[Dixielandjazz] White Christmas

[Fred Hoeptner]

I am nonplussed. I must remind you that this is a "Dixieland jazz"
discussion group. As such, no discussion of chords more sophisticated than
the major triad, minor triad, major minor seventh (dominant seventh),
perhaps added sixth, and diminished seventh are permissible. You are
forgiven this time, but in the future please desist from such
transgressions.

 

- Fred Hoeptner 

 

>Message: 9

>Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2009 10:33:18 +0100

>From: "Dick Sleeman" <dick at sleeman.nl>

>To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>

 

>Fred Hoeptner writes:

 

> However, I

> must disagree with Mr. Kapilow in his statement about minor chords.

> "Listen"

> is indeed minor, but not "glisten," which is merely the seventh of the 

> tonic, which I assume here to be C. To me the "heartbreaking"

> feature

> relative to "glisten" is the sequence of chords leading into it:

> "tree" = C,

> "tops" = E minor or C maj 7th, "glisten" = C7.

 

Well I don't find that "glisten" should just be a C7, although it says so in
the lead sheet by Mr. Berlin. In the first place it's not a seventh but a
sixth, so it should be a C13 (or a C7add6 if you will), but I hear it being
preceded by a Gmin9, the 9 being the melody 'a' on "glisten" (and there you
have the "minor" chord!).

 

So the sequence of chords I play is:

 

- tree ........ C

- tops ....... Cmaj7

- glisten ... Gmin9 - C13

- and

- chil- ........ F

- dren ....... Fmaj7

- listen ...... Fmin69 - Bb13

 

In an arrangement I wrote some time ago I had the lower strings play C-B-Bb
en F-E-D in these places. And, albeit not 'heartbreaking', it still brings a
tear to my eyes....

 

It's a good thing that we musicians KEEP debating details like this :-)

 

Warm regards,

 

Dick Sleeman