Teasing the Korean Posted April 18, 2022 Report Share Posted April 18, 2022 I sometimes hear the bridge played as a series of three ii-V-I progressions before the turnaround to the home key. But I have also heard it played with the first chord of the bridge as a major 7th chord on the IV, related to the first ii-V-I key if that makes sense. So, playing it on the piano in Eb, that could mean the first chord of the bridge is an Abm7 or a B maj. 7. I kind of like the sound of the latter because it seems a little less expected, but either work. Last night, I listened to a very early recording by Benny Carter, and I heard the series of three ii-V-I progressions, but the fidelity wasn't the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted April 18, 2022 Report Share Posted April 18, 2022 I'll ask Ira Nepus who was a friend of Benny's and often played with him. Miles famously didn't know the bridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Kart Posted April 18, 2022 Report Share Posted April 18, 2022 26 minutes ago, medjuck said: I'll ask Ira Nepus who was a friend of Benny's and often played with him. Miles famously didn't know the bridge. Not sure if Miles altered the bridge to a repeat of the A section in a new key because he didn't know Carter's bridge or because he found his simpler altered version of Carter's bridge to the piece easier/more attractive for him to blow on. He did something very similar to the bridge of Monk's "Well You Needn't" for, I assume, the same reason. In any case, thanks to Miles' popular recordings of those pieces, his altered versions of their bridges came to be commonly used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted April 19, 2022 Report Share Posted April 19, 2022 Ira answered as follows (though he also says it good to go with your ears too). I worked with Benny and Jamey Abersold on this before Benny passed. The first chord of the bridge in this key of Eflat starts on: A flat minor going to G flat major in the next bar. Then B minor to A major to Dminor to C major, to Cminor to Fminor and then back to the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gheorghe Posted April 19, 2022 Report Share Posted April 19, 2022 11 hours ago, Larry Kart said: Not sure if Miles altered the bridge to a repeat of the A section in a new key because he didn't know Carter's bridge or because he found his simpler altered version of Carter's bridge to the piece easier/more attractive for him to blow on. He did something very similar to the bridge of Monk's "Well You Needn't" for, I assume, the same reason. In any case, thanks to Miles' popular recordings of those pieces, his altered versions of their bridges came to be commonly used. Miles played it in F and the brigde in Bb. I never had heard the original version since I´m not really familiar with Benny Carter´s work, but didn´t play Miles with Benny Carter in LA in 1946 and decided to stay and record with Bird ? Miles´ bridge on "Well You Needn´t " is common ground at jam sessions, but I always ask which bridge they want, since if I play it on my own, I use the Monk bridge, since I´m familiar with Monk´s music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgcim Posted April 19, 2022 Report Share Posted April 19, 2022 I remember playing that tune with a pianist who had been on the road with Chet baker for 8 months, and was featured on the Woody Herman album "East Meets West>, but had just just received his doctorate in Musical Theory. He lectured us on how the tune was the most perfect miniaturization of Sonata Form in the history of music. We all just nodded our heads as if we understood what he was talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted March 13 Author Report Share Posted March 13 I just listened to Chet Baker's version of this tune, from Chet Baker in New York. Instead of playing the bridge, they play the A section again, up a perfect fourth, kind of like the bridge in "What's New." Why on earth would anyone want to cover "When Lights are Low" and delete that amazing bridge?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted March 13 Report Share Posted March 13 Didn't Miles do the same thing? If so, that explains it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted March 13 Author Report Share Posted March 13 1 hour ago, medjuck said: Didn't Miles do the same thing? If so, that explains it. That may be it. I rarely listen to Miles from that era, so I didn't immediately make the connection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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