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Chord Substitutions and Chord-Scales for Improvisation

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Chord Substitutions and Chord-Scales for Improvisation GIANT STEPS: CHORD SUBSTITUTIONS AND CHORD-SCALES FOR IMPROVISATION Ariel Kasler A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF MUSIC May 2014 Committee: Chris Buzzelli, Advisor Nora Engebretsen, Committee Member © 2014 Ariel Kasler All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Chris Buzzelli, Advisor This thesis examines harmonic possibilities inherent in John Coltrane’s composition “Giant Steps” from the perspective of a jazz improviser. Chord-scales suggested by the chord progression and subsets of these chord-scales form a tool for analyzing segments of melodic improvisations over “Giant Steps” by the composer and by other significant jazz musicians. Common-tone possibilities created by the application of various chord-scales are explored theoretically and through analysis of performances. Additional chord substitutions that alter the harmonic rhythm are also studied. The chord substitution-based approach to improvisation and analysis presented here partially explains the continued interest in “Giant Steps” while also offering improvisers many ways to approach this composition. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to the members of my committee, Prof. Chris Buzzelli and Dr. Nora Engebretsen, whose differing perspectives were essential in researching and writing a thesis that borrows from both jazz and traditional music theory. I could not have succeeded in this endeavor without their ongoing direction, feedback and advice. My thanks to Prof. David Bixler, who unintentionally inspired my inquiry of this topic, to Prof. Tad Weed for his encouragement and advice in pursuing this line of research, and to Prof. Jeff Halsey, Prof. Morgen Stiegler, Dr. Roger Schupp, and Dr. Ann Corrigan for sharing their knowledge and offering their support during my studies at Bowling Green State University. Thank you to all of my music teachers, past and present, especially Profs. Mick Goodrick and Hal Crook at Berklee College of Music, for shaping my conception of musical improvisation. I would like to thank my wife Bobbi Thompson, my parents Tamar Berkowitz and Dr. Jon Kasler, my sister Shira Kasler, and all of my extended Berkowitz-Kasler-Prinz family members not only for their love and support throughout my life, but also for instilling in me their belief in the value of higher education. Finally, I would like to extend a special thanks to my mother for her assistance and expertise in editing this document and to my wife for her love, caring, and insight that guides me through life. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER I. THE MAJOR SCALE AND ITS SUBSETS ................................................. 6 CHAPTER II. TONIC CHORD-SCALES AND THEIR SUBSETS .................................. 12 CHAPTER III. DOMINANT AND IIm7 CHORD-SCALES AND THEIR SUBSETS ..... 14 CHAPTER IV. COMMON-TONE POSSIBILITIES .......................................................... 17 The Augmented/Hexatonic Scale .............................................................................. 17 The Whole-Tone Scale and Its Fragments ................................................................ 19 The Octatonic Scale and Its Fragments ..................................................................... 21 Common-Tone Sus4 Chords ..................................................................................... 23 Pivot Chord Analysis and Its Implications ................................................................ 25 CHAPTER V. HARMONIC RHYTHM POSSIBILITIES .................................................. 27 Delay/Anticipation ..................................................................................................... 27 Polyrhythmic Harmonic Motion ................................................................................ 27 Subtraction and Addition of Chords .......................................................................... 28 3- and 6-Measure cycles ............................................................................................ 30 CHAPTER VI. SUMMARY AND APPLIED EXAMPLES ............................................... 33 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 38 APPENDIX A. CHORD-SCALES, THEIR SUBSETS, AND EXAMPLES FROM THE LITERATURE ........................................................................................................... 40 APPENDIX B. GLOSSARY ................................................................................................ 86 vi LIST OF FIGURES Page 1.1. Harmonic analysis of “Giant Steps” .................................................................... 7 4.1. The augmented/hexatonic scale as a chord-scale for the tonic and dominant chords in “Giant Steps” ....................................................................... 17 4.2. Kenny Garrett’s application of the augmented/hexatonic scale .......................... 18 4.3. Michael Brecker’s application of the augmented/hexatonic scale ...................... 18 4.4. Coltrane’s application of the augmented scale in the first three measures of “One Down, One Up” .......................................................................................... 19 4.5. Harmonization of a descending whole-tone scale ............................................... 19 4.6. Michael Brecker outlines a descending whole-tone progression ........................ 20 4.7. The whole-tone scale and its subsets applied to “Giant Steps” ........................... 20 4.8. Kenny Garrett’s application of both whole-tone scales ....................................... 21 4.9. HW diminished/octatonic common-tone triads ................................................... 22 4.10. HW diminished/octatonic aggregates across modulations .................................. 23 4.11. Three suspended 4th chords over the changes ...................................................... 24 4.12. Pivot chord analyses ............................................................................................ 25 4.13. Pairing of major triads a minor 2nd apart ............................................................. 26 5.1. Kenny Garrett anticipates .................................................................................... 27 5.2. Excerpt from “Flow” by Omer Avital ................................................................. 28 5.3. Dotted quarter polyrhythmic harmony ................................................................ 28 5.4. The big “V “ ......................................................................................................... 29 5.5. Adding chords to measures 9-16 ......................................................................... 29 vii 5.6. 3-measure cycle ................................................................................................... 30 5.7. 6-measure cycle ................................................................................................... 30 5.8. Juxtaposing 3- and 6-measure cycles .................................................................. 30 5.9. 3- and 6-measure cycles in the chord progression ............................................... 31 5.10 Cycles reversed .................................................................................................... 31 6.1. All minor 7th chords ............................................................................................. 34 6.2. All major 7th chords ............................................................................................. 34 6.3. All suspended 7th chords ...................................................................................... 35 6.4. Upper structure triads .......................................................................................... 35 6.5. Minor 7th, minor 6th ............................................................................................. 36 6.6. An alternate 3-measure cycle .............................................................................. 36 6.7. Static root motion ................................................................................................ 37 6.8. Diminished 7th approach ...................................................................................... 37 1 INTRODUCTION The release of John Coltrane’s album Giant Steps in 1960 is widely accepted as a milestone in jazz history. During the decades since, the title track has become a core part of the jazz repertoire, continually inspiring and challenging jazz musicians and audiences. This tune specifically, and the 3-tonic system, more generally, have held the attention of generations of jazz musicians and scholars. “Giant Steps” has been recorded again and again, and scholars continue to write articles and books about it and the 3-tonic system. According to David Ake, “it is safe to say that no piece enjoys as much prestige or overall ‘aura’ in all of jazz education as this one [“Giant Steps”] does.”1,2 While the 3-tonic system at the core of the tune “Giant Steps” has played a part in many of John Coltrane’s improvisations and compositions before and after its release, the tune is unique two ways. First, it is Coltrane’s only composition that is comprised entirely of the 3-tonic system rather than a re-harmonization of another tune
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