[Dixielandjazz] Mandy Make up your Mind

[Dick Sleeman]

Ken wrote:

> It looks like there are lots of different ways of playing the tune. We've
> recorded it on an internationally available CD and, so far, nobody has
> give us a hard time about playing the wrong chords.

As a church organist besides a trombone/tubaist, I find this very
interesting. When I play in church I always try to find different
harmonisations and/or bass lines so as to keep the congregation awake :-)
I compared different possibilities in MMUYM:

According to 'Anderson' : F Bb7 / F Bb7 / F Am7b5 / D7 /
                                          G7 Bb° / G7 Bb° / G7 / % /

According to the "Dixieland Fake Book o/t Firehouse Jazz Band:
                                          F C7+ / F C7+ / F Am7b5 / D7 / % /
                                          G7 ----------------------------------

I myself use:                      F C9+ / F C9+ / F-E7Eb7 / D7 / % /
                                          G7 G° / G7 G° / G9 / % /

my alternative:                  F6 / E7+ / Eb13 / D9 /
                                          G7 / Db° / Dm9 / G9+ /

I'm missing a similar discussion on measures 25 to 27/8:

Anderson:                 ms.25  F7 Bb7 / Eb7 D7 / G7 / % /

Dixie Fake Book:     ms.25  Gm7 / A7 / D7 / % /

me, after Anderson:  ms.25  F9 Bb7 / Eb7 D7 / G9 / % /

There's a big difference, chordwise, between the first two; I suppose
because of Anderson followed the original lead sheet. Very remarkable is the
use of D7 in ms. 27/8 in the DFB, as opposed to G7 in Anderson. Both
versions are sound, however, I prefer the Anderson ("There are no 'wrong'
chords" :-))

I think that the Gm7 in ms.25 of the DFB should have a Bb in the bass,
therefore I would notate it as Bb6, which is essentially the same chord,
but with a different bass note. In some cases the 7-chords should be
9-chords, according (pun intended) to the melody note(s).

My 2 Eurocents,

Dick "Can you make up your mind which chord to play #$%&" Sleeman

> dick at sleeman.nl <