[Dixielandjazz] chords on "I'm Comin'"?

[Dick Sleeman]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave Gravatt" <dave at creolejazz.com>
To: "Dixieland Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2003 1:58 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] chords on "I'm Comin'"?

Listmate Dave Gravatt asked:

> Hey, gang. I'm curious: what chords do you use on the first measure of the
> chorus of "I'm Comin' Virginia"? Likewise, what notes does your bass or tuba
> player use in that measure? Thanks.

and Burt Wilson answered:

> If you're playing it in F, the first two chords are C7 and C7+
> If in Eb, the first two chords are Bb7 and Bb7+
> From then on, everyone has a different way of playing it. I like Condon's
> way--came out in the late 50's--with the descending chords coming in on the
> second beat.

and my friend Wim Mossel added:

> We do it the same way, but it is, lets say, the last bar of the verse. It 
> is an upbeat for the chorus. Generally it is a break. When you don't make 
> it a break the last bar of the verse is / C7 C75+ / (when you play in F).

As always, when discussions about chords take place, I am deeply interested and want to join in. So, here goes: IMHO the two answers, stated by Burt and Wim however correct, do not cover the question. Dave inquired after THE FIRST MEASURE and not the lead-in measure, isn't it, Dave? 

According to my leadsheet (1927, Robins Music Corporation) the chords in the first measure should be:

F F7 Fdim Bbm6/F  (all four counts with an F as bass).

(these are the descending chords Burt refers to, Heywood's way, not Condon's). 

Dave's next question was about which notes the tuba or the bass should play and again IMHO they COULD play here: 

F A Ab G \ F ...  or: F Eb D Db \ C ... or (off course) F F F F \ F.

(definitely NOT:  F A Bb B , what I hear a lot, because the last B interferes with the Bbm6 chord!)

Cheers,

Dick Sleeman, Lelystad, Holland.

<d.sleeman at hccnet.nl>