch", "Dexterity", "Constellation" (Charlie Parker), "The Theme" (Miles Davis), "Cottontail" (Edward "Duke" Ellington), "Jumpin' at the Woodside" (William "Count" Basie), "Straighten Up and Fly Right" (Nat "King" Cole), just to name a few. The list is l-o-o-o-o-o-n-g!
As mentioned, "I Got Rhythm" - like many popular songs of the period - follows the standard 32 bar AABA song format, in which the first eight bar "A" section is repeated, usually with a variation at the end of the second eight. It is then followed by an eight bar "B" section or "bridge" before repeating the "A" section, usually with the second ending to end the tune. There is sometimes even a third ending.
George Gershwin's original "Rhythm Changes" are mostly diatonic. The first four bars are based on a repeating I -vi - ii -V7 progression, one of the most common in western music - its root movement being based on the cycle of fifths.
As mentioned, "I Got Rhythm" - like many popular songs of the period - follows the standard 32 bar AABA song format, in which the first eight bar "A" section is repeated, usually with a variation at the end of the second eight. It is then followed by an eight bar "B" section or "bridge" before repeating the "A" section, usually with the second ending to end the tune. There is sometimes even a third ending.
George Gershwin's original "Rhythm Changes" are mostly diatonic. The first four bars are based on a repeating I -vi - ii -V7 progression, one of the most common in western music - its root movement being based on the cycle of fifths.
The "A" Section
Bb G- |C- F7 |Bb G- |C- F7 |
Bb Bb7 |Eb Eb- |Bb F7 |Bb |
Bb G- |C- F7 |Bb G- |C- F7 |
Bb Bb7 |Eb Eb- |Bb F7 |Bb |
Bb G- |C- F7 |Bb G- |C- F7 |
Bb Bb7 |Eb Eb- |Bb F7 |Bb |
Bb G- |C- F7 |Bb G- |C- F7 |
Bb Bb7 |Eb Eb- |Bb F7 |Bb |
As chord substitutions and alterations wee gradually introduced, a number of different "versions" of "Rhythm Changes", began to appear.
Below is an example from "We Got Rhythm Changes!", which is fairly straight-ahead, and which introduces altered dominants, as well as 1st and 2nd endings for the last 2 bars of each "A" section. The 1st ending features a iii-VI7-ii-V7 turnaround, cycling back to Bb in bar #1.
The 2nd ending, which resolves to the tonic I chord (Bb), creates a sense of finality before moving into the contrasting eight bar "B" Section (Bridge). The "A" section is then repeated a final time, most often with the second ending. This is typical of virtually all AABA type tunes.
Notice the similarity of the descending melodic shapes in bars #1 & #2, as well as #3 & #4, which alternate between diatonic and altered tensions.
Below is an example from "We Got Rhythm Changes!", which is fairly straight-ahead, and which introduces altered dominants, as well as 1st and 2nd endings for the last 2 bars of each "A" section. The 1st ending features a iii-VI7-ii-V7 turnaround, cycling back to Bb in bar #1.
The 2nd ending, which resolves to the tonic I chord (Bb), creates a sense of finality before moving into the contrasting eight bar "B" Section (Bridge). The "A" section is then repeated a final time, most often with the second ending. This is typical of virtually all AABA type tunes.
Notice the similarity of the descending melodic shapes in bars #1 & #2, as well as #3 & #4, which alternate between diatonic and altered tensions.
The "B" Section (Bridge)
D7 |D7 |G7 |G7 |
C7 |C7 |F7 |F7 |
D7 |D7 |G7 |G7 |
C7 |C7 |F7 |F7 |
Gershwin's original "Rhythm Changes" bridge is another eight bar section, containing a quartet of dominant 7th chords, each lasting 2 bars, starting on the III7 and again cycling back to Bb (III7-VI7-II7-V7) in the "A" section.
Below is an example from the book illustrating the use of a ii7 chord as a replacement for the V7 in bars #1. 3, 5 & 7, as well as altered dominant chords in bars #2, 4, 6 & 8.
Below is an example from the book illustrating the use of a ii7 chord as a replacement for the V7 in bars #1. 3, 5 & 7, as well as altered dominant chords in bars #2, 4, 6 & 8.
Listen
In the next "A" section example below - beginning on the bVI7 - dominant 7th chords are employed in the first 4 bars, moving around the cycle of 5ths and resolving to Bb7 in bar #5.
This set of changes was most likely introduced by pianist Art Tatum, and subsequently employed frequently by Thelonious Monk and others, for a few choruses in the middle of their solos.
This was a pretty radical departure from the original changes, but it remains a logical and challenging harmonic device.
This set of changes was most likely introduced by pianist Art Tatum, and subsequently employed frequently by Thelonious Monk and others, for a few choruses in the middle of their solos.
This was a pretty radical departure from the original changes, but it remains a logical and challenging harmonic device.
The "B" section example below begins on the bVII7 (the tritone sub of III7 from the original) and descends chromatically. A ii chord is often placed before the V7 in each case (Eb-7 Ab7, D-7 G7, Db-7 Gb7, G-7 F7) to create added root movement.
Listen
"We Got Rhythm Changes!" presents a dozen stylistically diverse "A" and "B" section "Rhythm Changes" etudes in separate chapters, so that one can focus on each section individually.
Any "A" section can be combined with any "B" section.
Each etude is presented in the keys of Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G & A.
"Who could ask for anything more?"
B. Stern
Any "A" section can be combined with any "B" section.
Each etude is presented in the keys of Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G & A.
"Who could ask for anything more?"
B. Stern
Click images to enlarge
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