TAKEYOURTURNAROUNDSoloing over ii-V (two-five) chord changes

THEMOST prevalent, and need Isayimpor-tant, chord change injazz-one that's alsoused abundantly in rock, pop, funk, blues,

country and other styles of music-is what'sknown as the "ii-V' (two-five). These Romannumerals signify the second and fifth chordsthat are generated from a major scale relativeto a given tonal center or tonic, which is calledthe "I" (one) chord. The lower-case "ii"indicatesthat the "two" chord isminor.

The ii-Vchord change typically serves as aresolution within a longer chord progression.As it is often used at the end of a phrase to setup a return to the beginning, or "top," of achord progression, it's commonly referred toas a turnaround.

Hundreds of jazz compositions includenumerous ii-Vchord changes throughout thecourse of the progression that the tune is basedon, with each ii-Vsetting up a resolution andmodulation (key change) to a new, "temporary"tonic within the overall progression. Well-known examples of "standard" tunes thatinclude numerous ii-Vchord changes in theirprogressions are "All the Things You Are,""Autumn Leaves," "'Round Midnight," and"Green Dolphin Street," to name a few.

FIGUREla illustrates the Amajor scale (ABC# DEF# G#) with aRoman numeral assignedto each scale degree. FIGURE1b shows a set ofdiatonic seventh chords that can be generated byharmonizing this scale in four parts. Asyou cansee, each chord is assigned a Roman numeralthat designates its relationship to the tonic. Inthe key of A,Bm7 is the ii chord (iim7), and E7is the Vchord (V7).

One particularly effective approach toimprovising over these chords is to "target" oneof the four chord tones that comprise each chordbyplaying it on the beat so that it coincides withthe chord change. The chord tones ofBm7 are B,D,F# and A; the chord tones ofE7 are E,G#, Band D. For a more harmonically sophisticatedsound, you can go a step further and target theupper extensions of each chord: for Bm7, theseare C#, E and G#; forE7, the upper extensionsare F# ,Aand C#. Asyou can see, there are manyshared, or common, tones between these twochords, and part of the challenge when soloingis to try and use common tones as melodic/har-monic pivot points from which you smoothlymove from one chord to the next. There are alsopassing tones that fall between the chord tones.These can be used to connect chord tones thatare a whole step (or further) apart.

A great way to learn how to improvise over

FIGURE 1b diatonic seventh chords in A

Amaj7 8m7 C#m7 Dmaj7 E7 F#m7 G#m7~5 (Amaj7)

#.

5--7--9--7--9-10-12g146--7--9--6--7--9-11 136--7--9--7--9-11 -12 14

5--7--9-11 125--7--9

FIGURE 2a

Moderately J = 84 w/Swing 16ths Feel (~ =nn)8m7 E7 C#m7 F#7

;\ ri:':

~9-10-9-7

7 = 7-10---10-7-87'<-6-9-7-9

9

"7-11/·12-9----12-9-10-11-.,=,--10-7

9-1211--8-11

"" "5-3-8-6-5~5 8~93-6-----·8-7

7-6 4_3-58-9-7-6-10-6

9-(9)---7_67~7 4-7

r-.8,1-9-5-----7

7----'9-10-7--10 ..•11-8--117-6-9----7----9

9----

14121514-12-13 13-121110'9--~~-9-1211 9-8-7-6

14 1112119_8-11--1211 8-10'912

chord changes is to practice soloing over avamp-a relatively short chord progression thatloops around and repeats. FIGURES2a and 2billustrate examples of improvised melodiesplayed over a four-chord vamp inA. FIGURE2cis a longer example of a line played over thissame vamp.

The chord sequence in each of these exam-ples may be analyzed as being a ii-V-iii-VI(two-five-three-six) progression in A (Bm7-E7-

C#m7 -F#7). It may also be thought of as a ii-Vturnaround inA (Bm7-E7) alternating with a ii-VturnaroundinB orB minor (C#m7-F#7). Thebeauty of this cyclical progression is that it canbe repeated indefinitely, offering a soloist a chal-lenging and inspiring framework over which tocreate streams of melodic resolutions fromchord to chord. As you play these lines, noticethe use of chord tones, as described above, aswell as passing tones .•